The site plan to redevelop Rosslyn’s former Key Bridge Marriott has expired, raising even more questions for the future of the Langston Blvd property.
Plans for a renovated hotel and two 16-story residential buildings at 1401 Langston Blvd expired on July 1, county spokesperson Rachel LaPiana told ARLnow.
This means that once crews finish demolishing existing structures on the troubled property, any future redevelopment plans will require new County Board approval.
“The current property owner — or any future owner of the property — would have to apply for a new site plan to be able to redevelop the property, which is a premier location at the gateway to Arlington County with an important role in the placemaking of the Rosslyn area,” LaPiana said.
LaPiana estimated that demolition will take “several months,” which is the same estimate she gave in April.
Crews continue to demolish the property in phases, deconstructing it “floor-by-floor to ensure minimum impact to the community,” she said. Demolition on the site’s “main” tower and “motel” tower began last week.
The assessed land value for the site is $47.5 million, according to property records.
California-based Woodbridge Capital Partners LLC purchased the Rosslyn hotel in early 2018 in a joint venture with Oaktree Capital Management. Woodbridge submitted its first redevelopment plans in March 2019 and they received County Board approval in March 2020.
After that, the project languished for years as Woodbridge showed signs of financial distress.
In March 2023, the property was condemned by the county after a massive police operation to remove squatters from the hotel, which dates back to 1959.
The county declared the building a “public nuisance” in May 2024, but returned the site to KBLH, a subsidiary of Woodbridge, in January for demolition. The teardown began in February.
County spokesperson Ryan Hudson provided the following statement on the future of the site and the county’s involvement.
The property at 1401 Langston Boulevard is owned by KBLH, LLC (a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based Woodridge Capital Partners). While the County did assume responsibility of the property to ensure security, the property was returned to the custody of KBLH and their contractors for demolition earlier this year. Put another way: The County does not own the property, and as such the County Board cannot make plans for the site in the future. The current property owner—or any future owner of the property—would have to apply for a new site plan to be able to redevelop the property; the site plan proposal would follow the typical site plan review process (SPRC), which culminates with a County Board Public Hearing (more info here).
In March 2024, the property was declared to be a public nuisance by Arlington County’s Building Official, due to its unsafe and unsanitary conditions. A Notice of Violation was issued on May 17, 2024, ordering the property owner to immediately secure the building against entry and subsequently raze the building. Additional background on the property is available on the County website, and within previous stories published by ARLnow.
The property continues to be demolished in phases and will likely take several more months.
The property at 1401 Langston Blvd. is a premier location at the gateway to Arlington County and has an important role in the placemaking of the Rosslyn area.
