Wednesday, March 13, 2013

realizing Rosslyn

Arlington County Board Member Mary Hynes introduced tonight's Rosslyn Sector Plan Update (Realize Rosslyn) public workshop with the observation that Rosslyn is one of the most important urban centers in Arlington.  Billions of dollars of private investment are going into rebuilding Rosslyn.  The Rosslyn Sector Plan Update will help guide that investment to make Rosslyn an even more distinctive urban place. 

The workshop began with draft vision principles:
  1. unparalleled transportation connections and choices
  2. competitive in evolving regional, national, and global economies
  3. walkable
  4. an urban district that celebrates its connections to nature
  5. placemaking inspired by a unique diversity of people and activity
The workshop focused on big-picture developments for Rosslyn.  These include removing the Ft. Myer Dr./Wilson Blvd. underpass, making Ft. Myer Dr. and Lynn St. two-way streets, developing dining and retail opportunities, creating green streets, and improving pedestrian path connectivity and walkability.  Downtown Rosslyn's building mix is currently 41% housing and 46% office, with the rest hotel rooms, retail, and other.  Over the next two decades, the building mix may shift further away from housing.  Careful planning is needed to ensure that Rosslyn is an active, attractive place 24/7.

You have additional opportunities to participate in Realize Rosslyn discussions on Thursday.  Planning staff will be available for personal discusssions at the Rosslyn BID office from 11 am to 4 pm.  A second public workshop will be at Artisphere from 6:30pm to 9pm.  See the Rosslyn-Courthouse-Clarendon Patch for additional details.

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