Jim Abdo of Abdo Development, far right, and other stakeholders celebrate the Gaslight Square groundbreaking. (Photo: TBD Staff)

In the race of the 2011 Rosslyn groundbreakings, Abdo Development has taken first place. Abdo and representatives from its partners in the Gaslight Square project officially broke ground this morning on the 117-unit condominium project, one of the first condo projects to go forward since the beginning of the recession.

The construction project, on Clarendon Boulevard between North Quinn and North Queen Streets, will soon be joined by two others within a one-block radius. JBG is expected to break ground on Rosslyn Commons Jan. 25, and demolition is currently underway on the Skanska office building site across the street from Gaslight Square.

The Gaslight Square condos will have private balconies, yards, or terraces; underground parking; and upper units will have private elevators. What will one of these luxury units within walking distance to both the Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro stations run you? At least $695,000, according to the sign advertising the project.

Abdo, which also developed the Wooster and Mercer loft buildings across from the Gaslight Square site, has been waiting for a couple of years to get this project off the ground. The company received commitments from financing partners United Bank and Federal Capital Partners late last year.

Abdo says the Arlington market is ready for a 100-percent condominium projects. "Condos have been a bad word. We're demonstrating that shouldn't be the case in certain markets," he says. The construction contractor is Davis Construction, and the condos are expected to be complete in 2012.