While the decision announced Monday by Northrop Grumman to relocate its national headquarters to the Fairview Park area of Greater Falls Church was met with universal joy and praise by local elected officials, it did not thrill the local head of Coalition for Smarter Growth.

The relocation from the company’s current headquarters in Los Angeles, and regional headquarters in Arlington is expected to occur in the summer of 2011. The firm announced the purchase of the building at 2980 Fairview Park Dr., near the Fairview Marriott and offices of General Dynamics and CSC, Inc.

Northrop Grumman employees 40,000 in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. and has a total of 120,000 employees worldwide.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, and U.S. Representatives Jim Moran and Gerry Connolly all issued statements hailing the company’s new location. Technically, the site is in Moran’s 8th Congressional District.

However, Stuart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, a major force in the decision making around the redevelopment of Tysons Corner, said Northrop Grumman’s location decision “is disappointing,” because of its distance from an current or future Metro rail station. “A Metro station location would minimize the company’s contribution to our terrible traffic and set an example for greater energy efficiency,” he said.