The Latest On Arlington

Our big Arlington County State of Market event arrives this Thursday, and among the hot topics being discussed:Boeing's 320k SF regional facility in Crystal City, which is coming along nicely, says Monument Realty's Doug Olson. The base building will be done by the end of the year and the interior by the second half of 2014. Doug says the project is particularly unique; it's the closest commercial building to the Pentagon. The building's design featuring expansive roof terraces with panoramic DC views was dictated by the site's proximity to National Airport's flight path, Doug adds.

Our recent check-in with Lowe Enterprises managing director Mark Rivers reveals that Crystal City is just a few months away from having its first Class-A building in 25 years. When a GSA tenant moved out of 1400 Crystal Dr, Lowe stripped out everything but the structure. In went new mechanical, electrical, and elevator systems and a new glass exterior curtain wall. Floors were bumped out to accommodate more corner offices and better DC views. Lincoln Property is now wooing tenants, and Mark says it's close to announcing a few full-floor deals.

One of Crystal City's biggest competitors is Rosslyn, just a stone's throw away but just that much closer to Washington. Monday Properties'Brian Robin says Rosslyn is following its established path to add more residential and more retail diversity, as well as more green space and public areas. He should know since Monday is the largest landlord in Rosslyn, with three Class-A buildings in its portfolio and a trophy building in development. Rosslyn is already an extension of Washington, Brian says, and not just an alternative across the river that it was before its rezoning. There's so much more to Arlington to debate, so sign up for our Arlington County: State of the Market event this Thursday at the Renaissance Arlington Capitol View.