Ballston Quarter is a mixed-use urban center located in Arlington, Virginia. Reimagining an obsolete shopping mall from the past, Forest City envisioned a vibrant redevelopment that could serve the surrounding community. While strategically preserving many of the nearby structures—including an ice skating rink, office buildings and parking complex—the team saw years of planning come to fruition in reviving this key area, turning the old mall “inside out.”

To make what was once an enclosed mall into an open-air pedestrian plaza, Forest City began by stripping the roof from the old Ballston Common Mall. Architects Cooper Carry, in collaboration with CRTKL, worked together to design the outdoor space that combines over 307,000 square feet of retail, food, entertainment and more. The lower level retail area alone makes up 53,000 square feet. The public plaza, complete with open-air garden, is a highlight—a central point for locals and visitors to congregate. Including bridge access to the Ballston metro stop was key in maintaining a sense of walkable connection throughout the area. The entirety of the site plays upon the dichotomy of indoors and outdoors, designed to be a fluid experience.

While the open-air plaza lives at one end of Ballston Quarter, the Residential aspect—a 40-story apartment building—lives at the other. The 406-unit multifamily housing gives residents a prime location in downtown Arlington, and provides easy access to all of the Ballston Quarter amenities. In realizing the power of place, Forest City ensured the success of Ballston Quarter and its Residential component.