Amazon has put forward plans for the final piece of its future Arlington County home.
The newly proposed centerpiece of Amazon HQ2’s second and largest footprint in Arlington County looks like the type of building you can find at the end of the yellow brick road. Futuristic and overwhelming, the spiral-shaped building of glass and green will be called “The Helix” and will be the focal point of PenPlace’s new development at the corner of 12th Street South and South Eads Street.
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Amazon is submitting plans for four new buildings and nearby spaces to the county on Tuesday and hopes to receive approval by the end of the year.
In a statement, Amazon says The Helix “includes a hill climb that allows people to traverse the full height of the building and a variety of spaces for individual and teamwork or relaxation. Designed to reflect a shape common to nature, The Helix. Helix will be open to the public on select weekends each month. ”
If approved, The Helix will be the tallest building on HQ2, at 350 feet in height.
Photos: Amazon files plans for a new 350-foot centerpiece of HQ2 in Arlington County
There are plans for three 22-story buildings with 2.8 million square meters of office space around The Helix.
“We designed a workspace for our employees that prioritizes areas for collaboration, natural light and constant interaction with nature,” Amazon said of the office space.
While the image of the proposed buildings is striking, Amazon emphasized that the design is meant to reflect a sense of community, which they say is reflected in the flow and features on the ground.
Arlington looks forward to initiating a thorough community process … where neighbors and stakeholders will have the opportunity to explore design concepts in greater detail and multiple opportunities to provide input
Matt de Ferranti, Chairman of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors
PenPlace plans to include ground-floor open spaces of more than 2.5 acres, accessible to public use. This includes an amphitheater overlooking a central green area for outdoor concerts, farmers’ markets and movies in the park. There is also a woodland area and walking space.
There are plans for shopping pavilions and restaurants, a daycare center, a dog run, and a food truck with on-premises seating.
One thing you don’t see at PenPlace: parking garages.
Amazon proposes underground parking garages and underground truck access, which it hopes will limit traffic in an area that many people in Arlington County believe should be more pedestrian-friendly.
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“The receipt of the current site plan submission marks the start of the public review of the next phase of Amazon’s HQ2. Arlington looks forward to launching a thorough community process – as we do with all proposed site planning developments – where neighbors and stakeholders will have the opportunity to review design concepts in greater detail and multiple opportunities for input. Matt de Ferranti, the chairman of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors: “We expect the trial to be concluded by the end of the year with the proposal to the County Planning Commission and County Board.”
Amazon said their new buildings are “designed to be LEED Platinum, the highest sustainable development certification issued by the US Green Building Council. The project also includes an all-electric central heating and cooling system that will operate on 100% renewable energy. a solar farm in southern Virginia, Pittsylvania County, purchased in partnership with Arlington County, will be in line with Amazon’s climate pledge to produce net zero carbon by 2040 and Arlington and Amazon’s joint commitment to be leaders in the promote the fight against climate change. “
Amazon hopes Arlington County will approve PenPlace’s development plans by the end of this year. Construction was set to begin immediately and is expected to finish in 2025.