ABC of Metro Washington & Virginia

Monument Drive Commuter Parking Garage and Transit Center

Fairfax, VA

Story

[Description is under 500 words, yet the form will not take it as such. We cropped the Sustainability section to ensure it is acceptable. However, the full under 500-word narrative is attached.] The new Monument Drive Commuter Parking Deck and Transit Center provides 820 parking spaces, an eight-bay bus transit center, a short-term parking area for pick-up and drop-off, commuter lanes, and secure bicycle parking. The 262,000-SF structure offers eight floors, with seven floors of parking and the ground floor dedicated to transit center activities (commuter ridesharing, slug lines, bus zones, and bicycle parking). Two stair towers, one elevator, and a green roof complete the design. Covered parking is provided for every vehicle. The transit center prioritizes user convenience and safety, offering seamless multi-modal integration with the bus system. The center will be able to host civic events like fireworks displays, county fairs, local festivals, and potentially even a farmer’s market in the future. Design: Form & Function (Fun, Too!) Given its highly visible location along I-66, Fairfax County sought to make a splash with a standout garage that could double as a prominent gateway to the region. Highlights: • The project is visible from every angle, particularly from a major local traffic intersection and busy interstate, underscoring its role as a gateway to the DC Beltway area (regionally) and an anchor to the Fairfax Corner neighborhood (locally). • Eye-catching exterior aluminum cladding is designed to mimic terracotta tubes, which are mounted vertically in a blend of different scales and variegated colors for an organic, visually engaging appearance. • Unexpected structural precast elements create a striking visual effect (e.g. lifted staircases at the corner, and the single-column tree structure at the center.) • Dramatic, customizable lighting, with programmable options for themed/seasonal display, enhances the stair towers. At night, the entire structure is illuminated, bringing the building to life and providing a distinctive and captivating appearance 24 hours a day. Construction: Materials & Highlights The garage is made of precast concrete and accented on all sides with decorative aluminum cladding. At street level, a segmented steel superstructure with aluminum and glass canopy is situated prominently along the curb, over the bus shelters. At roof level, the garage is surrounded by a steel cornice assembly. Highlights: • During construction, there was no “lay-down space” for the vast number of precast components, so the arrival of every single one of the 800 pieces had to be sequenced down to the minute. • Rammed aggregate piers were constructed by using a high energy down-hole tamper to compact the aggregate and create individual stiff column elements for building support. • Perfect record: no safety incidents or accidents.

Facts

  • Location: Fairfax, VA
  • Postal code: 22035
  • Size: 262,000.0 SQ FT

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