The John Shooshan Company has completed the 13-story, 350,000 square foot home of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) at Founders Square, 675 N Randolph Street in Arlington, Virginia. DARPA reportedly signed its first rent commencement SLA yesterday (retroactive to 12/23/11) and has already begun accepting space. It should complete the entire fit-out and move into its new space by mid-May, relocating from its current headquarters at 3701 N Fairfax Drive, just a few blocks away.
The completion of the project highlights one of Arlington County’s greatest victories in the 2005 BRAC. Having waged an intense campaign to “Save The Brains” Arlington was able to influence the BRAC Commission to overturn DoD’s recommendation to relocate DARPA (and the nearby Office of Naval Research). This victory was deemed critical not only because it saved high-paying government scientist jobs but also a legion of federal contractors who are sustained by DARPA funding.