Environmental Services and Parks and Recreation Clarendon Metro Plaza : Capital Projects : Arlington, Virginia

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Environmental Services

Environmental Services and Parks and Recreation Clarendon Metro Plaza

UPDATE: As envisioned during the design phase, having movable table and chairs is one of the goals of the Clarendon Metro Plaza. Other public space locations in the County have loose tables and chairs and it was the hope of both staff and residents that this location could also accommodate this popular seating arrangement. Unfortunately, within the first two weeks of being placed on site, thefts occurred. The tables and chairs have been removed until a more secure solution can be implemented. County staff, in coordination with the Clarendon Alliance, are retrofitting the tables and chairs with a series of small chains and locks to prevent them from moving. They will be placed back on site in the coming weeks with the hope that this solution prevents any future theft of public property.

Project Overview

Arlington County is working with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to improve the Clarendon Metro Plaza between Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards, and from N. Highland Street to the Metrorail elevator. This initiative will create an active, multi-use plaza to accommodate the farmers’ markets, music events, vendors, and other community activities, while enhancing pedestrian access to Metrorail and transit. Improvements will include:

New pedestrian paving
New curb extension on Clarendon Boulevard
New seating walls and movable tables and chairs
New street and plaza lighting
New landscaping and irrigation
Covered bike parking
Modular newspaper racks

West End Paver Replacement and Related Work

In December of 2012 the project scope was expanded to continue the hard-surface improvements west of the WMATA elevators through the remainder of Clarendon Central Park. These improvements are being completed as a part of the County’s Parks Maintenance Capital program in order to upgrade aging park infrastructure, to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to visually unify the western end of the park with the improvements underway near the WMATA facilities. Improvements will include:

Replacing the existing pavers
Upgrading the remaining pedestrian crossing ramps
Replacing the site furnishings that are beyond their useful life

Please visit the Department of Parks and Recreation website for more information about these maintenance improvements at the west end of Clarendon Central Park.

Construction Status

The Project is under construction, and the east end of the plaza is anticipated to be completed spring of 2013. Work is being phased to keep pedestrian access to the WMATA escalators and elevator open at all times.

Paver replacement and related upgrades to the west end of Clarendon Central Park are projected to be completed by summer 2013.


The plaza is under construction and the east end will be completed spring 2013.	New seating wall benches being prepared for installation.

Conceptual Views of Proposed Design

Community Involvement

The project team includes citizens, businesses owners, the Clarendon Alliance, Kimley Horn, and County staff from multiple departments and disciplines. Outreach has included ongoing updates with the surrounding civic associations, public design meetings at the Clarendon Alliance, and County Manager and County Board Member briefings.

History

1996 Initial Transportation Enhancement Grant approved for the canopy design
1997 Federal funding earmarked for the canopy
1999 Clarendon Alliance Urban Design Committee begins community outreach
2001 WMATA develops request for proposal to design Clarendon Canopy and Metro Park
2003 Project expanded to include Metro Park, 13th Street Park and Community Canine area
2003 HOK selected to design canopy and park
2004 HOK begins design work
2005 No community consensus on designs from Community Parks and Canopy Workshops
2005 WMATA offers to include Clarendon in Phase II canopy installations
2006 WMATA installs canopy
2008 Arlington requests to locally administer project to use remaining funds
2008 Original project scope reduced to Metro Plaza areas only to match remaining budget
2008 Kimley Horn prepares plaza design with Clarendon Alliance and community support
2009 New streetlights installed as an early first phase of construction
2009 Easement and engineering design plans submitted to and approved by WMATA
2010 Construction drawings prepared
2011 Paver exhibit panel installed for design review and public comment
2011 Paver exhibit panel installed July for design review and public comment
2012 Construction started Summer 2012
2012 West end paver replacement funding secured and project work expanded

Funding

Funding for the Clarendon Metro Improvements Projects is provided by several sources:

WMATA Grant - $222,213
Local Grant Match (held by WMATA) - $55,554
Arlington County Business Improvement Bonds (Held by WMATA) - $23,704
Total WMATA Related Funding - $301,471
Arlington Metro Station Bicycle Parking Transportation Enhancement Grant - $100,000
Transportation Improvement Funds (TIF) - $350,000

Funding for the westward extension of pavement improvements through Clarendon Central Park is provided by Parks Maintenance Capital.