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🍃 Arlington, Virginia
Excited for the future of Ballston Park and beyond.
Hello, neighbors! We're a friendly coalition of people who love this corner of Arlington: the historic garden apartments, the big old trees, and the shops along Glebe. We're looking forward to meeting current and future neighbors and building community through shared goals.
Building community through shared goals
Ballston Park Neighbors is a volunteer coalition of neighbors, renters and homeowners alike, who are excited about what comes next for the Ballston Park apartments, the Buckingham commercial district, and the historic Buckingham Village around them.
We follow the County's planning study together, share what we learn in plain language, and make sure everyone who lives here has a chance to be heard. No dues, no officers. Just neighbors getting to know each other and caring for the place we share.
- 🏡Neighbors helping neighborsFriendly volunteers. Everyone is welcome.
- 🌳Looking ahead togetherHistoric buildings, mature trees, and homes for current and future neighbors.
Buckingham Village Historic District
A garden community, and its main street, that we love
Buckingham was built between 1937 and 1953 as six residential sections around a commercial core. Its first phase, designed by Henry Wright in the Colonial Revival style, is today's Ballston Park.
Financed by the Federal Housing Administration as a middle-income neighborhood, Buckingham was the third FHA project built in Arlington. It is a surviving example of New Deal–era housing and community planning: two-story brick buildings set in shared green space.
The historic Buckingham shopping center
The shops were part of the plan from the start of Buckingham's growth. Its designers put the shopping facilities right at the corner of N. Glebe Road and N. Pershing Drive, at the heart of the community, and they were built after the first apartments proved a success. Today the historic district includes two commercial blocks and three freestanding commercial buildings.
The whole commercial area is inside the local historic district, and it is listed in the National Register too. Arlington's historic inventory rates it "Important." A 1945 Washington Post headline announced a "Post Office and market for Buckingham," and there's still a post office here today.
- Arlington Local Historic District · 1993
- Virginia Landmarks Register · 1998
- National Register of Historic Places · 1999
“The built environment of Buckingham occupies less than 20% of the land, leaving the remainder for landscaped parks, play areas, parking, and streets.”Arlington County, Historic Resources Inventory fact sheet
- 1937–38First phase built: today's Ballston Park, designed by Henry Wright.
- 1937–1953Six phases of Colonial Revival garden apartments completed around the shopping center at Glebe and Pershing.
- 1945The Washington Post announces a "Post Office and market for Buckingham."
- 1993Arlington designates Buckingham a Local Historic District.
- 1998–1999Added to the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register. Later expansions bring in more of Buckingham, including the commercial area.
- 2006–2014Buckingham Villages 1 and 2 are torn down and rebuilt.
- 2026The County launches a planning study of Ballston Park and the Buckingham Commercial Area.
🏛️
Let's care for these historic apartments together
Describe the buildings at risk and what neighbors can do this week.
The County's planning study
In May 2026 the Arlington County Board launched a planning study of the Ballston Park apartment community and the neighboring Buckingham Commercial Area. It will look at long-term options, from keeping the area mostly as it is to guidance for how it could change.
The study is starting mainly because affordable-housing agreements for many Ballston Park units expire at the end of 2027. The whole site sits inside the Buckingham Village Local Historic District.
No decisions have been made, and the County says current leases and rents are not changing. It's a great moment to learn together, share ideas, and help shape a future that works for everyone here.
- ~25 acresin the study area: about 20.5 residential and 4.5 commercial
- 512garden-style apartments at Ballston Park today
- 12–18 moexpected length of the study, starting fall 2026
- Ashton Heights boundary
- Study area
- Ballston Park apartments
- Buckingham Commercial Area
- Historic district boundary
- Within ¼ mile of Metro: the County's high-density "bull's-eye"
What the study will look at
Nine topics, one shared future
The County organized the study around nine planning topics. Here's a friendly summary of each, with the County's early goals and a few things they found. Tap a topic to learn more.
Equity & Access to ServicesMake sure everyone can take part, and help Ballston Park residents and Buckingham businesses stay and thrive if change comes.
What the County found
- 16% of residents in the study area's census tract have limited English, compared with 9.3% countywide.
- The Buckingham shops include about 20 local businesses: restaurants, Glebe Market, a post office, a pharmacy, and more.
- Glebe Market is right in the study area, and two more grocery stores are about 0.3 miles away.
Land Use & ZoningAllow a mix of uses and more housing near the Ballston and Virginia Square Metro stations, with gentle transitions to nearby homes.
What the County found
- Today's apartment zoning allows up to 36 homes per acre and 4 stories (40 feet) by right.
- The commercial corners allow buildings up to 45 feet.
- The County notes the current rules limit new housing but do meet its historic preservation goals. The study will define future heights and densities.
HousingKeep and add affordable homes, help current residents stay, and add more homes of all kinds.
What the County found
- Ballston Park has 512 apartments: 233 committed affordable and 279 market-rate affordable.
- It's 0.4% of Arlington's homes but 2% of its committed affordable units.
- Affordability agreements end December 31, 2027, with protections continuing through 2030.
Building Form & Urban DesignRespect the historic look and feel of Buckingham Village while creating great, connected public spaces.
What the County found
- New buildings should complement the historic ones in style, materials, scale, and height.
- Heights should step down next to nearby homes, especially along N. Oxford St.
- The County hopes to include public art that reflects Buckingham's identity.
Historic PreservationUnderstand what makes Buckingham Village special and balance preservation with change.
What the County found
- Local Historic District since 1993, Virginia Landmarks Register in 1998, and National Register in 1999.
- Rated "Essential" on Arlington's Historic Resources Inventory.
- A consultant is studying which buildings and landscapes matter most. A later phase may consider changes to the historic district's boundary.
Transportation & ConnectivityA safe, comfortable network for everyone, with walking, transit, and biking first.
What the County found
- Goals include a better walking experience along and across N. Glebe Rd.
- Safer intersections are planned at N. Quincy/Henderson, the 4th St. mid-block crossing, and N. Pershing Dr.
- N. Quincy St. already has protected bike lanes, and several ART and Metrobus routes serve the area.
Public & Private Spaces & Resident AmenitiesWelcoming spaces for play, nature, and connection for people of all ages and abilities.
What the County found
- Ballston Park has a pool, clubroom and gym, two tot lots, and landscaped courtyards.
- The County's parks plan found gaps nearby for community gardens, basketball courts, and dog parks.
- Henry Wright Park and Mosaic Park are about 0.4 miles away.
SustainabilityProtect and grow the tree canopy, manage stormwater, and keep things cool and green.
What the County found
- Tree canopy on the residential land is 37–46% today. The goal for preserved residential areas is 50%.
- The site was built on Garden City ideas: buildings woven together with trees, plantings, and open courtyards.
- It's in the Doctor's Branch watershed, which has the greatest flood risk to vulnerable communities in the county.
Public Facilities, Schools & InfrastructurePlan ahead for schools, parks, and utilities as the area grows.
What the County found
- The County will work with Arlington Public Schools on possible enrollment changes.
- Barrett Elementary is about 0.6 miles away, and Thomas Jefferson Middle about 0.7 miles.
- Water and sewer have no current capacity concerns, but long-range sewer plans assumed little growth here.
Summarized from Arlington County, Ballston Park & Buckingham Commercial Area Planning Study, Phase 1: Existing Conditions Analysis, Goals and Objectives (draft, October 2026). Goals are preliminary and may change. Slide numbers refer to that presentation.
Shop & dine local
Meet our Buckingham businesses
These neighbors keep our corner of Glebe and Pershing lively, tasty, and convenient. Stop by, grab a bite, and say hello!
United States Post OfficeRight in the shopping center. A 1945 headline announced a "Post Office and market for Buckingham," and the neighborhood still has one today.
Map & hours →
Restaurants
- El Paso CaféTex-MexMap, hours & website
- La Sabrosa MexicanaMexicanMap, hours & website
- Ricky's Pub & GrillLatinMap, hours & website
- Ravi Kabob HousePakistaniMap, hours & website
- Thai CurriThaiMap, hours & website
- Eastern CarryoutChineseMap, hours & website
- Popeyes Louisiana KitchenAmericanMap, hours & website
- Nash & SmashedAmericanMap, hours & website
- Jon's JointSmashburgersMap, hours & website
Shops
- Glebe MarketGrocerMap, hours & website
- Tobacco KingTobaccoMap, hours & website
- Metro by T-MobileCell phonesMap, hours & website
- Boost MobileCell phonesMap, hours & website
- CVSPharmacyMap, hours & website
Services
- Law Offices of Orlando GamarraLegal servicesMap, hours & website
- Law Offices of Andrea L. RodriguezLegal servicesMap, hours & website
- ViAmericasMoney transferMap, hours & website
- ASRS Inc.Accounting & financial servicesMap, hours & website
- Tysons Chimney Sweep & RepairChimney servicesMap, hours & website
- F&C Cleaners and Shoe RepairDry cleaningMap, hours & website
- US Postal ServicePost officeMap, hours & website
- Burn Boot CampFitnessMap, hours & website
- Avida Salon & Nail SpaSalonMap, hours & website
- Urgent Animal Care of ArlingtonPet urgent careWebsite · Map, hours & website
- Woofs Dog Training CenterDog training & daycareMap, hours & website
- EZ Learning Driving SchoolDriving schoolMap, hours & website
Business list from Arlington County's Existing Conditions Analysis (slide 18, list as of August 2026; the County is updating it). Businesses come and go, so the map link shows each one's current hours and website. Know of a business we missed? Let us know.
What's happening
Good things to know, and ways to get involved.
Planning study kicks off this fall
The County expects the Ballston Park study to take 12–18 months, with a working group and community input along the way.
County study page →We'd love to meet you
New to the area, been here for decades, or just curious? Say hello, share an idea, or ask a question. We're always happy to hear from neighbors.
Say hello →