Met Park / Amazon HQ2 - Gorove Slade

A Vision of Complete Streets Transforms National Landing

Description

The Amazon HQ2 project is transforming National Landing through a phased approach that will bring over 5 million square feet of development, including residential and office space, ground floor retail, “The Helix” amenity space, daycare services, and a community center that will house the Arlington Community High School. Essential to the success of this megaproject is rigorous transportation planning.

Gorove Slade worked with the Seneca Group and JBG Smith on the now-completed first phase at Metropolitan Park. Given the scale of the development and the new trips it will add to various modes of travel, there was a particular focus on the development’s impact on local roadways and state highways. Our team led the site plan review process to assess the robust transportation offerings nearby, including proximity to I-395 and Route 1, two Metrorail stations, a Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station, numerous bus routes, and a well-connected pedestrian and bicycle network.

Gorove Slade began with a Multimodal Transportation Assessment to evaluate the surrounding transportation network and provide recommendations consistent with Arlington County Master Transportation Plan goals. Our approach addressed bicycle and pedestrian transportation issues and implemented Complete Street design principles, improving safety and traffic flow for various modes. Significantly, the adjacent Eads Street and 15th Street South will include protected bike lanes with a fully protected intersection at Eads and 15th Streets. This will be the first protected intersection in the County.

Phase Two at PenPlace will feature a centralized below-grade loading facility, an innovative solution that consolidates deliveries, eliminates truck backing maneuvers at the ground level, and removes this activity from the public’s view. Once completed, the combined sites will include below-grade parking for approximately 3,960 vehicles, with 1,300 long-term bicycle parking spaces available on the ground floor of the office buildings.

The project team arrived at these solutions through multiple public engagement opportunities–including meetings with the community, County, and design team–to ensure all relevant stakeholders had a chance to provide input on the final design.

Details

Client: Seneca Group and JBG Smith
Location: Alexandria, VA
Services: Data Collection, Site Access & Circulation, Traffic & Transportation Studies, Traffic Signal Design, Transportation Demand Management, Transportation Modeling
Sustainability: LEED Platinum

“Dan, Felice, and their team were exceptional partners on our Met Park project. Their deep relationships with Arlington County and holistic approach to transit design were invaluable as they developed a new model for integrating a corporate headquarters into the city fabric. Too often, when we talk about traffic, it becomes all about cars and counts. What stands out about Gorove Slade is their ability to look holistically at all forms of transit (cars, yes, but also buses, bikes, and pedestrians), develop solutions that complement each, and ultimately communicate that vision to the team.”

Brian Earle

Principal, ZGF Architects LLP