BEST-KEPT SECRET: NORTH HIGHLANDS
Palisades Park
Want a view of the National Cathedral without paying penthouse prices? This often overlooked pocket neighborhood north of Colonial Village and Rosslyn—a puzzle piece of development that fills the oblong space between Lee Highway, Spout Run Parkway and the George Washington Parkway—has some pretty nice views and a great location to boot. It sits close to the Potomac River, Key Bridge, Roosevelt Island, Rosslyn’s amenities and Metro (earning a Walk Score of 71 out of 100 points, and a Bike Score of 72 out of 100), and is only a stoplight or two from D.C.
North Highlands offers a mix of housing types, from rental apartments (including eco-friendly newcomer Verde Point) to single-family homes and the higher end townhomes of Palisades Park. It also harbors a unique historical treasure: the Dawson-Bailey House on North Taft Street, a property that predates the Civil War and counts among Arlington County’s oldest stone structures.
That’s not the only novelty, says Natalie Roy, an agent with Keller Williams Realty. North Highlands is also one of the few places you can still find modestly priced duplex units in Arlington. “People are fixing them up and not moving,” Roy says. “It’s a cool little neighborhood, with the MOM’s Organic Market [just off Lee Highway], the Dawson Terrace Community Center and the Custis [bike] Trail. There’s a buffer, with lots of trees, but the George Washington Parkway is right there.”