$178M Digital Innovation Project Tops Out in Metro DC

Fuse at Mason Square is the result of a public-private partnership. Image courtesy of Clark Construction

Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate has topped out Fuse at Mason Square, a 345,000-square-foot research facility in Arlington, Va., being developed in partnership with George Mason University. The firm broke ground on the $178 million project in April 2022, with opening expected in summer 2024.

Edgemoor is the development arm of Mason Innovation Partners, the consortium in charge of delivering Fuse at Mason Square. The partnership also includes Harrison Street as capital partner, Page as the project’s architect, Clark Construction as general contractor and Sandy Spring Bank as lender.

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When complete, Fuse at Mason Square will comprise collaborative lab spaces, maker spaces and business offices. The 24 specialty labs will be tailored for various uses, including robotics, VR, simulation and security data visualization. Mason will be using 60 percent of the total space, while the remainder will cater to private partners.

Targeting LEED Platinum and Net-Zero certifications, the building will have a green roof that supports energy-efficient heating and cooling. Other amenities will include community seating in a double-height atrium, 750-seat multipurpose room, public plaza and a below-grade, 146,000-square-foot parking garage, as well as up to 8,000 square feet of retail.

The development rises on a 5-acre site at 3351 Fairfax Drive, within the Rosslyn-Ballston tech corridor. Fuse at Mason Square will be 5 miles from downtown Washington, D.C., and 5 miles from the National Landing Market.

The location is also less than 9 miles from Howard University’s upcoming 178,000-square-foot research center that will encompass laboratory and office space when complete. CBRE will spearhead all leasing activity at the facility.

Expanding campuses across the U.S.

Prior to Fuse at Mason Square, Edgemoor served as developer for George Mason University’s Long and Kimmy Nguyen Engineering Building. The completed facility now comprises 80,000 square feet of academic space, along with another 80,000 square feet of research space and 20,000 square feet of leasable space.

Edgemoor has worked with a handful of universities across the U.S., including the University of Kansas, the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Nevada, Reno. Most recently, Edgemoor broke ground on UNR’s new College of Business Building and plans to open it for the fall 2025 semester.