Livability 22202

OPEN SPACE

Come Socialize at the HUG August 3

The Highlands Urban Garden (HUG)—a joint project of Livabiity22202 and the Friends of Urban Agriculture (FOUA)–invites you to a summer “agri-social” mixer in Virginia Highlands Park next to the tennis courts on August 3 at 6:30 pm. As the temperatures cool off, come enjoy a hot conversation with fellow urban gardening enthusiasts. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided, as well as pizza featuring fresh garden toppings! Meet members of the HUG volunteer team, and join us in discussion about 2024 and beyond.

Update from July 1, 2023

In a major milestone, Amazon’s HQ2 MetPark was officially opened on June 17th. The ribbon cutting ceremony really makes our area a different place. Over 8,000 Amazon employees will soon be working in the two buildings. Amazon’s HQ2 two buildings Merlin and Jasper opened June 15 and the beautiful MetPark park on June 17. Here’s a visual tour. Here’s a great CNBC video overview.

Met Park features public parks, new businesses, as well as two 22-story towers for employees to work in. The two towers feature amenities like 19 terraces, an outdoor urban farm on the 15th level of one of the buildings, cafes, games, and many places to socialize.  The park was inaugurated on June 17 and is beautiful with something for everyone.

Some features of Met Park include:

·         More than two million square feet of office space 50,000 square feet of retail space and a 2.5-acre public park

·         Protected bike lanes, walking paths and a dog park

·         Children’s recreation area

·         A community garden

·         Public art installations and a central green

·         14 local, minority and women-owned small businesses on the ground floor

Updates from March 2022

1.  2022 Spring Garden Kickoff March 12: 

Registration is now live for the Plot Against Hunger Spring Garden Kickoff, organized by the Friends of Urban Agriculture (FOUA).  Join us at Central Library on March 12th from 10 am until 2 pm for our annual Spring Garden Kickoff event, “Growing Together: Let’s Dig In!” 

Highlights:

* “Growing with Climate Change,” an expert panel discussion

* Garden tours and demonstrations

* Seed and seedling giveaways

* Tool clinic and tool swap

* Opportunities to engage with garden experts on a host of topics

Library staff will distribute garden-themed “take and make” craft projects for visitors of all ages. All workshops are subject to change. Outdoor activities will be weather-dependent.  Register today at arlingtonurbanag.org and click on the event image or banner.

Note:  Our Livability22202 Highlands Urban Garden (HUG) is one of the garden plots.

2.  Highlands Urban Garden (HUG) Season Opening:  Calling all Volunteer Gardeners.  Following on the very productive 2021 year gardening at the HUG next to the tennis courts at Virginia Highlands Park, we’re preparing for spring planting.  Come join us March 13 from 1-3 pm for our first work day of the season.  We will be 1) reinstalling the irrigation system connected to the water tanks; 2) demonstrating seed planting in peat pots for the garden and handing out seeds; 3) cleaning up the area, including leaves and weeds; and 4) adding compost to the rings.  We’ve already assessed what wintered over, fixed fencing, discussed what plants to grow this year.  We have kale and chard that wintered over in covered plots and we want to say “hello” to them.  Bring some seeds to share or suggest for planting.  It’s going to be a good year at the HUG.

The HUG Instagram account has gone live.  highlands.urban.garden  Highlands Urban Garden (HUG) is a collaborative project with Livability22202 sponsored by the @nationallanding, @arlparksrec and the Crystal City Rotary Club to develop a demonstration urban garden. @arlingtonfoua is managing the project and providing design and technical expertise.  The small-scale garden demonstrates modern, sustainable agricultural practices such as modular, low-impact design principles, sustainable water management practices, and incorporates smart technology to collect agriculture metrics. A team of neighborhood volunteers help install, maintain and manage the garden. Follow to see more HUG updates and details on getting involved!  #urbangarden #urbangardening #plotagainsthunger #garden #urbanfarming

3.  Tell Arlington County How to Spend Its Capital Improvement Plan Budget:  Share your thoughts on how Arlington should invest in major infrastructure for the future. Your input will help inform the proposed 10-year Capital Improvement Plan to be presented in May.  Read the information and share your thoughts now through March 15!  FYI, the 3 civic associations in 22202 and the Crystal City Citizens Review Committee have emphasized open space and parks.  Particularly critical, we need construction funding put into two Crystal City Parks:  Center Park (connected to the 1900 Crystal Drive construction) and Metro Park on 18th Street between the existing and proposed Metro entrances.   If not funded in the CIP, we’re going to be looking at mud and holes for a long time.  Please add your support for the parks.

4.  Water Park:  

Deconstruction of the park infrastructure that needs to be removed has started. About 8 trees that needed to be removed, either because they were weak or in the way of major infrastructure, have been cut down in the Water Park; ones that will be saved have tree protection fencing around them.  It may look terrible right now, but the plan requires many more trees to be planted than were there before.  The Mt. Vernon Trail is to remain open.  Construction in that section of the park has not yet started – may happen by late March.  JBG is looking for potential retail tenants for the kiosks – with focus on locally owned, small women and minority business owners. 

5.  PenPlace Park: 

The proposed redevelopment of the PenPlace block in Pentagon City will include a 2.5-acre public space, detached retail pavilions, and underground vehicular access and parking garage.  The proposal includes a variety of inviting public spaces. Some of the proposed components include an amphitheater facing a spacious central green, a forest grove and other amenities to complement the convenience of retail pavilions and restaurants located throughout the site. The proposal also includes room for a dog run, a market promenade, and outdoor seating.  The park plan is part of the overall site plan for PenPlace and will come to the Board for final approval in April.

6.  MetPark Park: 

Despite recent weather, spring is on the horizon and work is progressing across the two-acre park. Crews recently formed concrete footings in the children’s park area in preparation for upcoming installation of playground equipment. Clark Construction is looking forward to seeing the park evolve over the next few months!

7.  Crystal City Metro Plaza: 

Work continues on the Crystal City Metro Plaza enhancements – a collaboration with JBG SMITH and the National Landing BID to improve the plaza. The Harmony Mural was installed last fall with work continuing on the upgrades to the plaza including new seating, lighting, and other upgrades. Completion is anticipated for late April 2022. 

8.  Cherry Blossom Kite Festival: 

Blossom Kite Festival - National Cherry Blossom FestivalSat., March 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Virginia Highlands Park.  The National Cherry Blossom Kite Festival comes to Arlington! This will be a day of fun for the whole family – free and for all-ages – and the event will feature food trucks, live entertainment, games, art projects, inflatables, fitness and more to celebrate spring and our great Arlington outdoors. Free kite kits will be handed out to the first 100 attendees. No registration required. Learn more here.

9.  Roaches Run:  At the May 2021 CCCA meeting, the Superintendent for the National Park Service told us that the two studies of upgrading Roaches Run had essentially been forgotten.  He told us that if we want to do anything with Roaches Run, we must launch a campaign with the County for that purpose. The BID has been approached by George Washington University about the possibility of bringing Roaches Run into National Landing, and a few of us are planning to work with them on this project.  This will be a huge slog.  But stay tuned for more details in the future.

HUG Inauguration Ceremony July 26, 2021

The Livability22202 Open Space Working Group and Friends of Urban Agriculture (FOUA) hosted a small ceremony and media event July 26 to inaugurate the Highlands Urban Garden (HUG) in Virginia Highlands Park and to thank our donors, volunteers, and the County for their support. .  We’ve been in operation at the HUG now for going on a year and have already donated more than 111 pounds of produce to various charities, with the goal of reaching 250 by the end of the year.  The pilot project has been very successful.  There were 4 speakers: Carol Fuller, the Open Space Coordinator for Livability, David Sachs for FOUA, and County Board member Libby Garvey. National Landing BID President and CEO Tracy Gabriel represented the largest financial donor and also gave words of thanks. After thanking our volunteers and donors, we harvested produce available in the garden on that date:  peppers, cherry tomatoes, beans, parsley, and basil. Previously, harvests included red and green lettuce, Swiss chard, bok choy, beans, cucumbers, and herbs.  The Sustainable Scoop videotaped the event which will be posted soon. 

But none of this would be possible without our wonderful donors who contributed funding and in-kind donations.  As of mid-July, volunteers had donated 433 hours of service to the HUG, the equivalent of $11,690 in labor hours.  Three short profiles of some of our volunteers explain why they donate their time in the garden. We invited all of our donors, volunteers, and County coordinators.  A copy of the invitation letter is attached here. The July 2021 progress report is here.

Lots going on. Here’s an update from June 26, 2021:

1.  HUG:  The Highlands Urban Garden is very successful.  We’re approaching 100 lbs of donated produce and are just beginning the summer cycle!  We may reach 500 lbs this year.  Current crops being donated include mustard greens, lettuce, chard, kale, parsley, basil.  We have in the ground for future donation:  tomatoes, peppers, pole beans, bush beans, cucumbers.  We have a regular rotation of volunteers but always welcome more–sign up here.  Although FOUA (Friends of Urban Agriculture) has been our guiding partner throughout this process since last summer, Livability22202 is gradually taking over responsibility.  By the end of the summer, we will need to decide if we plan to continue over the winter to the spring (likely), double the size of the plot (to be discussed and would require County approval and donor funding), and potentially replicate the pilot project elsewhere in 22202.  Matt DeFerranti, Chair of the Arlington County Board, gave his opening statement for the National Landing BID’s annual meeting on June 21 standing in front of the HUG.    

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2.  Biophilia and Connectivity:  The Pentagon City PDSP update now underway has a focus group of County staff and community leaders looking for ways to introduce more biophilic design into future redevelopment plans and capital improvements. There are two parts to this:
–How to specify the biophilic and environmental sustainability features in the PDSP documents in a manner that is specific enough to give developers direction while allowing for innovation approaches.
–Identifying specific opportunities to incorporate/integrate biophilia and environment sustainability features into the Pentagon City and Crystal City areas.  On Friday, June 11, a group of intrepid 22202 residents and County staff walked for two hours through pouring rain on 3 different routes:  west (Arlington Ridge), central (Pentagon City), east (to Crystal City).  This was a diverse group of residents with expertise in 22202 geography and natural history, familiarity with walking paths, and a desire for more biophilic green walking areas in 22202.  It was a great opportunity to brainstorm with fellow community members, county staff, and biophilia experts on ways to make a future community a place where opportunities to connect with nature abound. We took notes and lots of photos to document ideas and thoughts, both on specific opportunities and general guidelines.  We had 3 walking routes: a) An eastern route that touches Long Bridge park, Crystal City and the Rt 1 connectivity to Pentagon City; b) A middle route that explores some of the pending development sites and super blocks in Pentagon City; and c) A western route that explored Riverhouse, Prospect Park and the route through Westpost and Pentagon City Mall.

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3.  New Park at S Eads and Army Navy Drive:  The final draft of the Park Master Plan and Design Guidelines for the New Park at Army Navy Drive and South Eads Street has been posted here. Many thanks to the community members who have provided feedback on this project since September 2020. The final draft plan includes many new amenities including a pollinator habitat, a shade structure– and even an outdoor fitness area. The draft final plan for the park was approved by the County Board as a consent agenda item at the Sat., June 12 regular meeting. 
4. Virginia Highlands Dog Run:  Virginia Highlands Temporary Dog Run is now open for you and your dog to enjoy! Thank you to Pentagon City Dogs and Amazon for helping make this into a reality.  The temporary dog run includes two parcels off of 15th Street South near the baseball fields at Virginia Highlands Park.It’s made up of a 5,700 sq. ft. area for small and large dogs, a 2,300 sq. ft. area for small dogs only, and includes a water source, repurposed ADA accessible benches, message board and 5-foot-tall fencing.   While the dog run is open for use, staff is continuing to address the last few items to complete the project. Hours of operation are from sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Click here to learn more about Arlington’s dog parks, dog runs, additional rules and more!  The temporary dog run will be in place until a Park Master Plan is developed for Virginia Highlands Park and funding is available to construct the plan. It will be reviewed annually to ensure it is safe and used appropriately. Learn more about temporary park amenities.

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5.  Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center Opening Soon:  Years in the making, the much-anticipated aquatics center will open sometime this summer. It features a pool for competitive swimming and a family pool, a center with fitness equipment, and spaces for classes, parties and events.  At the May 19 Crystal City Civic Association (CCCA) meeting, County staff gave an excellent and informative update on the Long Bridge Park expansion; see meeting video here.   Staff plan a “soft opening” this summer and a grand opening this fall.  Check out the park website and links to see illustrations of the new facilities and ground and the proposed fee schedules.
6.  The Future for Roaches Run:  At the May 19 CCCA meeting, we were very disappointed to learn from the Regional Superintendent for the National Park Service that the 2012 environmental study for developing Roaches Run as a biopreserve with boardwalks that would not disturb nature had disappeared from their radar scope.  This study and a potential walking trail from Roaches Run to the airport access road constituted one of the February 22, 2020, Open Space working group sub-groups.  (Our April 17 clean up of the trail area was part of our objective to push the trail project, but that project is on hold while the County conducts a Crystal City Heights development study.).  To get the environmental project back on the radar scope, we will need to launch a campaign with the County to urge that this be done.  Following successful political pressure, funding will be needed as NPS has no money for the project.  Stay tuned for a discussion of this campaign in the near future.
7.  Bluebird Monitoring Project:  There are 4 bird houses which were set up throughout Long Bridge Park last year, with one right at the entrance to the Esplanade near Gateway Park.  They would be better called Blue Tree Swallow houses however, since that is who is nesting in them.  Last year, one box was occupied. This year, 3 of the 4 have had nests and produced chicks.  Monitors visit the houses each week to check progress.  

8.  15th Street Realignment Project and Temporary Park:  Although the project is now at a 90% design stage, the County held its first public engagement meeting on June 22.  The redesign includes an interim park on the north side of 15th Street from Crystal Drive to Clark/Bell which is being redesigned at 15th Street to a 4-way signalized intersection.  The park is an improvement, resulting from strong push back to the original median strip park over a year ago from the CCCA, CCCRC, the BID, and local developers.  There will be protected bike lanes on both sides of 15th and parking on the south.  A new bike/ped lane will be built on the west side of Clark/Bell from 12th to 15th Streets.  A 14th Road from Clark/Bell to Crystal Drive will provide loading access for the Crown Plaza Hotel.  A 100% design is planned by winter 2021; procurement in fall 2022; and construction winter 2022 to spring/summer 2024.  A public engagement period is now open until July 9.  See the project page to review the design plans.. The link to the engagement form is here. 

9.  JBG Pocket Parks:  JBG Smith has submitted a minor site plan amendment to upgrade 2 small parks between 241 and 251 S 18th Street and 241 and 1770 Crystal Drive.  The upgrade will include more plantings, chairs, and benches for quiet contemplation.  We have asked JBG to consider a mural for the back of the Alamo Draft House as well, and that is under consideration but not part of this amendment.  Note that there is now a staircase between 1770 and the Alamo Draft House from the pocket park down to Crystal Drive, so you can walk across to the Water Park.

10.  Crystal City Benefits from the Newly Proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP):  County Manager Mark Schwartz has proposed a $1.25 billion three-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that focuses on meeting Arlington’s existing commitments, increasing infrastructure maintenance, and beginning investments in long-term plans and programs.  A key element is that “Crystal City parks and public space” are included.  There has never before been such a focus on Crystal City, re open space and transportation.  The Manager has even singled out CC for a ‘special message’ not afforded any other area.   In a letter explaining the CIP, Schwartz said the county is investing more in improving transportation and parks and open space in Crystal City as the area develops and Amazon continues to move in.  “With the increasing rate of redevelopment in the National Landing area, I have asked staff to convene a near-term review of the parks and open space plans, learning from the 22202 Livability Initiative, with the objective of being ready for a more comprehensive discussion as part of next spring’s 10-year CIP,” Schwartz said. “In addition, Arlington County is committed to supporting public infrastructure improvements in National Landing.”  Proposed projects include: 

·         A new library ~$1.2 million limited-service library in Crystal City, as early as 2024 as part of an agreement with developer JBG Smith. The county will use community benefits contributions to build a library at 1900 Crystal Drive, where the developer will lease 7,200 square feet of space.

·         Funding for two parks in Crystal City, at 15th Street S. and at S. Clark and S. Bell Street, ~$4.6 million.

·         Funding for the Crystal City Metro Station East Entrance.–$90 million.

11.  BID Launches Competition to Design and Implement New Mural:  The National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) is conducting a design challenge to re-envision a retention wall located opposite the Crystal City Metro Station entrance in National Landing with an expansive mural.  Five finalists have been invited to submit a proposed concept for the mural and a winner will be selected in mid-July. The mural will be completed by Fall 2021.  Read the press release here.

12.  Summer House Offers Outdoor Space for Work and Fun in Crystal City: “Summer House,” a colorful, beach-themed outdoor workspace and social spot, debuted June 16 in  Crystal City.  This nostalgic neon installation, sponsored by the National Landing Business Improvement District, is located at 101 12th Street S., a grassy area near Long Bridge Park. The pop-up open space was the site of a BID-funded art installation earlier this year and is slated to be redeveloped as an office building.  During the day, people can take advantage of remote-work essentials such as standing desks and WiFi. After work, the National Landing BID envisions the area transforming into a gathering place for locals, with food and drink provided by local businesses including The Freshman, which recently opened, and Peruvian Brothers.  Additionally, the BID will host weekly events throughout August such as tie-dyeing, yoga and happy hours.  Read more here.

13.  Fridays at the Fountain:  Did someone say live music, delicious Peruvian food, and beer & wine? That’s right, Fridays at the Fountain is back every Friday from June through October!  This outdoor concert series features local bands and musicians and is free to attend. Food and drinks are available for purchase through the Peruvian Brothers at The Stand. Reserve your spot now and enjoy great live music under the stars with your family and friends. Due to COVID restrictions, there are strict attendance caps in place and pre-registration will be required to attend. Reserve your seat now for groups of up to 6. Children under 2 do not need a ticket. There will be no standing room and masks will be required at all times when not seated.  Learn more and register here.  Enjoy the park before construction starts in the Fall on renovation following the approved JBG site plan amendment.

14.  Two Farmers Markets Now Open in 22202:  In addition to the Tuesday Farmers Market at 2100 Crystal Drive from 3-7 pm, there is now a new market on Saturdays at Met Park, 1330 S Fair Street 8-12 pm.  MetPark will be redeveloped in 2023 when Amazon’s HQ2 is finished.

Livability Letter to County Board and Staff on a More Holistic Approach to Site Plans

On March 7,2021, the 3 CA presidents sent a letter to the County Board and staff regarding Livability22202 concerns about Open Space and environmental sustainability.  The letter was generated by faulty site plan reviews of the Water Park in Crystal City and issues that arose about open space during the SPRCs for 2000 S Bell/2001 S Clark Street. We included a copy of the letter that one of our Livability (AHCA) members, Natasha Atkins, wrote to the Senior Vice President for Development Andy Van Horn on March 5 concerning tree canopy and landscaping.

The issues she raises are broader than one site plan or one area of Arlington County. They are in fact indicative of the need for a more holistic and environmental approach to development throughout the County, in accordance with the County’s own policies. Our letter calls this to the attention of County officials and specifically suggests that the County consider a position of Sustainability Coordinator, reporting directly to the County Manager, who is looking at the big picture down the road, such as the position that exists in Austin, Texas.  Right now, everything is so compartmentalized that nobody is seeing how interconnected their roles are.  The fact that the Community Energy Plan completely ignored trees is telling.  Climate change will make life more challenging, in terms of unpredictable weather events, heat, and flooding.  Developers and our government all need to be thinking about the real livability of the community in the future.  They can’t view everything through a lens of planned obsolescence, and that includes the buildings and the tree canopy.  Green roofs and solar infrastructure, more sustainable buildings than LEED silver, landscaping that utilizes rather than just controls stormwater—these are all elements that should be required in new developments. Omitting them is irresponsible stewardship and poor fiscal policy, and the consequences will come home to roost.

We have told the County that we would welcome a follow-up discussion as proposed in the letter.  The Parks & Recreation Commission has noted our letter and is supporting some of our ideas in its letter to the County on the Water Park site plan amendment which will come before the Board March 21.

Livability22202 Open Space Working Group Meeting March 2, 2021

(Updated March 3)

Open Space: Is it important to you?

COVID has shown us how important it is to have parks, trails, and open spaces. Yet 22202 is very lacking in those amenities, except for Virginia Highlands Park and Long Bridge Park. The Livability22202 working group created an open space report in December 2020, but this is no time to rest on our laurels. There is so much more to be done. This is not a roll up your sleeves and dig the ground working group. We are looking for your ideas and input. Join the working group: email fullercarols@gmail for more details.

As demonstrated by three recent meetings, we’re starting to have an impact. See the current status below.  But it’s soooo important to expand membership of the working group to ensure participation, not only geographically across 22202 but also demographically, with emphasis on renters in high rise multifamily buildings needing access to open space. And not just during the COVID pandemic, but year round. An Arlington County Civic Federation White paper shows residents in multifamily units have some of the least access to open space in the County.) Not a surprise to us, is it?

The March 2 Open Space meeting covered:

See the recording of the meeting on Facebook here and on YouTube here. The PowerPoint presentation for each agenda item can be viewed here.  View the Open Space final report, the Fact Sheet, and the press release.

Recent Activities: Open Space, Water Park, and Related Issues

Three meetings of interest recently on open space and how it is related to development in 22202.

  1. Presentation of Livability Open Space report and related issues to Parks & Recreation Commission February 16.  You can see the presentation and discussion at 40:50 minutes into the You Tube recording for about 40 minutes. 
  2. Presentation of Livibility22202 Integrated Pedestrian Map to County departments: DRP, DES, and CPHD February 8 and 18.  The map offers a holistic approach to greenways and open space access in 22202, including a safe way to cross Route 1.
  3. Pentagon City PDSP community meeting February 15: The presentation reflects a great deal of our emphasis on biophilic design, greenways, and connectivity, especially from our Livability22202 Integrated Pedestrian Map.  The presentation is now posted on the County’s project website, with notes from breakout groups to follow soon.  The monthly Focus Group meetings can also be viewed there.

Bottom Line: We’re making an impact on County and developer thinking.  Specifically, JBG has modified its site plan for the Water Park considerably in response to community feedback. JBG is continuing to make revisions to their plans, based upon public comments.  Send any further comments on the JBGS plans by email to khennigan@jbgsmith.com.  The County Board will reconsider at their March 20th Meeting.

White Paper: Equity in Arlington County Open Public Spaces

The Park and Recreation Committee of the Arlington County Civic Federation prepared a new report on equity and proximity to Arlington natural open space in January 2021. The report uses publicly available data on Arlington park spaces and demographic information specifically along the lines of income, residence type, and race. One of the key findings related to residence type is that “Residents of townhomes live in areas with significantly fewer trees than residents of single-family detached homes (SFHs). Furthermore, residents of elevator apartments live in areas with significantly fewer trees, typically have fewer number of parks in close proximity, and have less OPS within walking distance per capita compared to residents of SFHs, townhomes, or garden apartments.”

Project HUG (Highlands Urban Park)

Our Livability  Open Space project with the Friends of Urban Agriculture is entering the next phase of planning for spring planting.  The garden demonstrates the benefits of implementing community-driven urban agriculture features throughout National Landing.  It showcases modular, low-impact design principles, sustainable water management practices, and incorporates smart technology to collect agriculture metrics (daily solar exposure, temperature, moisture and soil health).  We are working on the design of the water barrels and signage to explain the project and the plants.  We’re also looking for more volunteers who would like to participate in some aspect of the project: planning, planting, communications, budgeting, etc.  Sign up as a volunteer here.  See the project on the County website here and on the FOUA website here.

Open Space Report Published December 2020

A key priority for livable space is to foster environmental sustainability.    To achieve this, we need to strategically increase the amount of natural open space and improve the tree canopy, with a focus on reducing heat island intensity, improving stormwater management, and increasing urban biodiversity.  Emphasize the incorporation of biophilic design elements into site plans, including private and public space, and the application of biophilic approaches to integration of the built and natural environments.  Needs and opportunities abound for open space and connectivity in 22202. 

Throughout the first half of 2020, neighbors gathered through a series of discussions, including a community-run workshop on February 22, 2020, to develop a comprehensive agenda on open space. The workshop brought together some 65 community members and experts to examine open space issues organized around four topics:

  • Connecting residents to the natural world and enhancing biodiversity throughout 22202
  • Re-envisioning Virginia Highlands Park as the backyard for the Pentagon City community
  • Developing a holistic approach to planning Crystal City Parks
  • Exploring the possibility for a nature trail extending from Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary through the wooded parcel along the George Washington Parkway to the southern end of Crystal City

The final report of the workshop examines the principles for holistic planning needed to strengthen connectivity, natural ecosystems, and community-building in open space in the 22202 zip code area. It provides observations and recommendations for initiating a sustained collaboration with other stakeholders invested in the success of our community, including property developers, owners, county staff, and commission members.  As stated in the Livability22202 Action Plan, November 2019:  “A commitment to livability means a focus on factors that promote ecological sustainability and human health and well-being.”  View the final report, the Fact Sheet, and the press release.

Video summarizing some of the work from the February 22nd Open Space workshop.

Community Groups Launch Urban Garden Project in Arlington’s Virginia Highlands Park.

Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture announced a new collaborative project to develop a demonstration urban garden with the National Landing BID, Livability22202, and Arlington County Department of Parks & Recreation. Volunteers broke ground on the Highlands Urban Garden (HUG) on September 27 in Virginia Highlands Park (located at 1600 S Hayes St., Arlington, VA 22202). Project HUG will revitalize underused land near the park’s tennis courts and illustrate how otherwise fallow spaces can be transformed into productive land that builds a vibrant ecosystem. This fall is the initial installation and preparation of the site for the spring planting season. 

Livability22202 and National Landing BID are contributing to the design, implementation, and funding for the new urban garden. Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture is managing the project and providing design and technical expertise. More Information about Project HUG here. Read the attached press release and volunteer to help! Volunteers are needed! To sign up for more information about the project, and learn how you can get involved visit https://urbanag.social/projectHUG

For more information or to join the group, contact the Coordinator Carol Fuller: fullercarols@gmail.com

Update on the VDOT Route 1 Feasibility Study and a strong letter from the 3 civic associations in response to the draft Final Report.

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