New Kids On The Block: Loudoun County
Microsoft, Minh Le to create $500M 'smart city' in Ashburn
Local developer Minh Le and his company, 22 Capital Partners, are collaborating with Microsoft to bring a $500M, 2.5M SF “smart city” to Loudoun County.
Dubbed Gramercy District, the development site is a 16-acre tract on the north side of the Dulles Greenway, and adjacent to a planned Silver Line stop, the Washington Business Journal reports. Gramercy District will be delivered in multiple phases and will include residential, offices, retail, a hotel and a high-tech business center.
Microsoft seeks to make the development "an intelligent living platform" by implementing its CityNext technology. The program focuses on smart buildings, neighborhood management, sustainable land use and operations management.
Microsoft isn't the only tech giant looking to break into real estate with city management software. Phase 1 of this project is tentatively scheduled to deliver in Q3 2018.
JK and Carfax expand in Loudoun
The DC area's largest privately held moving company, JK Moving Services, will test its own product when it moves to its new HQ just off Route 606, west of the Dulles Greenway at the Mercure Business Park.
The company will construct a 450k SF campus on the 42 acres it acquired back in November for $9.7M. The HQ project will cost $55M total and will include an 80k SF office building, designed by MGMA, plus four warehouse buildings spanning 110k SF each.
It's not the only business with a growing presence in Loudoun. Carfax is upgrading its data center operation to the tune of $10.8M. The company's database of over 15 billion vehicle history records helps used car buyers make informed purchases.
Airbus adding to its existing facility in Ashburn
Loudoun County beat out other communities for a $1M investment from Airbus to expand its existing distribution and spare parts facility in Ashburn.
The 130k SF facility is owned by Satair Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airbus that produces aircraft parts, “from a small bolt to a portion of the engine or the wing,” a company spokeswoman told the Washington Business Journal.
The facility will be Airbus’ largest distribution center by customer volume when the expansion is complete.
