construction

Rehab work starts on 21st Street N. bridge over I-66

By ARLnow.com
1/3

VDOT has started planned rehabilitation work on a bridge over I-66.

The state transportation department says the 21st Street N. bridge, built in 1980, is “deteriorating” and needs concrete repairs and other TLC. The bridge is located near the Mom’s Organic Market along Langston Blvd; it connects drivers going between Courthouse, the North Highlands neighborhood, and Rosslyn.

The $4.1 million project will prompt some temporary lane closures on I-66 during construction, as well as temporary closures of a sidewalk along the bridge.

More, below, from a VDOT press release.

Work is underway to rehabilitate the 21st Street North bridge over I-66 to improve driver, bicyclist and pedestrian safety and extend the overall life of the bridge, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The bridge, located between the Spout Run Parkway (Exit 72) and eastbound I-66 Route 29 Rosslyn/Key Bridge (Exit 73) interchanges, was built in 1980.

The project includes:

  • Resurfacing the concrete bridge deck
  • Closing deck joints
  • Repairing concrete piers and abutments
  • Replacing bearings
  • The width of the existing lanes and sidewalks on the bridge will remain the same.

During construction:

  • Daytime lane closures may be scheduled along I-66 and 21st Street North
  • Overnight lane closures may be scheduled on I-66
  • When one sidewalk along the bridge is closed, pedestrians will be detoured to the sidewalk on the opposite side
  • The Custis Trail under the bridge will remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians
  • Parking will not be allowed on the bridge or approaches

Starting in mid-2024, 21st Street North will be temporarily reduced to one lane on the bridge and open to northbound traffic only. Further information will be provided closer to the start of the partial bridge closure, which will be in place for several months while work occurs on the bridge deck.

The $4.1 million 21st Street North over I-66 Bridge Rehabilitation Project is financed with federal and state funding, including State of Good Repair funds used for bridges. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2024.

Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.

Houses on former Febrey-Lothrop site to go on sale in the fall

By Matt Blitz
1/3

Houses at the former site of the Febrey-Lothrop House are set to go on sale this fall, with a delivery set for early next year.

Toll Brothers announced last week that the “boutique community” off of Wilson Blvd in Dominion Hills, dubbed The Grove at Dominion Hills, is nearing the finish line.

It will feature 40 single-family homes on more than nine acres, with houses ranging from 3,470 to 5,834 square feet. They all appear to have five bedrooms and up to six bathrooms, per the website.

Sales are set to begin this fall with pricing starting at $2.1 million, said a Toll Brothers spokesperson in an email. The houses are expected to be move-in ready by “early 2024.”

The site where houses now stand was once where the historic Febrey-Lothrop House stood before it was demolished more than two years ago, much to the dismay of local preservationists, the county’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB), and the Arlington Historical Society.

Also known as the Rouse estate, the original house was built before the Civil War but was largely replaced in the early 20th century. Historians cited the estate’s role in hosting Civil War encampments, past residents including business mogul Howard Hughes, and the likelihood it was built by enslaved peoples as for reasons to preserve the site. The land it was on was also potentially a hunting ground for Indigenous peoples.

But its future became in doubt when its last owner, sportsman Randy Rouse, died in 2017. The property hit the market in 2020, with some pushing the county to purchase it and turn it into a public park, a school, or another public facility.

However, Rouse’s trust ended up selling the property to a developer intent on building single-family homes on the site.

The HALRB voted to consider a historic designation for the property in late 2020, but it came too late, and the County Board ended up denying the recommendation anyway. The house was demolished in March 2021 and construction began on the new houses shortly thereafter.

ARLnow asked Toll Brothers whether anything came from a preservationist’s request to partner with archeologists on potential artifacts at the site. The company did not respond to the inquiry.

Owners of razed Broyhill estate seek new owner-developer for site, touting up to 36 Missing Middle units

By Jo DeVoe
1/10

In a new twist, the now-razed Broyhill estate in the Donaldson Run neighborhood is again on the market, billed as a development opportunity for anywhere between six and 36 homes.

Less than a year after its last sale, for $2.55 million, the estate near the Washington Golf and Country Club is once more on the market — this time as a 1.43-acre vacant lot, coming in at a cool $10 million asking price.

The agent, Leesburg-based Serafin Real Estate, says in a listing it “is pleased to present what is perhaps the single largest land offering to come available in Northern Virginia’s most desirable North Arlington (22207) within the last two decades.”

A brochure notes this property is ready for “streamline development” with up to six single-family residences — the way of the Febrey-Lothrop estate — or up to 36 Expanded Housing Option housing units, across two parcels, 11,145 square feet and 51,062 square feet in size.

Neither the agent nor the owners responded to a request for comment.

A video tour of the property at 2561 N. Vermont Street shows that construction fencing remains, as do some remnants of the former 10-bedroom home: brick steps, a wrought iron gate, and a small building corner.

It’s a far cry from the home husband-and-wife duo Mustaq Hamza and Amanda Maldonado told ARLnow they would build after buying the property earlier this year.

Shortly into demolition, they were fending off at least one vigilante preservationist who nicked pieces of the home on his way out. They also had had sharp words for neighbors they said alleged the duo would take advantage of the freshly-passed Missing Middle zoning code updates.

“They don’t believe two minorities can buy a lot for $2.5 million and build another single family house,” Maldonado said at the time. “They believe we’re going to flip it and build a bunch of condos.”

Donaldson Run Civic Association President Bill Richardson says a lingering concern for neighbors is how much of the property will be covered with an impervious surface, with elements such as a house or a driveway.

“Members are very concerned about that, generally, and as it relates to this property,” he said. “It applies whether it’s [developed with] single-family or Missing Middle… Nobody really knows. it’s being marketed for either purpose.”

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Bridge over I-395 in Fairlington to get structural repairs and new buffered bike lane

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

Work is underway to make a 53-year-old bridge S. Abingdon Street bridge over I-395 safer and extend its overall life, per the Virginia Dept. of Transportation.

The 53-year-old bridge is located between the I-395 interchanges for King Street and Shirlington Circle in the Fairlington neighborhood. It was last rehabilitated in 1994 and is in need of attention, according to a press release from the state transportation department.

The planned repairs will use $8.4 million in federal and state funding and will wrap up in late 2024, the press release said.

Work includes rehabilitating the bridge deck, repairing deteriorating concrete, replacing all steel bearings and eliminating bridge joints, per a project overview video.

Arlington County also identified S. Abingdon Street, from 34th Street S. to Fire Station 7, for resurfacing. It is coordinating with the state on those changes, including a buffered bike lane to improve the cycling experience and narrower travel lanes to manage vehicle speeds.

Bridge deck rehabilitation work will last about 12 weeks and occur in three stages, the video says.

In the first phase, all traffic will be shifted to the east side of the bridge, with two shared bicycle and traffic lanes and one five-foot-wide sidewalk. A temporary crosswalk will be added near 36th Street S. In the second phase, all traffic will be shifted to west side of the bridge.

In the third stage, traffic will be split on both sides of the work zones and the crosswalk will be removed.

“When one sidewalk along the bridge is closed, pedestrians will be detoured to the sidewalk on the opposite side,” VDOT said in the press release. “Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.”

The I-395 main and express lanes may see periodic daytime and overnight lane closures, VDOT says.

“Most of the work below the bridge will be performed during nighttime operation to avoid impact to normal daytime traffic particularly peak hour traffic,” the project video says.

Demolition of the RCA building in Rosslyn set to wrap up this month

By Jo DeVoe
1/7

What remains of the RCA building in Rosslyn looks like something pulled from a post-apocalyptic film.

Demolition work for the building (1901 N. Moore Street) has been ongoing since the end of March and the pedestrian bridge to a building next door was removed in the spring.

Now, passers-by can see a narrowed shell of the building with rebar, pipes and wires drooping from it.

By the end of this month, the RCA building will be “demolished to grade,” notes a calendar on a website providing updates on the building’s progress.

The website also projects a sanitary and storm sewer system will be installed by mid-July or by the end of this month. Once this is done, and electrical infrastructure is relocated, workers will begin installing a retaining wall that will keep the ground in place as they excavate.

“Once at the subgrade, we’ll excavate for the new building’s footings and erect two tower cranes to start pouring concrete,” the website says.

The construction company overseeing the project, CBG Building Company, has “a light pollution reduction and rainwater management plan in order to protect the community’s natural habitat and minimize the project’s environmental impact,” the website adds.

The developer, Jefferson Apartment Group (JAG), will replace the RCA building with a 27-story apartment complex composed of two towers that share a podium and are joined at the rooftop by a sky bridge.

The building, one block from the Rosslyn Metro station, will also have 11,444 square feet of retail space. Planned amenities for residents include a fitness center, pet spa, landscaped patio, green rooftop terrace and a pool.

JAG is aiming to complete the new structure in January 2026.

Streetscape improvements and apartment construction take shape in Courthouse

By Jo DeVoe
1/8

Transportation and streetscape upgrades are making progress on several streets in Courthouse near an under-construction apartment tower.

The work is all associated with “The Commodore,” an new apartment building at 2050 Wilson Blvd. It replaces several low-slung commercial buildings, including restaurants like Summers, that were part of what Arlington County dubbed the “Landmark Block.” Today (Tuesday), fencing around the tower was festooned with banners announcing leasing would start this fall.

Developer Greystar is redoing a handful of streets nearby as part of the community benefits package associated with the project.Arlington County delegated some street upgrade work to Greystar in early 2022, saying it would be cheaper, easier and more efficient for the company to do the work as part of the apartment construction activity.

Today, pedestrians may notice fencing around a torn-up N. Uhle Street, which separates the Courthouse Metro station and the “Landmark Block.” This street previously had street trees, lighting and parking spaces.

An aerial view of the pedestrian promenade on N. Uhle Street (via Arlington County)

Eventually, it will become a long-envisioned pedestrian promenade leading to the Courthouse Metro station.

The block will have public seating lined with shade trees, lighting and landscaped planting beds, potentially bookended by public art.

The future N. Uhle Street pedestrian promenade (via Arlington County)

Nearby, 15th Street N. looks freshly repaved and is partly blocked off to vehicle traffic by jersey barriers, cones and caution tape. Signs along this street announce temporarily relocated bus stops.

It will become a curbless street shared by pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, featuring a “slow speed configuration” to increase the safety of users.

Clarendon Blvd, Wilson Blvd and N. Courthouse Road will get wider sidewalks, new pedestrian crossings, protected or dedicated bike lanes, widened medians and new trees and planted beds. The county parking lot entrance from 15th Street N. will be relocated, as well.

Greystar is also relocating existing and installing new traffic infrastructure, adding a “bike island” at the intersection of 15th Street N. and Clarendon Blvd and a new water main under N. Courthouse Road.

Those who want to know the latest vehicle and pedestrian traffic impacts can subscribe to a county newsletter for the area.

Two blocks away, construction is also continuing on the former Wendy’s lot, another Greystar project. The former fast food joint is being replaced with an apartment tower, ground-floor retail and a plaza at 2025 Clarendon Blvd, — as approved in March 2022. Together, the two projects realize a significant part of the county’s vision for the neighborhood.

This Wendy’s project will also result in transportation upgrades, such as bicycle amenities, new sidewalks and street trees, to Clarendon Blvd and Wilson Blvd.

Greystar declined to provide a construction update to ARLnow for this article.

Four Courts still on track for August reopening as renovations continue

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Ireland’s Four Courts says it’s still on track to reopen in August.

The longtime Courthouse watering hole has been closed since a rideshare driver plowed into the front of the pub last August, sparking a raging fire and seriously injuring several people.

The driver, who was reportedly suffering a medical emergency, was not charged. A number of first responders who responded to the chaotic scene were recently recognized for their heroism.

The pub released a video Tuesday evening providing a tour of the ongoing construction inside. The one-minute video shows the interior totally gutted and lined with new plywood.

“I know it looks a little different than how we’re used to seeing it, but today we’re here to give you a sneak peak at all the construction and renovations that have been going on over the past few months, in prep for our grand reopening in August,” the video’s host says.

Only a few items salvaged from the original pub are seen in the video, including the large wooden fireplace and some stained glass windows.

While the layout of the pub will be more or less the same as it was before the crash and fire, there will be some new features, notably a new draft beer system, the host says.

VHC Health opens outpatient pavilion after some three years of construction

By Hallie LeTendre
1/4

VHC Health celebrated the completion of its new outpatient pavilion yesterday afternoon.

The ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday marked the opening of the $250 million, 250,000-square foot facility at 1851 N. Edison Street in the Hall’s Hill/High View Park neighborhood.

There, VHC Health — formerly Virginia Hospital Center — will provide outpatient surgery, endoscopy, physical therapy, women’s health and imaging, per a press release. There will also be a pharmacy.

Christopher Lane, the hospital’s president and CEO, said during the ceremony that providing these various services makes it easier to coordinate patient care.

“By bringing outpatient services together under one roof, patients can now be conveniently scheduled for diverse healthcare services and can be seen within the same facility, often on the same day,” Lane said.

Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey told ARLnow the ease of getting care will greatly benefit residents.

“This facility will expand the ability for people who need services that don’t require staying in the hospital and getting the most expensive form of care, being emergency services, to get what they need here in Arlington,” Dorsey said. “The pavilion will reduce patient frustration, reduce errors and be a huge benefit to our community.”

State Sen. Barbara Favola applauded VHC Health’s effort to reduce emergency visits for Virginians.

“VHC Health has embraced this mission,” she said during the ceremony. “Our outpatient facility will in fact divert individuals from going into emergency care.”

Discussions of a new pavilion began in 2017 and VHC Health proposed an expansion in 2018. The County Board initially voted to delay approving the project so that the hospital could address the concerns of homeowners who live around the hospital.

The Board narrowly approved the plans two months later and the facility broke ground in the fourth quarter of 2019. Work became a source of consternation for nearby residents, who dealt with about a year of poor water quality tied to construction activity.

The hospital already has plans for a future expansion. Next up could be a mental health and rehabilitation facility on the site of its old urgent care facility, intended to address the strain on private hospital emergency rooms to receive psychiatric patients as well as troubling trends in substance use and mental health among teens.

New bridge over Lubber Run to replace two destroyed in 2019 flooding

By Hallie LeTendre
1/5

Arlington County is working on a replacement for the two bridges over Lubber Run destroyed in severe flash flooding four years ago.

The Arlington County Board is set to discuss a $360,000 construction contract for a new pedestrian bridge at its meeting this weekend.

Flash flooding in 2019 washed away six pedestrian bridges in Arlington, including two in Lubber Run Park and four in Glencarlyn Park. The overall damage to county property was estimated at $6 million at the time.

On Saturday, the Board will consider approving the new bridge in Lubber Run, in place of the two that were destroyed. The contract — of about $329,000 with a $33,000 contingency — is expected to go to Fairfax-based Bright Masonry.

A lower bidder — by just over $30,000 — was “deemed nonresponsive” by county staff, according to a report to the Board.

The project’s goal is to “design one new bridge in the most suitable location for enhancing accessibility around the park,” the staff report said.

One of the bridges in Glencarlyn Park that was washed away was replaced in February of last year.

The proposed construction for Lubber Run involves building one new bridge in the southwest portion of the park to replace the previous two, as explained in the county’s project webpage.

“Through our community engagement and engineers’ analysis, we have found that this location will provide a significant, positive impact on park users and supports the community’s interest,” the webpage noted.

For parkgoers, the proposed bridge will provide access from Lubber Run to Edison Park, staff said. The bridge would also provide a connection between the southwest portion of the park and its east side.

Construction is estimated by staff to take around 12 months and seeks to minimize environmental harm.

“One tree, with exposed roots on the bank, will need to be removed. It already has a very low chance of survival due to its current condition,” the project webpage said. “We will plant healthy trees in the same general areas, which will better support our tree canopy in the long term.”

Construction wraps up on second apartment tower in Pentagon Centre redevelopment

By Jo DeVoe
1/18

Pentagon City’s metamorphosis is continuing.

The second apartment tower in the multi-phase Pentagon Centre shopping center redevelopment is now complete.

The Milton, at 1446 S. Grant Street, is an 11-story, 253-unit building developed by Kimco Realty. So far, it is already 25% leased and move-ins are expected to start this month, a spokeswoman told ARLnow.

Various businesses are expected to move into the roughly 16,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. In a statement, Kimco Realty says this retail, “carefully curated to complement the neighborhood,” will be announced later this year.

Tenants will have use of a community garden and potting station, two outdoor courtyards with a co-working area, a pet spa with wash stations, a gym and clubroom, per the statement. The building is designed to meet LEED Silver standards for sustainability and was named for Kimco Realty co-founder Milton Cooper.

The first residential tower in the long-term redevelopment of the retail center opened four years ago. The 26-story, 440-unit building, dubbed The Witmer, is located on the other wide of the property, above the second Pentagon City Metro entrance at 710 12th Street S.

Future plans for the area — which Kimco recently updated — propose two office buildings, three more residential towers, additional retail and a hotel, as well as a 30% increase in green space, criss-crossed by planted paths dubbed “green ribbons” in the recently-updated Pentagon City Sector Plan.

In a statement, Kimco Realty Southern Region President Tom Simmons said this new building “offers something new for Pentagon City.”

“The Milton provides residents with direct access to several key sites in Arlington, which has become a huge hub for recent development,” he said, highlighting the essentially complete Amazon HQ2 office complex nearby and the Virginia Tech Innovation campus in Potomac Yard.

The full press release is below.

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Demolition comes for the Americana Hotel in Crystal City

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

It’s time to bid farewell to The Americana Hotel in Crystal City.

The long-time budget hotel along Richmond Highway is being demolished to make way for residential redevelopment across the street from Amazon’s nearly-open second headquarters and a short distance from the Crystal City Metro station.

A spokeswoman for JBG Smith confirmed the demolition to ARLnow this morning (Tuesday).

“Demolition and site work are currently underway, with the earliest possible construction start slated for 2024,” the spokeswoman said, adding that that is all she is able to say at this time.

The Americana Hotel closed in 2020 and JBG Smith quickly purchased it for a new apartment project, consisting of 639 new units, 3,885 square feet of ground floor retail and a distinct architectural feature akin to a partially covered walkway, which was nicknamed the “tabletop.”

Renderings of the proposed apartments to replace the Americana Hotel, with the ‘tabletop’ feature in view (via Arlington County)

The developer’s plans were approved by the Planning Commission and the Arlington County Board in April.

The Americana’s demolition is part of a trend in Arlington County of redeveloping aging motels and hotels.

The iconic Highlander Motel in Virginia Square, a frequent haunt for a motorcycle club, was turned into a CVS. The Days Inn motel in Lyon Village is set to become apartments, which the county is trying to ensure pays homage to the site’s history with a midcentury modern design.

The Key Bridge Marriott, meanwhile, has stood vacant — and is now condemned — after development plans were delayed, likely due to financial issues for the group that owns the site.

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