The Reimagined Rosslyn City Center Raises the Bar for Tenant Experience and Flexibility

Commercial Observer

By AREP

American Real Estate Partners (AREP) recently unveiled its $35 million transformation of Rosslyn City Center in Arlington, Va., delivering a new landmark for business, dining and fitness that enhances this dynamic Arlington submarket. Rosslyn City Center (RCC) also ushers in a new level of tenant experience.

AREP acquired the property — then a conventional, 40-year-old office and obsolete retail complex — in 2015. Located above one of the Washington region’s busiest Metro transit stations at 1700 North Moore Street, RCC brings to life AREP’s core promise to go beyond the expected with a unique combination of amenities, a hospitality-focused approach to property management, and a commitment to working with tenants to create work environments where people want to be and can be at their best.

Repositioning strategy that elevates amenity table stakes

RCC offers a slew of tenant-forward amenities, reinvigorating the everyday experience for tenants and visitors alike along with a continued commitment to wellness inherent throughout every inch of the property.

“Rosslyn needed an amenity-rich location that could serve its workforce and larger community during office hours as well as outside of work. We wanted to provide a unique and valuable experience for our tenants and guests,” said Paul Schulman, principal and COO of AREP.

AREP converted the three-story mall to include a state-of-the-art 30,000 square-foot Gold’s Gym that adjoins an outdoor plaza for exercise, dining, and work, and Assembly, an innovative food hall that combines elements from your favorite local coffee shop, full-service restaurant, private lounge and coworking space. Assembly offers an array of culinary choices, from early morning coffee and lunch on the go, to a leisurely dinner through to late-night cocktails. Assembly received a Best Buildings Retail Award of Merit from NAIOP Northern Virginia, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association.

“RCC’s amenity mix was foundational in redefining and activating the property,” Schulman said. “We focused our retail offerings around two primary drivers: to make work-life easier and more engaging for our tenants, and to deliver social benefits through unique food and lifestyle experiences, creating spaces to collaborate and connect in and around the building.”

Community art was also part of AREP’s repositioning strategy. They commissioned local artist No Kings Collective to create an expansive 67-by-50-foot mural, titled “Dream Big,” that enhances the Arlington streetscape and inspires people to embrace the freedom of possibility.

Ambassadors of comfort: customer-centric approach meets technical expertise

Perhaps the most beneficial amenity over the long term will be AREP’s dedicated, hands-on property management team, committed to delivering luxury interactions and service to provide tenants what they need when they need it, and to foster a sense of community.

“The pandemic has demonstrated just how critical property management teams are in responding to crises and changing environments while building and strengthening tenant relationships,” said Jane Patty, managing director of operations and workplace for AREP. “It is critical that property management teams proactively engage with tenants as trusted advisers with expert technical knowledge and a clear understanding of what makes a tenant feel good about being in the building.”

The curated food options, state-of-the-art gym, vibrant and flexible meeting spaces and outdoor work niches are core to RCC’s value. The building is Wired Score Silver, which ensures seamless connectivity wherever you are in the building. Add to this AREPx, the building’s tenant experience app, which launches at the property later this spring, offering perks and unique experiences for tenants.

Building a well-being environment

In addition to offering fulfilling spaces to work and play, health, wellness, and wellbeing remain central to RCC. The building offers the highest standard of indoor air quality, using MERV 13 filters throughout and UV light and Negative Ion technology air purifiers in the elevators.

And like the rest of AREP’s portfolio, RCC has received the WELL Health-Safety Rating and the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for Indoor Air and Water. Notably, AREP was the first CRE company to achieve the iconic safety brand UL verification for Indoor Air and Water portfolio-wide.

The perfect fit equals perfect value

“Many of our availabilities are move-in ready spec suites designed by OTJ, one of the region‘s leading architectural firms,” said Jason Alexander, vice president of leasing for AREP. “We’ve delivered some of the best suites in the market and continue to lease these suites quickly and at attractive rents.”

Spec suites are available from sizes perfect for a small business — custom-designed, move-in-ready suites range from 1,800 to 7,500 square feet — to full floors of over 23,000 square feet.

The proof is in the people

With so many ways of providing value for tenants plus convenient access to transportation — RCC is right above the Rosslyn Metro station, with easy access to Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia — companies are responding positively to what Rosslyn City Center has to offer.

“To provide a signature aesthetic that matched the quality of our amenities, RCC’s design demanded first-class urban finishes, equal to any found in other major urban destinations,” Alexander added. “Many of the new tenants are professional service firms, technology firms and government contractors. These firms realized the benefits of leasing space in a building like Rosslyn City Center because it provided them with an environment where their employees will want to come to work.”