The Beaux Arts fountain at The Village at Shirlington has stood in the Campbell Avenue median since about 1986. Under the renovation plan Federal Realty Investment Trust announced in March, it moves into the North Courtyard. The plan gives it a new basin, built-in seating and landscaping around it. The fountain will be surrounded by a place to sit instead of by traffic.
Nearly every item in the scope is about getting people to stay longer on Campbell Avenue. But the months of construction have also changed who runs the storefronts behind those new seats. Two Campbell Avenue businesses have closed since the work began, and the next tenant to open is aiming for the holidays. In December the street will have new patios and a different set of shops than it had in March.
What the plan builds, and when it is due
ARLnow reported the start of construction on March 4, using Federal Realty's press release. The work had first been proposed in May 2025, and the stated goals were to "improve connectivity, enhance public spaces, and preserve the property's historic character." The scope includes:
- Wider sidewalks and outdoor dining patios along Campbell Avenue
- New wayfinding and property signs, decorative lighting, upgraded site furniture and matching landscaping
- New seating and curated public art in three places: the North Courtyard, the Library Plaza, and the breezeway next to Jenni's Ice Cream
- Façade changes along the North Courtyard
- The fountain's move from the median to the North Courtyard
- Improvements to the North and South Vias, the pedestrian passages through the property
- Stormwater management upgrades and new LED streetlights, while keeping the existing tree canopy
A smaller addition was announced in April. Federal Realty told ARLnow that new pet relief areas would use crushed stone and boulders, with hose bibbs nearby so the areas can be washed down on a regular basis.
The same April report gave the order of work. The North Courtyard, where the fountain is going, was scheduled as the last phase, running from August through November. In August, a Federal Realty spokesperson said the renovations would be finished "later this year." As of mid-October, no public update has confirmed that the fountain has moved, that the widened patios are done, or that a ribbon-cutting date is set. November remains the target, not a confirmed finish date.
Two storefronts went dark during the final phase
The biggest change happened at 4024 Campbell Avenue. On Aug. 2, flooding damaged a dining room and the basement at Corso Italian. ARLnow reported in August that owner Jill Erber's letter to customers mentioned the flooding happened during the exterior construction at the Village. For a couple of weeks the restaurant kept serving with one dining room closed. Then it shut completely so repairs could continue. Federal Realty told the outlet at the time that it was "committed to supporting the Corso team and the restaurant's reopening in the coming weeks."
The restaurant did not reopen. ARLnow reported on Sept. 18 that Erber had told customers the landlord's updated schedule meant the flood remediation and repairs "could not be completed on a schedule that would allow Corso to reopen in a timely fashion." She and the landlord agreed to end the lease. According to that report, Erber believes the construction contributed to the damage.
Corso had been part of the block for a long time. The business opened as Cheesetique in 2011 and became an Italian restaurant and market in 2023 under the same owners. Some staff had been there since the first year. In its farewell note, as ARLnow reported, the restaurant thanked customers for being part of its 15 years in Shirlington.
A few doors down, at 4014 Campbell Avenue, Chip City closed as the company cut locations nationwide. ARLnow quoted an employee's post saying the Shirlington shop would close permanently at the end of business on Monday, Sept. 21. The Clarendon and Tysons locations closed at the same time. The company's website listed 39 locations in six states in June 2026 and 24 locations in New Jersey, New York and Texas by late September. The Shirlington shop had opened in early 2024.
The two closings had different causes, one tied to a flood and one to a chain's nationwide contraction, and they landed on the same street within about five weeks. Both happened while the renovation was in its final phase.
The first new tenant is aiming for Christmas
The first business lined up for the new patios is an all-day café. The Roasted Vine is taking over the former Massage Forever space at 4150 Campbell Avenue. In late September, ARLnow reported that its construction permits had been approved and that co-owner Mackenzie Ryan was "aiming to open around Christmas."
The owners already know the street. Ryan and co-owner Jody Hessler organized Shucktoberfest, the beer and oyster festival held in Shirlington. They poured their first cold brews and blends at Samuel Beckett's Celtic Festival on Sept. 19, when Campbell Avenue was closed for the event.
Here is the planned menu as reported:
| Category | What's planned |
|---|---|
| Coffee | Beans roasted in-house from Central America and East Africa, including a house roast called The Rooster and a dark roast called Night Moves |
| Food | Biscuits with jam, cinnamon roll bread from Hessler family recipes, artisanal sandwiches, charcuterie boards |
| Bar | Wine, beer and coffee cocktails, including espresso martinis and a smoked espresso Old Fashioned |
Ryan told ARLnow the goal was a "third space" for a morning coffee, a midday meeting, or a cocktail at the end of the night. ARLnow named Peet's Coffee and Best Buns as nearby competition and said the bar program sets the new café apart. Until the café opens, the owners plan pop-ups at farmers markets and other local events.
The timing matters for the project. A café open from morning coffee to evening cocktails, opening near the end of construction, is the kind of tenant wider patios are built for. It is also the only new Campbell Avenue tenant publicly announced for 2026 so far. No replacements have been named for the Corso or Chip City spaces.
The fall calendar will be the first test
Between now and the end of the year, the Village's own event calendar will bring people to the street while the final phase wraps up:
- Tuesday, Oct. 20 through Dec. 20: Signature Theatre at 4200 Campbell Avenue opens All the World's a Stage in the ARK. Merrily We Roll Along runs in the MAX through Nov. 1.
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 to 4 p.m.: The Village's Halloween Trick or Treat Trail, with candy, costumes, prizes, and a map of participating shops for those who RSVP.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 3 to 5 p.m.: Dogma's 17th annual doggie trick-or-treat fundraiser. Registration is $30 for the first dog and $25 for each additional dog.
- Saturday, Dec. 5: A Very Village Holiday at 2700 S. Quincy Street, with a holiday market, music, food and drinks from Village restaurants, and Santa. The Village's Eventbrite listing gives the time as 4 to 7 p.m. The ARLnow calendar shows a later start, so check before you go.
- Tuesday, Dec. 8: The Secret Garden opens at Signature's MAX and runs through Feb. 21, 2027.
If the North Courtyard work finishes on the November timeline, the Dec. 5 holiday event will be the first big gathering on the finished street. People will be able to see the relocated fountain, the new seating at the Library Plaza and the Jenni's Ice Cream breezeway, and the wider patios along Campbell Avenue. They will also see 4024 and 4014 Campbell Avenue still waiting for tenants, and The Roasted Vine a few weeks from its planned opening at 4150.
If you are thinking about buying or selling near Shirlington and want to talk through how this renovation and the changing storefronts fit into your plans, Lindsay Guión and The DC Team at TTR Sotheby's International Realty can help. Schedule a Consultation.
