‘A Transformation Story’: How The New Rosslyn City Center Nourishes The Mind, Body And Soul

Not too long ago, the goal of an office building was simple: to be a professional place for people to conduct business. Today, as companies fight to attract and retain top talent, an office needs to be much more. 

A survey in JLL’s Regenerative Workplace report found that as employees move from working from home to a post-pandemic environment, the top three things they want out of their office are relaxation spaces, healthy food options and outdoor space. In other words, they want their office to not only enhance productivity, but also cater to their minds and their bodies. 

Creating Places Where People Can Do Their Best Work

Serving as the “gateway to Rosslyn,” Rosslyn City Center is situated on top of one of the Washington region's busiest Metro stations at 1700 North Moore St. Originally built in 1982, American Real Estate Partners acquired the 22-story office tower and functionally obsolete mall in 2015 to redevelop. The recently completed $35M renovation transformed RCC from a traditional office environment to a value-rich workplace that nourishes the mind, body and soul. 

“Rosslyn City Center was thoughtfully redeveloped to provide flexibility and adaptability — and embrace the personal and social needs of its tenants, and community who work and live in Rosslyn," said John Chesley, managing director of asset management at AREP, which owns and operates the property. "These experiences and amenities are brought together in an environment that creates a feeling of safety and comfort. This is truly a transformation story."

A Place For Productivity And Purpose 

Beginning with a focus on the mind, Rosslyn City Center features 328K SF of reimagined workspaces and experiential shared environments built to help companies grow and offer employees near-limitless choices of where to work. There are move-in-ready spec suites that can be adjusted to suit any firm’s needs and full vacant floors in white box shell condition where companies can create their own perfect space. 

RCC’s WiredScore Silver rating ensures tenants and visitors seamless connectivity throughout, whether they choose to work from their desks, from the new 16th-floor conference center or from one of the communal spaces in Assembly, RCC’s unique, award-winning food and hospitality venue.

Wellness That Promotes Well-Being

Both prior to the pandemic and today, AREP remains a recognized leader in wellness ensuring that tenants are comfortable and confident in their surroundings. This focus on health and wellness is reflected throughout the building, from the WELL Health-Safety rating and UL Healthy Building verification for Indoor Air and Water to the LEED Gold certification RCC earned for its commitment to sustainability, its tenants and the community. 

Nourishing The Body 

Chesley added that AREP’s commitment to tenant wellness means taking a holistic approach to amenities. It’s not just about enhanced cleaning protocols or achieving the highest standards of IAQ and ventilation thanks to fresh air exchanges, bipolar ionization and the use of MERV 13 filters — all of which RCC has — but going further to provide a Class-A tenant experience.

With a 30K SF Gold’s Gym that offers boutique-style classes, 3D body scanning and a 1,400 SF training terrace, RCC is not just for tenants, but the community as a whole.

With this in mind, AREP partnered with Chicago-based hospitality group DMK Restaurants, to create Assembly, which recently won NAIOP Northern Virginia’s Award of Merit for Cooper Carry’s design of this modern, creative space. Designed to host 625 customers indoors and outdoors, this two-floor dining and social space was crafted to be the center of gravity in the neighborhood and features eight different food concepts, a wine cellar and a smorgasbord of spaces for collaborating and events. 

Visitors can start their day at Big Day Coffee and finish it with a cocktail and oysters at Fog Point. Assembly’s outdoor terrace offers expansive views of the Rosslyn skyline and provides a four-season haven suited for lounging, working and getting together with friends, giving customers a place to get outside throughout the day and evening.

Celebrating The Soul And The City 

One of AREP’s core promises as a company is to go “beyond the expected,” and the first unexpected thing tenants and visitors will encounter at Rosslyn City Center is a 67-by-50-foot mural titled "Dream Big."

This massive art piece, commissioned by AREP and created in collaboration with local artists No Kings Collective, mixes soft clouds with vectored shapes to create an ethereal image that celebrates creativity and possibility. The goal is to shift perceptions of art and nature and reality and dream states, leaving the viewer to see both "nature as art" and "art as nature."

“Now more than ever it’s critical that the places we invest in, develop and build create a positive experience and influence within our communities," AREP Vice President of Brand Marketing, Louise Boulton-Lear said. "Our goal is to fuel people’s imagination with inspiring, thought-provoking art. This mural relays a message of hope, possibility — and dreaming big.”

Be In Good Company

Virginia has been ranked the top place in the country to do business by CNBC, and RCC is close to dozens of shops, restaurants and hotels that helped the area gain this reputation, as well as five major road networks and several bike trails. There are three nearby Metro lines and more than 13,000 weekly riders visit Rosslyn’s public transportation center below the property.

"Rosslyn is a thriving, walkable community that has unrivaled access to​ D.C. and northern Virginia,” said Jason Alexander, AREP's vice president of leasing. “We’ve transformed Rosslyn City Center into a property for this community that celebrates what makes it special and keeps the well-being of its tenant and residents top of mind.”

“The investment in and physical transformation of Rosslyn City Center has brought exciting new and innovative options for our neighbors and visitors to shop, dine, relax, and work in Rosslyn," said Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District. "­­This project truly reflects the passion that AREP has poured into this important site in the center of our community." 

This article was produced in collaboration between Rosslyn City Center and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to [email protected].