On May 8, the Crystal City BID launched a colorful campaign to connect, support and lift up residents of Arlington County, specifically in the neighborhoods of Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard, as the global pandemic continues to spread.
The initiative—inspired by Busboys and Poets owner Andy Shallal’s #PaintTheStorefronts project—kicked off with the unveiling of several window-based murals, all of which feature images like sunbursts, oversized hearts, blooming flowers and messages of encouragement.
The artwork is hand-painted by local artists like Cris Clapp Logan, known for her watercolor illustrations, muralist Jeff Huntington, visual artist Juan Pineeda, arts organizer Chelsea Ritter-Soronsen and more.
While as of now, the intricate designs align the windows of restaurants and retailers, including Commonwealth Joe, Freddie’s Beach Bar, Jaleo, Los Tios, Enjera and Vintage Dress Company, local residents can expect to see more color in the coming weeks.
“As this initiative advances over the course of the month, residents, workers and visitors can expect to encounter additional bursts of color and messages of encouragement throughout the National Landing area,” said Crystal City BID President and Executive Director Tracy Sayegh Gabriel in a recent press release.
Along with the storefront beautification project, the Crystal City BID has hired local muralist team Brocoloco, which has transformed buildings in the region into beautiful pieces of art for the past decade or so, to create vinyl wraps that will cover two welcome boxes with frontages spanning over 20 feet. The team will also take to the sidewalk, producing 100 sidewalk decals with positive and amusing messages, scattered throughout the neighborhood. These projects are set to be complete by the end of May, and you can stay updated on the progress via social media.
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