One building alone can’t make a good urban neighborhood, but it sure can help diminish oversized road sections. Case in point, JLB’s apartments which continue to rise along Dolley Madison Boulevard in Tysons East. The building isn’t yet completed but the massing and height of the structure is really improving the feel of Route 123 at this location, giving hope that the continued development that is planned for this part of Tysons will help provide proper scale.
In addition to improving the skyline the project will have tangible improvements to the human interface through wider sidewalks, softened landscaping and streetscape, and intersection safety.
On a side note, it would be great if this project was named… perhaps it is and the internet has yet to find out. For now I’ll continue to refer to it as the Garfield parcel based on it’s original rezoning parcel identity.
JLB’s apartment project won’t set any new records in height in town, it isn’t attempting to be the first of anything, it is simply a good new apartment building that will provide supply to a high demand market. It will do so within a 3 minute walk of a metro station meaning far fewer vehicle trips than otherwise would be the case. And because of its straight forward concept the completion of Garfield parcel will be expedited and quick to completion.
