Amazon has decided to split its second headquarters in half, choosing to divide HQ2 between Crystal City in southeast Arlington and New York City. A formal announcement is expected Tuesday.
The decision alleviates some of the concerns residents have voiced about transportation, infrastructure, available office space and, especially, housing.
Alexandria Realtors were divided on how the addition of Amazon’s HQ2 would affect the local housing market, with some saying home prices would increase and others saying it would be a blip on the radar. (Read more about this here: Amazon HQ2 May Affect Alexandria's Real Estate Market.)
Amazon had a number of requirements for HQ2, according to its request for proposals: “We are looking for a location with strong local and regional talent—particularly in software development and related fields—as well as a stable and business-friendly environment to continue hiring and innovating on behalf of our customers.”
The RFP requested a city or metro area with a population of greater than 1 million people, and a “stable and business-friendly environment.” The location needed to be close to a major airport, within a mile or two of major arteries and direct access to mass transit. Both Eisenhower East and Crystal City fit the bill.
Amazon looked at multiple sites in Northern Virginia, including the Eisenhower East neighborhood in Alexandria.
Even without Amazon landing in the Eisenhower East neighborhood, that area is undergoing significant changes. Wegman's grocery store will be moving in within a few years, and several more residential, office and mixed-use developments are in the pipeline.
