Where We Live | North Rosslyn is more than just office buildings

Some of the downsides of the neighborhood result from the changing scene in Rosslyn at large, says Derby. Over the past 10 years, Rosslyn has increased office space with the addition of new buildings, but some restaurants and other services have left.

“With the replacement of old buildings with new, high-density, taller buildings, the office space has grown but the retail space has dropped,” said Derby. “We used to have [a bookstore] and a few more convenience stores in the neighborhood. Now our retail is limited primarily to dry cleaning drop-off and drugstores.”

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(Laris Karklis/The Washington Post)

Derby adds that the challenge for North Rosslyn is to balance the retail presence to meet the needs of the growing population. He would like to see a high-quality grocery and a pet-supply store, along with art galleries and boutique shops.

With the worsening congestion in the region, more families are moving closer into the city and settling in places like Rosslyn, says Berenbaum.

Others are leaving dense neighborhoods in the District. In the past, they might have moved farther west to Fairfax County. Now, he says, these people are stopping in North Rosslyn where they can afford a little more living space but save themselves the lengthy commute.

Residents have a vision for their neighborhood.

“I would love to see Arlington work with the National Park Service and D.C. to tie Rosslyn to Foggy Bottom via the Roosevelt Bridge. This would make pedestrian and bike travel possible across the short distance across the Potomac and make going to events at the Kennedy Center walkable,” says Derby.

“We could always use another park and really need a new supermarket,” says Edelmann.

Berenbaum sees a bright future ahead as well as a promising present.

“Many people probably still perceive Rosslyn as a place where people come to work in concrete buildings and then vacate for the evening,” he says. “This has become less and less the reality over the last 10 years, as more and more people have moved to Rosslyn and restaurants . . . are bustling for dinner every night.”

Eliza McGraw is a freelance writer.

ZIP CODE: 22209

BOUNDARIES: North Rosslyn in Arlington County is bounded by North Quinn Street on the west, North 19th Street on the east, Lee Highway on the north and Wilson Boulevard on the south.

SCHOOLS: Key Elementary School, Williamsburg Middle School, Yorktown High School.

SALES: In the past 12 months, 69 homes have been sold in North Rosslyn, at prices ranging from $250,000 for a one-bedroom condominium to $4.2 million for a three-bedroom condominium. Currently, there are nine homes on the market, at prices ranging from $519,000 to $3.9 million.

TRANSIT: Metrobus, Metro, Arlington Transit and D.C. Circulator.

WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE: Rosslyn and Court House Metro stations, Arlington National Cemetery, Georgetown.

WITHIN 15 MINUTES BY CAR: Downtown Washington, Reagan National Airport, Old Town Alexandria and McLean.