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About Ballston
When you're in Ballston, you can't help but feel like you're "downtown." Ballston-MU Metrorail station is a major transportation hub, connecting Metrobus and ART buses with Metrorail's Orange Line. Upon exiting the Metro, you'll notice taller buildings here than in most parts of Arlington. Ballston is indeed a very busy place, as more than a few nationally-known organizations, both public and private, are major employers within blocks of the Metro station. The National Science Foundation, Qwest, and the Nature Conservancy are among some of the more prominent. Other signs of a big-city downtown are apparent here as well: multiple bus routes, designer coffee shops, and delicatessens that cater to the 9 to 5 crowd, to name a few. But Ballston is more than a few big office buildings. A few blocks from the Metro is a 4-level shopping center, the Ballston Common Mall, complete with a 12-screen movie theatre. Stylish restaurants within walking distance are abundant, offering varied fare from Lebanese to Tex-Mex to Thai. Apartment buildings and condominiums complement the skyline. Add to that a few churches, Arlington Central Library, and Marymount University Business School – all within a quarter mile of the Metro station.
Along with Virginia Square, Clarendon, Court House, and Rosslyn, Ballston is located on the Wilson Boulevard-Clarendon Boulevard corridor, which was named one of 10 "Great Streets" in the U.S. by the American Planning Association in 2008. Once you get away from the few blocks where Ballston resembles a busy little metropolis, the area blends into a nice little hamlet, as the high density growth tapers off to residential neighborhoods with parks, schools, and single-family homes. Residents enjoy living on quiet streets, just a short walk away from Metrorail, shopping, and all of Ballston's other amenities. |
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Arlington's urban villages are walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods well served by public transportation. People who live in these neighborhoods are able to walk to shopping or to restaurants and hop on Metrorail, Metrobus or ART when they need to go anywhere else in the Washington Metro area. More about Arlington's urban villages. |
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Even though there are a lot of office buildings, Ballston stays active at night. The combination of residences, restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and the Metro station keep the neighborhood alive after five. It's an area that feels safe, with people always out and about, even late at night.