Let's see what happened in Crystal City Arlington last year since Amazon announced the establishment of…
Let's see what happened in Crystal City Arlington last year since Amazon announced the establishment of its plant there ... Have all our projections from the forum come true ...
In the year since Amazon announced its intention to open its second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, the city outside Washington DC, has become the e-commerce giant's blessing.
Erdin Williams, Amazon's VP of Development, told Business Insider that while there are currently 70 employees working in a temporary building in Arlington's Crystal City neighborhood, a permanent office is scheduled to open in late September.
Read more: I spent a day in Crystal City, Virginia - and it's easy to see why Amazon chose it for its new HQ2
Crystal City lies in the southeast corner of Arlington and is best known for its proximity to the Pentagon. The area - which is full of office buildings and luxurious and modern high-rise apartments - is significantly quieter and more businesslike than its capital city neighborhood.
A former Business Insider reporter, Cape Town, wrote during his visit to Crystal City in December, “It's a sleepy neighborhood, mostly office and hotel, separated from the more residential and obligatory areas of the area.
When Amazon announced it had chosen Arlington for HQ2, it said it had essentially created a new area called National Landing — encompassing Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard — for the project. When we visited the area at Amazon's Career Day on Tuesday, however, the focus was all on Crystal City and how it continued to pave the way for Amazon to come.
Here's what we saw.
When you drive to Crystal City you can see the National Monument in the near distance. The neighborhood is only a short drive from Washington, DC.
For those without a car or traveling from other neighborhoods, there is also a metro station located in the heart of Crystal City.
The first thing we noticed is that there are tons of brand new high-rise buildings.
Amazon's Career Day was held at "The Grounds," which recently opened "The Activation of Art and Public Space where Crystal City and Pentagon City meet."
"This redeveloped car park will provide residents, employees and visitors with a fun and beautiful space to play and enjoy along the rapidly evolving corridor connecting Crystal City to Pentagon City," the Crystal City official website said.
At the event we found a home dedicated to illuminating the upcoming events in Crystal City.
Attendees will be able to sign up to receive updates on local happenings and win tickets to Crystal City's upcoming Octoberfest.
The Crystal City Business Improvement District - a non-profit public-private partnership that "promotes and empowers" the business, retail, restaurant and community communities in the neighborhood - has been at the forefront of efforts to revitalize the community. The organization hosts 200 events throughout the year, including "Food Truck Thursdays", the Marine Corps Marathon and an annual holiday market.
An Amazon employee handed us this flyer on things to do and sights to see in Crystal City.
The booklet highlights various "points of interest", including a water center, hiking trails, and proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Jessica Bolger, a job seeker waiting for Amazon Career Day, said Crystal City immediately began erecting murals and other artwork in the area after Amazon released its official announcement in November 2018 that it was arriving in Arlington.
Near the ground we saw this floral mural with brightly painted bicycles.
As we turned around we saw some of the painted bikes hanging along a fence…
We visited Crystal City, Virginia, and saw how the community is evolving to welcome Amazon HQ2
We visited Crystal City, Virginia, and saw how the city is evolving to house Amazon's second headquarters.
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