County Board approves apartment building at 4000 Fairfax Drive
Publicly available courtyard and water feature
330 residential units near two Metro stops
$2.2 million dollars for affordable housing
WASHINGTON D.C. – December 11, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The Arlington County Board today approved a redevelopment plan that will replace a single-story building at 4000 Fairfax Drive – now housing Carpool restaurant — with a 22-story LEED Gold apartment building with 330 units. The redevelopment will include the remaking of a corner at Fairfax Drive and N. Quincy Street, creating a publicly accessible courtyard with a water feature, significant road and pedestrian improvements and three new retail spaces.
The new building, replacing one that dates to the 1960s, will be located at the corner of North Quincy Street and Fairfax Drive, within walking distance of both the Ballston-MU and Virginia Square Metro stations.
“Ballston is in the midst of an important transformation that is bringing more housing and retail to the neighborhood along with new public gathering spaces,” said Arlington County Board Chair Mary Hynes. “This redevelopment will add housing within walking distance of two Metro stations, provide important community benefits and help reinvigorate the neighborhood.” The County Board voted unanimously to adopt the Site Plan amendment.
Rendering of planned 4000 Fairfax Dr. residential tower.
Rendering of planned 4000 Fairfax Dr. residential tower.
More housing, more retail
The Board’s action allows Penzance to combine the Carpool site with the adjacent site at 4040 Fairfax Drive, where the Webb office building stands, to create a single 515,000 square foot development that will offer residential, retail and office space. The 10-story, 185,000-square foot Webb Building, built in 1966, will remain, but may be redeveloped in the next 10 years. The new building will provide its residents a bike room directly accessible from North Quincy Street and a pool, deck and activity area on the building’s rooftop.
The planned redevelopment was found to generally conform with the Ballston Sector Plan 1980, the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor Streetscape Standards, the General Land Use Plan and Arlington County Retail Plan.
Community benefits
Approximately $2.2 million to the Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF) per Zoning Ordinance requirements
$75,000 of on-site public art or cash contribution
Approximately $32,100 for the Underground Utility Fund
Up to $14,000 reimbursed to the County annually for post-construction transportation and parking performance studies as part of the Transportation Demand Management plan
Improved sidewalk and streetscape around proposed and existing buildings
$350,000 cash contribution for traffic signal improvements at Fairfax Drive and N. Quincy Street or Fairfax and N. Randolph Street
In-building First Responder Network
LEED Gold certification—applicant is requesting bonus density of .40 FAR per the County’s Green Building Incentive Policy for Site Plans.
Community process
The Planning Commission’s Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) reviewed the proposal at four (4) meetings between May and July 2015.The Transportation Commission and Planning Commission also discussed the project.
To read the staff report for this item, visit the County website. Scroll down to item #32 on the Agenda for the December 12 County Board Meeting.
Close-up of planned 4000 Fairfax Dr. residential building.
Close-up of planned 4000 Fairfax Dr. residential building.
Project at a Glance
Project
4000 & 4040 Fairfax Drive—Carpool and Webb Building
321,160 square feet of residential gross floor area (330 units)
8,000 square feet of ground floor retail
22 stories
264 parking spaces
Existing 185,000 s.f. office building with ground floor retail and 280 parking spaces to remain.
Developer: Penzance
Architect: Hickok Cole Architects
Contact: John Kusturiss, 202-729-6403
Sustainable Design Commitments
LEED Gold
18% energy savings
Visit the project website for additional information and documents.
Arlington Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the “10 miles square” parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation’s Capital. Slightly smaller than 26 square miles, it is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, and one of only a handful with the prized Aaa/AAA/AAA bond rating. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods and quality schools, and has received numerous awards for Smart Growth and transit-oriented development. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world — including the Pentagon — Arlington stands out as one of America’s preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
