commercial real estate | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published October 15, 2020 at 6:00AM

Nonprofit Won’t Return to Arlington Office — “The American Diabetes Association isn’t planning a return to the Crystal City headquarters it left Alexandria for a few years back, not even when a Covid-19 vaccine is readily available and it’s safe to go back to the office again. The nonprofit is seeking to sublease all of its space at 2451 Crystal Drive, about 80,000 square feet.” [Washington Business Journal]

Voter Registration Open Until Midnight — “A judge on Wednesday granted a request from civil rights groups to extend Virginia’s voter registration deadline until Oct. 15 after the state’s online system crashed on the final day of the registration period, according to Virginia’s attorney general.” [Axios, Press Release]

News

County Considering Making Office-to-Apartment Conversions Easier

By ARLnow.com

Published October 13, 2020 at 3:45PM

WeWork / WeLive in Crystal City, in 2016 (file photo)

Arlington County officials are considering new administrative guidance to streamline the process of converting office buildings into residential buildings.

Such conversions would remain subject to County Board approval, but a new set of guidelines being considered by county staff would make the review and recommendation process easier.

News

Rosslyn Office Owner Buys Another Shirlington Property

By ARLnow.com

Published October 13, 2020 at 9:30AM

Monday Properties, which is best known locally for being the predominant owner of office buildings in Rosslyn, is making its second recent purchase in the Shirlington area.

Monday, in a joint venture with London-based neo capital, is acquiring Shirlington Tower at 2900 S. Quincy Street. The nearly quarter-million square foot office building is mostly filled, with tenants like the U.S. Navy and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.

News

Sichuan Wok Building Sold, Spa Planned

By ARLnow.com

Published October 2, 2020 at 9:30AM | Updated October 2, 2020 at 9:52AM

It’s a curious sight: a house in the middle of Ballston, in the midst of apartment and office towers.

But it’s not really a house, it’s a commercial building that most recently served as a Chinese restaurant called Sichuan Wok, and thus its fate is of some local interest.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 24, 2020 at 6:00AM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:26AM

Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amazon Buys Hotel Next to HQ2 Site — “Amazon.com Inc. has purchased the Residence Inn by Marriott in Pentagon City with plans to demolish it and expand its second headquarters, the company tells the Washington Business Journal. Acorn Development LLC, an Amazon subsidiary, paid $148.5 million for the building and its 1.5-acre site at 550 Army Navy Drive.” [Washington Business Journal]

Trail Roundabout Now In Use — A new roundabout along the Custis Trail is now in use, improving safety at a formerly hazardous T-intersection in Bon Air Park. [Twitter]

News

Renderings Released for New Public Plaza in Virginia Square

By Scott Fields

Published September 22, 2020 at 2:00PM | Updated September 22, 2020 at 2:20PM

Concept A of 3901 N. Fairfax Drive plaza (photo via Arlington County)

(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) After years of stalled plans, concepts for a new public plaza and office building in Virginia Square are taking shape.

Arlington County and developer Skanska released two new concept designs for the plaza as part of a community engagement process for the planned development, located near Arlington Central Library. The county is seeking feedback on the designs, which have changed since the development was first approved in 2012.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2020 at 6:00AM

Fall Officially Starts Today — “While many of us think of the first day of fall as a full calendar day, the equinox itself is a rather fleeting astronomical event. It happens at a precise moment when the sun’s direct rays are straight over Earth’s equator. This year’s equinox is at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on Sept. 22.” [Capital Weather Gang]

JBG Acquires Local 5G Radio Spectrum — “JBG Smith Properties has paid $25.3 million for licenses to use small parts of a new class of wireless spectrum to set up a 5G internet network in National Landing, home to Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters and Virginia Tech’s innovation campus.” [Washington Business Journal, Press Release]

Around Town

Tech Education Nonprofit Takes Over Space in Ballston Exchange

By Ashley Hopko

Published September 18, 2020 at 1:45PM | Updated September 18, 2020 at 5:15PM

An new tenant in Ballston helps adults in need of a boost to establish foundational computer skills, ultimately expanding their career opportunities.

Called Computer CORE, the educational nonprofit offers courses in Google Suite, email, internet basics, computer security, community college math and similar fields to underserved adults. The classes help workers increase their salary by $10k on average.

Opinion

Morning Poll: When Do You Want to Return to the Office?

By ARLnow.com

Published September 15, 2020 at 9:35AM

Across the region, office buildings have remained largely sparsely populated since the start of the pandemic, with most employees working from home.

It might stay that way for awhile.

News

Former Wendy’s Site in Courthouse to Remain Vacant into 2021

By ARLnow.com

Published September 9, 2020 at 10:30AM

Site of former Wendy's in Courthouse in September 2019 (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

A prime triangle of land in Courthouse is expected to remain largely vacant through next year.

The property at the corner of Wilson Blvd. and N. Courthouse Road once housed a Wendy’s. The fast food restaurant was torn down in 2016, in anticipation of the construction of a 12-story office building, which was approved the year before. More than four years after the demolition, however, there’s still no office building.

News

Sign Proposed for Top of New PBS Headquarters in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published September 9, 2020 at 9:30AM

New PBS headquarters at 1225 S. Clark St. (via Arlington County)

PBS is asking the Arlington County Board permission to add its logo to the top of its new headquarters in Crystal City.

The public broadcasting network is moving from its current space at 2100 Crystal Drive to the northern corner of the neighborhood, at 1225 S. Clark Street, after signing a 15-year-lease for 120,000 square feet of office space last year.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 1, 2020 at 6:00AM

It’s September — With a flip of the calendar, it is now September. Including today, there are 122 days remaining until 2021. There are nine weeks until Election Day. [YouTube, Wall Street Journal]

NORAD Exercises This Week — “We will conduct air defense exercise Falcon Virgo between midnight and 5:30 a.m. (ET) Sept.1-3 in the Washington, D.C. area. The exercise includes U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft, a U.S. Army C-12, a U.S. Coast Guard MH-65D helicopter, and a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T. Some portions of the exercise may involve flights at approximately 2,500 feet and may be visible from the ground.” [Facebook]