AY wanted to know why Four Mile Run Valley is such a deteriorated mess in advance of the Planning Commission meeting on November 29th which will vote on recommending moving the Columbia Pike recycling drop-off to the Trades Center and the Four Mike Run Valley redevelopment charades that will commence on December 2nd.
Short answer is the County's Democratic Regime allows neighborhoods to become deteriorated so corporate and non-profit cronies - in partnership with the County's bloated planning, housing, and transportation bureaucracies - can impose mixed-use redevelopment (e.g., Clarendon) on neighborhood after neighborhood.
Regarding the Columbia Pike recycling drop-off, County Staff stated that it's the de facto 'neighborhood dump'. Moreover, home renovation contractors are also allowed to dump construction debris in and around recycling bins. And park their vehicles overnight near the recycling bins. Planning Commission and County Board are going to have to decide what deal the County will make with the renovation contractors and neighborhood businesses if household recycling is moved to the Trades Center.
Regarding the Four Miles Run Valley, a deal was reached years ago to allow Shirlington-Nauck to deteriorate to the point where the only option is a complete tear-down and "Clarendonization". Signature has been promised a new 500-seat theater. Rosslyn Spectrum has been promised a new theater. WETA has been promised new production studios. A dozen performing arts groups have been promised as much space as they need in at least 6 new buildings dedicated to the performing arts. All to be heavily taxpayer subsidized.
Needless to say, County Staff is very unhappy about the commercial businesses in the Four Mile Run corridor that have spent a considerable amount of money modernizing their buildings. If there's one thing County Staff doesn't want it's more upscale renovations like The Italian Store in Westover. As usual, the people on County Staff who are facilitating Four Mile Run Valley redevelopment don't live anywhere near Arlington.
Cindy
