Being the first post-comprehensive plan high rise to be approved and subsequently begin construction put a lot of pressure on Greystar and Georgelas, but so far the plans and reality are coming together quite well at Ascent Tower. When complete the 26-story residential apartments will be a prominent feature on the new Tysons’ skyline, provide housing to almost 1000 new residents near the Silver Line metro station, provide ground level retail, and begin to imprint a road grid network.
The new building is already making some of the strip mall and office park near by look more urbanized by providing appropriate massing and setback. The facade is really showing now, with a lighter use of brick, slightly less glass, and conservative structure the building would fit in architecturally with many parts of Courthouse or Virginia Square in Arlington. As is the case with all mixed use developments, the project will be ultimately judged on how it interacts with the neighborhood with regards to walkways, softscape, and ground level amenities.
The building currently stands at 22 stories of its final 26 stories. Based on the current status, I’d estimate the building is likely to open in early 2014 just after the first metro trains start running in Tysons.