A set of pedestrian-oriented upgrades to sidewalks, lighting and seating is getting underway in the Village at Shirlington.
Construction work, which was proposed in May 2025 and is intended to “improve connectivity, enhance public spaces, and preserve the property’s historic character,” is expected to last through November.
Federal Realty Investment Trust listed the following planned improvements in a press release today (Wednesday).
- Expanded sidewalks and outdoor dining patios along Campbell Avenue to create more comfortable al fresco seating areas.
- New wayfinding and property signage, decorative lighting, upgraded site furnishings, and unified landscaping treatments throughout.
- New seating and curated public art installations in the North Courtyard, the Library Plaza, and the breezeway adjacent to Jenni’s Ice Cream to create welcoming areas for social connection.
- Architectural refinements to the façade along the North Courtyard.
- Relocation and recommissioning of the circa 1986 Beaux Arts fountain from the Campbell Avenue median to the North Courtyard, featuring a new basin, integrated seating and coordinated landscaping.
- Enhancements to the North and South Vias to improve pedestrian circulation and elevate the overall visitor experience.
Further infrastructure changes will include improvements to stormwater management and conversion of street lighting to energy-efficient LEDs, while preserving the existing tree canopy.
“The Shirlington neighborhood is a gem within the greater metro area and this investment allows us to meet the evolving needs of the community and the businesses that call the Village home,” said Mike Ennes, senior vice president of asset management at Federal Realty Investment Trust. “By integrating the site’s distinctive historical character with elevated amenities and infrastructure improvements, we are further enhancing an already vibrant destination and preparing it for several decades to come.”
Geoff Sharpe, vice president of creative planning and development with Federal Realty Investment Trust, told ARLnow last year that there has been a lot of deferred maintenance in Shirlington and general urban design updates that are long overdue.
“Because the outdoor dining is so successful at Shirlington, there’s tension over the real estate of the sidewalk,” Sharpe said.
Most of that comes down to battles between pedestrians and restaurants taking up space for outdoor dining, when Sharpe said the issue is really that the streets too heavily favor car traffic.
“Campbell Avenue was designed in the 1980s and the approach is very old school,” Sharpe said. “Forty years ago, it was all about moving traffic quickly. Nowadays, from an urban design perspective, we’re more concerned with pedestrian safety and traffic calming.”
All businesses will remain open during construction, but both motorists and pedestrians should expect some partial road closures along Campbell Avenue.
