Once Uncertain Rosslyn Office Tower Reaches Milestone

Judging by the 1812 N. Moore construction livecams, the historically massive Monday Properties Rosslyn project is about to hit ground level - a significant milestone for any big project, much less The Tallest Office Tower in D.C. Area History - that almost wasn't.

When project backer Lehman Brothers went belly up in the wake of the financial crisis, some wondered if the 580,000-square-foot 35-story property at 1812 N. Moore would run out of funds, raising the specter of a skeletal, half-finished tower marring the Rosslyn skyline (or worse yet, a gaping pit in the middle of downtown).

Those doubts (groundless in retrospect, as Monday says it always had completion funds on hand) were put to rest when Goldman Sachs stepped in last month and bought out Lehman's stake in the 1.2 billion dollar portfolio, and the project has remained on schedule for a late 2013 delivery date.

As of today, below-grade construction is nearing completion, and the project should break above grade in a matter of weeks, if not days. “The crane is scheduled to jump up next month,” said Tim Helmig, Executive VP and Chief Development Officer at Monday. He also noted, with evident pride, that their construction crane when fully extended

to its maximum of 451 feet, will be the tallest in area history.

1812 is only one part of a massive ten building, three million square foot portfolio that altogether comprises over a third of the entire Rosslyn office submarket of Arlington, making Monday/Goldman the Microsoft of florescent-lit Starbucks-and-Dockers NOVA anomie.

Construction on 1812 was started on spec – a risky proposition in a down economy and a soft-ish market. But Monday assures DCMud it's in active negotiations with three clients to collectively lease out the entire tower. Questions about these three mega-tenant's identities were met with amusement but then expected silence. At present, 1812 is LEED Gold certified for Neighborhood Development, and anticipates being LEED Platinum certified for Core and Shell when delivered in 2013, keeping it on track to be the first LEED Platinum certified office building in Virginia, as certified by the USGBC.

Central Place, the competing project from JBG and Beyer Blinder Belle right across N. Moore Street, hasn't broken ground yet, but its developers offer assurances as to its progression. JBG spokesman Charles Maier told DCMud that is JBG is finalizing permits for the project and doesn't anticipate any obstacles to a 2012 start date.

Arlington, VA real estate development news

Demolition Permits Falling into Place in Court House District

A demolition permit was granted, yesterday, to property owner USAA Real Estate to demolish one of the two buildings it owns at 1900 and 1916 Wilson Blvd. in the Court House district of Arlington. Obtaining the permit is one step in the right direction for USAA, currently on track with a timeline to deliver 167,000 s.f. of mixed-use residential-and-retail along the 1900 block of the Wilson Blvd. corridor in less than two years.

Though one raze permit is in the hands of The Berg Corporation to demolish the former Hollywood Video at 1900 Wilson Blvd, another permit for 1916 Wilson Blvd. - formerly an office building - still awaits approval (it was filed yesterday), as does one for infrastructure/sewer work (filed July 1st), and demolition on site is not likely imminent. Construction, under general contractor Harkins Builders, is due to officially begin "in the fall," according to a representative, today, at Zom Inc., the development manager on the project.

Zom Inc. (Mid-Atlantic region) is now the development manager, but was once the owner, having bought the site in 2006, for $21.5 million; Zom was financially forced to sell, and USAA Real Estate purchased the property in 2010, for $18 million.

The 1.73 acre property will become a transit-oriented, mixed-use development thanks to its location two blocks from the Court House Metro stop. The new Torti Gallas and Partners-designed buildings on site will rise five stories, the majority of use going to multifamily apartments (191 units) with 17,300 s.f. of ground floor retail and 256 parking spots.

A collection of renderings have been filed with the Arlington government. USAA originally planned a Fall 2011 start date; if the project continues to adhere to the proposed timeline, the development, one of three big projects planned for the corridor, will deliver in June of 2013.


Arlington, Virginia real estate development news

Rosslyn Office Project Breaks Ground Today

This morning marks groundbreaking at 1776 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, a self-financed Skanska development of a five-story office building with 108,000 s.f. of rentable space and 26,000 s.f. of retail. Skanska is shooting for completion in a year and a half.

Skanska purchased the site for $10 million in 2010 from George Contis, whose property had housed Medical Service Corporation International. Skanska will build out the RTKL-designed plans, having stepped into the shoes of this and several stalled DC area projects like the PN Hoffman office project at 10th & G and Opus's southeast office project at M and Half Streets.

The ground breaking ceremony begins on site at 11:30 A.M.

Arlington, Virginia Real Estate development news

Arlington's Block Busting Year

One of Arlington's most stubbornly static development sites - a superblock of three stagnant development parcels at the Courthouse Metro station - is finally ready to start construction in what could be a fraternity of development initiatives. Developers of the 1800, 1900 and 2000 blocks of Wilson Boulevard, all located on the same block, have been working separately for years to build large, mixed-use projects on their respective sites, and now the latter two say they will start construction this year for vast amounts of retail, housing, and office space, broken up with a new street between them.

Elm Street Development plans to start its construction on 2000 Wilson Boulevard (formerly the Taco Bell and Dr. Dremo's site), known now as 2001 Clarendon, with 30,000 s.f. of retail space and 154 residential units, while USAA, which purchased the 1900 block of Wilson Boulevard late last year, plans to start work this fall on a mixed-use, predominantly residential project. Working out approvable developments on both sites required land swapping and an endowment of land to Arlington to extend Troy Street, connecting Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards. Meanwhile, developers at the eastern end of the superblock on Rhodes Street are still vying to get financing to double the size of the office space and integrate retail.

2000 Wilson
The stuttering progression at 2001 Clarendon was initially planned to begin in late 2007 as a condominium, but in 2008 switched to apartments (in theory), shooting for a 2010 completion. In early 2010 Elm Street VP Jim Mobley said the team was again "looking at" the concept of condos, "financing dependent." With financing now in place (underwritten as apartments), construction is near, with the likely chance of condo conversion down the road. Retail space will front 3 streets, subdivided into small storefronts. Because of Elm Street's rejiggering of the plans, at Arlington's suggestion, no permits have been issued, but sources for the project say work is expected to commence late this year.

George Dove, Managing Principal at WDG Architecture, which designed the 6 story "extremely contemporary" building, notes the challenges facing the climbing site. "From a zoning standpoint, between Courthouse and Rosslyn, you have a sequence of height limits, and you have elevation changes, so it has a series of levels that drop-off as you move down the street, like stair-steps. This had alot to do with driving the design." Besides shooting for basic LEED certification, an Arlington requirement, 2001 Clarendon will incorporate a series of green roofs. "This is the antitheses of the high-rise, urban, compact residential project. It stretches out over a much larger floorplate. That gives alot of rooftop areas at different levels, it is definitely not a boring facade," said Dove.

1900 Wilson
Across the (not yet built) street, USAA has purchased 1900 Wilson Boulevard, along with its plans for a 5-story mixed-use residential building. USAA bought the Hollywood Video site from Zom, Inc., which had already birddogged plans to construct residences through Arlington's approval process. USAA will retain Zom as a fee developer to build out the project. Torti Gallas designed the more urban seeming structures with large retail spaces along Clarendon Boulevard and live/work spaces along Wilson Boulevard.

Sources involved in the development say no dates have been set, but that work is "on target" to materialize this year, and Hailey Ghalib of USAA says the the developer expects to build in the third quarter of this year and is working with Harkins Builders on pre-construction issues, but has not yet signed a construction contract nor obtained construction permits. Construction is expected to last 22 months.

1800 Wilson
The lone holdout at this point is the eastern end of the block, slated to demolish Rhodeside Grill and Il Radicchio to more than double the office space used by the National Science Teachers Association. The NSTA has teamed with developer DRI to expand their Arlington headquarters at 1840 Wilson, with an approved site plan in hand. NSTA hopes to build a 107,000 s.f. office building with 10,000 s.f. of retail, taking up an adjacent surface parking lot. The site plan was initially approved in November 2005, amendments were approved in July 2008 and November 2008 to resolve façade and parking issues, but the project is on hold pending financing, which the team is "working very hard" to secure, of course. The NSTA has already contracted Davis Carter Scott as the architect and DPR Construction Company as the general contractor, if and when the bankers come to the rescue.

As if that weren't enough, work is now underway next door in the 1700 block of Wilson Boulevard, where Skanska is building a 5 story office building. Get ready for a loud but productive year, and lots of cranes.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

JBG Announces Rosslyn Multi-Family Start Date

The JBG Companies has said it will begin construction of its 474-unit Rosslyn apartment project on January 25th. The Chevy Chase developer plans to build 25 four-story townhouses and two high rise apartment buildings with a small retail space on the Clarendon Boulevard site that until recently held a 8 two-story apartment buildings.

The town houses and two L-shaped towers (12 and 13 stories) were designed by Bethesda-based Architects Collaborative. Fifty-five of the apartment units will be subsidized. Both apartment buildings (Sedona and Slate) are expected to be LEED Silver Certified, and both residential towers will include a rooftop pool, rooftop club room, and rooftop fitness center. Tower Two will showcase "a more modern design...with neutral colors, clean lines, boutique lobby, European-styled kitchens (flat panel kitchen cabinets with modern door pulls, white Corian or quartz countertops, dark/light cabinets (with dark or light hardwood floors), alternating by floor." JBG has not yet stated whether the market-rate units will be sold as condominiums or rented.

The 4-story townhouses have been designed as a buffer to blend the development into the surrounding garden-style apartment complexes, and the super-block split by a landscaped pedestrian plaza, Clarendon Blvd. to 16th Road North. JBG has selected Clark Construction as the general contractor.

Arlington, VA Real Estate Development News

Rosslyn Mixed Income Apartments Redeveloped "Using Density Not Dollars"

In their quest to redevelop Key Boulevard apartments, AHC Inc. has adopted a slightly augmented proposal and a brand new motto: "Using density, not dollars." That is the team's credo for tackling the challenge of nearly doubling the number of affordable housing units on the 1.24 acre site while staying within limited density allowed by the County's Zoning guidelines. But with available space near public transit in Arlington quickly drying up, AHC is relishing the chance to secure affordable, transit-oriented apartments near one of the busiest Metro stations in the D.C. region.

Although traditionally the goal of AHC Inc is to pack as much affordable housing into a development as possible, with this project half of the proposed 160-170 units reserved as affordable housing. But developing a mixed income community makes the project more financially sustainable, and most-importantly, negates the need for County subsidies, a selling-point in the approval process. Indeed, compromise is the name of the game, and in cooperation with the surrounding neighborhoods, developers have reduced the bulky mass and originally proposed height of eight-stories, to a slimmer, more manageable, and community-requested six floors. But support for the building's size and density is far from overwhelming, so developers will continue to appeal for more widespread community input and support, as they feel theirs is a worthy cause.

Built in the 1940s, the aging affordable apartment community is a reminder of inequality and inefficiency amidst the ever-expanding hustle and bustle of the business-centric Rosslyn. Not far from where two of the regions soon-to-be-tallest buildings recently broke ground, aging heating systems, inefficient windows and appliances, no central air conditioning, and handicap accessibility issues make the 41-unit building at 1545 Key Boulevard a candidate ripe for a radical makeover.

To put their new motto to the test, AHC is proposing to transfer development rights from an affordable apartment community they finished renovating in 2007. Because the project adhered closely to the historic character of the Gates of Ballston aesthetic, with its low-rise garden-style design, the project remained under developed, leaving excess development rights available for transfer and reuse. This technique is rather common, reports AHC, but transferring rights from one neighborhood to another (Ballston to Rosslyn) is "an innovative approach to maximizing affordable opportunities in the transit corridor." Although it's uncommon to transfer development rights from projects separated by some two miles, developers believe the opportunity to create transit-oriented, energy-efficient, affordable housing justifies the unique strategy.

Preliminary architectural schematics for the 70 ft. tall building are being offered by WDG Architecture. Developers have purposefully offered limited detail in their renderings; in order to remain adaptable and responsive to the always evolving back and forth of the community involvement process; Joseph P. Weatherly, Senior Project Manager at AHC explained his team had refrained from "engaging WDG to put too many specific ideas on paper until we feel like we have more comprehensive support from the entire community." However, designers have included planning for a rooftop terrace and green roof. The proposal also includes underground parking, a community center, neighboring park, and a landscaped courtyard. The community center would serve as a base for various resident programming, including after-school programs for children. AHC continues to work diligently alongside Bush Construction Corp., their general contractor and development partner. But with community dialog still ongoing, and the County Site Plan approval process still to come, developers don't expect construction to commence until at least January of 2012, and the expected delivery date arriving some twenty four months later.

Arlington, VA Real Estate Development News

Buildings at 1776 Wilson Blvd to Crumble Soon

As Skanska continues to build up at 10th and G Streets NW, approaching "concrete topping out," developers expect the current buildings at their project site on the west side of the Potomac to come down very shortly. Rosslyn's Medical Service Corp. International office, Arlington Motor Cars, and Fashion Dreams, purchased from George Contis for ten million dollars in early 2009, are set to be razed in early December. Already approved development plans were included in the deal, and Skanska will follow through on the original RTKL-inspired vision of 142,000 s.f. of office space with a full ground floor of retail at 1776 Wilson Blvd. Although construction won't be coming "out of the ground" until February, with an official groundbreaking happening shortly after, Jessica Murray of Skanska assured DCMud that "you'll see activity happening before then." While Murray was able to promise impending explosions (figuratively not literally) and subsequent dirt-pushing, she could not report any lease agreement for the office or retail space at this time. "You'll know when that happens," she added.

Meanwhile, Skanska reports that construction crews are "currently placing concrete on the seventh floor" at 733 10th Street NW. Masonry work should begin next month and curtain wall glass is anticipated to begin at the end of November. Murray also confirmed that developers expect the 3,946 s.f. purchased from the First Congregational United Church of Christ's (originally the owners of the property) stake in the ground-floor of the building will likely feature a "white tablecloth" dining establishment as well as a cafe. The Church will maintain its presence in the new building with a freshly designed 25,000 s.f. of worship and office space. Substantial completion of the building is expected in September of 2011.

Correction: Skanska representatives wish to impart to DCMud and their readers that in fact NO EXPLOSIONS will actually happen during demolitions in Rosslyn. Furthermore, the restaurant space going there is not white tablecloth, quite the opposite, as the style of eatery will be either "fast casual" or a café. Jessica Murray explained that this is an important distinction given the zoning issues at hand.

Washington, D.C. Real Estate Development News

Rosslyn Station Kicks Off Today

Development of the expanded Rosslyn Station kicks off this morning with sacramental event to publicize construction of the $32m project. The 10am ceremony will highlight expansion of the underground station and replacement of the single elevator with three high-speed lifts intended to increase speed and create redundancy for Virginia's highest-trafficked station. The event will be attended by officials from Arlington, WMATA, the state's Congressional delegation, and JBG, which owns part of the site and has plans to build the Central Place development above it.

Arlington, Virginia real estate development news

Region's Tallest Building Breaks Ground in Rosslyn

Monday Properties' 35-story, 390 foot office building will break ground on Thursday in Rosslyn, setting the stage for what will be the region's tallest building when completed, at least for a while. Developers will hold a public ceremony for the 580,000 s.f. building that will rise above the Rosslyn Metro station.


The superlative for "tallest" is a contested one, with JBG noting their that their 31-story Central Place tower will also rise 390 feet, nearly the tallest allowable by the FAA along the Reagan National flight path, which caps at 500 feet above sea level. The buildings also both straddle N. Moore at nearly equal 80-foot elevations; nearly, but not exactly. Officials at Monday assure DCMud that their site sits a few feet higher in elevation, giving theirs the edge. In any event, with JBG's project in check, Monday's claim to size will not be in dispute when the building completes in late 2013. Nor will Monday's second first: the first LEED platinum certified office building completed in Virginia, if all goes as planned. Bragging rights for both should allow for equally high leasing rates, and despite a lack of tenants, Monday chose to approach one of the region's lowest commercial vacancy rates by self-financing $30m of the $300m project, something JBG officials must be eying with intensity. Monday says it is confident that that this will attract financial suitors, but that they are prepared to move forward with or without a financial partner, and promise an anchor tenant announcement within 10 months.

Arlington approved the project in December of 2007, but it has been on hold for nearly 3 years as developers sought financing and the right market. Davis Carter Scott designed the skyscraper that Clark will build, with Gensler assisting on interior layouts.

Congressman Jim Moran will join other speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony this Thursday at 11am, true construction will be underway by the end of the month.

Rosslyn Virginia real estate development news

Rosslyn's New Metro

Construction on Rosslyn's Metro upgrade will begin this month, adding a new entrance to handle Rosslyn's growing pull on the region, already crowded Metro station, and increasingly taller and denser neighborhood. The Metro station is already Virginia's busiest, with numbers likely to rise in proportion to Rosslyn's ongoing office and residential projects.

An official start date is not yet known, but Arlington officials expect work to commence by late October for a project that will replace the single slow-motion elevator with 3 high-speed elevators, a stairwell, and new entrance mezzanine at platform level. Arlington officials say they see the project as a boon to Rosslyn's development, increasing the capacity on the currently strained infrastructure with a redundancy that will not only handle rising traffic flows (now 36,000 daily), but eliminate the need for transfer buses and rerouting when the single elevator is shut down.
Designed entirely by WMATA and built by Clark Construction, the elevator bank will sit on North Moore Street just to the north of the existing elevator - on land owned by WMATA and by JBG, which intends to build its stalled Central Place project. JBG has granted an easement to Arlington for construction of the shafts. Arlington has authorized $35m in funding for the Metro addition, which it will build and manage until completion, at which point it will turn over the property to WMATA. The completed elevators will empty near the bottom of the existing escalators, creating a small new walkway - same ruddy octagonal tiles - to enter into the platform.

Construction is expected to be complete by early 2013, and will contribute to an intensive downtown construction schedule, coinciding with the start of construction at Monday Property's 1812 N. Moore St, work on which is expected to start immediately.
Arlington Virginia real estate development news

JBG Moving Forward With Rosslyn Commons

The JBG Companies is set to stack two more high rise buildings into the crowded Rosslyn setting very shortly. Approved by the Arlington County Board in the summer of 2008, the plans call for 25 four-story townhouses and two high rise apartment buildings offering 454 units and 12,635 s.f. of retail, construction of which is expected shortly. The new development will replace eight existing brick garden-style apartment buildings (totaling 84 units) between Clarendon Blvd. and 16th Road North with the town houses and two L-shaped towers (12 and 13 stories respectively) designed by Bethesda-based firm Architects Collaborative. Fifty-four of the apartment units will be marketed as affordable housing. Both apartment buildings are expected to be LEED Certified.

The boldly designed buildings will be a striking composition of “tan-brown, reddish brown and pink-brown brick with gray-blue to gray-green metal frames.” Rising a dizzying 128 feet, the townhomes (a more manageable 50 ft) will help step the development gracefully down into the surrounding garden-style apartment complexes. The super-block will be split by a landscaped pedestrian plaza, creating a foot-traffic thoroughfare halving Clarendon Blvd. and 16th Road North. The internal courtyard will be advantageous for tenants looking to spill cafe and restaurant operations into the public space, creating a bustling central plaza where residents, commerce, and leisure will come together.

While no time table has been made public, Paradigm and Clark Construction are expected to offer general contracting bids by October 7th with the expectation that construction would begin shortly after. Rosslyn Gateway, Central Place, and Potomac Yards are just a few of the other JBG projects planned for Arlington in the near future.

Update: Since publishing the story, JBG reached out to DCMud with additional details on the project. Balfour Beatty Construction, Clark Construction, Facchina Construction, and SE Foster Construction have all submitted bids on the project. The exact number of units is as follows: 474 total units and 55 affordable units. The red and grey building is designated as Tower One and the combo of dark and light gray is Tower Two. Both residential towers will include a rooftop pool and pool deck, rooftop club room, and rooftop fitness center. Tower Two, which is "a more modern design...with neutral colors, clean lines, boutique lobby, European-styled kitchens (flat panel kitchen cabinets with modern door pulls, white Corian or quartz countertops, dark/light cabinets (with dark or light hardwood floors), alternating by floor" could be marketed as for-sale condominiums depending on the state of the market when delivery nears. JBG confirmed that they in talks to bring a cafe with outdoor seating into the retail space. The project is expected to earn LEED Silver. Construction will begin by the end of the year, and the buildings will be delivered by late 2012, with the two towers delivered first and the townhomes following closely behind.

Arlington, VA Real Estate Development News

Rosslyn's Artisphere Opens

While the "opening of the Artisphere" might sound science fictional, Rosslynites know by now that it puts Rosslyn on the map of arts destinations. The 53,000-square-foot "showcase for the arts," opening October 10th, will include an exhibition gallery, a Black Box theater for the Washington Shakespeare Company, ballroom, Wi-Fi cafe, four performance venues, and three art galeries, all converted from the building the once housed the Newseum.

Arlington chose The Lukmire Partnership and Clark Construction to renovate the interior, while keeping most of the exterior, in a design that is intended to achieve LEED certification for interior space, designation pending. Arlington officials set the October 10th date more than a year ago, and managed to stick the landing with regular events beginning immediately after the official pomp. "Artisphere" was the winning entry in a public contest that included "Planet 9," "Artopolis," "the Orb," "the Artseum," and DCMud's own rejected entries of "Rossdome" and "SphARTlington." Humph.

Officials promise a veritably transcendental arts forum with non-stop programming that will redefine art in the community. "Its an entirely unique model in the region and country in terms of diversity and amount of programming. I do think we are creating a new model for regional appeal and global programming," said Norma Kaplan, Division Chief for Arlington Cultural Affairs, which operates the Artisphere. "An important component is bringing in artists from around the world that will open up the door to new kinds of work and new connections." Kaplan promises "20 to 25 events" per week. Jim Byers, Marketing Director for Arlington Cultural Affairs, adds that between the impromptu, regular, and occasional big name performances, the building will be a consistent place of inspiration. "The usual experience is a big name that may draw you to a cultural center sporadically. While some of the programs will indeed be big names, our idea is to constantly engage the public and have them hang out there regularly at the wi-fi cafe or go to the art store, a much more holistic experience than seeing a few big stars per year."

The building is owned by Monday Properties with a 20-year lease to Arlington. Monday is also the owner of the land at nearby 1812 N. Moore Street in Rosslyn, where it recently announced it would begin construction on what will be Rosslyn's tallest building when complete.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

Skanska Office Project to Fill in Wilson Boulevard

Skanska USA announced on Friday that it would turn a pair of single-family homes-turned business into a 5-story Class A office building in Rosslyn at 1776 Wilson Boulevard. The self-financed project will turn one of the increasingly scarce development cavities on Arlington's main boulevard into 108,000 s.f. of office with a full ground floor of retail, designed to meet LEED Gold standards. Skanska says demolition of the existing buildings will take place within the next few months.

Skanska purchased the site for $10m this summer from George Contis, who had planned and received approval to scrap his own Medical Service Corporation International and build a medical office building on the site, a project Contis intended to start in early 2009. Skanska will take over Contis' plans, including the "virtually column-free" RTKL designed building, adapting it to much sought-after office space (oh wait, we got it confused with 2005 for a minute). Executive Vice President Rob Ward called it "an extraordinary site" in a statement, and promised completion in about a year and half. A 231 space, 3-level parking garage beneath the building will service tenants. It also appears that Skanska will honor Contis' plans to extend N. Quinn St, connecting Clarendon and Wilson Boulevards, breaking up the "super-block" and adding a pedestrian plaza.
Skanska touts that green credentials will be achieved with a vegetated roof, "energy-efficient windows" (those crazy Swedes), power outlets in the garage for electric vehicles, and improved air quality "to enhance worker productivity." Future employees take note. Skanska's speculative office endeavors include an office building under construction at 10th & G in Penn Quarter; its construction arm is finishing up work on an office building at Half and K Streets, in southeast DC.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

Rosslyn's Humbled Towers

Commuters exiting the Rosslyn Metro might have noticed construction vehicles and material at Monday Properties' 1812 North Moore Street, raising hopes of a new, LEED Platinum building in the center of Rosslyn. Alas, signs of future construction they are not. Likewise the friendly polka dots and convenient lunch tables on the site of neighboring Central Place by JBG offer, if nothing more, a place to sit and dream of the immense office building that will one day fill the space. The two sites offer hopes for the DC area's tallest buildings. Rosslyn, however, will have to wait for the distinction.

Now-defunct Westfield Realty sold 1812 North Moore Street's $31.5 million parcel to Monday Properties in 2006 after the former’s drawn-out bid to revamp the site met a slow death. Monday initially had much more success with their attempts to put the project into turnaround. Their Davis Carter Scott-designed tower boasts 600,000 square feet of commercial office space, 12,000 square feet for retail and a Metro terminal attached to the facility. Additionally, they were on track to becoming the first LEED Platinum-certified building in the area. But since that time, little has happened. Nor will it any time soon. Arlington's December, 2007 approval for the project was originally set to expire in December 2010, but a July 2009 statute made approval for the Monday project, and others, valid through July 2014.

What about the harbingers of construction seen on site? The materials belong to Dominion Power, which is working on the substation on the adjoining lot. According to the site manager for the Dominion construction team, Clark Construction, the general contractor, will not begin any sort of construction on 1812 until August, at the soonest. But Peter Berk, Executive Director for the project at Cushman & Wakefield said in an email, "the building is not going forward on a speculative basis (without some kind of pre-lease), at least not at this time due to the capital markets." Thanks anyway Dominion Power guy.

Across the street, JBG's equally reluctant Central Place project sits largely untouched with McDonald's bags but no construction debris. The 31-story, 535,000 s.f. building planned for the site will include 12,000 s.f. of ground floor retail in a 390-ft. glass curtain-wall mammoth. To top it all off, a 10,000 s.f. rooftop observation deck with distant views will open to the public.

Andrew VanHorn, a Vice President at JBG, admitted the widely circulated rumor that "office financing is difficult to come by lately." Before any construction can begin, Central Place will need prospective tenants and secure financing; the team will likely need upwards of 50 percent of the building leased before a shovel hits the ground. But it "depends on the credibility of the tenant" said VanHorn. A big catch, like an established law firm, might squeak by under the halfway marker, but in the end it is "really about what the bank is going to require."

Meanwhile, JBG partnered with the Rosslyn BID to create a "Central Space" in the area where the lobby of the future building will sit. Tables and a small rain garden now create a getaway for area workers to lunch. JBG "looked at the site, and though it wasn't going to be there long, it was a waste to have it fenced-up with weeds growing" explained VanHorn. The developer sees this small community area as the viable use for the site for the next 12 to 18 months at the outset.

The two bold, competing projects have each been humbled by the new economic reality. For now.

Rosslyn, Arlington Virginia real estate development news