By Lynn Norusis
Over the past 10 years Northern Virginia has seen inconceivable amounts of construction—whether in amount or in actuality (the Silver Line is finally up and running). This is not new to the 1,316-square-mile swath of land we call home, but the buildings are the superficial level. It is what they house and the visions that brought them to fruition that hold the nexus of life here.
To delve into the lifestyle changes that have happened over the past decade, we first need to understand what “here” consists of. What is Northern Virginia?
Though argued by some, and embraced by others, Northern Virginia lays claim to half a dozen cities—Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Leesburg, Manassas and Manassas Park—and a handful of counties—Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William. A longtime contention point with residents of the originals (Arlington and Fairfax), we can all agree NoVA is growing and expanding, mainly due to the common bonds we can find in congestion. Who hasn’t played the “I sit in X hours of traffic” game in any conversation?
The good that comes from all this traffic? There is something worth traveling for.
In the past decade all counties have shucked the term “suburb of the District” and created hubs of culture that can stand up to any metropolis offerings.
Want award-winning theater? There is Tysons Corner’s 1st Stage, Shirlington’s Signature Theatre, Fairfax’s The Hub and many community troupes like The Arlington Players and The Little Theater of Alexandria. For the big screen, we have film festivals that not only bring the Hollywood actors to us, but we also have a growing film industry right here, ready for us to laugh and weep at their cinematic art.
Want renowned venues? Look no further than Vienna’s Wolf Trap and Jammin’ Java, Manassas’ Hylton Performing Arts Center, Alexandria’s Birchmere and Torpedo Factory.
Want a bit of imbibing? We can’t even count the number of wineries that spread across our western lands. And the sibling markets of breweries and distilleries … When Northern Virginia Magazine last dedicated an issue to the local beer scene in 2012, there were maybe a dozen breweries. Today, there are more than 50 breweries, half of which are expected to open within the next year. And the number of distilleries, just over the past handful of years, has gone from zero to almost 10.
Then there are the fashion and food scenes. Gone are the days of our only option being chain stores or restaurants. NoVA’s shopping meccas—Tysons Corner, King Street and Mosaic, to name a few—now house boutique stores that curate luxury and indie brands that have residents of all ages decked out in the latest trends. And let’s not forget our emerging designers: Sophie Blake, Erika Schrieber, Kim Elleen and TSALT. Our chefs are on-trend with diners’ insistence on local, offering intuitive entrees that bring local applause and national recognition. NoVA is now a certified foodie destination.
But with all that has transpired to bring vibrancy to the area, there are issues percolating that need our attention: illicit drug use has risen; homicides are down, but suicides are up; gun laws are still a contentious point of disagreement; and even though county school boards have taken the welcoming step of protecting transgender students through new discrimination policies, and same-sex marriages have proceeded in the state, there is still more work to have an all-inclusive society.
Will we get there? If the amount of change over the past 10 years doesn’t give a reason for hope, we don’t know what does.
( January 2016 )
