Crystal City, Virginia: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Crystal City is an unincorporated area located in the southeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, DC. Crystal City is centered along a stretch of the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway (U.S. Highway 1), just south of The Pentagon and within walking distance to the west of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Characterized as one of many "urban villages" by Arlington County, Crystal City is almost exclusively populated by high rise apartment buildings, corporate offices, hotels, and numerous shops and restaurants. There is also an extensive network of underground shopping areas and connecting corridors beneath Crystal City.

Prior to development by the Charles E. Smith Co. (which also built much of downtown Washington), the area was mostly composed of industrial sites, junkyards, and low rent motels. The RF & P railroad tracks were also moved closer to National Airport to accommodate more space for development.

Though it was not intended as a planned community, it unfolded that way after construction began on the first condominiums and office buildings in 1963. The name "Crystal City" came from the first building, which was called Crystal House and had an elaborate crystal chandelier in the lobby. Every subsequent building took on the Crystal name (i.e., Crystal Gateway, Crystal Towers), and eventually the whole neighborhood. Crystal City is largely integrated in layout and extensive landscaping, as well as the style and materials of the high rise buildings, most of which have a speckled granite exterior.

Crystal City presently has over 6,000 residents, while around 60,000 come to work there every weekday. It is home to the United States Patent and Trademark Office until 2005, when that office will complete a move to nearby Alexandria.

Crystal City has a stop on the Washington Metro blue and yellow lines, and on the Virginia Railway Express commuter train system.