The oldest of the northern Virginia garden apartment complexes was also the first Federal Housing Authority project in the nation. The FHA worked closely with Washington developer Gustave Ring to create a model apartment village. Colonial Village was built in four phases, the first three designed by Harvey Warwick and the fourth by Frances Koening. In keeping with some of the most advanced garden city ideas of Clarence Stein and others, which were readily observable at Greenbelt, Maryland, the two-story apartment units cluster around courtyards, a substantial greenbelt runs through the center, and the staggering and setback of the units increase variety, ventilation, and light. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic are rigorously separated. Differentiating this project from other modernist schemes was the Colonial Revival idiom of red brick, light trim, and small sculptural embellishments.