This is not a happy post. I say that because after paying a short visit to what used to be a unique downtown section in Fairfax County, it became readily apparent that the relentless march of “progress” is slowly swallowing a big chunk of Virginia’s history. My initial impression after walking the few local streets for a while was that of a desolate town that appeared to have had the wind knocked out of it by some invisible force. Once a vibrant historical site anchored around the Old Fairfax Courthouse built just as the 18th Century was coming to an end, the Old Town section appears to be loosing the war against developers, law firms, and speculators trying to capitalize on the sprawling government complex housing the Fairfax County Courthouse and Public Safety Center. This complex is the new town center, with its uninviting architecture and the uneasy feeling brought about by the knowledge that somewhere within its walls you will also find the county jail. That’s right, this is ground zero for the county’s legal community and a sure one-stop-shopping for anyone committing a crime within this jurisdiction. It just doesn’t make for a nice downtown.
But from my conversations with some of the locals, it appears that not everyone is “going quietly into that goodnight,” and some of the folks who have been around for a while continue to hang on as much as they can. There are still a few quaint, elegant restaurants like the Italian Bellissimo and at least one good music venue like The Old Fire Station left in town (see photos above). But walk through the Old Town on any particular day during the daylight hours and you are most likely to find yourself there alone staring at empty establishments. The only real action in town these days seems to come from the multitude of people who have been summoned to court against their will, the lawyers with their overstuffed briefcases, and the bail bondsmen who most people would rather never meet. What you will no longer see, though, are elegant couples walking in the early evening hours to the former world-class Bailiwick Inn, with its beautiful decor and small, gourmet restaurant that was the perfect setting for a romantic night out. Where former lovers met at the start of some wonderful rendezvous, you will now find business offices, tacky signs, and a hanging business banner directly staring at the potential costumer visiting the courthouse across the street. Sadly, the lovers appear to have moved away.
