The Village at Shirlington

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = The Village at Shirlington


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location = Shirlington, Virginia
opening_date = 1944
owner= Federal Realty Investment Trust
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developer=
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website = [http://www.villageatshirlington.com/ The Village at Shirlington]
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The Village at Shirlington opened as Shirlington Shopping Center in 1944, and was the first large shopping center to open in the Washington, D.C. suburbs and one of the earliest in the United States. It is located along S. 28th Street (now Campbell Avenue) at the intersection of Shirley Highway and Quaker Lane / Shirlington Road in Arlington, Virginia. The center has been known since the mid-1980s' as The Village at Shirlington.

History

The center was originally developed by Joseph Cherner, automobile dealer and banker, on a 23 1/2 acre site to provide for the basic shopping needs of the nearby sprawling Parkfairfax, developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and the Defense Homes Corporation development at Fairlington. ["1000th War worker Family Settles Down in Fairlington," by Mary Spargo, "The Washington Post", Aug 29, 1943, p. M10.] [”Community Shopping Problems Met With Opening of a Supermarket,” "The Washington Post", Jul 10, 1944, p. 12.] [”'Uncle Joe' Cherner's Saga Is Strictly 'Alger',” by John London, "The Washington Post", Oct 13, 1949, pg. C1.] He established the Shirlington Corporation in August 1943, and the first store opened in June 1944. The center expanded gradually, with an increasing variety of retail offerings. In 1947, the local women’s clothing chain Jelleff's chain opened a 7,000 square foot store; its fourth branch and first suburban location. [”Fourth Branch Store Opened in Shirlington by Jelleff’s,” "The Washington Post", Dec 12, 1947, p. B2.] It was also known as ‘’’Shirlington Business Center’’’. By the time of its fifth anniversary, there were 48 stores operating in the shopping center. In addition to Jelleff's, there was an Acme supermarket, F.W. Woolworth, Singer Sewing Center, Fanny Farmer candy, Firestone as well as standard local offerings, such as a Shirley Food Store. ["48-Store Center Runs Gamut of Crullers to Cars," by Conrad P. Harness, "The Washington Post", Oct 13, 1949, p. C1.] In 1951, the center expanded with 25 additional stores. ["Joseph Cherner Reveals Shirlington Plans for Expansion," "The Washington Post", Nov 25, 1951, By Gershon Fishbein, p. M12.]

On September 14, 1959, the Lansburgh's department store opened its second suburban branch location at Shirlington. [“Lansburgh Dedicates New Shirlington Store,” by Frank C. Porter, "The Washington Post, Times Herald", Sep 15, 1959, p. B8.] The 150,000 square foot store cost $2.5 million to construct. [”Lansburgh's New Store Hailed as County Asset,” by Frank C. Porter, "The Washington Post and Times Herald," Jul 2, 1958, p. D7.] It would be the center’s only anchor department store. It closed in May 1973, and reopened as a Best Products store. [”Shoppers Jam Lansburgh's for Its Final Sale,” by Paul Hodge, "The Washington Post, Times Herald", May 11, 1973, p. C1.] [”Area Department Store Sales Soar,” by William H. Jones, "The Washington Post, Times Herald", Jul 21, 1973, p. C10.]

The center declined during the 1970's because of the economic slump and growing competition from close by modern shopping malls, including Springfield Mall. In 1982, the Oliver T. Carr Co. unveiled a $250 million dollar plan to redevelop the then 425,000 square foot shopping center. ["$250 Million Plan for Shirlington Unveiled," by Nancy Scannell and Kenneth E. John, "The Washington Post", Jul 8, 1982, p. A1.] Since then, the center has been expanded and renamed The Village at Shirlington. ["Where We Live: Shirlington Renovation Causing Concern," by Sandra Evans, "The Washington Post", Jul 22, 1989, p. E1] It is now owned and managed by Federal Realty Investment Trust, which purchased it in 1995.

In 2005, after years of planning between Federal Realty Investment Trust and Arlington County, construction began on an expansion of the Village at Shirlington, which added 650 apartment and condominium units, doubled the length of the main street, more retail space including a Harris Teeter grocery store, a branch library, and a new home for the Signature Theatre. The goal is "to increase the number of people in Shirlington to create a round-the-clock environment there." [Daniela Deane, "Making Shirlington a Magnet; Developers Planning Stores, Theater, Condos to Bring More People to Village in Arlington," "The Washington Post", January 29, 2005, p. F1.]

References

External Links

* [http://www.villageatshirlington.com/ The Village at Shirlington website (retrieved Sep 4, 2008)]