It’s not obvious today, but for most of the 20th century, Potomac Yards, on the border between Arlington and Alexandria, was one of the busiest rail yards in the United States.
“This is a rail yard built in the early 1900s,” said Howard Katz, vice president of strategic land acquisition for Centex Homes, one of two developers working to renovate the Alexandria section of the yard. “It marked the first time in U.S. history that a single yard facility served a joint interchange” for different railroads.
“It used to have five different railroads … as tenants at the yard,” said Eric Sutton, a spokesman for the Potomac Yard development.
This history is expected to be celebrated at a ceremony at Potomac Yard today marking the 100th anniversary of the yard’s opening. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., Alexandria Mayor William Euille and former yard workers are expected to attend.
The rail yard closed in 1992 when an alternate route that took trains around Potomac Yard was formed. Trains still run through the yard without stopping, Sutton said.
Today the yard contains a shopping center on the Arlington side, with plans to turn the Alexandria side into a mixed-used development, with retail, office space and residential units.
“There’sa lot of history associated with the property,” Katz said. “This property really was the focal point of railroads throughout the 1900s.”
To commemorate the history, Sutton said artifacts from the rail yard would be integrated into the new development.
Katz said it is not yet clear how that will be done.
Completion of the Potomac Yard development is not expected for at least another seven years.
