Amazon has unveiled plans for the last piece of its future home in Arlington County.
The new centerpiece proposed for the second and largest footprint of Amazon HQ2 in Arlington County looks like the kind of building you might find at the end of the yellow brick road. The spiral building of glass and greenery, futuristic and clogged, is called the “Helix” and will be the focal point of the new PenPlace development, at the corner of 12th South and South Eads Street.
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Amazon on Tuesday sends plans for four new buildings and spaces near the county and hopes to have approval by the end of the year.
In a statement, Amazon says Helix “will include a climb up the hill that allows people to cross the entire height of the building and a variety of spaces for individual and team work or relaxation. Designed to reflect a shape commonly encountered in In nature, Helix will be open to the public on selected weekends each month. “
If approved, Helix will be the tallest building in HQ2, with a height of 350 meters.
Photos: Amazon sends plans for new 350-foot HQ2 centerpiece in Arlington County
There are plans for three 22-story buildings with 2.8 million square feet of office space surrounding Helix.
“We’ve designed a workspace for our employees that will prioritize areas of collaboration, natural light and constant interaction with nature,” Amazon said of the office space.
While the visual of the proposed buildings is striking, Amazon stressed that the design is meant to reflect a sense of community, which is said to be expressed in the flow and characteristics at ground level.
Arlington looks forward to beginning an in-depth community review process … where neighbors and stakeholders will have the opportunity to review the design concepts in detail and more opportunities to contribute.
Matt de Ferranti, chairman of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors
PenPlace intends to include open spaces at ground level covering more than 2.5 acres, accessible for public use. It includes an amphitheater facing a central green area to host outdoor concerts, farmers ’markets and movies in the park. There is also a forest area and a walking area.
There are plans for pavilions and retail restaurants, a childcare center, a dog run and a food truck area with outdoor seating in all buildings.
One thing you won’t see at PenPlace: parking lots.
Amazon offers underground garages and underground access for shipping trucks, which hopes to limit traffic in an area that many people in Arlington County have said should be more pedestrian-friendly.
Erika Gonzalez, from News4, takes a look at the cost of living next to Amazon HQ2.
“Receiving today’s site plan presentation is the beginning of the public review of the next phase of Amazon’s HQ2. Arlington is looking forward to beginning an in-depth community review process – as we do with all of the site’s proposed site plans – in which neighbors and stakeholders will have the opportunity to review the design concepts in detail and more opportunities. to contribute “, Matt de Ferranti, Chairman of the Arlington County Supervisory Board, said:” We expect the process to end with the proposal to be presented to the County Planning Commission and the County Committee by the end of the year. ”
Amazon said their new buildings “are designed to be LEED Platinum, the highest certification for sustainable development issued by the US Green Building Council. The project also includes a fully electric central heating and cooling system that will run on 100% renewable energy from a solar farm in Pittsylvania County, southern Virginia, purchased in collaboration with Arlington County. It will align with Amazon’s climate promise of zero carbon by 2040 and promote the joint commitment of Arlington and Amazon to be leaders in the fight against climate change. “
Amazon hopes Arlington County will approve PenPlace development plans later this year. Construction will begin immediately and is expected to be completed in 2025.