Here goes nothing. Long time lurker, first time contributor.
I’m an amateur, armed with just a cell phone camera and too much time on my hands, so I apologize for the quality. But, I hope this thread gives somewhat of a sense of the Rosslyn-Ballston area.
It’s basically a 2-mile stretch of “urban villages” centered around 5 Metro station. It’s hated by some for its cookie cutter feel and admired by others for its attempt to urbanize a suburb. I guess I tend to fall more into the latter camp.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn't put it on par with the urban cores of Bos, SF, Philly, DC, Chi, etc. But, I think R-B should be graded on a curve. It’s a streetcar suburb that has only been urbanizing for 30 years or so. It can feel contrived and has some real duds, particularly from the early years (60-90s), but it is a work in progress and is gradually getting more urban and textured (if not necessarily organic) with each passing year. IMO, most of the stuff built from 2005 on has basically been on par with low/midrise urban development in the traditional urban cities (take that either way).
I worked backward from Ballston back to Rosslyn/DC.
Ballston definitely has a master planned cookie cutter feel. But, it does have some pretty good height and density near the metro.
Humans!!! Ballston's pedestrian activity is still somewhat sporadic. Mostly people going to the mall or transferring at a bus stop. Not a lot of “third space” activity
See..A lovely “urban” style park, but not a lot of urban activity.. no people hanging out, no musicians, no vendors, etc.
A suburban canyon..
Not exactly Dupont Circle or the West Village, but a little bit of street life starting to emerge…
New high/mid rises next to a strip mall. Still a somewhat common sight on the corridor, but come back in 10 years and I doubt it will still be there.
The urban zone really only extends about a quarter mile from the Metro stations then it’s back to streetcar suburbia (tightly packed SFHs and low-rise Garden Apartments). It’s moderately dense due to the large number of garden style apartments, and much better than ex-urban cul-de-sacs, but still basically suburban.
Some of the old crap on the border between the urban and suburban zone. I’m sure these will eventually get redeveloped. BTW, this is right on the main strip Wilson Bld. As you can see the “urbanization” of R-B is still very much a work in progress.
Making my way down to the next village..Virginia Square. In all honestly, this just feels like an auxiliary stop for Ballston. They seem one in the same to me.
Leaving Virginia Square heading toward Clarendon. This patch is the least developed portion of the corridor.
Some more old crap on Wilson.
The break between Virginia Square and Clarendon is really the only portion of the corridor that I would consider to be really inhospitable to walk. Fear not though, the stumps of Clarendon beckon in the background. Perhaps someday its development will spill over and wash away all the crap in the foreground.
It’s already starting to happen
Welcome to Clarendon, the heart of the corridor, both in terms of geography and vitality.
IMO, this is really the only portion of the entire corridor that has any historical architecture that is even moderately worth caring about.
I love how this building turned out.
In a way, I was a little disappointed that it was St. Patrick’s day. All the people wearing green made the street life seem a little contrived, like it was all just for a special event. It was probably a little busier than it normally would be on a Saturday. But, not by much. This area is usually pretty busy with pedestrian activity.
An urban Trader Joe’s
I love how the building on the left is built tight with the street. Sort of has a neo-East Village/LES type feel. This is pretty rare for the area. Even in DC proper, which is pretty dense and urban, I can’t really think of any examples of this. That city loves it’s wide setbacks.
Reminds me of the board of trade building in Chicago…
New (sub)urbanism at its finest. Can anyone spot the parking?
An outdoor mall.. Clarendon Commons or something. Opened in the early 2000s, I think of this as one of the last “suburban/pretending to be urban” style developments in R-B. Post 2005, the development has been more of the “urban, but with some practical accommodations to the fact this isn’t NYC” school of development.
Requisite Apple store shot.
The development is wrapped with townhouses on the sides to serve as a buffer to the nearby SFH’s .
The last throes of unadulterated sub-urbanism…and it’s a Whole Foods no less. Built in 2000 or so, today this almost certainly would have been an urban market with underground parking and housing on top. Oh well..maybe in 10 years it will be time for an upgrade.
McMansionization is alive and well along the corridor. Personally, I would like to see the SFHs replaced by townhouses or multi-unit SHFs, but the zoning only allows for million dollar SFHs as replacements.
Some of the old stuff alive and kicking.. for now
The plus side of Arlington’s yuppie affluence.. first rate municipal amenities and the mid-rises in the background are part of an affordable housing complex. Arlington has been able to parlay its hot real estate market into redeveloping low-density apartments into higher density complexes, thereby creating new market rate units and using the profits to maintain affordable units. Doing good while doing well…a smug cliché worthy of Arlington.
Quaint townhouses, just like Georgetown
with modern amenities…
Courthouse!!! Almost done. You would never know it from the land scraper streetscape, but there are bars and restaurants on the ground floor.
Much like the Ballston park, this is probably a great urban space in a city like Istanbul or Paris. But, R-B just can't quite pull it off yet.
As with the rest of the corridor, the old stuff that could potentially supply some charm is all so unremarkable.
The building on the far right covers the Metro Stop..pretty urban.
Maybe someday there will be a neo-Flatiron Building rip off, but for now a drive through Wendy’s will have to do.
These two buildings under construction basically complete the link between Rosslyn and Courthouse. Previously, these lots were utter suburban garbage like the stuff we saw earlier. (Bonus points if you can guess which ones)
Although, you only have to look across the street to see suburbia.
This building sort of reminds me of some of the newer infill in Chicago. Take that as you will.
The buildings from the other side…
Entering Rosslyn…
Pseudo-industrial lofts…complete with appropriated NYC names: the Mercer and the Wooster, respectively. Personally, I think they look pretty good. I just hate the side yards. I guess a bow to the reality that this is not in fact a cool old warehouse district.
Looks like a Back Bay row house knock off. Sort of reminds me those mega developments in China where they attempt to recreate old European architectural styles.
What’s that ahead on the right?
I think this actually turned out pretty well…and not just in a well for Arlington kind of way.
Certainly better than the 60s clunker across the street.
Arlington’s newest AND tallest stump!
One more look back…
Rosslyn is working overtime to maintain Arlington’s reputation as the home to a bunch of drab office buildings that have something to do with Defense. With a little help from Crystal City, of course.
This little pocket park will soon be home to Arlington's tallest building: A 377-unit high rise with a matching office tower in the 2nd phase.
(
http://www.jbg.com/#Central-Place-Re...operty-gallery)
Not sure if this is site prep work or construction related to a new Metro entrance.
The ground floor of the new tall glass building
Crossing the bridge into DC… people can and do walk it.
All that for a stupid cupcake. What a bunch of losers, think of all the skyscrapers they could have been looking at online.
Made it back safely from suburbia. Better not tell people on 14th street where I was.