WeWork conversion of office to micro apartments approved by Arlington

The Arlington County Board has approved Vornado’s plan to transform an old 1960s Crystal City office building into micro-unit apartments.

Vornado is creating the project in partnership with WeWork, a company that describes itself as one that aims to “transform buildings into beautiful, collaborative work spaces.”

The 12-story former office building at 2221 S. Clark Street, known as Crystal Plaza 6 and now dubbed “WeLive,” will house 252 apartments, many 360 square feet or less. It will also have several shared two-story “neighborhoods” with expansive common areas connected by staircases. They will feature commercial-grade kitchens, dining areas and shared community spaces.

WeWork has created co-working offices in major metropolitan areas across the country and currently has three in the region. According to a press release from Arlington County, the project will be WeWork’s first residential building and bring shared amenities and other co-working benefits.

WeWork has a 20-year lease on the building, which is slated to be redeveloped by 2050 as part of the Crystal City Sector Plan, with realignment of S. Clark/Bell Street.

Beyond the innovative design expected on the inside, the building will be painted with bright colored stripes using an experimental color application that changes appearance as you move around it. County officials hope it will attract more entrepreneurs and tech workers.

Read the full story from the Washington Business Journal.
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