Tesla is charging up to open at former Maserati dealership near I-395, permits show

Tesla is in the process of building out its new Arlington location.

The electric car company is moving into the building formerly occupied by Maserati on S. Glebe Road near I-395, county permit records show.

A building permit was approved in January and calls for the building to get “improvements for ‘Tesla, Inc.’ auto sales, delivery and vehicles service as well as minor interior alterations, new equipment installation, and new furniture.”

At the moment, it’s unclear when the store will open. Repeated emails and calls to corporate headquarters in California have so far gone unanswered, perhaps on account of not having a public relations department.

When ARLnow stopped by, there were a couple of workers reviewing the electrical systems but they were unable to provide information about any opening date.

The permit confirms what’s long been thought since Maserati stalled out at 2710 S. Glebe Road more than a year ago. In September 2021, the Washington Business Journal reported on plans to transform the 63,854-square-foot space for its new tenant, though it was unclear whether a lease was finalized at that time.

The property is still owned by an LLC associated with the former Maserati of Arlington dealership, according to county property records, with the last sale happening in 2014 for $3.7 million. In 2016, the original building — which was previously a seafood store — was knocked down and a new expanded facility was erected in its place.

With construction permits approved as of about six weeks ago, it’s possible that Tesla could open this spring, given a buildout process that was “expected to be fairly quick,” according to the Business Journal.

This will be the fourth Washington area Tesla location, with others in Tysons, D.C., and Bethesda.