A large, aging office building in Crystal City is getting some significant upgrades.
JBG Smith announced last week that its 11-story building at 2011 Crystal Drive would be getting $40 million facelift. The “repositioning” will include exterior facade changes, communal outdoor spaces, a new meeting and conference facility with a cocktail bar, and upgrades to the ground floor.
The building is located near two key transportation upgrades that are currently in the works: a new VRE station that could accommodate Amtrak service, and the CC2DCA pedestrian bridge to National Airport.
More on the planned building upgrades, below, from a press release.
JBG SMITH (NYSE: JBGS) today announced plans to reposition 2011 Crystal Drive, an 11-floor 444,916-square-foot property, into a premier amenity hub designed to serve JBG SMITH’s National Landing neighborhood office tenants. The project will feature significant enhancements to the building’s lower levels, including exterior façade improvements, a reimagined ground floor with a welcoming new entry lobby, and communal outdoor spaces.
Aimed at elevating the tenant experience and meeting the evolving needs of the office market, the transformation will include a new, state-of-the-art conference and meeting facility capable of accommodating up to 300 guests – one of the largest in the region – and featuring food and beverage options such as a grab & go market and a sophisticated cocktail bar. The building can also accommodate tenant signage, even for smaller tenants.
“At 2011 Crystal Drive, we are addressing and exceeding the needs of today’s companies that are seeking a top-of-the-line office environment to support return-to-office,” said Brian Cotter, Executive Vice President of Leasing at JBG SMITH. “We anticipate that this building will become a central hub for National Landing’s business community, combining modern amenities with unparalleled connectivity to the neighborhood, region, and beyond.”
2011 Crystal Drive is located just steps from the entrance to the future CC2DCA pedestrian bridge to Reagan National Airport, which is expected to be completed in 2028. In addition to being the first and only pedestrian connection between a business district and an international airport, the bridge will also link to the National Landing Station. This connection will facilitate seamless rail-to-air transfers with Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express regional services, with VRE access expected to open in 2027. A new at-grade entrance to the existing Crystal City Metro station, just two blocks from 2011 Crystal Drive, is also expected to deliver in 2027.
JBG SMITH engaged architecture and design agency A+I and worked with them to develop a strategy for 2011 Crystal Drive that focuses on connectivity to drive innovation through employee collaboration and community engagement. Design elements include natural materials, light-filled areas, fluid circulation pathways that encourage spontaneous interactions and a dramatic new staircase offering a central visual and physical link between floors, enhancing the sense of vertical connectivity.
“The most successful amenities we’ve designed are those you can see the moment you walk through the front door,” said Brad Zizmor, Co-Founder at A+I. “What’s most exciting about 2011 Crystal Drive, is the building’s enviable proximity to transportation and its welcoming, inspiring and human-scaled spaces that blend hospitality, F&B and retail with innovative workplace design. Here the community excitement begins the moment you step off your commute; whether that’s by plane, train, automobile, or bike.”
Construction started in 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
Photo (9) via Google Maps
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