The Coming Transformation of 22202

Our November newsletter contained background information about the County’s ongoing study of Pentagon City to determine whether and where it could be more densely redeveloped in the coming years.   We already know that the construction of additional, high-rise residential units in recent years has allowed 22202’s population to grow by 50% since the year 2000. Plus, the Crystal City Sector Plan calls for doubling the existing number of residential units in its territory, and Amazon’s new HQ2 will grow Pentagon City’s day-time population by 25,000. Consequently, the foundational component of the study was to be a determination of how much more density could be constructed in 22202 before hitting the capacity ceiling of its transportation infrastructure.

We have just learned that the County has made that determination. It has concluded that if all of the ambitious development currently underway, including plans in the pipeline, or just contemplated in the Crystal City Sector Plan or Pentagon City’s PDSP were to be fully built out in the coming years, 22202 would still be able to increase its overall population by an additional 20 percent, much of it located in Pentagon City.

There’s just one problem. The County has not revealed what assumptions were made, or data relied upon, much less what methodology was employed in order to achieve this finding. Although transparency by County staff has not exactly been forthcoming during the course of this study, we intend to press for information and answers that will enable us to analyze the efficacy of staff’s conclusion.

Meanwhile, the study will now proceed in the coming weeks to consider urban design guidelines for this future development and it will be relying heavily on our community’s input on proposed alternative concepts and scenarios. Please stay tuned to help us with analysis and input during this new phase of the study that will eventually have a major impact on our community.

Category: Uncategorized