Having been a long time owner in Fairlington I wanted to share a few snippets about this amazing neighborhood for those in our area or those interested in coming to our area. Fairlington is a must see.
Situated just south of the Pentagon and just about 5 miles from the White House over the years this neighborhood has been quite an epicenter for government housing. I decided to forward along a little information from the neighborhood website I felt was interesting regarding the history of Fairlington (www.fairlington.org)
Fairlington is a unique and historically significant community that was constructed for defense workers and their families by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the DC housing shortage brought on by World War II.
On the eve of America's entry into World War 11, President Roosevelt called in Houston architect Kenenth Franszheim to design housing for the wartime executives who would soon be working in and around Washington. Franzheim, joined by architect Alan B. Mills, was given his pick of skilled workers, and he had first crack at scarce building materials. He also had the money to do a first-rate job. Average cost per unit came to $10,300. |
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In 1972, Hartford sold the two projects for about $59 million to Chicago Bridge and Iron Corporation, an international builder of heavy engineering structures. Hodges and Lee became minority stockholders and officers of a new entity, CBI-Fairmac Corporation. Hodges, its president, and Lee, the executive vice president, and treasurer, began work to convert Fairlington into seven condominium villages. Walter Hodges died in 1978, just as the rehabilitation of Fairlington was completed.
Today, Fairlington reflects the charm of times gone by. Brick colonial style, slate roofs, and tree-lined streets are a testament to the expert planning and design of renowned architects Kenneth Franzheim and Alan B. Mills, while the unique sense of commmunity is affirmation of the love Fairlington's inhabitants feel for its past and their commitment to its future.
Fairlington remains a very well preserved example of the Colonial Revival style in Northern Virginia and in the Washington Metropolitan area.
Fairlington Becomes An Historic District
| On December 2, 1998, Fairlington was listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register and on March 29, 1999, in the National Register of Historic Places. These honors were the culmination of an effort begun in 1989 by Fairlington resident Lorraine Drolet. |
Today Fairlington still thrives and has been a great neighborhood for many. Many government officials still call it home. I can recall not so long ago walking my dog in the early evening and having Newt Gingrich pull up in front of one of his friends houses and as as he got out of his car and started walking to his destination he commented on how cute my dog was and gave her a little pat on the head. Since then I have married and added kids to the mix- I kept the unit in Fairlington and added two more to my portfolio. Such a bargain!
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