Construction on The Tellus in Arlington Underway

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 Group, WDG 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

Work to Begin on Two Clarendon Blvd. Projects

Two open lots in Arlington will start bustling within the next two weeks as work begins on two long-awaited mixed-use developments between the Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro stations.

After many months of predicting an "imminent" groundbreaking at the adjacent pair of now-vacant lots, Elm Street Development plans to begin utility work next week at 2001 Clarendon Blvd., Elm Street Vice President James Mobley said in an email. Next door at 1919 Clarendon Blvd. (the Hollywood Video site), crews were told to proceed, with work getting underway within two weeks, sources at USAA Real Estate said.

Arlington County records show USAA received a sheeting a shoring permit March 28 but still must revise plans to get additional construction permits for the residential and retail development at 1919 Clarendon Blvd., previously 1900 Wilson Blvd.

Rendering of 1919 Clarendon Blvd.

Meanwhile, records show that Elm Street is still working to get approval for sheeting and shoring in addition to the other required building permits for the proposed retail and residential development at 2001 Clarendon Blvd., previously 2000 Wilson Blvd.

"We have submitted for Footing to Grade Permit and addressed comments on the Sheeting and Shoring Plans," Mobley said in the email. "Other than addressing County comments the building is unchanged."

Rendering of 2001 Clarendon Blvd.

Mobley did not respond to a question asking why the project has been delayed. USAA said its project is moving forward as planned. However, both companies have said that construction was at hand at least since 2010.

With an expected delivery date in 2014, 2001 Clarendon Blvd. will be home to a 6-story mixed-use development with 154 apartments and approximately 30,000 s.f. of retail space. WDG Architecture designed the building S. E. Foster will construct. .

USAA will bring a 5-story mixed-use development with 198 residential units and 24,657 s.f. of retail space to 1919 Clarendon Blvd. USAA bought the site and plans from Zom Inc.in 2001. Torti Gallas designed the project that Harkins will build.

Arlington, VA real estate development news

Groundbreaking at 1150 Ripley Street

Minor construction work has now begun at 1150 Ripley Street in Silver Spring, but developer Washington Property Company will wait until next Tuesday to officially celebrate the groundbreaking of their 16-story multi-family building. The 306,000 s.f. building will add 286 rental units, and is being heralded by developers as the "first major construction project within the Ripley District in almost 20 years." On October 5th, Washington Property Company President Charles K. Nulsen III will be joined by Montgomery County officials to put a ceremonial shovel in the ground and provide remarks on the bright future of the Ripley District, including specifics on several other "exciting development

plans" in the area.

The building design, a generous use of glass textured by streaking and crisscrossing lines of metal as well as tall brick columns, is courtesy of the Lessard Group. Sitting on 1.16 acres of land, the apartment building will offer the usual assortment of amenities: business center, conference rooms, rec rooms, and a fitness center. Stocked with the standard array of studios and one and two bedrooms, the structure will stand atop three and a half levels of below grade parking totaling over 300 spaces. The ground floor will feature 7,000 s.f. of service retail.

The Ripley District, a triangular parcel of land in downtown Silver Spring, is bounded by Bonifant Street, Georgia Avenue, and the CSX Railroad. Sitting adjacent to the MARC railway and Silver Spring Transit Center, this is the type of transit-oriented development that county officials are hoping to encourage. The county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs has offered $5 million in mezzanine financing, and hopes their visible cooperation and financial assistance will spur future smart growth in the area.

Silver Spring, and specifically the Ripley District, will look to mimic Bethesda and Arlington by sporting horse blinders, ignoring the recession, and plowing ahead. Officials will steer new developments to be "organized around open spaces, surrounded by a mix of high-density office and apartment buildings, with bike trails and pedestrian routes connecting residents to the nearby Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and the Metropolitan Branch Trail to Union Station in downtown Washington, D.C." Home Properties' Ripley Street North mixed-use development will look to follow this blueprint and give County officials another reason to smile, but no word on impending construction has been given. The plan for the Shalom-Baranes-designed 200 ft. residential tower and accompanying 80 ft mixed-use building was approved in 2008.

S.E. Foster, a subsidiary of the Paradigm Companies, is heading up general contracting duties, and will deliver the first units in roughly eighteen months. Full delivery is expected in approximately two years.

Silver Spring, MD Real Estate Development News