Penrose Square

Key Facts: Location: Arlington, Va.
Owner: Carbon Thompson Development, Reston, Va.
Contractor: Foulger-Pratt Contracting, Rockville, Md.
Architect: Heffner Architects, Alexandria, Va.
Start Date: April 2009
Completion Date: September 2011

The $79-million Penrose Square in Arlington, Va., transforms an aging shopping center into an upscale, mixed-use development with retail and a community park.

The project, on a 4-acre parcel near the Pentagon, consists of 299 luxury rental apartments, 97,000 sq ft of retail space and a public square featuring various amenities.

Foulger-Pratt Contracting of Rockville, Md., began work on the project for Carbon Thompson Development of Reston, Va., in April 2009. Designed by Heffner Architects of Alexandria, Va., Penrose Square includes three levels of below-grade parking, which required an extensive amount of sheeting and shoring to protect adjacent buildings.

At peak excavation, crews hauled away more than 450 dump-truck loads of dirt per day through adjacent residential and commercial neighborhoods.

Construction of a clubhouse and swimming pool atop the roof of the grocery store necessitated extensive waterproofing and structural support. Crews used a tower crane to lift dirt for these amenities to an elevation of more than 28 ft.

Foulger-Pratt has phased delivery dates for the four levels of wood-frame apartments, which allowed the owner to prelease sections.