Arlington County Government has won numerous awards for its success in implementing
Smart Growth
development strategies. For over 30 years, Arlington has had a policy of concentrating new development near transit facilities, such as Metrorail stations, or the high-volume bus lines of Columbia Pike. At a greater distance from those areas, increased density is limited or prohibited. Within the transit areas, Arlington has a policy of encouraging mixed-use, pedestrian and puiblic
transit oriented
development.
Much of Arlington's development in the last generation has been concentrated around 7 of the County's 11 MetroRail stations.
In 2005, Arlington implemented a major new
affordable housing
policy
, requiring most developers to contribute signficant affordable housing in order to obtain the highest allowable amounts of increased building density in new development projects. The County also recently limited development in areas zoned for single-family houses with increased limitations on the proportion of a lot that can be built upon, to retain the architectural integrity of the various neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods in Arlington
There are numerous unincorporated neighborhoods within Arlington VA that are commonly referred to by name as if they were distinct towns. Some of these neighborhoods - particularly those located at Metrorail stations and other major transportation corridors - are characterized by the county as "Arlington's urban villages." These include:
In addition, the
Lee Highway
corridor and the
East Falls Church
areas have significant commercial/retail development, with some low density offices.
There are also numerous neighborhoods which are largely residential including:
Arlington, VA homes include a large selection of
Sears Catalog Homes
, which were offered between 1908 and 1940, Considered to be of exceptional quality, in modern times, these houses are sought after by many home buyers. Arlington also features some of the best examples of post-World War II garden style apartment complexes in the U.S.
Homes for sale in Arlington, VA can be fouind in numerous residential neighborhoods and larger garden-style apartment complexes are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and/or designated as Local Historic Districts, including:
Your expert Arlington, VA Real Estate Agents can help with finding the right neighborhood and lifestyle when relocating to Arlington, VA
Arlington is served by the
Arlington Public Schools system
. The public high schools in Arlington are Yorktown High School, Washington-Lee High School, Wakefield High School, and the H-B Woodlawn Program.
The Middle Schools in Arlington include Swanson Middle School, Williamsburg Middle School, H-B Woodlawn Program, Kenmore Middle School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and Gunston Middle School.
Elementery Schools include Ashlawn Elementary School, Zachary Taylor Elementary School, Abingdon Elementary School (Headed by 2006 Principal of the Year, Joanne Uyeda), Jamestown Elementary School, and Nottingham Elementary, among others.
Arlington County spends about half of its revenue on education, making it one of the top ten per-pupil spenders in the nation (as of 2004, over $13,000, the second highest amount spent on education in the United States, behind New York City).
Through an agreement with Fairfax County Public Schools approved by the school board in 1999, up to 26 students residing in Arlington per grade level may be enrolled at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax at a cost to Arlington of approximately $8000 per student. For the first time in 2006, more students (36) were offered admission in the selective high school than allowed by the previously established enrollment cap.
George Mason University
operates an Arlington campus in the Virginia Square area between Clarendon and Ballston. The campus is home to the School of Law, School of Public Policy and other programs. A new building is under construction at the campus, set to open in 2007 and supplement the capacity of the Original Building and the Law Building.
Satellite campuses of Strayer University and DeVry University can be found in Arlington. Marymount University, a private four-year college, also calls the county home.
Remember to call your Arlington, VA Real Estate Agent and Realtor® to help you find the right home, at the right price in Arlington VA. They are the experts in Arlington Real Estate.