Buckingham shopping center is in a fantastic location and has a ton of potential-especially with the new Ballston mall next door. There is a HUGE amount of disposable income nearby- with the thousands of people living/working/shopping in Ballston...literally blocks from the Buckingham area... I'm sure eventually someone will come in and dress up this depressed section of Glebe Rd, including the Buckingham shopping center. However, as it stands this building and the surrounding ones are such eye sores that I don't blame new tenants for moving elsewhere. If someone doesn't improve, at least cosmetically, the businesses in this area and increase the walkability- it means no new jobs or economic improvement for Buckingham area residents.
Buckingham writ large and this shopping center in particular have a small town feel with tons of auto traffic and potentially foot traffic.
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Please, please-can a developer come in here and spruce this place up? I know a yoga studio or at least an organic market would be well appreciated and promoted by local residents.
Perhaps it would also start to diminish the current number of loiterers hanging around across the street outside CVS and McDonald's.
Admittedly the parking situation is not the best...but neither is the parking situation in Clarendon or Courthouse. Perhaps a garage can potentially be built on top of the Buckingham shopping center or a nearby business.. If impossible, it would be beneficial to add bicycle parking and make the sidewalks wider/smoother to accommodate foot traffic. read more