I-66
A new toll could be coming to the Arlington section of I-66. According to Renée Hamilton, deputy district administrator for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Northern Virginia District, VDOT is beginning planning for the 2017 implementation of a “multimodal package” that includes tolling vehicles with less than three riders during peak travel times. According to Hamilton, the tolls will have prices that adjust to meet demand for lane space in an effort to reduce traffic congestion.
“The goal is to move more people and enhance connectivity on I-66,” said Hamilton. “We want to provide congestion relief and create a carpool culture.”
Hamilton said that VDOT decided not to pursue road widening but did not eliminate the possibility for future development. According to VDOT, construction and implementation of tolling is expected to cost between $30 and $50 million.
2025 Clarendon Boulevard
A new 12-story office building at 2025 Clarendon Boulevard will replace the existing Wendy’s and Wells Fargo adjacent to the Arlington Courthouse. At its March 14 meeting, the County Board unanimously approved the redevelopment despite concerns about the design and use of the building. As a condition of buying the property a large portion of the first floor retail space will be taken up by a new Wells Fargo location. County Manager Barbara Donnellan assured County Board members at the March 14 meeting that, while the building is an office, the spaces are much smaller and more flexible than the ones that compose the majority of Arlington’s 20 percent office vacancy. Carr has said the project’s development schedule is to be determined. No current plans are set for the removal of the Wendy’s and current Wells Fargo bank from the site. After approval of the project by the County Board, Carr has three years to begin development.
1000 N. Glebe Road
The “Blue Goose” building completed demolition in January to make way for a new 9-story office/classroom building and residence at the Marymount University campus in Ballston. The building will contain 11 units of affordable housing in the 267-unit residential building. Marymount University purchased the property in the 1990s. Plans for the plaza outside the new complex include the addition of blue seating and blue lighting, a homage to the site’s history. A new Ballston metro entrance is planned to run to the courtyard, with a cost of $72 million.
400 Army Navy Drive
The “Paperclip Building” at 400 Army Navy Drive, one of the office spaces emptied in Base Realignment (BRAC), could be replaced with a residential structure. A site plan for the 20-story building containing 453 residential units was approved by the County Board on Jan. 24. The new building, named The Altaire, is a central “podium” and two adjoining towers. The applicant, Arlington Apartments L/Cal LLC, purchased the property in 2012 for $39 million. Demolition on the Paperclip Building is expected to begin in June with construction beginning in September or October for a 2018 opening.