by Carr Workplaces
“When you look at where we are politically, how divided and at each other’s throats we’ve become, there’s never been a more desperate need for community.” If anyone is eager to talk about the many benefits of fostering community, it’s Oliver T. Carr, Jr. The legendary founder of the commercial real estate business, Carr Companies, has for the last 70 years focused on creating hotels, residential mixed-use properties and workplaces that serve to build community not just with tenants but with everyone in the vicinity of his properties.
“With any building, its main purpose should be on improving quality of life. An office shouldn’t just be a workplace but also have green spaces, have an educational component for the employees, and serve as a social center.” It was with that idea in mind that Carr Workplaces, the coworking brand under Carr Companies, opened its latest Alexandria coworking location in March of this year along the Potomac River in Old Town at 211 N. Union St. The ground floor center has a large patio terrace with direct access to Oronoco Bay Park, the Potomac, and the building is steps from numerous retail shops and restaurants. Carr Workplaces clients are able to mingle outdoors, host events on the patio, or easily enjoy an outdoor stroll. Improving everyone’s quality of life not only allows people to live more happily and healthfully, Mr. Carr says, but, inevitably, benefits business. “When people have affordable, enjoyable, safe places to live and work, they are more productive and property values go up. It makes good business sense.”
Oliver, who has overseen the building and management of over 11 million square feet of commercial real estate in the greater Washington area since forming Carr Companies, says creating community starts at the smallest of levels, where businesses and cities need to work together to make people feel welcome and enthused about working and living there. He recalled one of his earliest major constructions, an office building near the White House at 1700 Pennsylvania Ave, where the trees lining the street weren’t being properly maintained by the city, “so we decided to take those spaces in front of our building and make small gardens. It made a huge difference. People coming into the building would marvel at how nice our green spaces made them feel when coming to work.”
It’s education, though, that Mr. Carr says has the most significant impact on improving the lives in our communities, and that our educational institutions haven’t properly evolved, making it hard for today’s youth to get adequate jobs in order to advance. One of Oliver’s largest educational initiatives is Rising Stars, a private charitable organization that, since its founding in 2012, has given over $1 million to area schools for scholarships and school supplies. Carr Companies has also worked with various organizations and institutions such as the Center for Education Reform in Washington and the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce in order to encourage vocational training. “We have to meet young people where they are, giving them the right education to help them get ahead.”
Education unto itself is still just one component, though. Oliver feels it’s vital to weave the elements of education, social activity, work, and nature together in order for people to coalesce and thrive.
He cites two current Alexandria buildings in development by Carr Companies which do just that: the first is The Venue at 901 North Fairfax Street which transforms a former Crowne Plaza hotel into an apartment community, and creates a large performance and art space to house the Alexandria theater company, Metro Stage, resulting in a new educational, cultural and social hub for tenants and area residents alike.
Next is The Muse, at 1201 North Royal Street which comprises the development of a 90-unit residential tower and secondary structure with a 5,000 square foot arts anchor. The 8-story Tower will also be connected on the first level by an “art walk,” a landscaped open space programmed with seating, lighting and display space encouraging activity to spill outside creating a meeting space for residents, art patrons and the public.
Finally, Mr. Carr says, what’s key to providing better communities, is making housing affordable. “Businesses have to work with the Chambers of Commerce to always create space for affordable housing,” because he says, “when we enhance the life of those here, everyone benefits.” Amen.
