What can a developer do with a parcel of real estate it owns that won’t be developed for months, or maybe years? Partner with an events agency to use it for a long-term pop-up.
Bethesda, Maryland-based The Meridian Group has been developing The Boro, a massive mixed-use development by the Greensboro Metro station in Tysons. It has brought on entrepreneurs Ian Callender and Kevin Hallums, the team behind Sandlot pop-up events and cultural spaces in D.C., to transform a development parcel at 1640 Boro Place into Sandlot Tysons. It will be an events and cultural space that will tie into the restaurants and retailers at The Boro.
Callender owns event design agency Suite Nation.
It will open July 11 with a free concert featuring Black Alley performing live at 7 p.m., and is located directly behind the residential building The Loft.
Sandlot Tysons will host a number of events, including several regularly scheduled ones such as:
- Car Wash & Cocktails every Friday.
- Free outdoor fitness and workout sessions with Sweat DC every Saturday morning.
- Live DJs from Rock Creek Social Club, Joy Club, Adobo DMV and others every Saturday.
- Sunset Sip & Paint Sessions every Sunday with local artist Lex Marie.
The original Sandlot opened in a vacant space at Buzzard Point in Southwest D.C., which closed last summer but relocated to Navy Yard. It’s now a 5,000-square-foot outdoor container bar and event space. Sandlot Georgetown, at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, opened earlier this year.
The Boro broke ground in 2016 with a mix of residential, retail and office space across 3.5 million square feet.