The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that was established as a public/private partnership on May 14, 1986. CPRO is a coalition of businesses, civic associations, property owners, and individuals working with the Arlington County Government. It provides direction and support to a variety of initiatives that aim to improve and revitalize Columbia Pike and its adjacent neighborhoods. Each day CPRO works to achieve the vision of its stakeholders for a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly corridor.

The work of CPRO includes keeping area residents and businesses informed and engaged; hosting a variety of community events and a Farmers Market; promoting Columbia Pike as a great place to live, operate a business, or develop properties; and area-wide and site specific planning that will lead to smart growth.

 Building Community         Promoting the Pike         Pursuing Smart Growth

We are located in a storefront at 2611 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204. Our office hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Mondays through Fridays, but since we have a small staff we are sometimes out of the office, so it is best to call before a visit. Our phone number is 703-892-2776.

Background

In the 1980s, the County Board identified a special revitalization district that lies between S. Courthouse Road and S. Oakland Street.  The County Board subsequently adopted “Columbia Pike 2000”, a plan to guide what changes would take place within the revitalization district. Although working inclusively with all Pike communities, CPRO originally focused its major attention on the revitalization district. In 1996, CPRO began discussions that resulted in the adoption by the County Board of the Columbia Pike Initiative which focused on all of Columbia Pike from the county-line to the Pentagon.  In 1999, after being an active participant in the Columbia Pike Initiative, CPRO officially expanded its area of involvement to the full extent of the Pike within Arlington County. CPRO played a leadership role in faciltitating many community visioning sessions and design charettes in order to determine the kinds of changes that would be desirable for the area. This work led eventually to the creation of the Columbia Pike Form Based Code (FBC), a prescriptive zoning tool designed to encourage appropriate types and levels of redevelopment in each of 4 revitalization nodes along the Pike. Following adoption of the FBC by the County Board in 2003, CPRO was heavily involved with the Columbia Pike Streetscape Task Force whose recommendations for specific improvements to the roadway itself, sidewalks and more were adopted in 2004.Today, it is exciting to see all of this work starting to pay off as the first of the Pike’s new mixed-use developments are completed, new residents and businesses are moving in, utilities are being undergrounded,  new and wider sidewalks are being built, and much more.