Hopke Begins Wet Utilities Work on Founders Row II, a Mixed-Use Residential Apartment, Retail and Commercial Building in Falls Church, VA

In 2022, the planning commission approved new construction for the Founders Row II project in Falls Church, VA. The new six-level, multi-family apartment rental and mixed-use building includes 280 new apartment units. The ground floor will dedicate 22,000+ square feet of retail street frontage along West Broad Street and South West Street. 5000 square feet will be dedicated to commercial office space and there will be an underground parking garage to accommodate 426 additional parking spaces.

Demolition of the existing Rite Aid and Carpeting store began in early 2023 making room for the new building construction which is scheduled to be completed by the 3rd or 4th quarter of 2024.

W.B. Hopke was awarded the wet utilities work for the Founders Row II project by general contractor, Mill Creek. President, Matt Hopke said, “W.B. Hopke completed all the storm and sanitary work on the first Founders Row project back in 2021. At the time I was the project manager, and I believe our familiarity with that project and the challenges we faced there, as well as the exceptional work from our team and crew, helped us to win the new Founders Row II project in Falls Church.”

In December of 2022, Hopke began with the cut and cap work of the existing buildings on the site to facilitate demolition. Once demolition was complete, Hopke’s crew began working to relocate an existing 60″ storm main and an existing 8″ sanitary main outside of the new building footprint.

“There are several challenges to a project like this. Of course, safety is the main concern, as we are doing some tricky work with heavy product installations in places where cars and pedestrians are present. In one case we are hoisting a 30,000 lb storm structure over live electrical wires and lowering them deep into the ground with a crane. Geography and traffic are another factor. There are 2, 3-way intersections with new and existing utilities near where we are working. Most of the installation will occur in the roadway and we will have to shut down part of the road without impeding the traffic. Traffic control and traffic flow is paramount. We have to install some large 53″ x 83″ elliptical pipes and large precast junction boxes in the middle of intersections, without shutting down traffic,” said Hopke.

The wet utilities work consists of 300 LF of sanitary main and 5 new manholes, 250 LF of sanitary lateral, 700 LF of storm main & 16 structures and 8′ x 8′ Jellyfish treatment structure, a 36″ CMP detention system and 150 LF of water main with 2 wet taps and 1 main cut in.

The primary storm and sanitary relocation is due for completion by the end of 2023, but Hopke will still to need to return to tie up some loose ends in 2024. The additional work includes testing and flushing the systems and the completion of a bioretention area to facilitate drainage.

SPECIAL THANKS
W.B. Hopke would like to thank all who have contributed to the work at Founders Row II thus far including project manager – Matt Hopke, estimator – Charlie McClellan, superintendent – Manuel Bonilla, foreman – Eddy Mead, and the crew including backhoe operator – Carlos Martinez, loader operator – Isaias Anaya, pipelayer – Jose Martinez, tailman – Fidel Parada and laborer – Clarence Allen, as well as several other crews that contributed to the project.

Contact W.B. Hopke about a career in utility installation and site work at 703-971-0404 or info@wbhopke.com.

References

Falls Church Government, https://www.fallschurchva.gov/2076/Founders-Row-II, (accessed May 16, 2023)

Tysons Reporter, https://www.tysonsreporter.com/2021/03/17/second-phase-proposed-for-founders-row-development-in-falls-church/, (accessed May 16, 2023)

Falls Church News-Press Online, https://www.fcnp.com/2022/03/31/founders-row-2-gets-f-c-councils-final-ok/Features, (accessed May 16, 2023)

Images via City of Falls Church.