Amazon, Arlington, and Alexandria delivered a sharp shock to the world on November 13, 2018, when they announced that not only would Amazon’s much-desired “HQ2” land in Northern Virginia, but that Crystal City and parts of Alexandria would make up a largely theoretical new neighborhood called National Landing. The name was mocked. It further confounded local singles. But by the time it ate its adjacent neighborhoods, people were just like, Oh, that’s National Landing for you; what are you gonna do?
Amazon announced Monday that it is celebrating the anniversary by donating $9 million to Washington-area nonprofits like legal service providers, neighborhood clinics, racial justice orgs, and job and literacy training programs.
That seems like a normal, if splashy, move for a longtime corporate citizen, because this is 2020, and two years might as well be a century. So let us not forget the strides made by Natty L as it slowly worked its way through the stages of grief that confront any new neighborhood name:
1. DENIAL
There's no such thing as National Landing.
— Linda Holmes thisislindaholmes.com (@lindaholmes) November 13, 2018
2. ANGER
Here at the @kojoshow live discussion about Amazon and NoVa here in Crystal City, where the first mention of the name “National Landing” receives widespread boos pic.twitter.com/WfdxeNZ18r
— Rachel Kurzius (@Curious_Kurz) December 3, 2018
3. BARGAINING
Dear editors/style guide @washingtonian: Crystal City in fact is still a thing and National Landing only refers to the larger combined area with Pentagon City and a part of Alexandria. Even though this isn’t DC related, I will keep dying on this hill till @ArlingtonVA says no pic.twitter.com/l4HgyvMK0C
— Barred in DC (@BarredinDC) September 18, 2019
4. DEPRESSION
If you call Crystal City, Pentagon City, or Potomac Yard “National Landing” without scare quotes: You’re a cop. I’m sorry, I don’t make the rules.
— Vernon Miles (@VernonAndOn) July 9, 2020
5. ACCEPTANCE
The owner of a gentlemen's club in Crystal City is seriously considering renaming his establishment "National Landing Strip." https://t.co/SkVE5gYIsQ pic.twitter.com/1k2tZTNmFj
— DCist (@DCist) December 17, 2019
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
