The last time we discussed the construction at Arbor Row was this past summer, when the rising Nouvelle apartments was only 12 floors above ground. Six months later and the building is almost to its final height, 27-stories, except for some final mechanical enclosures.
There is still a lot of work left, and construction will last well into 2016, but the completion of the building structure itself will mean fewer concrete trucks and dump trucks entering and leaving the site. The dual colored, black and white, brick facade has been steadily climbing up the outside of the building, followed shortly there after with residential windows.
While the material selection of the building is not particularly original, it is starkly different to much of the Tysons landscape which is dominated in glass curtain walls and post-modern concrete structures. When it is complete Nouvelle apartments will help to both soften the skyline as well as add a much needed residential component to a part of Tysons that has been called Corporate Row for its numerous Fortune 500 headquarters, including Hilton, Gannett, Freddie Mac, and Booz Allen.
Many North Tysons residents are eager to find out what retail tenants are planned for the new neighborhood. Outside of the two malls, retail in the community is limited and largely configured in the three large strip malls obscured by Route 7. There has been some indication from overall neighborhood developer Cityline that retail interest has been significant and high-end in nature. While new restaurants are always good, I personally would like to see a nice local bar, some service retail for dry cleaning, or maybe a small delicatessen or specialty market.
I’m sure we’ll be hearing some announcements on the future tenants soon. Nouvelle will be the first mixed-use residential tower to be approved after the Comprehensive Plan was created for Tysons in 2010. The project’s completion will provide good insight on the viability of mixed use retail in Tysons for future towers.