Want to know a big reason NSF is moving to Alexandria? Ballston is looking run down and the funds needed for fixing up the crumbling streets, brick-paver sidewalks, improve street lighting, and improve landscaping are going to the Artisphere, Signature, bikeshare, and a dozen other of the County Board's pet vanity projects. The County is giving $1.5 million to the Ballston BID every year, which is largely spent on public relations, and another $8 million this year for structural improvements to the Ballston Mall parking garage, which the County owns, to benefit the Washington Capitals practice arena. So the area around NSF is looking increasingly run-down. Check it out yourself. Watch out for the potholes on Wilson Blvd and the crumbling brick-paver sidewalks all over Ballston.
Barbara,
22201
38 comments:
Tacky? Try Ballston Commons Mall.
ALL the brick pave sidewalks have to be replaced in the B-R corridor, miles of sidewalks. The $$$ is going to the County Board's pet projects instead.
Wilson Blvd. needed to be repaved years ago. The paving fund is being raided for paving over parkland with synthetic playing fields.
Put the blame for the miles of deteriorating brick sidewalk, crosswalk, plaza paving installed over the past 20 years where the blame is due - Chris Zimmerman.
Zimmerman also approved the corridor's insipid architecture, starting when he was on the Planning Commission.
Speaking of pavement, seen the Pike lately? It all needs to be repaved from the Pentagon to the Fairfax County line.
The only reason more brick paver sidewalks stopped being installed in Arlington is because the disabled community threatened to sue for ADA violations. Yes they are all a mess, starting with in front of 2100 Clarendon Blvd.
Worse than Ballston Common Mall are the used car lots on Wilson Blvd and 10th Street. Can't do anything about them, they generate too much tax revenue for the County Board to squander.
Where's the Chamber of Commerce? Committee of 100? Civic Federation? Arlington Community Foundation?
They're all busy checking out retirement options in beautiful downstate North Carolina.
The County Board aka Chris Zimmerman will keep catering to the wants of his 20-something children's friends. More sports, more entertainment, more recreation.
Then there is the two-track subway system designed almost 50 years ago for low density urban offices and suburban residential neighborhoods.
NSF is smart for getting out before the expensive mess gets even bigger and messier.
How much longer can they keep trying to fit 12 sardines into a 6 sardine can? But why should they care? "Planning" decisions are made by non-residents for non-residents.
Oh look, this Saturday the CB is spending another $30,000 for 9-11 commemorative events.
So what choices do we have? Audrey Clement vs. Jay Fisette. Duh.
The local media keep this yuppie $#!+ going.
Ballston is supposed to be "Smart Growth"? It's growth for smart lawyers, REITs, developers, third rate architects, and planners who live elsewhere.
The brick paving around the NSF building is heaving and crumbling and looks terrible.
Check out N. Randolph Street between Fairfax Drive and Glebe Road, what a mess.
Then there is the 2-lane inbound and outbound I-66.
The used car lots along Wilson and N. 10th are getting bigger and uglier, concomitant with the County Board's need for sales tax revenue for new pet projects.
Ballston Common Mall is a disgrace to retail merchandising. Right across Wilson Blvd from NSF.
Anyone else overheard the conversations of the 20-somethings who live in Ballston? How can so many stupid people be earning so much money?
"Look...as a famous world leader once said: 'In order to make omlettes you have to break a few eggs'".
How can they be making so much money? They all have secret or higher security clearances, which entitles them to a career of on-the-job retirement with no intellectual activity required.
Latest from 2100 about streetscape improvements is that Donnellan is going to drag them out as long as possible so she can borrow, steal, mismanage streetcape funds for the County Board's pet projects.
"Duh...Muffy...We targeted 6 groups of Taliban terrorists today and only caused collateral damage to 2 villages. Let's celebrate at PF Changs".
What do the businesses in Ballston get from the BID? Besides weekend festivals that trash the place and third rate rock music at noon on weekdays?
Economic Development occupies a luxury ofice suite just up Glebe Road. What do Arlington taxpayers get from the non-residents who work for Economic Development (cost is $10 million per year) besides our neighborhoods infilled?
Audit street paving accounts first...you will be shocked.
"Awesome drone strikes, Yupguy. C U at Changs at 6".
Such a shame, how is Arlington going to fill the millions of square feet of empty office space that's been constructed in Ballston? Meanwhile, scores of existing office buildings remain vacant and up for lease... remind me why we need to build another 20 story behemoth?
Check out agenda item 29 for the June 15th County Board meeting - allow more than four 22 story buildings to be constructed in the Metropolitan Park redevelopment in Pentagon City.
Ballston indeed looks shabby. On the other hand Arlington's athletic fields are first-rate.
I have a bad ankle from a skiing injury years ago. I am tired of tripping over bad sidewalks in Ballston. Who do I call to ask for repairs?
What can you expect from a County that's paving over parks to create mixed use recreation at $1 million and up per field and renovating synthetic surface playing fields at $800,000 and up - renovation required about every 7 years?
Do car lots really generate tax revenue? In DC, the claim is that we shouldn't have any because the sales tax on cars is collected in the jurisdiction where they are registered not in the jurisdiction where they are purchased.
Post a Comment