Crystal City, once cast off by Washington, reinvents itself

Arlington, Virginia

NEXT to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and directly across the Potomac River from Washington, the Crystal City neighbourhood, which because of federal cuts had become a virtual ghost town, is quietly and persistently reinventing itself.

At first glance, there appears to be nothing new among the high-rise offices and apartments lining Crystal Drive and its bisecting streets in this Arlington County enclave. In fact, there is little new construction. Instead, buildings from the 1960s to 1980s are being retrofitted, some converted from offices to apartments, others welcoming new commercial tenants, including tech startups, co-working spaces and restaurants.