Potomac Yard
Potomac Yard is a neighborhood in Northern Virginia that straddles southeastern Arlington County and northeastern Alexandria, Virginia, located principally in the area between U.S. Route 1 and the Washington Metro Blue Line /Yellow Line tracks (or the George Washington Memorial Parkway, depending on the definition used).[1][2] The area was home to (and takes its name from) what was once one of the busiest rail yards on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. The "Potomac Yard" name is also used to refer to several developments in the area, especially the Potomac Yard Center power center and a Washington Metro station.
In 2018, Amazon.com, Inc. announced plans to locate part of its "HQ2" second headquarters project in Northern Virginia, specifically in the newly re-branded cross-jurisdictional neighborhood of National Landing, which local and state officials said would include Potomac Yard as well as nearby parts of southern Arlington, including the Crystal City neighborhood that will be the hub of the HQ2 development.[3][4] Amazon initially planned to split HQ2 between National Landing and Long Island City, New York, but opposition from New York officials led Amazon to cancel that portion of the project, leaving National Landing as the only HQ2 site.[5]
Prior to Amazon's selection of National Landing, Virginia Tech had stated it would establish an "Innovation Campus" in the Alexandria portion of the neighborhood.[4]
History
English settlers built several plantations on the site in the 18th century.
Its role as a transportation hub began when
In accordance with the plan, the
The booming "Pot Yard" attracted thousands of workers, who largely settled in the areas of Del Ray and St. Elmo. These subdivisions incorporated as the town of Potomac in 1908, but were annexed by the City of Alexandria in 1930.
Potomac Yard in its heyday was one of the busiest railyards in the Eastern United States, processing thousands of cars daily. The PRR extended its
After the corporate mergers of the former separate railroad companies that used the yard to interchange freight cars, the need for Potomac Yard greatly diminished. It was determined by the RF&P that the land was worth more than the need for yard switching. The PRR's old
Redevelopment
At decommissioning, decades of industrial use had left the site contaminated with heavy metals and hydrocarbons, including diesel fuel. It was immediately declared a Superfund site. In 1995 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved RF&P's study and cleanup plan, and cleanup was declared completed by 1998.[9]
Various commercial and community interest groups came into conflict over the future of the
Potomac Yard Park
Construction for Potomac Yard Park began in 2009, and it opened on December 14, 2013. The park contains a water fountain, playgrounds, and sports fields within 24 acres. Located south of the main shopping district, it borders train tracks carrying freight and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail.[12]
The City of Alexandria has erected a series of seven signs in Potomac Yard Park that sequentially describe and illustrate the history of the area.[13] These include:
Point 1: Virginia's First Highways[14]
Point 2: The Alexanders & Agriculture[15]
Point 3: Building Potomac Yard[16]
Point 4: The People of Potomac Yard[17]
Point 5: Crossroads of Transportation[18]
Point 6: The Rail Yard Hump[19]
Point 7: Potomac Yard In Transition[20]
Transportation
Bus rapid transit from Crystal City to Potomac Yard opened in August 2014. Branded as Metroway, it travels in dedicated lanes along U.S. Route 1.
A Washington Metro infill station opened on May 19, 2023,[21] after a previously scheduled opening date of April 2022 was pushed back due to a safety issue with the automatic train control systems.[22][23]
A streetcar system in Northern Virginia was proposed to open in 2020, with trains traveling between Potomac Yard, Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Bailey's Crossroads.[24] In late November 2014 the Arlington County Board cancelled the streetcar plan.[25]
References
- ^ "Geocortex Viewer for HTML5". geo.alexandriava.gov. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
- ^ "Alexandria's rapid urbanization". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
- ^ "National Landing? Long Island City? This is where Amazon's headquarters are located". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
- ^ a b Arlington County & City of Alexandria. "Northern Virginia's National Landing Selected for Major New Amazon Headquarters". Retrieved 2018-11-20.
- ^ Staff, NBC Washington. "Amazon Kills NYC Plan, Leaving Virginia With Sole HQ2 Site". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- ^ a b c Bromberg, Francine W. (2010). "The History of Potomac Yard: A Transportation Corridor through Time." Archived 2012-11-07 at the Wayback Machine Appendix III of North Potomac Yard Small Area Plan. City of Alexandria, VA.
- ^ a b Cohen, Robert (2003). "History of the Long Railroad Bridge Crossing Across the Potomac River." National Railway Historical Society, Washington, D.C. Chapter.
- ^ National Railway Historical Society, Washington, D.C. Chapter. "Timeline of Washington, D.C. Railroad History." Accessed 2012-11-14.
- ^ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Philadelphia, PA. "Mid-Atlantic Superfund: Potomac Yard." Accessed 2012-11-14.
- ^ "Mid-Rise Apartment Design | Alexandria, VA". KTGY Architecture + Planning. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ (1) Hansen, Drew. "Curtain Goes Up on Potomac Yard Park". Patch.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
(2) "Potomac Yard Park". Alexandria Parks Listing (M-R). City of Alexandria, Virginia. 2015-10-26. Archived from the original on 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
(3) Coordinates of Potomac Yard Park: 38°49′46″N 77°02′51″W / 38.829545°N 77.0474°W - ^ "Potomac Yard Park". Alexandria Heritage Trail: Heritage Trail Signs. City of Alexandria, Virginia. Archived from the original on 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
- ^ Virginia's First Highways
- ^ The Alexanders & Agriculture
- ^ Building Potomac Yard
- ^ The People of Potomac Yard
- ^ Crossroads of Transportation
- ^ The Rail Yard Hump
- ^ Potomac Yard In Transition
- Washington Post. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ Lazo, Luz (June 14, 2016). "After delays, plan to build Potomac Yard Metro station project moves forward". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ^ "Metro Announces Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Opening Delay". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. July 26, 2021. Retrieved 26 Nov 2021.
- ^ Trompeter, Brian (October 9, 2014). "Fairfax supervisors OK next steps toward Columbia Pike streetcar project". InsideNoVa. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ Sullivan, Patricia (November 18, 2014). "Arlington officials halt efforts on streetcars for Columbia Pike, Crystal City". Washington Post. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
External links
- City of Alexandria: Potomac Yard/Potomac Greens Small Area Plan (PDF), Adopted 1992 Master Plan.
- City of Alexandria, VA. "Potomac Yard Development."
- McCaffery Interests: Potomac Yard Retail Center
- Potomac Yard Civic Association
- Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Historical Society
- "Washington & Old Dominion Railroad trestle over Potomac Yard north of the Yard's St. Asaph station". Archived from the original (photograph) on 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-22 – via Pinterest.
- Hammer, Ben. "Potomac Yard sale could alter mix", Washington Business Journal, May 21, 2004.