Information Page by Mike Andrew, REALTOR®
Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia
Fairlington’s brick townhouses and garden-apartment buildings were built in the 1940s as housing for wartime workers. Today they are condominium homes arranged around shared lawns and courtyards, with seven separate associations across the neighborhood. Fairlington spans southern Arlington and a small part of Alexandria, close to Shirlington, King Street and I-395.
Fairlington is a residential neighborhood in southern Arlington and a small part of Alexandria. Built between 1942 and 1944 for defense workers and their families, it contains brick garden-apartment buildings and townhouse-style homes arranged around shared green spaces.
The homes were converted to condominiums in the 1970s. Fairlington is divided into seven independent condominium associations and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The name combines Fairfax and Arlington, the two counties where the original development stood. Historical Society
Boundary Stone Southwest #4 was placed beside what is now King Street. It was rescued during road widening in 1970 and reset 13 feet north of its original spot. Read more
Fairlington’s 3,439 apartments made it the nation’s largest apartment complex at the time. The Colonial Revival buildings were designed as permanent homes, rather than temporary wartime quarters. Read more
The apartments were renovated and sold as condominiums. Today, seven separate associations manage the homes across the neighborhood. Read more
The historic district entered the National Register of Historic Places on March 29. In 2002, the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects also gave Fairlington its “Test of Time” award. Read more
The Fairlington Historical Society preserves neighborhood archives, maps and local stories.
Fairlington sits at the southern end of Arlington, extending into Alexandria. The neighborhood spans both sides of I-395, near Shirlington and King Street.
The brick-red line follows the neighborhood outline mapped in OpenStreetMap.
A few local resources help explain the neighborhood beyond an individual listing.
The Historical Society's floor-plan directory compares named models such as Clarendon, Barcroft and Braddock, including their original layouts and number of levels. It is a useful starting point when a listing names a model; compare the archived plan with the actual home's current layout and alterations.
The Historical Society provides a downloadable walking-tour brochure with ten stops, including historic markers, the former administration building and the old Fairlington Elementary School. Use its route and explanations to connect the neighborhood's buildings with the history described here.
Fairlington Community Center & Park at 3308 South Stafford Street has a gymnasium, art studios, meeting rooms, a playground and a paved trail. It is an Arlington County facility, with its own activity schedule and registration separate from the condominium associations.
Fairlington includes townhouse-style homes and garden-apartment layouts, all under condominium ownership. Homes differ in the number of levels, original model and subsequent alterations. Seven independent associations manage the neighborhood, so fees and maintenance responsibilities depend on the particular home and association.
Browse listings on Mike Andrew’s real estate website. You can change the map area, price, bedrooms and other search filters there.
Search current listings in FairlingtonOpens the live search on mikeandrew.homes.
Arlington County recreation programs and public park facilities.
Neighborhood history and information about the seven associations.
Resident information for the association on the north side of I-395.
Yes. Fairlington includes condominium homes with townhouse-style layouts as well as garden-apartment layouts.
No. There are seven independent condominium associations. Fees and services are specific to each association.
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources maintains the district record. The Fairlington Historical Society provides additional local history.
For current community rules and services, use the relevant association or government source.
Thinking about buying or selling in Fairlington, or just have a question? Send Mike a message and he’ll get back to you personally.
Mike is a Northern Virginia real estate agent with REAL Broker, based in Reston.