Groundbreaking for CEB tower project in Arlington is set for Tuesday

CEB, a member-based advisory company in Arlington, will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its new global headquarters in Rosslyn at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Sept. 23.

The event kicks off the development of what will be CEB’s new home at Central Place, part of a mixed-use complex being developed by The JBG Cos. at 1201 Wilson Blvd.

Virginia state and local political leaders are expected to attend. Gov. Terry McAuliffe is scheduled to make remarks along with Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette and CEB Chairman & CEO Tom Monahan.

A brief question and answer session will follow their remarks. 

CEB signed an agreement this summer to lease about 350,000 square feet of space in JBG’s new project. CEB initially will occupy 15 floors within the CEB Tower, a mixed-use complex located directly above the Rosslyn Metro Station in Arlington. The two-building project will include a 31-story, 525,000-square-foot office tower, a 31-story, 377-unit residential tower, a public observation deck, public plaza and 45,000 square feet of ground-level retail.

Grabbing a marquee tenant for a new building is no small feat in Northern Virginia these days. For three years in a row, the region has experienced negative absorption, meaning more space was vacated than leased as the government and federal contractors reduced their office footprints.

According to the governor’s office, the company plans to invest $149.7 million in a headquarters operation that will support CEB’s next-generation workplace plans and its growing global requirements. The company plans to occupy the new tower in 2018., with the relocation consolidating its staff in other buildings in Rosslyn into one building.

“Our new headquarters will reinforce the strength and reach of our brand and our focus on Virginia and the National Capital Region as a home for, and source of, world-class talent, CEB’s Monahan said in a statement. 

McAuliffe said the 800 new jobs the company plans to add “is a significant step in our goal to build a New Virginia economy. An investment of this magnitude is a tremendous testament to the confidence CEB has in Arlington County and the Commonwealth as it continues to grow and create the workspace and technology for jobs of the 21st century.”

CEB works with more than 10,000 organizations around the globe. Member companies include nearly 90% of the Fortune 500, more than 75% of the Dow Jones Asian Titans, and 85% of the FTSE 100.