Onward, Upward for Mega-development in Pentagon City

Arlington is set to gain more height as Kettler moves forward on the Acadia, a 19-story residential building in Pentagon City.  Construction on the Acadia has already begun, according to Virginia-based Kettler.   The building, located at 575 12th St. South in Arlington, is the latest project to break ground in Kettler's mixed-use mega-development called Metropolitan Park.

The Acadia, Rendering: Kettler

A LEED Silver-designed building, the 677,154 s.f. Acadia will include 433 residential units, 16,350 s.f. of ground floor retail and three below-grade parking levels.  The granite and limestone skinned building also will have a gym, a cafe, a business center, and other amenities including a pet grooming room and an innfinity edge, saltwater rooftop pool. Dorsky Yue International (DYI) is the project architect.

When completed, the eight-stage, planned unit development (PUD) will include ten buildings, a nearly historic size when added together. Architect Robert A.M. Stern is the master planner for the grandiose project, which developer Kettler describes as a "16-acre urban village in Pentagon City."  Work on the project, which has already delivered the 300-plus residential buildings The Gramercy and The Millennium, marks the continued upward development of this land at the nexus of Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Pentagon Row.  The Acadia will make a triad out of the duo of mega-buildings already on the site, which also includes a park and is bounded by 12th, 15th, Eads, and South Fern Streets.

The Acadia, Image: Kettler website

The Gramercy was completed in 2008 and the Millennium in 2010.  The planned development will be the largest of its kind in the DC area and, step by step, is replacing the parking lots and six warehouses that once occupied the site.  Kettler bought the 11 acres of land for phase 1 through 3 of the project from Vornado in 2007 for $104.4 million.  Vornado is another developer and the firm behind many recent development in Arlington, including what will be the tallest building in Crystal City.

 Kettler this week announced KBR Building Group as the general contractor.

“KBR Building Group’s commitment to providing quality construction services is affirmed as we begin work on the third phase of this important mixed-use development,” a press release quoted Mike Sloan, executive vice president, as saying. “Having collaborated with the project’s developer, Kettler, since the inception of this project, we will continue to manage this project to the utmost standards as KBR Building Group progresses towards completion of Metropolitan Park.”

Arlington VA, real estate development news

Pentagon City Project Gets Restacked

Pentagon City's mega mixed-use project will get a mix-up to help it move forward. The Arlington County Board has approved a reallocation of density between two parcels in Pentagon City for stages 4-8 of the 8-phase Metropolitan Park. Originally slotted for 300 hotel units and 930 residential units (for Parcels 3 and 1D, respectively), the Board reallocation means the developers will have flexibility in determining where to build the 930 residential units and 300 hotel rooms. VNO Pentagon Plaza LLC previously received approval from the Arlington County Planning Commission in June. After the Board's July 11th approval, the process of drafting a site plan begins.

The two parcels in question are held by Vornado, which would sell the remaining portion of Parcel 3 to Kettler for the realization of Metropolitan Park's next stages. Vornado previously sold the part of Parcel 3, where phases 1-3, stand to Kettler. When Metropolitan Park's design guidelines were set in 2004, it called for 3,212 residential units on Parcel 3. The Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan shortchanged Kettler, allotting 2,282 residential units and 300 hotel units. Through a little bit of density reallocation magic, Kettler can now have it's 3,212 residential units (2,282 + 930 = 3,212). That leaves Vornado with 300 hotel rooms to use, or not, on Parcel 1D, assuming the Metropolitan uses all 930 allocated residential units remaining.

The first stage of the massive development is bounded by 12th, 15th, Eads, and South Fern Streets. The Gramercy, pictured above, is a luxury rental high-rise building from Phase 1.

The Millennium Arrives in Pentagon City

General contractors BE&K Building Group will top out construction today on Kettler’s 21-story Millennium at Metropolitan Park project – the second installment of what is planned to be an ambitious 8-phase, 10-building development in Pentagon City. The project’s first component, the 399-unit Gramercy, opened in 2006.

Once completed in April 2010, the Dorsky Hodgson Parrish Yue-designed building will feature 300 rental apartments with high-end amenities including “a rooftop pool, spa, fitness center and party room,” in addition to a first floor library and business center. More than 7,500 square feet of ground floor retail space will round the initial construction. Work on a “central park planned to serve residents of the entire Metropolitan Park complex” will begin in the project’s next phase – which Kettler’s Jamie Gorski told DCmud in February is currently scheduled to go to ground later on in 2010 with a late 2012 delivery.

Pentagon City Phase III

For the past five decades, Pentagon City has been primarily known for...well, not much other than its namesake. McLean-based developer Kettler, however, has been aiming to change that with their ambitious 8-phase, 10-building Metropolitan Park development – a project set to rank a solid second behind the world's largest office building in terms of size and scope. The first of those phases, the 399-unit Gramercy, opened its doors in 2006; the second, the 300-unit Millennium, is now under construction and on track to deliver in 2010. Now, wheels are turning on the project's third entry, which will head back before the Arlington County Planning Commission and County Board on February 9th for final site plan approval. Conveniently, they’re among the few plans in Pentagon City that aren’t top secret.

Designed by architects Dorsky Hodgson Parrish Yue, the untitled Phase III development will include 411 rental residential units, along with 16,350 square feet of ground floor retail – making it Metropolitan Park’s biggest entry so far. The 18-story edifice will stand on a 2-acre parcel at the southeastern corner of South Fern Street and 12^th Street South, just steps from the Pentagon City Metro. The site currently houses two warehouses servicing DHL Express and Danker Furniture.

Amenities planned for the residential high-rise include a fitness center, plus a rooftop pool on the building’s sixth story wing. Per the green-centric tone of Northern Virginia development these days, Metropolitan Park III will also shoot for a LEED certification and three green roof areas, ranging in size from 1,740 to 2,000 square feet.

Pentagon City's infrastructure is also due for an upgrade as the project nears completion. Kettler intends to divide their “superblock” of development up with extensions of 12^th, Elm and South Fair Streets, and a pedestrian passageway linking South Fern and South Fair Streets. A 1/3 acre public park is also planned, featuring the works of landscape architects Lewis Scully Gionet and possibly a public arts component.

At present, Kettler projects little or no difficulty in getting their third installment Metropolitan Park through next month's site plan hearing. "We had an original master plan penned by Robert AM Sterns for the entire development. There were guidelines within that and we've followed them closely," said Jamie Gorski, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for Kettler. "Our internal meetings [regarding the project's future] have gone very well." According to Gorksi, construction is currently slated to begin in 2010, with completion following in late 2012.

PentaGONE City

Sorry to dash the hopes of developers with their eyes on Pentagon City, but the entire area's "last developable parcel of land" has now been spoken for. The Arlington Board approved Monday night a Phased Development Site Plan for phase one of Pentagon Centre, Kimco Realty Corporation's mixed-use development that will deliver a twenty and eight story office building and a parking structure.

According to the county, "The approved plan begins to implement the final piece of the development plan puzzle for the entire Pentagon City area."

Designed by international firm, Callison Architects, with Arlington-based MTFA Architecture, Pentagon Centre will replace a 337,000 s.f. warehouse facility that was built in the 1950's. Both office buildings are designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. The project will sit on 16.8 acres above the Pentagon City Metro Station and offer 33,599 s.f office and 13,095 s.f. of ground floor retail space in the larger office building and 152,112 s.f. office and 14,600 s.f. of ground floor retail in the second.

Kimco currently owns the property at South Hayes Street and 12th Street South on which Pentagon Center will be developed as existing retail leases expire. Borders Books, Costco, Best Buy, Marshalls, and Linens N Things are currently renting the existing retail space. Phase Two will follow the expiration of the Big Box Storage lease; Phase Three will be built upon the expiration of Costco's lease.

The original Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan approved in 1976 was intended to make Pentagon City an "urban center" that hosted a mix of uses. "With this phased development site plan, we at last have the full picture of the future of Pentagon City," said J. Walter Tejada, County Board Chairman.

In addition to filling out P City's development portfolio, Pentagon Centre will make a $500,000 contribution for community improvements that may include a water park at Virginia Highland Park, improvements for the Pentagon City Metro Plaza, and/or subsidies to reduce the rent for an Urgent Care Facility. It will also make contributions of $423,500 to "Utility Undergrounding," $75,00 to Public Art, and an undisclosed amount to Affordable Housing. Sounds like Arlington squeezed everything they could out of the last new developer they will see for a while.

The developer is a New Hyde Park, NY - based company that has the largest portfolio of shopping centers in the US.