If you’ve been to National Landing lately, you’ll have encountered a neighborhood on the precipice of major change where nearly every corner boasts shiny new restaurants, parks, buildings, and play areas in various stages of completion. At the heart of it all sits the catalyst for these exciting developments: Amazon’s new East Coast Headquarters (colloquially known as HQ2) – now officially open for both employees and community members.

This past Saturday, June 17th, Amazon celebrated this grand opening with a “Community Day” festival in the fully renovated Metropolitan Park adjacent to its two new HQs buildings. The event was a continuation of Amazon’s HQ2 official office opening that took place earlier in the week on Thursday, June 15th.

Five years after the announcement that HQ2 was coming to Arlington, Amazon officially opened the new office with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and others. With over 25,000+ Amazon employees expected at HQ2 over the next several years, the company is already well integrated into the fabric of the community.  Amazon’s initiatives required immense planning and preparation, including significant investments in affordable housing, retail that features local and minority-owned businesses, art installations, and its centerpiece: the fully renovated Metropolitan Park (known to locals as “Met Park”) a 2.5-acre park with an enclosed dog run, an interactive playground for children, public art, and a community garden.

Celebrating the initiatives’ completion, Community Day featured HQ2 retailers, community leaders, local small businesses, restaurants, and more than 50 local Farmer’s Market vendors. Visitors enjoyed a collection of local artists, photo booths, a DJ, Art in the Park painting for children, and of course Amazon’s beloved Banana Stand (keep an eye out for “Bannistas” now handing out bananas along Crystal Drive)!

Residents and pets alike gathered to enjoy the festivities marking an exciting new phase of their neighborhood – and Community Day is only the beginning. With its accessible location, the renovated Met Park is a fun and exciting neighborhood amenity for the whole community to enjoy. And with an intentional commitment to more than just their employees, Amazon’s HQ2 offices include 14 new retailers right along the park and open to the public, including lunch spots, a bike shop, doggy and child daycare, fitness studios, art studios, an ice cream parlor, and more. Moving forward, the Farmer’s Market will be a weekly occurrence alongside activations like Jazz in the Park with the National Landing BID.

Between Amazon HQ2, the new Met Park, and major new developments across National Landing, now is the time to discover a community buzzing with exciting activity. With 8 of our Dweck Properties communities located just moments from the park, we hope to see our residents and future residents enjoying the neighborhood for years to come.