office building | ARLnow.com

Revamped Virginia Square Development Plan Approved

Published January 23, 2012 at 10:30AM

Rendering of original plans for the nine-story office building at 3901 Fairfax Drive. (Image via Arlington County)

BDC Crimson LLC is the developer for the nine story mixed-use commercial building, which will include offices, ground floor retail and a 12,985 square foot black box theater. The theater will cost $3.7 million to build, and will be leased to the County for 30 years, at $1 per year. It will hold 150 people.

“This project brings us closer to realizing the community-crafted sector plan’s vision of Virginia Square as a center for arts, culture and education,” said Arlington County Board Chair Mary Hynes. “The public plaza will enliven Virginia Square, and the Black Box Theater will add a significant cultural destination to this part of the Metro corridor.”

News

Board Stays Up Late to Approve New Boeing HQ

By ARLnow.com

Published October 19, 2011 at 6:36PM

After a lengthy back-and-forth discussion, the Board voted unanimously to approve the project, which won high marks for its economic benefits to the county but which was strongly opposed by the county’s own citizen-led transportation and planning commissions.

Opponents of the Boeing plan argued that allowing six-story, single-tenant office buildings on the 4.7 acre property — located between Crystal City and the county’s new Long Bridge Park — ran counter to Arlington’s original “smart growth” goal for a mixed-use office, residential and retail development there.

News

County Installing Building Energy Labels Today

By ARLnow.com

Published October 19, 2011 at 10:58AM

The green labels are intended to tell citizens the buildings’ carbon footprint, current energy use and planned long-term reductions in energy use (by 2050). The stats are all relative to the square footage of each building.

The county’s main administrative building, at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, is one of the buildings that will be receiving the labels. The building is 30 percent more efficient than the average U.S. office building, according to its label. Its 17.9 pounds of carbon dioxide per square foot carbon footprint compared favorably to the U.S. office average of 26.1 pounds.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 19, 2011 at 8:36AM | Updated October 19, 2011 at 9:09AM

Board Approves Penrose Square Public Plaza — The Arlington County Board last night formally approved a $2 million public plaza at the Penrose Square apartment complex on Columbia Pike. “This flexible, vibrant public square is an important part of the community vision for Columbia Pike… a place for people to relax, gather and host events,” said Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman. The plaza is expected to open next fall. [Arlington County]

Board Green Lights Boeing HQ — After more than 3 hours of discussion, the County Board — somewhat reluctantly — approved a plan by aircraft maker Boeing to build a new, 450,000 square foot regional headquarters on a plot of land between Crystal City and the future Long Bridge Park. ARLnow.com will have a full recap up later today.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 11, 2011 at 7:55AM | Updated October 11, 2011 at 9:11AM

Construction to Begin on Rosslyn Office Project — The long-stalled Central Place office project may finally be moving forward. Developer JBG says construction on a new 390-foot office tower, adjacent to the Rosslyn Metro station, will likely begin in the second quarter of 2012. The project will be competing with the nearby 1812 N. Moore Street project for the title of tallest skyscraper in the D.C. area. [Washington Post]

Taxi Fee Increase in the Works — The Arlington County Board is expected to advertise public hearings for a possible increase in two fees charged by taxi cabs. County staff is recommending the initial base taxi fare (the “drop fee”) be raised from $2.75 to $3.00, while also recommending the extra-passenger charge be hiked from $1.00 to $1.50. All fees charged by Arlington-based taxis are set by the county. [Sun Gazette]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 4, 2011 at 8:27AM | Updated October 4, 2011 at 9:33AM

Penzance Buys Another Arlington Building — Local real estate firm Penzance is upping its investment in Arlington. The company just closed a multimillion dollar deal to buy a 7-story office building at 1555 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn. The building, which houses tenants like the Washington Business Journal and George Washington University, is across from another Penzance-owned building at 1500 Wilson Boulevard. Penzance plans to renovate the 1500 Wilson Property, while at the same time moving forward with plans to build a large new office building in Clarendon. [CityBiz Real Estate]

AHC Pays Back Loan, Expands to P.G. Co. — Nonprofit, Arlington-based affordable housing developer AHC Inc. has repaid the remaining principal and interest on a $1.5 million loan it received from Arlington County in 1994. The loan was used to buy the Harvey Hall Apartments, a 116-unit affordable apartment complex in Columbia Heights West. AHC was able to repay Arlington the remaining $717,167 on the loan thanks to a refinancing. Meanwhile, AHC is planning to expand its service area to Prince George’s County, Md. [AHC Inc., CityBiz Real Estate]

Around Town

BRAC’d Building in Rosslyn to Be Renovated

By ARLnow.com

Published September 23, 2011 at 11:00AM | Updated September 23, 2011 at 1:59PM

Renovate, renovate, renovate.

That’s the plan announced by real estate firm Penzance earlier this week for its 17-story office tower at 1500 Wilson Boulevard. Most of the building, minus ground-level retailers like Santa Fe Cafe and a couple of lower floors, will be vacated next year thanks to the Base Realignment and Closure Act, and Penzance is planning to spruce things up.

News

New Office Complex Under Consideration for Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Published July 21, 2011 at 3:57PM | Updated July 21, 2011 at 6:20PM

The “PenPlace” site, as it’s called, is a 12-acre parcel owned by Vornado/Charles E. Smith. Its only inhabitants over the past decade have been a Marriott Residence Inn, Nell’s Carryout and the occasional traveling circus. Once considered as a possible location for the new Nationals stadium or an “Arlington County Conference Center,” the site has laid fallow for years.

Last month the LRPC considered a number of possible uses for the site (all of which preserve the existing Marriott hotel and add new streets to break up the large “superblock”):

Around Town

New Office Buildings Planned for Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published June 17, 2011 at 2:13PM | Updated June 17, 2011 at 5:16PM

New details have been released about a major office development in Clarendon.

Real estate investment firm Penzance says it’s about to complete its final site plan filing with Arlington County for the block bordered by Washington Boulevard, 11th Street, N. Highland Street and N. Garfield Street. Penzance wants to turn the block — which currently contains a bank, a bar, a used car dealership, a cemetery monument manufacturer and other small businesses — into a 300,000 square foot office development, complete with a 10-story office building, an 8-story office building, ground-level retail and a four-level underground parking garage.

News

Police Seek Office Theft Suspect

By ARLnow.com

Published May 17, 2011 at 8:48AM | Updated May 17, 2011 at 10:40AM

Tolliver is being sought for questioning by Arlington police after several office burglaries in Rosslyn and Crystal City. Cops say that someone matching Tolliver’s description poses as a maintenance worker or mold inspector, then enters unsecured or “under-secured” offices and takes cash from wallets, purses and petty cash boxes.

According to a letter sent to property managers:

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 21, 2011 at 9:09AM | Updated April 21, 2011 at 10:01AM

Empty Courthouse Office Building for Sale — The big, white Verizon office building at 1320 N. Courthouse Road is actually vacant — and for sale. After nearly 30 years as a tenant, Verizon left its offices in the building. The owner is now seeking interested buyers or joint venture partners. [GlobeSt.com]

Westover to Hold Easter Egg Hunt — Children 9 years old and younger are invited to participate in Westover Village’s Easter egg hunt on Saturday. The event is being held from 10:00 a.m. to noon next to the Westover Library. Admission is free and yes, the Easter Bunny will be there. [VisitWestover.com]

News

Crystal City Office Building Placed on Lockdown

By ARLnow.com

Published April 11, 2011 at 2:55PM | Updated April 11, 2011 at 9:03PM

There were some tense moments in Crystal City this morning as Arlington County and Pentagon Police surrounded an office building after receiving a false report of a man with a gun.

Police were originally dispatched to the scene for a report of an intoxicated military service member who was said to be brandishing a handgun in an office on the 2200 block of South Clark Street. One floor of the building was evacuated, employees sheltered in place on other floors and elevators were locked down.