The Arlington County Board has unanimously approved Amazon’s plans to build a unique, helical tower as the centerpiece of its budding second headquarters in Northern Virginia
By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
Apr 23, 2022 at 7:48 p.m
• 2 minutes reading time
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FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The Arlington County Board unanimously approved Amazon’s plans to build a one-of-a-kind helical tower as the centerpiece of its budding second headquarters in northern Virginia on Saturday.
Amazon announced plans for the eye-catching, 350-foot tower in February 2021 to anchor the second phase of its redevelopment plans. The new office towers will support a second headquarters for Amazon, which is expected to house more than 25,000 employees when complete.
The Helix is one of several approved office towers, but the Helix stands out. The spiral design features a walk ramp that wraps around the building and is planted with trees and greenery resembling a mountain hike.
According to Amazon, the building will help people connect with nature, and the outdoor mountain climb will be open to the public on weekends.
Since then, the plans have gone through Arlington County’s notoriously thorough review process, including numerous public hearings. Earlier this month, the district planning commission voted 9-0 to support the project.
On Saturday, the district council voted 5-0 to approve the plans. They also include parking areas and will house a community high school and retail outlets on the ground floor.
Amazon has announced that it will complete the project in 2025.
With skyscrapers banned in the District of Columbia and the Amazon buildings set to be among the tallest in Arlington County, from some vantage points the spiral will dominate the region’s skyline like no other building other than the Washington Monument.