Living Here
Homes — Parks — Dogs
Would you like to live here?
We love living in Shirlington! The commercial heart of our neighborhood is theVillage at Shirlington.
Within and around the village center, new residents can choose from eight townhouse and apartment-style communities, each governed by homeowner associations, and three apartment rental communities.
There are no single-family detached homes in the Shirlington neighborhood, but plenty in the adjacent neighborhoods of Green Valley, Claremont, and Douglas Park. Fairlington has a variety of housing as well.
Condominiums in Shirlington:
The Arlington (Facebook page)
Shirlington Village Condominiums
Courtbridge I
Courtbridge II
Windgate I (realtor link)
Windgate II
Windgate III
Heatherlea (realtor link)
Apartments in Shirlington:
The Delancey
Io Piazza
The Citizen
Despite their names, the Shirlington House and Park Shirlington apartment communities are located in the Fairlington Civic Association area, the Shirlington Crest townhouse community is located in Green Valley Civic Association and the West Village at Shirlington is located in the Douglas Park Civic Association. All are within walking distance of the Village at Shirlington.
Parks
We love our local parks!
The SCA supports and participates in stream cleanups along Shirlington Park and Jennie Dean Park.
Many of us regularly report problems and pick up litter and dog leavings in Shirlington Park. (No, the County Parks staff are not expected to do that.)
It takes a neighborhood (or several) to support a park!
Shirlington Park is the closest park for most of our residents. This narrow, 11.5- acre streamside park is shaded by mature trees on either side of the multi-use trail and offers exercise stations, a few open grassy areas, and great views of Four Mile Run.
The stream is frequented by a Great Blue Heron, a Black-Crowned Night Heron and several pairs of mallard ducks, in addition to the usual songbirds and a lot of crows.
The Four Mile Run Trail is the backbone of Shirlington Park. This trail runs from Falls Church to the Mount Vernon Trail-near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It connects to the Bluemont Junction, W&OD, and Lucky Run Trails.
Jennie Dean Park, which is nearing the end of a major overhaul, is located across the stream in the Green Valley neighborhood. The park’s name honors Jennie Serepta Dean (1848–1913), founder of the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth. The new design includes historic interpretation elements about the role this park played in the history of Green Valley.
The park offers a brand-new playground, softball/multiuse field, Little League baseball field, basketball court, tennis court, large picnic shelter, small picnic shelter/public art structure, swings, and plenty of open space for casual use. Innovative features include an observation deck– cantilevered over the stream– for watching local wildlife and native plants for storm water bioretention.
SCA volunteers have participated actively in the multi-year planning and design process and we're thrilled to see the re-opening of Jennie Dean Park in May 2022!
Allie Freed Park is a five-acre forested park adjoining the Windgate I townhouse community. It is adjacent to Barcroft Park, borders the Four Mile Run Stream, and connects with Lucky Run Trail and Four Mile Run Trail.
The park, which is named after industrialist and real estate developer Allie S. Freed (1892-1938), features open green spaces, a paved path, large picnic shelter, playground, and provides trail access over the stream to Barcroft Recreation Center.
Often called the skinniest park in Virginia, the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park https://www.novaparks.com/parks/washington-and-old-dominion-railroad-regional-park is a 45-mile-long paved trail running from its eastern trailhead in the Green Valley neighborhood to Purcellville, Virginia.
Run, cycle, or skate along the former roadbed of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, through the urban heartland and into the Virginia countryside.
Dogs
Living with Dogs in Shirlington
Many businesses in the Village at Shirlington are dog-friendly, providing water and sometimes treats for your furry friends.
People like to stop in for a bite after walking their dogs. Although dogs are not allowed inside fenced outdoor dining areas, they are
welcome to lie down alongside.
Our neighborhood boasts a number of dog-related services.
Located within the Village at Shirlington are:
• Shirlington Animal Hospital
• Dogma Bakery (full of pet supplies, food, and offering grooming).
Services outside our civic association boundaries include:
• The Muddy Mutt offering grooming and self-wash tubs
• Wag More Dogs offering grooming and pet supplies
• Board Hound providing day care, boarding, and training
• Fur-Get-Me-Not offering day care and training
Additional pet resources are featured in the annual Wags ‘N Whiskers festival, which was suspended during the pandemic but is soon to return, we hope.
The Famous, Fabulous Shirlington Dog Park
For dog park hours, rules,and more,
please visit the
Shirlington Dogs II website .
If you enjoy using the Shirlington Dog Park, please consider donating or volunteering with Shirlington Dogs II
To receive important dog park notices, join their email list.
Ideas on the future of the dog park were developed by members of the Four Mile
Run Valley Parks Master Plan Working Group.
Entrance gates are on S. Nelson and S. Oxford Streets, with a third gate accessed via a path off Walter Reed Drive in Green Valley.
Click here for a map of the dog park:
https://shirlingtondogs.org/dog-park-map
Since 2005, the all-volunteer
Shirlington Dogs II has worked with
the County to maintain the Shirlington
Dog Park as a clean, safe, and
enjoyable place for dogs and their
owners.
Arlington County provides only two
hours of maintenance per month,
which includes sweeping the path and
other tasks requiring vehicles.
Shirlington Dogs II volunteers provide
all other maintenance to the grounds,
distributing poop bags, and installing advisory signs.
The Shirlington Civic Association enthusiastically supports
and advocates for this beloved dog park, which is so
important to the dog-friendly businesses in our area, but the
association is not formally involved with its operations. Many
Shirlingtonians have volunteered in dog park cleanups and in
other ways.
Photos courtesy of Shirlington Dogs II
