development

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Major Redevelopment Proposed for Rosslyn — A developer has proposed tearing down four office buildings and two residential towers between N. Kent Street and Arlington Ridge Road in Rosslyn, and replacing them with four new buildings, including 2.5 million square feet of offices, residences, hotel rooms and retail space. If all goes well, the project might even attract a Ritz Carlton hotel and a Harris Teeter grocery store. [Washington Business Journal]

Nuclear Attack Would Be Survivable for Arlington — Most of Arlington would survive a terrorist nuclear bomb attack on downtown D.C., according to a federal report released earlier this month. The biggest danger to Arlington wouldn’t be the initial blast, but would be the nuclear fallout afterward. One scenario suggests the Columbia Pike corridor would be vulnerable to fallout given a specific set of wind conditions. [Sun Gazette]

Arlington ‘Peeps Show’ Contestants — Arlingtonians are a crafty bunch. A number of semifinalists of the annual Washington Post “Peeps Show” diorama contest are listed as Arlington residents. Among them are the creators of “Faster Than the Peep of Light?,” “GOPeep Primary Debate,” “A Peeps Eye View into an Apeepment on M St.,” and “Marine Corps Marathon: The Peep-les Marathon.”

Apartment Building Planned for Courthouse Delayed

By ARLnow.com

A 16-story, 254-unit mixed-use apartment building planned for Courthouse is still on hold thanks to a lack of financing.

The Washington Business Journal reports that this month the Arlington County Board gave the developer behind the proposed Tellus apartment building an additional three years to get the project off the ground.

Construction had been set to begin in 2010, but “changing market conditions” mean that the building is still just a twinkle in the eye of its architect. For now, a 60s-era office building remains at 2009 N. 14th Street, where construction would be well-underway had the money been available to build the apartment complex.

2009 N. 14th Street is located one block away from both the Arlington police station and the proposed year-round county homeless shelter.

 

Morning Poll: Widen The R-B Corridor?

By ARLnow.com

Could Arlington’s insistence on preserving the single-family home communities along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor be the reason why it seems every new apartment building in the corridor is a “luxury” apartment building?

Last week Slate columnist Matthew Yglesais, author of The Rent Is Too Damn High, wrote about Arlington and suggested that the prevalence of expensive high-end rentals and condos stems from two factors: restrictions on building height and the width of the corridor itself, which is sometimes just 2-3 blocks wide, thanks to zoning restrictions intended to preserve the single family homes on either side of the corridor.

“What you see is a narrow thread of urbanism between Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard, with a bit of a thicker blob of urbanism around the Metro station itself,” Yglesais writes. “I don’t really want to condemn this development paradigm because if you compare it to other suburban jurisdictions around the United States, what Arlington has done really stands out as practically best in class. But still the fact of the matter is that these single-family homes adjacent to the corridor of urbanism are sitting on some extremely expensive land.”

Yglesais suggests that opening up additional redevelopment along the R-B corridor would help bring cheaper market-rate housing options. Following up on our inconclusive poll from December — “Should Arlington Increase Density to Keep Housing Prices Down?” — should Arlington consider expanding the width of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor?


High-Rise Apartment Proposed for Crystal City Post Office Site

By ARLnow.com

The former Crystal City Post Office will be transformed into an 11-story apartment complex under a plan announced by local real estate development firm Kettler today.

Located at the corner of 18th Street and S. Eads Street, the $50 million high-rise apartment building will have more than 200 residences, and will be built under the new Crystal City Zoning District. The building’s closest neighbors will be several older high-rise apartment complexes and a pair of high-rise hotels.

“The livable luxury community will offer residents a boutique hotel experience with a wide variety of amenities,” Kettler said in a press release. “The lobby ‘great room’ will be the central gathering space bridging Crystal City’s bustling 18th Street with the building’s tranquil outdoor courtyard. The Wi-Fi enabled common areas will include a state-of-art fitness center, media lounge and conference room. The rooftop terrace will be a place  to both relax and entertain, offering residents a pool with sun deck, kitchen with bar and BBQ grills, and an entertainment lounge centered around  a fireplace.”

The apartment building is proposed to be LEED Silver certified, with a number of sustainable features including recharging stations for electric cars.

“Our plans for the redevelopment of the former post office will catalyze the transformation of Crystal City’s western gateway,” said Stephan Rodiger, Vice President of Multifamily for Kettler, in a statement. “We envision the new development providing an anchor to the revitalizing western gateway, bringing a younger urban professional demographic to an area that is poised to be a truly livable and dynamic neighborhood.”

Assuming its plans are ultimately approved by Arlington County, Kettler hopes to break ground on the new building by the end of 2013.

Development Update: Garfield Park Apartments

By ARLnow.com

 

Just six months ago, the Garfield Park apartment building in Clarendon was only beginning to take shape at the corner of Washington Boulevard and 10th Street N.

Today, insulation wrap is quickly being replaced with bricks as the project moves closer to completion.

The development will add nearly 150,000 square feet of new residential space to the Clarendon area — 149 luxury apartment units, 20,000 square feet of retail space and nearly 300 underground parking spaces.

The apartment building has a new web site, but so far no word on when exactly construction is expected to wrap up.

Clarendon is the Second Fastest-Growing Metro Station

By ARLnow.com

Two Arlington Metro stations are among a list of the top 10 fastest-growing stations in the entire Metro system in terms of ridership.

The Clarendon Metro station is the agency’s second fastest-growing station, with 14.4 percent ridership growth, according to the Washington Examiner. The East Falls Church station is the fourth fastest-growing, with 11.2 percent ridership growth.

“The list of fast-growing stations serve as a proxy for where development is growing around the region,” the Examiner noted.

The list looked at ridership between July 2011 and January 2012, compared to the same period one year prior.

PenPlace Development Enters Review Process

By ARLnow.com

A proposed development that could bring more than 2 million square feet of new office and hotel space to Pentagon City has entered the site plan review process.

The first of several expected Arlington Site Plan Review Committee meetings on the so-called PenPlace project was held last night at county government headquarters in Courthouse. The meeting was standing room only as interested community members packed the small audience area to observe the hour-and-a-half-long proceedings.

Developer Vornado has proposed building five structures on a large, 10-acre block of mostly vacant land bordered by Army Navy Drive, S. Eads Street and S. Fern Street, one block from the Pentagon City Metro station.

Two of the proposed buildings are commercial office buildings, each just over 500,000 square feet. Another two are secure office buildings to be used by the Department of Defense, between 300,000 and 500,000 square feet apiece. The final building is a 300-room hotel. A 16-story Marriott Residence Inn hotel is the only existing structure on the block; it is not part of the development plans.

The proposed building heights vary from 139 feet for the hotel to 291 feet — or 18-22 stories — for two of the office buildings.

The proposal includes the creation of four new streets that will help improve vehicle accessibility — including an extension of S. Elm Street from the adjacent Metropolitan Park residential project and an extension of 12th Street S. from Eads Street to Fern Street. County staff have expressed interest in approving ground floor retail space along the proposed stretch of 12th Street.

The Arlington County Board is not expected to consider the project any earlier than June, but the plan is already facing an uphill battle as it advances toward Board consideration. Members of local neighborhood groups, like the Arlington Ridge  Civic Association, have expressed concerns about building heights and additional traffic generated by the new office buildings. Last night some Site Plan Review Committee members also expressed skepticism about the project as proposed.

Apartments, Grocer Proposed for Bergmann’s Site

By ARLnow.com

A development proposal being examined by Arlington’s Site Plan Review Committee tonight would build a new apartment tower and a new grocery store on the Bergmann’s Cleaning site on Lee Highway.

The proposed buildings would replace the former Bergmann’s dry cleaning plant, at the corner of Lee Highway and N. Veitch Street, and five early 20th century houses across the street from the plant. The homes are also owned by Bergmann’s.

In place of the plant, Chicago-based McCaffery Interests proposes to build a 26,000 square foot, single-story “specialty grocery store.”

In place of the houses, which are located between N. Uhle Street and I-66, the developer is proposing a 10-story, 166-unit, LEED Gold-certified apartment building, complete with a fitness center and swimming pool on the penthouse level. The apartment building would have a mostly-glass façade, with white vertical concrete columns.

Planners have expressed reservations about several aspects of the development plan. County staff oppose the grocery store plan, which would require a partial exemption of the allowed retail density for the site. Arlington County has a policy of making exceptions for grocery stores, which are seen as a net positive for the community, but staff notes that density exemptions have only been granted for full-size grocery stories.

“While [Arlington Economic Development] considers the area around Bergmann’s underserved by full-service full size grocers for everyday shopping (stores like Safeway or Giant), they consider this area well-served by specialty grocers (Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s),” a planning document says.

Concerns about the height of the apartment building, and the stark transition between the single-story grocery store and the ten-story apartment, have also been raised. Another likely topic of discussion: the fact that all parking for the combined project (226 spaces) will be located in a garage below and on the roof above the grocery store. Apartment tenants will have to walk across N. Uhle Street after parking.

The developer, McCaffrey Interests, is responsible for a number of notable local developments, including Georgetown Centre in D.C. and Market Common Clarendon in Arlington. The company’s Washington office is located in Courthouse.

Following tonight’s Site Plan Review Committee meeting, the project is expected to be considered by the Arlington Planning Commission and County Board no earlier than June 2012.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Ballston Parking Garage Rate Hike Approved — On Saturday the Arlington County Board approved a proposed increase in parking rates at the Ballston Public Parking Garage. The parking rate hike, the first at the garage since 1996, will have the biggest impact on those who park on weekends, who were previously paying a $1 flat rate. The county said the increase was necessary to pay for repairs and upgrades to the garage. Also discussed: the effect of Arlington’s living wage requirement on personnel costs at the garage. [Arlington County]

New Streetlights Green-Lit for the Pike — Also on Saturday, the Board approved a $1.2 million contract to install new LED streetlights along part of Columbia Pike. County officials said the new streetlights will improve safety, energy efficiency and aesthetics along one of the busiest pedestrian sections of the Pike. [Arlington County]

‘Pipestem’ Compromise Reached — A developer and neighbors in the Leeway Overlee neighborhood reached a compromise on the developer’s controversial plan to build a new home on a “pipestem” lot on N. Nottingham Street. As part of the compromise, the house — located behind another home and connected to the street by only a thin strip of driveway — will be smaller than originally proposed and will include a detached garage. [Washington Post]

Home Prices Up in Arlington — Fewer homes were sold in January compared to a year ago, but the fact that there were fewer homes on the market helped to raise average and median sale prices by nearly 10 percent. The increase in home prices was led by double-digit increases in townhouse and condo prices. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Damiec

Crystal City Motel Torn Down

By ARLnow.com

The Crystal City Motel is no more.

The deteriorating, long-vacant motor lodge off of Old Jefferson Davis Highway was torn down this week to make way for the future Boeing regional headquarters.

The next-door Clark Street Playhouse is set to be demolished next. Bisnow reports that construction on the Boeing headquarters is expected to start in April and wrap up by the fall of 2013.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Chopper Called in for Suspect Search — The U.S. Park Police Eagle 2 helicopter hovered over the Claremont neighborhood — near Wakefield High School — for about half an hour last night while assisting Arlington County Police in a search for several armed robbery suspects. The chopper assisted police and K-9 units on the ground in the search for the suspects in a armed robbery on the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street, in the Columbia Forest neighborhood, according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Police eventually arrested three men in connection with the crime, according to police radio traffic.

Board to Consider ‘Pipestem’ Lot — The County Board is expected to decide this weekend on a controversial development proposal in the Leeway Overlee neighborhood. A developer wants to build a large new home on a parcel of land set back from the street and only connected to the street via only a thin driveway strip known as a “pipestem.” Neighbors have been fighting the plan, but to some degree state law — which emphasizes the rights of property owners — prevents the Board from completely blocking development on the lot. [Sun Gazette]

Pregnant Inmate Shackling Bill Fails Again — Del. Patrick Hope tried again this year to pass legislation restricting the use of shackles on inmates while they’re giving birth. A House of Delegates subcommittee tabled the bill on Thursday, however, prompting Hope to pledge to introduce the bill again next year. Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur presented an alternative viewpoint when she told a reporter that legislation is not the proper way to deal with the issue — state regulatory changes are. [Associated Press]

Venus Stereos Closes — Venus Stereos, a quirky electronics/soccer jersey/music store at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Walter Reed Drive, has closed. A sign in the window say the storefront, directly adjacent to the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse, is available for lease. [Pike Spotter]

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