If you’re Arlington County, you create a new vision for the boxy buildings and subterranean passageways in Crystal City that will be emptied by the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission. In place of the sterile monoculture that now characterizes the office complex near the Pentagon, members of an advisory task force see a more lively street-level scene with a greater mix of shops, restaurants and offices. Writes WaPo reporter Annie Gowen:
[Board of Supervisors Chairman Chris] Zimmerman and others speaking yesterday said that the vounty sees the empty space as an opportunity to “reimagine” and “brand” Crystal City as an attractive destination. Though close to Reagan National Airport and dense with hotels, the area has long been seen as a gloomy 1960s era enclave of offices connected by underground passages. But parts of Crystal City have lately seen a rebirth, thanks to an influx of trendy cafes and a new streetscape. …
Charles E. Smith Commercial Realty, which owns 7.4 million of the 11 million square feet of office space in the neighborhood, has spent $40 million on improvements to enliven the streets and attract new businesses. It turned Crystal Drive into a two-way main street and has recruited new shops and chic restaurants such as Jaleo and McCormick & Schmick’s.
Reading between the lines of Gowen’s story, however, there seems to be one big missing piece: Housing. Creating a livelier commercial district is a worthy goal. But creating a balanced community with a mix of housing, offices, shopping and other amenities — allowing people to live close to where they work and play — is an even more worthy goal. As Ed Risse has pointed out, the relocation of 17,000 jobs creates a rare opportunity to create a genuine balanced communities in Northern Virginia.
The problem, I surmise — it’s not discussed in the story — is that Arlington is concerned about protecting its tax base, which means replacing the vacated offices with new offices, not housing. It’s hard to fault Arlington for pursuing its short-term self interest. But everyone needs to recognize that Arlington’s decision not to pursue a balanced community means that housing will end up somewhere else, presumably in outlying counties. And employees working in the buffed up Crystal City will wind up commuting long distances and clogging Northern Virginia thoroughfares. And the cry for new transportation revenues will grow ever more deafening.
