Despite plans to close to the public, the doors to the View of DC observation deck in Rosslyn remain open for now while the property’s new owner finalizes some last-minute details.
Yesterday (Wednesday) was intended to be the last day visitors could access the deck at 1201 Wilson Blvd, according to the Arlington Economic Development website. The Arlington County Board last week agreed to exchange public access to the lookout, which offers free 360-degree views of D.C. and Northern Virginia, for a $14 million investment in renovations at nearby Gateway Park.
However, the deck remained open as of today, with staff unable to confirm any details.
CoStar Group, the real estate data and marketplace company that announced plans to relocate its headquarters to Central Place Tower in February, did not respond to requests for comment. But Arlington Economic Development clarified today that the company is still in the process of closing the deck.
“The closing date of July 31 was the earliest date the Observation Deck would close,” spokesperson Destiny Esper said. “CoStar Group is still completing a number of items associated with the recent County actions. Those must be completed before the deck can be closed.”
The observation deck has been free to members of the public since 2019. But its usage has been much lower than planned. Of the 32,188 recorded visits in 2023, just 4,995 were reported to be from Arlington County residents, according to a presentation last month.
CoStar’s investment in Gateway Park is expected to move up renovation plans by about eight years. However, some members of the public pushed back against plans to remove a public amenity that is included in the Rosslyn Sector Plan.
County staff previously highlighted that CoStar’s move to Rosslyn is expected to bring 650 jobs with an average salary of $185,000 while preserving $4.2 million in annual property tax revenue at 1201 Wilson Blvd.
