Showing posts with label Erkiletian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erkiletian. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Construction on The Tellus in Arlington Underway

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The Tellus, a 16-story apartment building on the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and Arlington's first to earn LEED Gold, is now under construction.  The Tellus will replace the 1960's-era "Arlington Executive Building" and developer Erkiletian has now started groundwork on the project, Bill Denton of Erkiletian told DCMud on Tuesday. Erkiletian completed demolition of the old building, located on 14th Street North in the Courthouse section of Arlington, in early October.

"We are right on the construction schedule," Denton said.  The team is busy with sheeting, shoring and excavation.  S.E. Foster is the general contractor on the project.   Denton said Hurricane Sandy caused a four-day hold-up in construction, but that the team would try to make up for lost time. "The storm had a little impact, but we are going to try to pick that up."  The building is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2014.

The Tellus, a 254-unit rental apartment building, is expected to be Arlington's first LEED Gold certified building.  The project has been in the Arlington development pipeline since 2009, but developers put off starting the project during the recession, and started moving forward on the project just this year.  Designs call for 254 residential units and 15,008 s.f. of office and retail space.  Plans call for smart car and bicycle facilities, and water-saving and energy-efficient features.  The schematic design is by the Lessard GroupWDG Architecture is the firm behind the newest working design.

Erkiletian has also promised a $75,000 art project, which could come in the form of a contribution to the Arlington Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources or an on-site art commission in collaboration with the County.  Denton said Erkiletian hasn't decided which art avenue it would take. An on-site commission could put Tellus developers in a longer lineup of DC area developers who have supported public art projects, especially sculpture, as part of their buildings.  In July, a developer installed a 16-foot stainless steel sculpture at the corner of 3rd and I Streets NW, adding to the neighborhood's existing sculpture at 5th and K Streets NW.

Arlington, VA real estate development news

Friday, March 30, 2012

Arlington's Green Tower to Break Ground in July

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After nearly three years of delays, the Tellus, Arlington's greenest apartment building, is finally set to break ground.

"Demolition is starting in May, with construction starting on July 1," said Gagik Davtian, Program Manager at Erkiletian. "We figure it'll be about 20 months until first delivery."

The 254-unit, 16-story Tellus is anticipated to be Arlington's first LEED Gold certified building. Plans call for the building to be powered, at least in part, by renewable energy sources, and the building features various water-saving and energy-efficient features - for example, reclaimed storm water and air conditioning condensation will be used to irrigate the native-plant landscaping. The building will also feature smart car and bicycle options, as well as a 26,000 square-foot garden plaza. The Tellus gained approval from the county way back in 2009, with a projected start date later that year, but the recession put things on hold - until now.

The finished building will offer just over 2800 square feet of ground-floor retail space (a restaurant, according to Erkiletian), as well as 7700 square feet of office space. "The Tellus is replacing a seven-story Sixties-era office building [the Arlington Executive Building]," said Davtian. "One of the tenants from the existing building, some government people, are going to be installed in the new building too. The way the office space is attached is actually very organic - it's sort of a bubble coming out of the building, a curvy facade on the backside."

Like the rest of the development, the design of the building has gone through a long collaborative process. According to Davtian, Lessard Group did the "schematic design," and then WDG Architecture came in and developed the working drawings. "WDG also changed a few elements," Davtian said. "They slightly redesigned the interior units, making them bigger, more open, and more contemporary. A lot of them have a sort of loft-like feel now."

Though developers plan on first delivery in 20 months, the project in its entirety is expected to take a full two years to complete.

Arlington, VA real estate development news

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Buildings Gone on Wilson Boulevard, Construction "By November"

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Zom Inc., developer of USAA Real Estate's transit-oriented residential and retail project at 1900/1916 Wilson Boulevard, asserted in July that construction would be underway "this fall;" and today, Graham Hatcher, VP of construction for Zom again stood behind a November start date, adding that general contractors are bidding on the project this week.

Both buildings previously on site - Hollywood Video and an office - have been razed in anticipation of new construction; however, according to Arlington County Inspection Services, two building permits applied for by Zom, in July and September, are trudging through inspection and zoning reviews, with one permit ready to be picked up by the developer, revised and resubmitted, and the other awaiting review by zoning before it will be released back to the development team.

The design, by Torti Gallas and Partners, was approved by the County last year, with only a few minor changes taking place in the schematics since that time, explains Michael Parker, project manager and Torti Gallas architect.

For one, the residential entryway was relocated further down Clarendon Boulevard, where it could have 20' high ceilings, combating digs by Country reviewers that the initial entryway location (at the corner of Troy and Clarendon) was "cavelike." Additionally, Juliet balconies were added to 33 residential units along Troy, Clarendon and Wilson Boulevard to "add texture to the building." Lastly, a darker red brick was introduced to frame main elements of the building and residential bays along Wilson, a change that created more of a warehouse feel.

Parker also notes how the design came together after a relatively minor land acquisition, by USAA, of an approximately 20,000-s.f. surface parking lot owned by property neighbor NSTA. With the extra land on the eastern edge of the property, the building design could be reconfigured from an initial "pan-handle scheme" into the "W" formation shown above, allowing for two courtyards (versus one) and an extra dozen or so apartment units.

With 191 apartment units in all, the units range from a 450-s.f. studio to 1400-plus-s.f. 3-bedroom layout. The building is 230,000 s.f. above grade, and will rise 5 stories, as is allowed in the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor plan which affects land along Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards, although the land was zoned to allowed for 16 stories. There is ample parking on site, 256 spaces will be included below grade (18 more than is required by the County).

As for retail to enliven the Corridor, 17,500 s.f. of street-front retail will be divided into several storefront spaces: one on the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Troy Street, one on the corner of Troy and Clarendon, and three further down Clarendon Boulevard; if any retail space has been claimed, Zom wasn't ready to announce it.

With County approval, owner USAA, who bought the property/project from Zom in 2010, will also be required to create a public park worth $100,000 on a triangle swath of land nearby.

Also located nearby in the Court House district, is the future Tellus, a planned 16-story, 254-unit apartment building, expected to break ground next spring; in order to move forward, developer Erkiletian partnered with Jefferson Apartment Group.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

Monday, May 30, 2011

The Tellus: Arlington's First LEED Gold Project Delayed Further

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Arlington's most sustainably designed apartment building will spend at least another year in planning mode, say its developers. Erkiletian's plans for the Tellus, a 254-unit apartment building in Clarendon, designed to achieve LEED Gold certification back in 2008, is still likely a year away from construction.

The apartments that will replace an outmoded apartment building at 2009 14th Street were approved by the county in early 2009, with an expected late 2009 start date. "The economy had a little bit to do with it" says development manager Bill Denton of the delay. Erkiletian is now hoping for an early 2012 construction start. The Tellus will replace one of Arlington's least attractive office buildings, and would be the first residence to earn LEED Gold certification in the county, if built according to the original plans. Erkiletian originally planned for environmentally-friendly facilities such as storm water retention, on-site irrigation, drought-resistant native plants on a green roof plaza, low-flow plumbing fixtures, bicycle and smart car options, power derived from a green sourced grid as well as on-site solar, a sustainable power source that has yet to achieve commercial viability and is rarely used on multi-family buildings.

Lessard Group designed the building to achieve the 2nd highest LEED ranking, but Denton says specifics are still in flux. Regarding use of solar panels, Denton says "we hope to, it will be part of the consulting document, trying to reach LEED Gold," but that such options are still being weighed.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

Friday, April 29, 2011

Erkiletian to Deliver Apartments in Old Town

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The Asher, a 206-unit multi-family residential project in Old Town Alexandria, is on track for delivery in spring of 2012, says Bill Denton, Vice President of Development for Erkiletian, the local suburban developer behind Alexandria's Halstead Towers and the Discovery building in downtown Silver Spring.

The project broke ground in November 2010 at 621 North Payne Street, the former site of a Security Storage Warehouse, two blocks from the Braddock Road Metro. The building which the developer hopes will secure LEED-Silver certification will feature terraces and a landscaped plaza, a business and fitness center, a sliver of retail, and 256 underground parking spaces.

Rust Orling Architecture and Hovnanian conceived the project, to which Erkiletian added 60 units and signed on Lessard Group for support.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Erkiletian to Start Old Town Apartment Project

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Developers in Old Town Alexandria haven't had the stomach for starting large residential projects of late, but at least one thinks the timing is now right. Locally based construction and development company Erkiletian says it is just a few weeks away from starting work on The Asher, a 206 unit apartment building two blocks from the Braddock Road Metro station.

Developers of the apartment building slated for 621 North Payne Street in Old Town say both the site and building permits should be issued this week, allowing them to submit for demolition permits next week to tear down the Security Storage warehouse now on the lot. Garland Miller of Erkiletian says work could begin by mid-November, with demolition lasting about 2 months.

Erkiletian purchased the land in June of 2008 and expected to be under construction last year, but hasn't kicked off a large residential project since the Halstead Towers in Alexandria, which it completed in 2005. "The developer just feels the timing is right" said Miller. The developer is shooting for LEED Silver certification. The six-story Ashton will feature 206 apartments, a three-story, 256-space garage, and a tiny retail component.
The project was first conceived by Rust Orling Architecture and Hovnanian, which Erkiletian modified and added 60 units to, bringing on Lessard Group as project architect. BE & K will build the apartments. The Asher will sit just a few blocks west of EYA's Old Town Commons mixed-income project, which began construction earlier this year.
Alexandria, Virginia real estate development news

Monday, June 01, 2009

Arlington’s First LEED Gold Apartments Get a Name (and a Game Plan)

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As reported last month, the Arlington County Board has approved the very first LEED gold-certified residential project in their fair portion of Northern Virginia. Now, Erkiletian Real Estate Services (ERES) informs DCmud that while the building may not quite start on time, at least it has a name – The Tellus (as in, "Tell us if going green is an actual selling point") – and a means to achieve the US Green Building Council’s second highest rating. Quoth the press release:

The Tellus will use storm water retention for on-site irrigation, obtain a portion of its power from a green source grid, and incorporate on-site solar. A beautifully landscaped outdoor plaza using native, drought-resistant plants will replace an old impervious parking garage. Bicycle and smart car options will be available to residents. Additional green building elements include low-flow plumbing fixtures and modern recycling systems. Plans also include a $75,000 public art project in partnership with Arlington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources.

The Lessard Group designed the building that will replace the Arlington Courthouse’s aging Executive Office Building at 2009 14th Street North and include 254 rental residential units, 8,127 square feet of office space, first floor retail and an additional 2,257 square feet of "flex" space. A further selling point is the Tellus’ planned 26,000 square foot park that, from its perch atop a neighboring three-story parking garage, claims to offer views of downtown DC in all of its monumental gridlocked glory.

The current office complex on site, however, still stands and a date for demolition has yet to be decided. Though originally set for a third quarter 2009 start, ERES Development Manager, Bill Denton, says merely, “Construction plans are coming together well.”

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Arlington's First Green and Gold Building

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In a major coup for Erkiletian Real Estate Services' (ERES) mixed-use redevelopment of the Executive Office Building, the developer has gained both a density bonus and approval from Arlington County Board. The reason? In a first for Arlington, ERES is pursuing a LEED Gold certification for their new building - a "green" rating second only to Platinum (but who can afford that nowadays).

Located two blocks away from the Courthouse Metro at 2009 14th Street North, the aging seven-story office complex and adjoining parking garage on site will be razed in the coming months to make way for a sixteen-story titan of eco-friendly development. At present, plans prepared by the architects of the Lessard Group call for 254 rental residential units, 8,127 square feet of office space and 4,354 square feet of retail - plus, for good measure, an additional 2,257 square feet of flexible office/retail space. Couple that with a 26,145 square foot public plaza on top of the project’s three-story parking garage -which, according to the Board, will host "a scenic overlook offering views of national monuments in Washington, DC" - and Arlington legislators have reason to be pleased as punch.

“This building has it all – high-quality housing, ground-floor retail and office space and a public plaza that will offer great views of the national monuments,” said Board Chairman Barbara Favola via press release. “We get all this in a building that is built to a Gold LEED standard. This is the sort of project we want to see more of in Arlington.”

The caveat is that while developers can aim for green standards, there is no guarantee that, once built, the project will qualify as planned. A final determination will made by the US Green Building Council based on five criteria: sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. There's no word yet on exactly what type of features Arlingtonians can look forward to bragging about once the building is completed. When DCmud last reported on the as-of-yet untitled project in December, ERES was projecting a third quarter 2009 start date for construction – shortly after they begin work another 200-unit residential building at 621 North Payne Street in neighboring Alexandria.

Alexandria real estate development news

Friday, December 26, 2008

Arlington Courthouse Apartments to Replace Old Executive Office Building

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Arlington's Courthouse District will be losing a prominent eyesore in the New Year, if Erkiletian Real Estate Services has their way at 2009 14th Street. A proposal pending before the Arlington Planning Commisision calls for the demolition of the 45-year-old Executive Building and adjoining parking garage (pictured) to make way for two projects that will add new condos, retail and even an entertainment venue to one of Arlington's most desirable neighborhoods.

With all the effete charm of a suburban dentist’s office, the 7-story, glass-plated bastion of Northern Virginia office architecture currently houses the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the ominous sounding Allen Etiquette Institute and a gaggle of law firms. An amenable Planning Board staff has labeled the building “physically out of context with the neighborhood” and believes that it “obstructs the existing view” of the much revitalized Courthouse area – a judgment that would seem to work in favor of Erkiletian.

With design from the Lessard Group, the Alexandria-based developer plans to replace the Executive Building with two dissimilarly-scaled projects. The more prominent would be a 16-story, 239,000 square foot residential high-rise that would sport 247 rental units. The unnamed tower would occupy the bulk of the parcel’s southern half and front 14th Street North – just two blocks from the Courthouse Metro. In exchange for environmentally advanced LEED Gold certification, Erkiletian hopes to receive a “bonus” of .35 FAR (buildable square footage) on top of the 4.8 FAR residential density approved for the site.

Meanwhile, the project’s secondary component aims to replace a small piece of the Executive Building’s lost office potential - with a 2-story, 13,765 square foot office building that would include 2,148 s.f. of ground floor retail. The square-shaped “cube” would front North Taft Street and also serve as an entranceway to a new 1/3 acre private plaza that would divide the dueling developments.

In addition to providing a reflecting pool and off-street outpost for resident smokers, the plaza would also benefit the greater Courthouse community with a publicly accessible amphitheater that would host four to six concerts or events yearly. Erkiletian intends to include a public art component in the plaza, pending an agreement with Arlington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources.

In stark contrast to the Executive Building’s 60s-style motif, the development team intends to clad both buildings in “terracotta/beige brick” with metal, concrete and granite accents. The neighboring projects will both sit atop a three-level, 270-space parking garage – one level of which will creep above grade along Taft Street and provide direct access to ground floor retailers and a proposed fitness center.

Erkiletian is currently projecting a third quarter 2009 start date for the project - shortly after work on their 200 unit residential project in neighboring Alexandria is scheduled to get underway.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Old Town Storage Site Development

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After changing hands and changing plans, "The Security Storage Site" at 621 North Payne Street in Alexandria will now be developed into mixed-use development, a design that will bring more than 200 residential units to Old Town. Hoping to break ground next year, the developer is not yet committing to for-sale or for-lease units, but condos seem unlikely with financing of condominium construction so limited.

Erkiletian Construction Corporation bought the site, currently occupied by a warehouse, from Security Storage at the end of June, altering the plans presented to the Alexandria Planning Board back in 2007. The prior development plan, submitted by K. Hovnanian Homes in February of 2007, included 146 condominium units in the form of townhouses, live-work units, and low rise building.

Erkiletian will instead develop a three-story, 12,000 s.f. building designed by Rust Orling Architecture. According to Tom Woodhouse, Project Manager, the building will be consistent with the appearance of the surrounding buildings. "It won't be a contemporary high rise because they don't like that in Old Town, we're going with traditional design - brick and glass with cornices. The building is designed to harmonize with those that are already present in Old Town, those from time periods starting around 1725 and going through the present day. So you have all kinds of architectural achievements."

Woodhouse said the developer has not yet filed for permits for the site two blocks from the Braddock Metro Station, but hopes to do so in the near future and begin construction in Spring of 2009. Erkiletian is also responsible for Alexandria's Carlyle Towers and Northampton Place.
 

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