Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Monday, October 16, 2006
MEDIA ALERT:Planning Task Force Kicks Off Crystal City Planning Process
Ceremony and introductory Task Force meeting to be held Thursday afternoon in Crystal City
For information contact: Kelly Rindfusz, (703) 228-0890,
WHO: Christopher Zimmerman, Chairman, Arlington County Board
Crystal City Planning Task Force
WHAT: Crystal City Planning Kick-Off and Task Force Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, October 19, 2006
Kick-Off Ceremony: 4 to 4:45 p.m. in front of 2231 Crystal Drive, near the corner of 23rd Street and Crystal Drive. (Note: Rain location will be Jaleo, located at 2250 Crystal Drive.)
Task Force Meeting: 5 p.m. at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, located at 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway.
Background:
Arlington County will celebrate the official launch of the Crystal City Planning Process in an outdoor kick-off ceremony. Immediately following the celebration, the Crystal City Planning Task Force will hold its introductory meeting. The public may observe the meeting, which will last approximately one to two hours.
The Crystal City Planning Process presents perhaps the most significant opportunity in decades to shape the future of Arlington. The process will result in an exciting new vision for the next generation of development in Crystal City. Arlington County will work with a nationally recognized team of planning experts and a stakeholder task force to create a Concept Plan and Policy Framework document that will guide the transformation of Crystal City into a leading-edge urban village with a diverse mix of uses and a dynamic street-level environment.
The Crystal City Planning Process will be a community process that will result in a Concept Plan and Policy Framework document addressing key planning issues facing Crystal City, such as urban design, the transportation network, parking, land use, existing retail, economic development, density, height, and public space. The Concept Plan and Policy Framework document will be designed to enhance Crystal City’s aesthetic quality, and to encourage reinvestment in its buildings and infrastructure. Crystal City’s advantages include its proximity to National Airport and downtown Washington, D.C.; its role as a major transit hub; and its excellent base of office space, housing, hotels, restaurants and entertainment sites upon which to build.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
