Words like ‘hip’, ‘dynamic’, and ‘vibrant’ describe the dazzling urban development success story that is Arlington, Virginia. Ten years ago, Wilson Boulevard, Arlington’s central thoroughfare, was a pedestrian-hostile, scruffy careen past used car lots and an abandoned Sears warehouse. But underneath, Arlington has always had good bones in its historically interesting architecture, rich cultural blend, and a quietly percolating arts scene. How did Arlington’s image go from scuffed to buffed? It walked.
Years of doggedly consistent ‘enlightened land use’ decisions have retooled the little county into a pedestrian-oriented, string of ‘urban villages’ where people - rather than their cars – are funneled from mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods, or straight down their condos’ elevators, safely and easily to metro hubs, schools, restaurants, trails, and shops. Today, a walk down Wilson both day and night, blends a neighborhood stroll with a city bustle past bistros and barbershops, farmers’ markets, and music venues.
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