America’s Largest Shipbuilder and Global Defense Technology Provider – HII – Joins Growing Roster of Defense Tech Firms Operating in National Landing
JBG SMITH (NYSE:JBGS), a leading owner and developer of high-quality, mixed-use properties in the Washington, DC market, announced today that it has completed a new, 36,809-square-foot lease with HII (NYSE:HII) at 2451 Crystal Drive in National Landing.
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For Virginia-based HII, one of the state’s largest employers, the move maintains proximity to the company’s largest customer, the U.S. Navy. It also improves access to HII’s expanded customer set across the U.S. Department of Defense, and enhances the company’s overall national capital region presence. HII’s shipbuilding divisions are responsible for the majority of the U.S. Navy fleet; HII also builds and delivers all-domain defense technology solutions in growth markets such as unmanned systems and autonomy, big data, AI/ML, cyber, and LVC solutions.
As part of its 11.5-year lease, HII will now occupy space minutes from the Pentagon and Reagan National Airport. HII will move into the space in late summer 2023, and will have signage rights to the 11-story office tower. The company remains headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, and will maintain company office space next to the Navy Yard.
Since April 2020, JBG SMITH has secured over 1.4 million square feet of new leases and extensions with federal agencies and government contractors in National Landing. HII joins the growing roster of defense-adjacent companies with major presences in the region, including Boeing and Raytheon, both of which are establishing their global headquarters in the National Landing area.
“We’re pleased to welcome HII to National Landing,” said David Ritchey, Executive Vice President, Commercial Leasing and Asset Management of JBG SMITH. “They join an impressive array of leading innovators in the defense industry that have been drawn to National Landing’s proximity to the Pentagon and the Department of Defense, as well as the full suite of digital amenities we are introducing throughout the community.”
JBG SMITH is developing a first-of-its-kind converged digital infrastructure platform in National Landing that includes a dense neighborhood fiber network, edge data centers, ubiquitous indoor and outdoor public 5G via a partnership with AT&T and highly valuable private 5G networks deployed by Federated Wireless. To accelerate the development of National Landing into a world-class innovation district, in 2020, JBG SMITH acquired licensed CBRS Spectrum from the FCC that covers all of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.
2451 Crystal Drive sits within a five-building office campus that offers direct access to multiple Metro stations, Richmond Highway, GW Parkway, the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and the forthcoming CC2DCA pedestrian bridge to Reagan National Airport. The building features a repositioned lobby and renovated fitness center.
HII was represented by Adam Schindler and Perry Frazer of Colliers International. JBG SMITH was represented in-house by Andrea Murray, Senior Vice President, and Connor Stewart, Associate.
