Demolition is getting underway at the former Key Bridge Marriott, raising questions about what happens next at the Rosslyn property.
Current plans for 1401 Langston Blvd, approved back in March 2020, call for hundreds of new apartments and a renovated hotel. Property owner KBLH has until July 1 to either act on those plans or let them expire, county spokesperson Ryan Hudson told ARLnow.
If the current development proposal falls through — a real possibility, given past financial difficulties and lack of activity at the site — some local sports fans have another suggestion for 1401 Langston Blvd.
Since the concept of an arena in Potomac Yard got the ax last year, why not build one in Rosslyn?
Georgetown University did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
County spokesperson Ryan Hudson also did not directly respond to a question from ARLnow about this proposition, which gained some traction among Georgetown Hoyas fans on X this month.
This would completely re-energize the program, the student body, and the alumni. Getting from the suburbs to Cap One for a 6:30 game, paying $25 to park, and watching in an arena that feels empty no matter how many people are there is why we’re no longer season ticket holders .
— Susan (@starfish4626) February 1, 2025
However, Hudson confirmed that the county is working with KBLH “to ensure the property is razed as soon and as safely as possible.” What happens then is largely up to the property owner — and the owner’s finances.
“The approved site plan is valid until July 1, 2025,” Hudson said. “The owner is required to pull a permit for the development by that time or the site plan expires. Alternatively, the owner may apply for a site plan amendment seeking County Board approval to extend the site plan’s period of validity for an additional three years.”
The site plan from 2020 proposes redeveloping part of the site with 151 condos and 300 apartments, while also renovating a portion of the existing hotel.
The project has stalled for the better part of five years — plagued by significant safety issues — amid signs of financial distress at Los Angeles-based Woodridge Capital Partners, of which KBLH is an affiliate.
Officials declared the Key Bridge Marriott “a public nuisance” last May and took steps to install better security there.
At the moment, the county says it doesn’t know exactly how much it has spent securing the property over the past eight months. However, the Arlington County Board approved $500,000 in closeout funds in November for “continued site safety requirements a the old Rosslyn Marriott site.”
KBLH, which could not be reached for comment on this story, is on the hook for all of these costs.
“The County is working to recoup all of its cost from the property owner,” Hudson said. “We are still collecting invoices from vendors, so do not have a final total at this time.”
What would happen if the developer doesn’t act on its plans in time? Or the county can’t collect on its security costs? Hudson didn’t say — perhaps leaving Hoyas fans with some room for hope.
— HoyaOptimist (@HoyaOptimist33) February 1, 2025
