My parking garage in Ballston is the "warehouse" level in a video game
But for something that sprang up out of nondescript sprawl in the 1980s (and much of it more recent) this is pretty convincing quickly built urban environment
However, because of its origin as a modern density corridor and not an actual urban neighborhood, the old highway through here is pretty much fully intact. Wide, fast, loud. Trucks. Heavily pedestrianized but still intimidating in many spots.
Driving home (mostly west on U.S. 29) is interesting. Here's Wilson Boulevard, on the way out of Arlington's dense area. Lot by lot, the area is changing. This immediate area isn't quite there yet.
A kind-of street area along 29. Interesting how the new developments have a more urbanist design, but are still just little pieces along a highway landscape.
And here is the Garden City Shopping Center, an early (50s) strip mall along U.S. 29. Very interesting building. Looks like an urban block. Packed parking lot and full of mostly immigrant-owned businesses.
The first "Marina" Safeway I've seen that's still a Safeway! Beautiful, well preserved piece of 1960s commercial architecture. A little off 29 in McLean
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