HITT Contracting broke ground yesterday (Thursday) morning on its new headquarters at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center in Idylwood.
In development since 2019, the six-story, 270,000-square-foot building will serve as the centerpiece of a $100 million project aimed at transforming the campus into a hub for innovation and sustainable growth. Construction is set to begin this year, with the headquarters slated to open in early 2027.
A standout feature of the new headquarters will be a 40,000-square-foot Coalition for Smart Construction hub, a collaborative initiative between HITT and Virginia Tech designed to bridge academia and the construction industry.
The space will house advanced research facilities focused on addressing critical challenges in construction, including labor shortages, sustainability and technological advancements, according to HITT CEO Kim Roy.
“This building is so much more than an office,” HITT CEO Kim Roy said at the ceremony. “It’s a beacon of what’s possible when curiosity, ingenuity and determination create a new vision.”
Founded 88 years ago as a small, family-owned business in Arlington County, HITT has since grown into a national leader in construction services, employing nearly 1,900 people across the U.S. The company’s current headquarters is just a 10-minute drive away on Fairview Park Drive near I-495 in West Falls Church.
The new headquarters will house more than 900 employees and feature a wellness center, café, conference space and a one-acre outdoor terrace. The building is designed to hit net-zero energy and carbon goals, thanks in part to a 100,000-square-foot solar canopy that will be installed on its roof.
Virginia Tech Dean of Engineering Julie Ross highlighted the project’s broader educational goals, emphasizing the university and contractor’s shared focus on developing new technologies and training the next generation of construction leaders.
“We’re not just building a space together, we’re building an ecosystem to drive systemic and sustainable change to be successful,” she said. “We’re going to need all of you, and all of the creative thinkers from academia, government, and industry to work together. When we put all of those people in the same room and identify the big problems, we can imagine the future of the construction industry and help develop the technology and the talent to get there.”
The 7.41-acre site, located near the West Falls Church Metro Station, is part of a broader revitalization of the Falls Church area, both in Fairfax County and the city. In addition to the Virginia Tech campus changes, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors revised its comprehensive plan for the transit station area in 2021 to allow mixed-use development on the Metro station’s parking lots.
With plans also calling for a 13-story, 440-unit apartment building that will have up to 18,000 square feet of retail and 55,000 square feet of urban parks, the Northern Virginia Center project aims to enhance transit-oriented development and align with the county’s climate action goals.
Local and state officials, including Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman and Rep. Don Beyer, praised the initiative for its community impact and alignment with the region’s strategies for managing future growth.
Bierman called the project a testament to Fairfax County’s ability to foster innovation and sustainable development.
“They are trying to figure out how we build things more efficiently, how we run them more efficiently, how we are innovating every single day, and they’re putting their money where their mouth is,” Bierman said.
Beyer celebrated longstanding ties between HITT and Virginia Tech, noting that the new headquarters will enhance Northern Virginia’s growing reputation as a hub for technological progress and education. He also shouted out Virginia Tech for its role in attracting Amazon’s HQ2 to the region.
“This can be yet another feather in the cap of Virginia Tech, and another reason why companies around the world want to come to Northern Virginia to locate and to grow our database, which is good for everybody,” Beyer said.
