On Jan. 23, ground broke on the demolition and redevelopment of the Virginia Tech campus adjacent to Meridian. The long-awaited project will contain new headquarters for HITT Contracting, the company managing the construction process, as well as Virginia Tech’s “Coalition For Smart Construction,” which will conduct research and development on sustainable building technologies. Both are scheduled for completion by early 2027.
The project is just outside city limits, yet its proximity to the city and secondary campus makes it important to our community. The building will house a workforce of more than 900 local employees, bringing a much-needed boost to the local job market during massive federal government job cuts.
Representative Don Beyer and Mayor Letty Hardi were present at the groundbreaking, confirming the project’s importance to Falls Church.
The building’s sustainability aspects’ are paramount to HITT Construction, with cutting-edge technologies deployed to minimize the construction and subsequent building’s environmental impact.
“The building will be net-zero energy and is designed to achieve net-zero carbon, powered by a 100,000-square-foot photovoltaic solar canopy and wind turbines that will offset all energy needs,” said HITT Vice President of Research & Development Megan Lantz.
It will include a patented building skin prefabricated off-site, 3D printed furniture made from recycled materials, native species to support local ecosystems and rainwater harvesting for irrigation. Additionally, it will utilize an advanced power-over-Ethernet (PoE) system for electrical power, lighting, and data, reducing energy consumption and enhancing operational efficiency.
Although the site is located in Fairfax County, it used to be owned by the Falls Church Economic Development Agency (EDA). HITT Contracting acquired the land from the EDA, who sold it expecting the deal would bring economic benefits to the city.
“HITT cares deeply about our communities and the future of construction,” Lantz said regarding the location of HITT’s new headquarters, “We’re excited to be part of a growing community, and we plan to leverage this opportunity to implement cutting-edge R&D projects and engage students and local residents in the future of our industry.”
