Micro-Units and Shared Living Space: Crystal City WeLive Concept Gets Approval

• July 21, 2014
• 1 Comment

by UrbanTurf Staff

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board approved plans to convert Crystal Plaza 6, a vacant office building in Crystal City into a 252-unit, micro apartment project from Vornado and communal office developer WeWork. The new project will be WeWork’s first “WeLive” development with “innovative residential apartments that will offer shared amenities and a unique floor-by-floor ‘neighborhood’ culture,” according to a release.

The units will be retrofitted into the vacant office building at 2221 S. Clark Street (map). Each floor will have shared living and kitchen spaces, because the units will not have an oven or a stove.

A floor plan in the building. The 12th floor will have larger units.

Most of the 252 units in the planned project will be 360 square feet or less. There will be several “neighborhoods” scattered throughout the building, which will consist of expansive common areas, commercial-grade kitchens, and dining areas. The project will have 154 parking spaces and 94 parking spaces.

The layout of a communal kitchen in the proposed development.

Because Crystal Plaza 6 is eventually slated to be torn down as part of a long-term development plan for the area, the residential use is a way to utilize the building for the next 20 years or so.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/welive_micro-unit_concept_in_crystal_city_gets_approval/8758

1 Comment

1. Juliet@longandfoster.com said at 7:41 pm on Monday July 21, 2014:
   Sounds like a hybrid of a dorm/group house -- should be interesting to see what they will rent for and the demographics of the renters who'll be attracted to this concept. Also, wonder if people will sign full year leases, or look at this as a more transient/executive housing type option.