Fire (Station) in the Hole

Posts Tagged ‘Arlington VA’

If a picture is worth 1,000 words I hope this doesn’t feel like a tome. It is in a way though. It’s my video of two years of demolition and construction for the first two phases of the fire station 3 project compressed into a little under 12 minutes.

But before I get to that there is something else in the neighborhood, that frankly is more exciting than I care to admit: a relocated 21st Rd bus stop. For some around here this is one of the most anticipated “perks” of the project. A bus shelter will be installed in early June. Thanks to everyone at Arlington County gov’t for getting the stop moved ahead of the shelter installation.

New Home of 21st Rd Metro Bus Stop for the 3A, 3B,3E, and 3Y:

Koons Parking Garage Live and Activated:

And now, without further ado, the 21st Rd. Re-alignment & Koons Toyota Garage Project Re-cap:

http://www.vimeo.com/11088354

According to Rick Pinskey, Arlington Co. Proj. Manager for FS3, the news we’ve waited for has come: today Whiting-Turner received “Notice to Proceed,” with construction. It has until April 14, 2011 to complete the fire station (& I assume pocket park on 21st Rd. and sidewalk on the north side of Lee from Quincy to the Koons Garage). Whiting-Turner and  county officials will meet on Wednesday to review procedures, schedules, and so forth and then the trucks to roll in. Also later this week the Koons Garage will be designated as “acceptable.”

Back to last week… the 21st Rd and Lee Hwy sidewalk construction was completed on Friday. I didn’t get a change to take pics of the garage over the weekend due to the rain but will as soon as the sun returns. The brick facade work is complete and some parts of the exterior walls were either primed or painted with white paint — not sure which right now.  Also concrete parking stops, a.k.a., front spoiler destroyers, were installed.

21st Rd Looking North:

21st Rd Looking South:

Lee Hwy Side of Garage With New Sidewalk:

Site for Bus Shelter for Relocated 21st Rd Bus Stop (I assume this will be installed soon).:

Many have asked when the fire station construction is going to start. Here is the answer according to Rick Pinsky, Arlington County’s FS3 project manager:

“Due to status of the Final Engineering Plan approval and site transfer delay FD&C has not issued a Notice To Proceed to Whiting – Turner.

Whiting-Turner will not accept the site due to excess soil on the site (this is the site transfer issue).  FD&C needs a timeline from Keane’s for removal of the soil from the site.  With recent weather conditions, a snow covered site and then dry out, it will be difficult for Keane’s to venture a guess.

Once FD&C has issued a NTP, Whiting-Turner will have 395 days to complete the project.  If FD&C issued a NTP on March 1, 2010, the project should be completed by March 31, 2011.“

So there you have it . (Keane is the construction manager for the Koons Toyota Garage)

One other Q&A – I was asked if Koons is permanently parking its cars on 21st Rd near Lee. The answer is I hope not. The cars parking there now belong to construction employees. When the garage is completed there is no parking on 21st Rd. from Lee Hwy to the west end of the fire station.

Last weekend mystical eleves striped the three Koons garage levels. I didn’t even notice the work was being done until it was. Oddly it’s a good sight to see because it means the garage is that much closer to completion. Not much other real excitement.

Striped :

South Facade Looking West:

Brick Veneer On East Side Creeps Northward:

Preparing for Window Grids on West Facade: