Many young professionals in the Washington Metro area are flocking to Arlington, one of DC’s trendiest suburbs. The area is attracting talent from top universities, companies and research institutions, so some of the most innovative and creative minds in the country call Arlington County home.
With the most scientists and technologists per square mile in the United States, the 25-block neighborhood of the Ballston Business Improvement District (BID) stands out in the region. Offering more than 60 restaurants, multiple hotels, major transit lines and one of the region’s largest shopping redevelopments, the BID embraces a live/work/play atmosphere that appeals to residents and businesses.
While potential tenants from outside the region may have overlooked the area in the past, the Ballston BID is putting it on the map. Ballston360, a pioneering and immersive virtual directory developed in conjunction with the Ballston BID and interactive media company 3Delcid, is altering the way commercial property owners attract tenants.
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What if you could walk through an entire neighborhood while sitting in your office thousands of miles away? That is the idea behind the interactive mapping tool, which took 18 months to develop. Tina Leone, CEO of the BID, saw the software’s potential at some early demos. “[3Delcid] had started to do some presentations to local governments, using their technology, about new developments. When I saw the tool, I said, ‘We have to apply this throughout all of Ballston,’” Leone said.
Leone said, “If someone is interested in coming to Northern Virginia or the Washington, D.C., area, they will be able to get to the street level of Ballston, see what we’re all about ... and actually feel as if they’re here.”
Ballston360 consolidates the best of what the area has to offer in one place. Users can view photos of the interiors and exteriors of buildings, floor plans, nearby local businesses, and catch a glimpse of current and future development. The tool also lists important infrastructure, like the locations of nodes for Ballston’s upcoming free, seamless WiFi network.
If you want a showcase of the best Ballston has to offer, try the “Highlights” tab, one of Leone’s favorite features. Clicking on the Kettler Iceplex, the office and practice home of the Washington Capitals, for example, will direct users to the facility’s 3D model, hours and current events.
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Ballston360 also breaks new ground within a growing trend in real estate, one that uses cutting-edge virtual reality to expand the borders of the potential market. “Everything has to be an experience now,” Leone said. “People are shopping from their own homes more than ever – they need a reason to come out. The same thing applies with real estate." It is the kind of innovation, in all aspects of life, which Ballston encourages.
If the game-changing, virtual map piques your interest, you might find yourself hopping on the Orange Line to visit the vibrant neighborhood. But, with Ballston360, the digital experience is almost as enticing as the real thing.
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