JBG Smith Changes Course on Residential Conversion in Crystal City
✉️ Want to forward this article? Click here.
![JBG Smith Changes Course on Residential Conversion in Crystal City: Figure 1](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/Central-District-Retail-Phase-2-Rendering-1024x544.jpg)
Last year, as part of the multi-building Central District development in Crystal City, JBG Smith applied to convert the office building at 1750 Crystal Drive (map) into a residential development. Now, the plan to deliver 365 apartments above 5,167 square feet of commercial space is being deferred.
In August, the firm set aside the application to rezone the site and retrofit the building as residential, opting instead to tweak previously-approved plans to renovate the office building and retain its use.
"We want to move forward with the retail now and see how that impacts the marketplace," Andy Van Horn, executive vice president at JBG Smith, explained to UrbanTurf.
And although Amazon's second headquarters has been the talk of the region for over a year now, particularly for Crystal City, JBG Smith doesn't seem to be factoring that into their decision.
"We are certainly not planning on Amazon," Van Horn said. "We are executing our base plan of making Crystal a really dramatically improved place by doing this defining kind of retail work, and if we're so lucky, we'll figure that out, but that has little to do with this decision, if nothing at all."
![JBG Smith Changes Course on Residential Conversion in Crystal City: Figure 2](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/2018/01/jbgcrystalcity550.jpg)
As approved in December 2015, then-owner Vornado (later absorbed by JBG) planned to re-skin the existing 12-story building, reconfigure the retail and streetscape, improve the penthouse, and add 10,000 square feet of commercial space. That approval remains valid until July 2020. JBG Smith's new site plan amendment application would apply the proposed streetscape improvements in their residential conversion plan to the 2015 site plan.
The mega-block encompassing the Central District will eventually deliver a new Metro station entrance with a pedestrian plaza and over 130,000 square feet of retail (including a boutique grocer and an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema).
The Site Plan Review Committee of the Arlington County Planning Commission is scheduled to review the new application on September 17th; the County Board will consider the application October 20th.
See other articles related to: central district, crystal city, jbg smith, office-to-residential, vornado
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/jbg-smith-nixes-residential-conversion-for-crystal-city-office/14432.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever
![Buying with Friends: What You Should Know](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/2010/05/home_value.jpg)
Here are some precautions to take before buying real estate with a buddy.... read »
![$10 Million McLean Home Of Former Nationals Star Stephen Strasburg Finds a Buyer](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/2024/09/resized/VAFX2180246_45_0_image_560x420.jpg)
The six-bedroom home listed for just south of $10 million back in June went under con... read »
![16-Story, 325-Unit Building Pitched For Arlington's Wilson Boulevard](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/2024/09/resized/2500-wilson-1_image_560x420.jpg)
The new project will take the place of an obsolete office building in Courthouse.... read »
![Mayor Bowser Announces First Office-To-Residential Projects To Receive Tax Abatements](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/2024/09/resized/1625-mass-1_image_560x420.jpg)
The three office-to-residential conversion projects have been conditionally awarded t... read »
![500 Apartments, Live/Work Units And A Park: The New Plans Coming To St. Elizabeths](https://assets.urbanturf.com/dc/images/blog/2024/09/resized/parcel-6-park_image_560x420.jpg)
The plans for one of the final parcels at DC's St. Elizabeth's East campus are beginn... read »
- Buying with Friends: What You Should Know
- $10 Million McLean Home Of Former Nationals Star Stephen Strasburg Finds a Buyer
- 16-Story, 325-Unit Building Pitched For Arlington's Wilson Boulevard
- Mayor Bowser Announces First Office-To-Residential Projects To Receive Tax Abatements
- 500 Apartments, Live/Work Units And A Park: The New Plans Coming To St. Elizabeths
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro