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INTRODUCTION

This Development Highlights 2002 report summarizes the residential and commercial development in Arlington County in 2002. This is the fifty-sixth report in a series of Planning Information Reports, which are available from the Arlington County Planning Division.

This report is organized into three sections. The first section describes residential and commercial projects that were completed in 2002, projects that were under construction in 2002, and projects that were approved by the Arlington County Board through the site plan process in 2002. Data on demolitions are also presented. Historical data and summary tables and charts are included to supplement the text. The second section of this report includes several GIS-based maps showing locations of projects in each stage of development. Finally, the last section is a comprehensive list of each project approved, under construction, completed, or demolished in 2002, organized by Metro station area.

A NOTE ON OUR METHODOLOGY

The Planning Research and Analysis Team tracks development using data on building, certificate of occupancy, and demolition permits, as well as information from County Board minutes and Planning Division staff reports. Specific criteria has been adopted for defining completed projects, projects under construction, and demolished projects based on the permit data. Completed projects are those where a certificate of occupancy (CO) permit has been issued by the County. For projects under construction, the construction start date is set to the date the first building permit was approved for that project. Similarly, the demolition date is date the demolition permit was approved.

This report contains information on new construction only and does not include data on alterations, renovations, or changes of use. In some cases, large projects may be split into different phases that are tracked separately. In addition, please note that development data maintained by other Arlington County departments may differ from what is included in this report. For more information, please contact the Planning Research and Analysis team.

SUMMARY

There was a significant amount of development activity in Arlington County in 2002, continuing a trend that began in the late 1990s. Over 1.1 million square feet of office space and 227,000 square feet of retail space were completed in 2002. In addition, over 2,200 new residential units and 350 hotel rooms were built last year. The vast majority of development in 2002 occurred in the Countys Metro corridors. For example, 80 percent of the newly completed office gross floor area (GFA) was built in the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor. Thirty percent of new residential units were in the Jefferson Davis Metro corridor and 48 percent were in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

In addition to newly completed projects, considerable construction was on-going in the County. Office projects totaling over 1.1 million square feet of GFA were under construction as of December 31, 2002. In addition, there were 105,000 square feet of retail space and about 2,000 residential units being built. Almost all of this new construction is taking place in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

The Arlington County Board approved twice as much new density in 2002 than it did in 2001. In 2002, the Board approved fifteen site plan projects totaling 1.9 million square feet of office space; 142,000 square feet of retail space; 2,000 residential units; and 160 hotel rooms. All but 5,600 square feet of retail and 69 residential units were approved for projects in the Metro corridors. The Board also approved a 54,000 square foot library/theater project in Shirlington, which is outside of the Metro corridors.

The vast majority of completed and planned development in Arlington County has been directed to the Countys Metro corridors. This development approach allows for new development to be located in higher-density areas near transit, while preserving the character of lower-density residential neighborhoods. Furthermore, most projects approved, under construction, or completed in the County included at least two uses (e.g., residential and retail), fulfilling the Countys commitment to developing mixed-use projects and neighborhoods.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Over 30 major residential and commercial projects were completed in Arlington in 2002. (See Table 1.) Major office completions included 1801 N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn, Quincy Crossing in Virginia Square, and two major projects in Ballston4100 Fairfax Drive and 4501 Fairfax Drive. Over two-thirds of the newly completed office space was in the Rosslyn and Ballston Metro Station Areas. (See Table 2.) Almost half of the new office development was completed in the first quarter of 2002 and none was completed in fourth quarter 2002. (See Table 3.)

Table 1. Major Projects Completed in 2002

Table 2. Completed Projects by Metro Station Area (2002)

Several major residential projects were also finished in 2002. These new projects included The Meridian Phase 3 in Court House, The Residences at Market Common in Clarendon, Clarendon Park Townhouses, The Gallery at Virginia Square, Warwick House II in Crystal City, the final phase of Pentagon Row in Pentagon City, and The Metropolitan at PentagonCity. Outside of the Metro corridors, Avalon at Arlington SquarePhase II was completed. New residential projects were completed in every Metro Station Area in 2002. In addition, 120 single-family houses were built in Arlington in 2002, most outside of the Metro corridors. All but 40 residential units were completed in the first three quarters of 2002.

Two new hotels were built in 2002 the Hilton Garden Inn in Court House and the HamptonInn and Suites in Crystal City.

Table 3. Completed Projects by Month (2002)

Significantly more office projects were completed in 2002 than in 20011.17 square feet of office GFA compared with 405,600 square feet of office GFA. However, 2002 saw fewer new retail projects, primarily because Market Common Clarendon and Pentagon Row were both completed in 2001. The number of new residential units has been relatively constant over the last few years. (See Charts 1a and 1b.)

About half (15) of the new residential and commercial projects that were completed in 2002 began construction in 2001. Another 13 were started in 2000.

Chart 1a. New Commercial Development (Square Feet of Space Completed in 2001 and 2002)

Chart 1b. New Residential and Hotel Development (Residential Units and Hotel Rooms Completed in 2001 and 2002)

PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Two major office projects began construction in 2002the GMU Foundation Office in Virginia Square and the Arlington Gateway Office in Ballston. Both projects received building permits in December. All other projects under construction in 2002 began construction in 2001, including The Hartford Offices in Clarendon, Ballston Gateway in Virginia Square, and Ballston Point. Almost half of the office space under construction in Arlington is located in the Ballston Metro Station Area. (See Chart 2a.)

Significantly more residential construction began in 2002, including The Hudson in Clarendon, Arlington Gateway Residential (The Continental), and The Metropolitan at Pentagon Row. The Bromptons at Rosslyn also started construction in 2002. Several other projects began construction in 2001 which continued through 2002, including the Bromptons at Monument Place in Rosslyn, The Residences at Memorial Overlook in Rosslyn, The Jefferson at Clarendon Centre, and The Metropolitan at Arlington on Army Navy Drive. (See Table 4 for a list of major projects under construction.) In addition, there were 90 single-family houses under construction in Arlington as of December 31, 2002.

Table 4. Major Projects Under Construction in 2002

Other major projects under construction include the Langston Education and Recreation Center on Lee Highway, a 63,632 square foot recreation center, and the Arlington Hospital expansion.

Chart 2a. Commercial Space (in square feet) Under Construction in 2002 by Area

Chart 2b. Residential Units Under Construction in 2002 by Area

Table 5. Construction Starts by Month (2002)

Table 6. Residential Construction Starts by Metro Station Area and Housing Type (2002)

Over the past four decades, the number of new residential construction starts (i.e., residential units authorized by building permit) has fluctuated significantly. In 2000 and 2001, around 2,000 new residential units were authorized by building permit. In 2002, the number of new units under construction was somewhat lower, at about 1,200. However, Arlington County is still experiencing strong growth in residential development. The number of new construction starts in 2002 was still higher than at any time in the 1990s, with the exception of 1997. (See Table 7.)

Chart 3. New Residential Units Authorized by Building Permit: 1960 2002

Table 7. Residential Units Authorized by Building Permit: 1960 2002

SITE PLAN APPROVALS

In 2002, fifteen projects were approved by the Arlington County Board through the site plan process. Three large mixed-use projects were approvedthe Waterview in Rosslyn (a major site plan amendment), Liberty Center in Ballston, and 2900 Clarendon Boulevard in Clarendon. A total of 1.2 million square feet of office GFA, 120,000 square feet of retail space, 1,729 residential units, and 160 hotel rooms were approved in the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor. One Potomac Yard, the first final site plan approval for the South Tract area in Crystal City, was also approved in 2002. Table 8 summarizes all 2002 site plan approvals.

In addition to the major mixed-used, office, retail, and residential site plan approvals, two notable approved projects are the Arlington Ice Skating Center in Ballston and the Shirlington Library and Theater.

Table 8. Site Plan Projects and Major Site Plan Amendments Approved by the County Board in 2002

DEMOLITIONS

Each year, residential units and commercial space is demolished to make way for new development. In 2002, approximately 293,000 square feet of office and retail space was demolished. The majority of these demolitions took place in Ballston to clear land for the Liberty Center Project and in Clarendon to clear land for a new by-right residential project.

In addition, 95 residential units were demolished. The majority of these demolished units were single-family houses. Two small garden apartment buildings were also demolished.

Table 9. Demolitions of Residential Units: 1980 2002