CPHD
What is a Metro Station Area (MSA)?
- The area around seven of Arlington’s Metro Rail Stations (See Map)
- Rosslyn, Court House, Clarendon, Virginia Square, Ballston, Pentagon City and Crystal City
- Each area generally includes the land within one quarter mile of the station entrance
- Station Area boundaries are defined by a combination of major transportation routes, neighborhood boundaries and Census geography
- MSAs have been the focus of County planning efforts for several decades
- Dense development is clustered around the station entrance in a bulls eye pattern with the tallest buildings adjacent to the station itself
Arlington County is home to 11 stations of the Washington D.C. public rail system called Metro Rail. (See Map) Due to their location on federal land, the area around Metro Rail stations at the Pentagon, Washington National Airport, and Arlington National Cemetery have not been planned for additional development by Arlington County. The East Falls Church station area is currently planned for medium density development that is more in keeping with its residential surroundings.
Arlington County’s citizens and government have been working together to plan for dense redevelopment around the remaining seven rail stations since designs for the Metro Rail system emerged in the 1960s. Typically this redevelopment is shaped in a bulls eye pattern with the tallest and most dense development adjacent to the Metro stations quickly tapering to lower buildings and single family neighborhoods within one quarter mile from the station entrance.
Boundaries for these “Metro Station Areas“ (MSAs) have been drawn based on this quarter mile radius (a suitable walking distance to and from the Metro and residential, retail or office buildings) and a combination of major transportation routes, Census geography and neighborhood boundaries. The seven MSAs have been carefully planned for mixed used development (generally retail, office, educational or institutional, and residential) to create vibrant nodes of activity within the County.
Today these MSAs form two corridors, the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor and the Jefferson-Davis Corridor. (See Map) The Rosslyn, Court House, Clarendon, Virginia Square and Ballston station areas make up the Rosslyn Ballston Corridor which runs along Wilson, Clarendon and Fairfax Boulevards from east to west in the middle of the County. The Jefferson Davis Corridor is comprised of the Pentagon City and Crystal City station areas and includes the area just south of the Pentagon and east of Washington National Airport.
Each station area has been planned for a unique mix of development to highlight various goals of the County. Crystal City and Rosslyn are predominantly high density office, hotel and residential station areas while Clarendon has been identified as an “urban village,” and is an emerging retail center for the County. Virginia Square includes a diverse mix of educational (it is home to a campus of George Mason University), office and residential uses. Ballston and Pentagon City are the major retail centers for the County surrounded by office, hotel and residential uses. Court House is the home of the County government and courts as well as several high rise office and residential buildings.
For more information about Metro Station Areas or Arlington County planning policies please contact the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development at 703-228-3525.
