Clarendon's Evolution

Kim Hart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 13, 2006 1:00 PM

Washington Post staff writer Kim Hart was online to discuss changes in Clarendon and the future of the Arlington, Va., neighborhood.

She writes in an article today that the neighborhood, which over the past few decades has become the prototype of a modern urban village, is at a crossroads. She adds that the neighborhood's character is changing, both driven by and reacting to a shift in its commercial real estate.

A transcript follows.

You can explore an interactive map with video and audio interviews of local business owners, panoramic photos and a series of satellite images showing development in Clarendon during the past four decades.

____________________

Wells, Maine: My wife and I are thinking of working and retiring in a somewhat more temperate area than the one in which we presently reside. The election results seem to indicate that the northern Virginia suburbs may be an area in which we could find like-minded people. I love Alexandria's Old Town because, as an ex-New Yorker, I really enjoy walking and people-watching. Unfortunately, the housing prices there appear to border on the prohibitive. My questions are whether Clarendon is somewhat similar and are the housing prices a bit more moderate. In addition, is it an area that is fit for walking and is the Metro, accessible?

Kim Hart: Housing prices have definitely gone up substantially in the past five years as residents with higher incomes have moved into the area. Small houses off the main drag are going for around $700,000 to $900,000. Newer construction, of course, is much more. Many of the older, more modest homes have been renovated or expanded, making them more expensive in the process. Some residents told me property values have risen by more than 30 percent in the past decade or so. It is walkable, which is why it is so attractive to many people. Because it was built around a Metro station, businesses are moving in to take advantage of the high foot-traffic.

_______________________

Arlington, VA: Your article notes of Clarendon's residents that "But if they need a hammer and nails, they might have to get in the car: Clarendon's only hardware store has been turned into a Ri Ra Irish Pub & Restaurant." This is a real problem for those of us who do not own cars (in my case I don't drive) and who originally moved to the Rosslyn-Courthouse-Clarendon area because of its walkability. Not all of us can "get in the car" yet there is a presumption that that is how we will handle the lost businesses. Did you get any sense that the people who sniffed in 1995 that a Home Depot on the former Sears parking lot site (the present Clarendon Commons Mall) would be out of character, or the County board members, understand the price we locals pay for having lots of restaurants and trendy shops, but no place to go for notions and hardware? (There is no place in Clarendon to walk to and to pick up the sorts of things I once could get at G. C. Murphy's and at Virginia Hardware in the heart of Clarendon. Or the Woolworth's at nearby Virginia Square.) Most of the chain stores which have come in to Clarendon don't cater to everday needs; I go to Crate & Barrel mostly when I need to buy Christmas presents. I've never been to the Ri Ra Irish Pub and am unlikely to do so. The lack of a hardware store may be fine for the condo dwellers, I suppose; those of us who own single family homes really need one, however.

Kim Hart: I think many homeowners feel the same way you do. Chris Keever, president of the Clarendon--Courthouse neighborhood civic association, told me that a nearby hardware store was a huge plus for him when he moved into the neighborhood. As for the fight to prevent Home Depot from coming to the area, condominium dwellers and homeowners alike vetoed that development. They didn't want a big-box store like that taking up an entire block in the heart of Clarendon. I get the sense that, even without a neighborhood hardware store, people are generally happy that a Home Depot did not come into the neighbhorhood because it leaves more room for a larger variety of stores and restaurants. The closest hardware store is in Cherry Dale on Lee Highway, which is a bit of a trek from Clarendon, especially for those without a car.

_______________________

Arlington, VA (Clarendon): Is there any way to ensure that Clarendon is able to keep certain amenities, within walking distance as redevelopment unfolds?

Specifically, the CVS drug store will soon be displaced with a condo at 10th and Wash. Blvd. I haven't heard of its replacement. It would be a nightmare to see the very amenities that make living here so practical and walkable, disappear in favor of "improvements" that end up destroying the mix of necessary day to day businesses.

Kim Hart: I think that's one of the main concerns. One of the purposes of mixed-use development is to ensure that the products and services people need for daily living-- such as dry cleaners, hardware stores, pharmacies-- are in close proximity to residential areas. A lot of residents really lament the loss of Virginia Hardware, which closed last year and reopened as Ri Ra, the Irish restaurant. Also, when the two blocks across from the Metro stop is redeveloped, where the Hard Times Cafe currently stands, a dry cleaner and a shoe repair/tailor will have to relocate. The problem is, they may not be able to find an affordable place to rent. That happened to the owner of Judson's Shoe Repair on Washington Boulevard. That piece of property is turning into a condo development, and it took him six months to find a new place to rent. He found a temporary lease in the old office of a closed car dealership. The bottom line is that workaday stores have a harder time making a large profit, and destination places like restaurants and chain stores are much more lucrative on prime real estate.

_______________________

Arlington, VA: Nice article. Where do you see Clarendon in five years from now? How about the other cluster areas such as VA Square, Courthouse, Ballston, etc... What is the county board doing to keep the independent retailers in Clarendon? Do they get tax breaks, lower rents?

Kim Hart: Ballson and Rosslyn were the first areas to develop and gain a critical mass of retailers and offices. The areas in between--Courthouse, Clarendon and Virginia Square--have been slower to develop. I think as Clarendon continues to develop, businesses and residences will begin to spill over into Courthouse and Virginia Square. The five separate urban villages along that corridor used to have their own distinct flavor, but they may begin to blend together as it becomes a more desirable place to live and work.

Arlington County has been proactive in keeping smaller businesses in the neighborhood, especially in Clarendon. Developers who promise to rent to small businesses get the chance to add an extra floor or two to their new buildings, which can help offset the lower rent they charge the independents. Many local business owners do think the county could do more, however. Virginia law is very favorable to developers and private land-owners, so there is only so much the government can do.

_______________________

Silver Spring, MD: Seems like it's unfortunately becoming the norm for the DC exo-cities (bethesda, silver spring, clarendon, etc...). More and more people are wanting to live in urban centers after decades of populations fleeing the nations cities, unfortunately DC's height restriction prevents very dense urban centers from developing around their metro stations for the most part, so they have developed around both sides of the beltway instead. Economics says that high demand dictates high prices. And unfortunately, ok big generalization here, high prices dictate mostly boring, uninteresting populations (obviously there's exception to that rule, but not enough to dictate the character of a whole neighborhood). Please correct me if I'm wrong here, but is it not a case of just not enough urban centers to go around? Silver Spring is certainly pricing out more and more of it's population - I know I for one just moved to a cheaper building, still downtown SS, but a smaller apartment in a cheaper building.

Kim Hart: The urban planners I spoke with for the story all said that there is a great demand right now for these urban village developments, whether they come about on their own or are conceived by developers.

It's a cycle many of these neighborhoods go through. As they become more successful, they tend to price out the tenants that initially gave it character. The Arlington County Board has also given incentives to developers to provide affordable housing to keep a variety of residents in the neighborhood.

_______________________

Falls Church, Va.: I disagree that Clarendon needs more offices so that it can become a place where people live and work and that whole deal. More apartments would be nice (not condos). People move there because it's a fun neighborhood and they can afford to. Keep the offices in Rosslyn and Ballston. Unfortunately most people in this area, whether they live near metro or not, don't work near where they live. I recently took a job in Manassas and you would think with all the terrible traffic on 66 Manassas residents would jump at the opportunity to work there. Well, in my office we have people from DC, Md., W.Va., and Winchester, and not one person who lives in Manassas.

Put more bars in Clarendon, and keep it Northern Virginia's best night spot.

Kim Hart: Many of these new urban villages are attempting to be everything to everbody: a great place to work, live and shop. It may not be feasible to have the perfect amount of space for all three, but county planners are trying to keep the scales from tipping to far in any one direction.

_______________________

Arlington, VA: One of the big differences between Clarendon and Old Town, is that Clarendon is more car-oriented (although both present walkable areas to some extent). Old Town's narrow colonial streets and stops every block (except the main drag) make walking the side streets much more pleasant. Also, of course with it's array of fine-grained, small floor-plate older buildings some would say it is more charming and the smaller floor-plates ensure that there are plenty of spaces for small businesses. Due to parking requirements and the need to excavate for the parking garage to accomodate cars, the new construction in Clarendon will innevitably be made of a few large buildings rather than many more smaller ones (as it once had been).

Kim Hart: Parking is a major issue in Clarendon. Residents and business owners both cite it as something the area needs more of. The county, however, has not wanted to provide a huge increase of parking because planners feel it would undermine the walkability. It opened a free parking garage just off of Highland St. to provide parking for evening patrons.

Clarendon has always been a transportation hub, though, so it developed to encourage traffic. Old Town Alexandria, however, developed as a pedestrian community with no large stores. Because Clarendon started as a place for big department stores, it has always been car-friendly. After all, up until about 15 years ago, most of it was covered by parking lots and used-car dealers.

_______________________

Arlington, VA: As a Clarendon resident, I've noticed lots of empty retail locations, either former stores/restaurants that closed or new buildings with ground floor retail spots (including the one in my apartment building, which has been empty since the building was finished over a year ago). If Clarendon is growing so fast, why aren't these locations being filled? Is it a case of development greed (raising the rent on current tenant, forcing them to leave, and then looking for a new "big name" tenant who can pay more rent)?

Kim Hart: In several cases, property owners have been forced to raise their rents to match market prices or to finance redevelopment projects. This has caused some smaller retailers to leave the area for cheaper rents. Many empty spaces you see are about to start renovations to open new establishments. For instance, a vacant space next to Clarendon Ballroom will soon become a new restaurant/bar, and five empty storefronts on Wilson Boulevard directly across from the Metro station is about to be filled by retailers (although the property owner declined to say who the space had been leased to). There are still a few independent shops moving in, though. Kinder Haus Toys just last month moved into the new Station Square development below the Gold's Gym. Mexicali Blues is expanding into the space left vacant when Lazy Sundae's moved to Falls Church last year. Larger chains are often considered less risky tenants than small independents. But developers do seem willing to work with local entrepreneurs to help maintain Clarendon's character. They realize that, if they want people to buy their condos, they have to ensure that viable, useful businesses stay in the area.

_______________________

Arlington, VA: Hi Kim,

Great article. Do you have any info on when the renovations on the block on Wilson Blvd across from the Clarendon Metro will be complete? The entire city block is pretty much vacant. I heard a rumor that the developer is only looking for non-chain retail for this block? Any truth to this? Also, can you reveal the name/type of restaurant that will take over where Modern Arf was located?

Kim Hart: There is a lot of speculation about what will go into that space. Some have heard it will be non-chain establishments, and others have heard the exact opposite. The land has been in the property-owners family for years. While he said he has signed a lease, he is not disclosing details until the deal is final--probably by early 2007.

The restaurant going in where the museum used to be will be a more upscale place. It will be run by the same guys who are behind the Clarendon Ballroom and Clarendon Grill. Renovations start this week. For thirty years, that building was also home to a small audiovisual production studio. Local artists used to go to use the roof as an impromptu art class, so there is certainly a great view in store for patrons once it opens next year.

_______________________

Ballston: Sure everyone likes Clarendon but it's still lop-sided to the west with used-car lots, telephone poles and junky offices. Just look at the intersection of 10th Street and Wilson; it's a depressing slum. Frankly, Clarendon needs to continue it's facelift, not slow it down!

Kim Hart: Business owners on the fringes of Clarendon have voiced the same opinion. Dale Roberts, who opened Java Shack on Franklin St. 11 years ago, said Market Common and has drawn most of the foot-traffic away from his corner. He has asked the county to install traffic lights and make the area more inviting to encourage people to meander past the new stores. County planners, however, are waiting for developers to come in and make those improvements.

_______________________

Re: Used Car Lots??: How do all the used car lots survive Clarendon? There must be over a dozen of them?? Is there some sort of used car lot mafia in Clarendon?? What gives??

Kim Hart: They are slowly disappearing. After the retail giants left the area in the 1960s, no one really wanted that real estate, so car lots moved in. There is still a disproportional amount of auto-repair shops along Wilson and Clarendon boulevards, but people like having those around. It's convenient to get your car fixed down the road instead of having to make the journey to Falls Church or Fairfax. Some worry that all the auto-related businesses will disappear, and then Clarendon will be without a hardware store AND a mechanic.

_______________________

Alexandria, VA: Isn't this a case of 'be careful what you wish for'? Smart growth advocates have long wanted developement to be dense around public trasportation with a mix of retail, business and residential, which is exactly what the Clarendon area became over time. I agree with that type of developement but can not support the idea that character of the neighborhood is changing the quality of the neighborhood. What does the future hold for places like Shirlington and the Carlyle area in Alexandria? What can be done to improve them based on the Clarendon situation.

Kim Hart: The revitalization of neighborhoods is always a double-edged sword. Newcomers welcome the economic resurgence, but people who have lived there for decades don't like to see sweeping change. It is possible that people who don't like the density will move further out, away from a Metro station, where it is still quiet and has the small-town feel.

In all of the areas striving to be urban villages, planners are trying to strike a balance between bustling retail and quaint neighborhoods. It's hard to say how they will end up. Usually, it lies in the hands of the developers who have significant power--more power than the local government-- to shape a community.

_______________________

Lyon Park, Va.: What do you think separates the local businesses that have stayed and, presumably, prospered--for instance, Iota, Galaxy Hut, Revolution Cycles, Faccia Luna, Mexicali Blues-- from those that have left our neighborhood, like Lazy Sundae?

Kim Hart: Not all small businesses left do to economic reasons. Some, like the hardware store, left for personal reasons. Clarendon has always had a vibrant local music scene, which is probably how Galaxy Hut and Iota have survived. Java Shack has managed to compete with Starbucks by differentiating itself on the opposite side of the neighborhood. I've been told that, in many cases, businesses leave because of a falling out with a landlord or wanting to move to a different type of community, not necessarily because they were forced out by the market.

_______________________

Kim Hart: Thank you for joining the chat today. I hope I was able to answer your questions and shed some more light on the situation in Clarendon. There is obviously a lot of interest in preserving the area's quirky character, and I think county planners, developers and residents all share that interest as well.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.