Amazon submits plans for new 350ft HQ2 centerpiece in Arlington County – NBC4 Washington

Amazon has submitted plans for the last room in its future home in Arlington County.

The newly proposed centerpiece of Amazon HQ2’s second and largest footprint in Arlington County looks like the type of building you might find at the end of the yellow brick road. Futuristic and breathtaking, the spiraling glass and green building is called “The Helix” and will be the focal point of the new PenPlace development at the corner of 12th Street South and South Eads Street.

Amazon is submitting plans for four new buildings and nearby spaces to the county on Tuesday and hopes to get approval by the end of the year.

In a statement, Amazon says The Helix “will include a climb that will allow people to walk through the full height of the building and a variety of spaces for individual and team work or relaxation. Designed to reflect a shape commonly found in the building. nature, The Helix will be open to the public on select weekends each month. “

If approved, the Helix will be the tallest building in HQ2, measuring 350 feet tall.

Photos: Amazon submits plans for new 350-foot HQ2 centerpiece in Arlington County

There are plans for three 22-story buildings with 2.8 million square feet of office space to surround The Helix.

“We have designed a workspace for our employees that will prioritize areas of collaboration, natural light and constant interaction with nature,” Amazon said of the office space.

While the visuals of the proposed buildings are striking, Amazon stressed that the design is meant to reflect a sense of community, which they believe is expressed in the flow and characteristics at ground level.

PenPlace plans to include ground-level open spaces spanning over 2.5 acres, accessible to the public. This includes an amphitheater facing a central green area to host outdoor concerts, farmers markets, and movies in the park. There is also a forest area and a walking area.

There are plans for retail lodges and restaurants, a daycare center, a dog run, and a food truck area with outside seating in buildings.

One thing you won’t see in PenPlace: parking garages.

Amazon is offering underground parking lots and underground access for shipping trucks, which it hopes will limit traffic in an area many people in Arlington County have deemed more pedestrian-friendly.

News4’s Erika Gonzalez examines the cost of living near Amazon HQ2.

“Receipt of today’s sitemap submission is the start of public review for the next phase of Amazon’s HQ2. Arlington looks forward to launching a comprehensive community review process – as we do with all proposed site plan developments – where neighbors and stakeholders will have the opportunity to examine design concepts in more detail. and multiple opportunities to provide comments, “Matt de Ferranti,” We anticipate the process will end with the proposal before the county planning commission and county council by the end of the year. ”

Amazon said its new buildings “are designed to be LEED Platinum, the highest sustainability certification issued by the US Green Building Council. The project also includes a 100% fully electric central heating and air conditioning system. renewable energy from a solar farm in Pittsylvania County, southern Virginia, acquired in conjunction with Arlington County. This will align with Amazon’s climate commitment to be zero carbon net by 2040 and will advance Arlington and Amazon’s joint commitment to be leaders in addressing climate change. “

Amazon is hoping Arlington County will approve plans to develop PenPlace by the end of this year. Construction would begin immediately and is expected to be completed in 2025.