Saul Centers has found a retail anchor for the 491-unit development it is planning in the heart of Ballston.

Target has signed a deal to open a 41,500 SF small-format store at the development on the corner of Wilson Boulevard and North Glebe Road.

The store, Target's fourth small-format concept in the DC area, will open in 2021. The department store chain has recently introduced its urban-style format in Bethesda, College Park and Rosslyn. The Ballston location will feature fresh produce, men's and women's apparel, portable technology, personal care products, home décor, sporting goods, baby care items and a CVS Pharmacy.

Whole Foods had previously been eyeing the project, considered one of the best development sites in the R-B corridor. Saul Centers bought the site, previously a Mazda dealership, for $40M in 2014. The developer has met with the community more than 25 times and changed the design for the project to try to appease one of the most vocal civic associations in Arlington.

The development will include three residential lobbies, a second-story courtyard, a rooftop pool and a public path through the 550K SF building, which will be 12 stories at its tallest point.