Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Contact: Robert Brosnan 703-228-3516 (voice) 703-228-4611(TTY)
Arlington County Board Approves Transfer of Development Rights from Mosaic Park to Founders Square
- Developer to contribute $6.60 million to improve Mosaic Park
- Height, density added to Founders Square development
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Arlington County Board today approved a transfer of development rights from Mosaic Park in Ballston to the adjacent Founders Square, a proposed five-building, mixed use development.
The transfer will allow additional building height and density for the 5.35-acre Founders Square site, and will change the proposed use of one of the buildings from apartments to a hotel.
The Board’s action today amended the site plan for Founders Square that it approved in July, 2008. The Shoosan Co. is the developer of Founders Square.
“Our action today will help realize a long term County goal to provide a high-quality neighborhood park in Ballston,” said County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman. “By trading density from the park to Founders Square, the County has secured more than $6 million from the developer that will be used for improvements to Mosaic Park that will benefit the community.”
The site plan amendment allows the following changes to the proposed Founders Square project:
- 13-story secure office building, with 82-foot setback for security requirements (same)
- 15-story office building (will now be a 20-story office building)
- 17-story, 198 unit residential building (now 17-story, 257-unit residential building)
- 12-story, 164-unit residential building (now 11-story, 183-unit hotel building)
- One-story retail building (same)
These changes will result in both higher density and a reallocation of density from the south residential building to the north residential building, and a change of use for the south residential building, from an apartment to a hotel.
Background
Founders Square is to be built on the site of a former Washington metropolitan Area Transit Authority Arlington Bus Garage in the heart of Ballston. The site is bounded by N. Randolph Street, Wilson Boulevard, N. Quincy Street and 5th Road N.
The original site plan included a land exchange between the County and the developer, adding six-tenths of an acre to the County owned Mosaic Park, on the east side of North Quincy Street, bringing the park to a total of 1.68 acres.
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. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. 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.
