TYSONS (Virginia) | Development Thread

[TysonsEngineer]

Yet another good piece of news. A new rezoning application has been filed for the quickly growing Tysons East region, for the Old Meadow Road area.

Name is The Highland District. Will be 5-6 mid to high rise buildings in the range of 100' to 250' in height. Most of it is residential, but there is an option to swap one residential for one office. Theres also 106k of retail, which is fairly significant for a 1.3M sq total project.



Full story
http://thetysonscorner.com/another-n...clean-station/

[PremierAtlanta]

This will be perfect for that part of Tysons. The scale is just right. This is part of the additional development explosion that I was referring to a few post back. Thanks for the information TysonsEngineer.

[TysonsEngineer]

Originally Posted by PremierAtlanta

This will be perfect for that part of Tysons. The scale is just right. This is part of the additional development explosion that I was referring to a few post back. Thanks for the information TysonsEngineer.

I think it could have actually had more height, its bordered by a 12 story building (dolley madison apartments) but, that being said, lower height is better for accelerating the development. Smaller financing means easier to breakground. The scale is more appropriate than if they had proposed 300+ buildings in this location for sure.

[PremierAtlanta]

There is so much going on in Tysons Corner.

There are 12 new Tysons buildings that have either recently delivered, are now under construction, or will soon break ground, per the partnership, which is a coalition of Tysons businesses, developers and residents whose mission is to "transform Tysons into the next great American city." The sum of it all: 3 million square feet of residential, 2.3 million square feet of office and 85,000 square feet of retail will come online, all a short distance from one of four Silver Line Metro stations, by late 2018.

We all know that the Silver Line to Tysons and beyond would bring to fruition more development. With so many capital facilities improvements in the pie line for the area, the area as a whole will become even more attractive.


Read more here: http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...tells-all.html

[PremierAtlanta]

More BIG news for Tysons Corner...

Fairfax County has given the okay to Dittmar's proposed Westpark Plaza, The new development will be a little over 1/4 of a mile from the newly opened Greensboro METRO Station on the Silver Line. The development is zoned to accommodate up to 1,000,000 square feet of new space.

Currently home to the Westpark Hotel, which will be demolished and eventually replaced, the Dittmar pitch calls for four new buildings configured around a central park — up to 1,300 residential units in two buildings, 150 to 300 hotel rooms in a third building, an amenity-only building constructed atop a 2,267-space parking garage and up to 24,500 square feet of retail overall. Arlington-based MTFA Architecture Inc. is the project architect.

The first phase will feature a single building, as tall as 31 stories, with between 480 and 610 residential units and up to 13,500 square feet of retail.

Read more here: http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...aza-earns.html

[202_Cyclist]

The 'next wave' of Tysons development: Smaller, farther from Metro


By Michael Neibauer
Washington Business Journal
Oct. 17, 2014

"Not every new Tysons development will be 1 million-plus square feet with thousands of new residential units.

A joint venture of Kettler Inc. and PS Business Parks has earned Fairfax County staff approval for the redevelopment of 7915 Jones Branch Drive, a 135,000-square-foot, six-story office with three wings within the West-Park Office Park known as the Amherst. Located on 5.75 acres roughly half a mile from the Greensboro and Tysons Corner Metro stations, the Amherst will be razed and replaced with a five- to seven-story, 450,000-square-foot residential building and limited ground-floor retail.

Given its distance from Metro, the Amherst is a development on a smaller scale than say, Scotts Run Station South, Arbor Row or Capital One — three projects that will bring more than 10 million square feet of new construction to Tysons. Planning staff describes the Amherst as a "next wave of development in Tysons," farther from Metro "but still expected to meet the vision and goals of Tysons in completing the urban neighborhoods..."

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...t-smaller.html

[202_Cyclist]

AFL-CIO pitches 1,900-unit, mixed-use ‘Highland District’ for what’s left of West-Gate in Tysons

By Michael Neibauer
Washington Business Journal
Oct. 16, 2014

"Another healthy chunk of the West-Gate office park has been added to the Tysons redevelopment pipeline.

The AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, owner of nearly 17 acres on the east and west sides of Old Meadow Road, roughly 1,500 feet south of Route 123, is proposing to rezone the property for 1.8 million square feet of mixed-use development (up to 1,900 residential units) in six new buildings, what it is calling "The Highland District." MRP Realty, no stranger to the Tysons development arena, is acting as the trust's agent.

The site is located immediately west of Scotts Run Stream Valley Park and within walking distance — a third to a half of a mile — of the McLean Metro Station. It is currently developed with five low- and mid-rise office buildings, all part of the West-Gate office park. West-Gate overall is key to the planned, multi-phase transformation of Tysons from an office-dominated, auto-oriented suburban concrete canyon to a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use, city-like community..."

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...-highland.html

[PremierAtlanta]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

AFL-CIO pitches 1,900-unit, mixed-use ‘Highland District’ for what’s left of West-Gate in Tysons

By Michael Neibauer
Washington Business Journal
Oct. 16, 2014

"Another healthy chunk of the West-Gate office park has been added to the Tysons redevelopment pipeline.

The AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, owner of nearly 17 acres on the east and west sides of Old Meadow Road, roughly 1,500 feet south of Route 123, is proposing to rezone the property for 1.8 million square feet of mixed-use development (up to 1,900 residential units) in six new buildings, what it is calling "The Highland District." MRP Realty, no stranger to the Tysons development arena, is acting as the trust's agent.

The site is located immediately west of Scotts Run Stream Valley Park and within walking distance — a third to a half of a mile — of the McLean Metro Station. It is currently developed with five low- and mid-rise office buildings, all part of the West-Gate office park. West-Gate overall is key to the planned, multi-phase transformation of Tysons from an office-dominated, auto-oriented suburban concrete canyon to a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use, city-like community..."

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...-highland.html

Being relatively close to the Silver Line will definitely be a valuable selling point for these units. I hope the layout is more new urbanism and less office park.

I was just looking a some recent numbers dealing with Tysons Corner. The area is growing very quickly...especially since the opening of the Metro's Silver Line. Tysons currently as 26.8 million square feet of office space. The submarket also expects to add 46 million square feet of office and residential space by 2030. That would bring Tysons Corner's numbers up to 72.8 million square feet.

I am fascinated by how quickly the Tysons Corner area is becoming "more urban". From the looks of it, construction will become a usual sight for Tysons Corner.

[TysonsEngineer]

Originally Posted by PremierAtlanta

Being relatively close to the Silver Line will definitely be a valuable selling point for these units. I hope the layout is more new urbanism and less office park.

I was just looking a some recent numbers dealing with Tysons Corner. The area is growing very quickly...especially since the opening of the Metro's Silver Line. Tysons currently as 26.8 million square feet of office space. The submarket also expects to add 46 million square feet of office and residential space by 2030. That would bring Tysons Corner's numbers up to 72.8 million square feet.

I am fascinated by how quickly the Tysons Corner area is becoming "more urban". From the looks of it, construction will become a usual sight for Tysons Corner.

I think the next big stimulus to the areas growth will be the implementation of streetscape changes along Westpark, along Greensboro, along Anderson, and along Colshire. Neck downs, street parking, landscape, and wider walks on these side roads will make a huge difference to perception of walkability.

Beyond that, the Jones Branch Connector is only a couple years away. That project is one of the reasons 7915 Jones Branch went in for rezoning as it provides the first good human scale connection across 495 from North Tysons to East Tysons. I wish VDOT would tell us when ground breaking will be for it.

[PremierAtlanta]

Originally Posted by TysonsEngineer

I think the next big stimulus to the areas growth will be the implementation of streetscape changes along Westpark, along Greensboro, along Anderson, and along Colshire. Neck downs, street parking, landscape, and wider walks on these side roads will make a huge difference to perception of walkability.

I totally agree. I think the county is really serious about making Tysons, as well as Reston, a more pleasant pedestrian experience. The capital facilities improvements slated for the area are nothing short of amazing. We have a long way to go but I'm glad the county is taking the necessary steps to get there.

[Joe H]

Originally Posted by PremierAtlanta

I totally agree. I think the county is really serious about making Tysons, as well as Reston, a more pleasant pedestrian experience. The capital facilities improvements slated for the area are nothing short of amazing. We have a long way to go but I'm glad the county is taking the necessary steps to get there.

Forgive me but much of Tysons Corner has streets which are literally ten lanes across, several with wide median strips in addition to this. Reston Town Center has streets which are ten yards across.

Tysons will evolve as islands centered around several Metro stops with little pedestrian activity between them.

Reston Town Center has a very real downtown streetscape with an European town square ambience.

THERE IS A VERY REAL THREAT TO RESTON'S FUTURE HOWEVER AND IT IS THE TOLL BOOTHS ON THE DULLES ROAD. I am serious: it can take 15-20 minutes to go through these on many days since there are only two or three which are open. Lines often are 1/4 mile long with slow movement. This is a real inhibition for anyone coming out from D. C. or from MD (both of whom have absolutely no reason to buy a Smart Pass). We already have friends who have visited us in Reston telling horror stories of how long they had to wait to go through these toll booths.

At some point Boston Properties is going to realize that this "artificial delay" will impact the desire of companies to move to Town Center. For now this has received virtually no publicity.

I would also suggest that alternative routes to Reston have become increasingly more heavily trafficked including both route seven and 123 coming through Vienna where many people will take back roads.

As bad as these roads are it may still be faster than sitting at the Toll Booths in Tysons.

[TysonsEngineer]

Originally Posted by Joe H

Forgive me but much of Tysons Corner has streets which are literally ten lanes across, several with wide median strips in addition to this. Reston Town Center has streets which are ten yards across.

Tysons will evolve as islands centered around several Metro stops with little pedestrian activity between them.

Reston Town Center has a very real downtown streetscape with an European town square ambience.

THERE IS A VERY REAL THREAT TO RESTON'S FUTURE HOWEVER AND IT IS THE TOLL BOOTHS ON THE DULLES ROAD. I am serious: it can take 15-20 minutes to go through these on many days since there are only two or three which are open. Lines often are 1/4 mile long with slow movement. This is a real inhibition for anyone coming out from D. C. or from MD (both of whom have absolutely no reason to buy a Smart Pass). We already have friends who have visited us in Reston telling horror stories of how long they had to wait to go through these toll booths.

At some point Boston Properties is going to realize that this "artificial delay" will impact the desire of companies to move to Town Center. For now this has received virtually no publicity.

I would also suggest that alternative routes to Reston have become increasingly more heavily trafficked including both route seven and 123 coming through Vienna where many people will take back roads.

As bad as these roads are it may still be faster than sitting at the Toll Booths in Tysons.

Context: Reston Town Center is a single property owned by Boston Properties. It is the size of a single rezoning in Tysons such as Scotts Run South, or Georgelas' Spring Hill Station. So, if you were to take the same metrics you are judging Tysons, and apply it to Reston, you would see that Reston is actually far less walkable. It has Route 267 as a massive barrier, compared to Route 7, which as bad as it is atleast can be theoretically crossed.

Comparing the two, as WaPo did, is fruitless.

http://thetysonscorner.com/reston-to...nning-utility/

[Joe H]

Originally Posted by TysonsEngineer

Context: Reston Town Center is a single property owned by Boston Properties. It is the size of a single rezoning in Tysons such as Scotts Run South, or Georgelas' Spring Hill Station. So, if you were to take the same metrics you are judging Tysons, and apply it to Reston, you would see that Reston is actually far less walkable. It has Route 267 as a massive barrier, compared to Route 7, which as bad as it is atleast can be theoretically crossed.

Comparing the two, as WaPo did, is fruitless.

http://thetysonscorner.com/reston-to...nning-utility/

I had a lengthy response but decided to delete it. I disagree with the characterization of Reston Town Center as "the size of a single rezoning in Tysons." I note that the Post said 2.8 million square feet. Boston Properties notes approximately 2.014 million on its website (including the Avant apartments)+the Midtown four building complex (three of which are 20+ floors) developed by Kettler Bros+the Savoy condominiums+the Hyatt Regency. I believe that the total of all of this is between 3.7 and 3.9 million square feet.

According to Macerich's website Tysons Corner Center and the new buildings total approximately 3.6 million square feet of space.

Town Center has far more housing and Tysons has far more retail. Still, they are both about the same size. My point is that ultimately it may not be a comparison between Reston and Tysons. Rather, it may be between Reston Town Center and Tysons Corner Center each with several more phases of development within their borders.

Lerner has a great deal of potential, too, but I still believe that the width of 123-as route 267-inhibits this development. It will be interesting to see what they have planned for their Tysons Town Center yet I just don't see the two sides of route 123 "fusing."

[202_Cyclist]

Regarding Reston, the Reston Station development at Wiehle Ave has become considerably taller. I need to take a couple of photos of that and post them the next time I bike out there.

[TysonsEngineer]

Originally Posted by Joe H

I had a lengthy response but decided to delete it. I disagree with the characterization of Reston Town Center as "the size of a single rezoning in Tysons." I note that the Post said 2.8 million square feet. Boston Properties notes approximately 2.014 million on its website (including the Avant apartments)+the Midtown four building complex (three of which are 20+ floors) developed by Kettler Bros+the Savoy condominiums+the Hyatt Regency. I believe that the total of all of this is between 3.7 and 3.9 million square feet.

According to Macerich's website Tysons Corner Center and the new buildings total approximately 3.6 million square feet of space.

Town Center has far more housing and Tysons has far more retail. Still, they are both about the same size. My point is that ultimately it may not be a comparison between Reston and Tysons. Rather, it may be between Reston Town Center and Tysons Corner Center each with several more phases of development within their borders.

Lerner has a great deal of potential, too, but I still believe that the width of 123-as route 267-inhibits this development. It will be interesting to see what they have planned for their Tysons Town Center yet I just don't see the two sides of route 123 "fusing."

You are incorrect, I'm sorry, but Town Center is literally smaller than the proposed development of Scotts Run Station, of Tysons Corner Center, of Georgelas' Spring Hill Station. Any of those. You use the number for the Proposed Tysons Corner Center, you didn't include the Existing center which would have put the number much higher.

Beyond this, Tysons has very little to do with Tysons Corner other than it is a mall within Tysons. You should look at the redevelopments in progress. There have been 12 high rises finishing construction or in construction this calendar year. The amount of new development coming just right now, under construction, is greater than all of Reston Town Center.

They are wholly different things. One is a single owner development (similar to Edens Mosaic), the other is several developments and an actual CBD. Take a look at the article I linked. Tysons is 2000 acres with 30 million square feet of development, its much bigger than Reston Town Center. These aren't fake numbers, that's the reality of it. Tysons is orders of magnitude larger than Reston Town Center, it is just spread more. The new redevelopments however are all infills which will create many individual town centers the size of RTC.

Link showing just 1 of the metro stations redevelopment proposals and current construction http://thetysonscorner.com/future-ty...-hill-station/

Another correction, Tysons actually has more housing than Reston Town Center (which again is the comparison the WaPo made). There are 20,000 residents in Tysons, only 5,000 in Reston Town Center. I think you are overall just confusing what Tysons is. It isn't the mall and Lerner. Its a huge place with development happening completely away from either of those. Head to North Tysons next time you are near there; there are several 20 story building you might not have known existed.

[202_Cyclist]

Regarding Reston, is there anything else planned for the area around Wiehle Ave besides the Reston Station development under construction? The area has an abundance of fast-food restaurants with large surface parking lots. I'd imagine that their days are numbered and someone will build over the parking lots and put up paradise.

[Joe H]

Originally Posted by TysonsEngineer

You are incorrect, I'm sorry, but Town Center is literally smaller than the proposed development of Scotts Run Station, of Tysons Corner Center, of Georgelas' Spring Hill Station. Any of those. You use the number for the Proposed Tysons Corner Center, you didn't include the Existing center which would have put the number much higher.

Beyond this, Tysons has very little to do with Tysons Corner other than it is a mall within Tysons. You should look at the redevelopments in progress. There have been 12 high rises finishing construction or in construction this calendar year. The amount of new development coming just right now, under construction, is greater than all of Reston Town Center.

They are wholly different things. One is a single owner development (similar to Edens Mosaic), the other is several developments and an actual CBD. Take a look at the article I linked. Tysons is 2000 acres with 30 million square feet of development, its much bigger than Reston Town Center. These aren't fake numbers, that's the reality of it. Tysons is orders of magnitude larger than Reston Town Center, it is just spread more. The new redevelopments however are all infills which will create many individual town centers the size of RTC.

Link showing just 1 of the metro stations redevelopment proposals and current construction http://thetysonscorner.com/future-ty...-hill-station/

Another correction, Tysons actually has more housing than Reston Town Center (which again is the comparison the WaPo made). There are 20,000 residents in Tysons, only 5,000 in Reston Town Center. I think you are overall just confusing what Tysons is. It isn't the mall and Lerner. Its a huge place with development happening completely away from either of those. Head to North Tysons next time you are near there; there are several 20 story building you might not have known existed.

NO. From Macerich's website Tysons Corner Center is 2,207,342 square feet. The new phase which includes Vita, Intelsat and the Hyatt is 1.4 million square feet. Both numbers are from their website. The total is approximately 3.6 million square feet. http://www.macerich.com/leasing/property.aspx?id=202 is the first
http://www.macerich.com/experience/n...aspx?id=212877 is the second.

I am NOT comparing Reston to Tysons Corner. I am comparing Reston Town Center to Tysons Corner Center. Nothing else. Yes, I know there is 29 million or more square feet in Tysons. I also know there is more than 20 million in Reston. But, again, that is NOT what I am comparing.

Reston Town Center and Tysons Corner Center. Nothing else. They are both approximately the same size. Each anchors the community they are in.

You talk about a single owner center: you do understand that Boston Properties now owns the majority of Town Center but Kettler (KSI) put up their own 1+ million square feet with the Midtown complex of high rises? That the Savoy is part of Town Center and was not built by Boston Properties? That other developers have been involved over the years including Mobil Land Development who started it? I am sure you also understand that Macerich owns Tysons Corner Center and the several phases of development both realized and proposed.

And that Lerner started Tysons Corner in the '60's as they started Wheaton Plaza and Landover Mall?

Lerner. Who own the Spectrum adjacent to Reston Town Center.

Why do you minimize Tysons Corner Center? It is the actual downtown of Tysons Corner. It is the anchor for the entire Tysons development. I realize the Galleria is also an anchor but it is distinct-nobody walks between the two. They drive.

Regardless, Reston Town Center has a streetscape and ambience similar to Bethesda, Clarendon and downtown Washington. Tysons Corner does not.

My point is not to confront you on these developments-I've lived here for 67 years and was born in D. C. I've also literally been going to Tysons Corner Center since the day it opened. It has been "my" mall since that day. But Reston Town Center is special. This is reflected in the absence of available space and the popularity of both daily and weekend events. Tysons Corner Center has its own appeal.

For all of the construction in BOTH areas I believe that these two will continue as the anchors of each community. Reston Town Center just has a big head start.

As an aside the real possibililties at Tysons are the several additional phases to the Center and what Lerner may do with their own Town Center adjacent to 123. They have quite a bit of land but it is going to be difficult to assimilate this with the Galleria and the nearby office buildings.

As for Reston Town Center it will almost double in size between where it ends now and the edge of route 267. This may include air rights over the Old Dominion trail similar to how downtown Bethesda has been developed. The next phase includes 850,000+ in three buildings which will, for the first time, extend the Town Center area towards the Spectrum. Ultimately the Spectrum will be completely rebuilt as a continuation of Town Center (separate developer). The combination of all of this is a large continuous streetscape that will comprise a substantial downtown area that is eminently walkable. Boundaries will include route 267 and Baron Cameron and Reston Parkway.

Turning off of the Beltway onto 123 will have a incredible visual years from now with all of the proposed development realized. Both sides of 123 with a number of 30 story buildings. Yet my point is that this area-even the developed Lerner Town Center and Tysons with its additional phases of development, because of the bisection of the ten lane 123, will not be as walkable as Reston Town Center. My comment of "islands" on either side of the road, not dissimilar from some of what I've seen in Vegas where it is now virtually impossible to walk directly across Las Vegas Boulevard. Tysons will eventually have to have some kind of moving sidewalk and/or monorail to connect the two sides.

Last, I am a huge fan of your website. I read it everyday and have contributed a number of times. I just disagree with you on your perspective on this and characterization of Reston Town Center.

[202_Cyclist]

No need to fight--- same team! Tysons will do better and Reston will do better if the entire corridor continues to develop and become more walkable next to the Silver line stations. It seems that the health of Tysons and Reston largely depend on each other, similar to how each node of the Rosslyn - Ballston corridor enhances the entire corridor. This shouldn't be a zero-sum competition of Reston vs. Tysons.

[TysonsEngineer]

Im not disagreeing that Reston Town Center is not a special thing. I think its a great example of how a rezoning and redevelopment in high density can be done right. While you are comparing RTC to Tysons mall, the article in the WaPo clearly headlined

"Reston, Not Tysons..."

It didn't say, "Reston Town Center, Not Tysons Corner Center..."

Therefore the comparison should either be made Reston vs all of Tysons

or

You can compare Reston Town Center to a single rezoning in Tysons because that is what it is most similar to (whether it Tysons Corner Center etc, btw I think your number on Tysons Corner Center only includes Ph1, not Ph2 and 3 which have another couple million sq ft of development)

For instance, RTC has 3 million sq ft as you said. Scotts Run South has 6 million sq ft proposed. That is one project vs one project instead of one CBD vs one CBD

As for what is the center of Tysons, I wholeheartedly disagree. By all metrics the downtown of Tysons is the region of office highrises between International Drive and Route 7 which includes billions of dollars of assessed value, major employers, the greatest collection of building massing and density, and the largest density of residential housing (between Rotonda and next door Post/Park Crest). Why typify Tysons by just the malls when the malls are not the largest economic driver in Tysons?

I would clarify, I like Reston, this isn't an issue of Reston vs Tysons, I am mostly against the WaPo summation and headline more than anything. Its a fruitless debate when the criteria and framing of the question is inaccurate. Compare apples to apples. No one compares for instance Baltimore as a metro area versus Roosevelt Island redevelopment in NYC because they are not similar things and there can be no correlations created from such a query.

[shakman]

Those involved with the off-topic discussion of "Tysons vs Reston", please take that discussion to your respective personal messaging.

Let us get back on topic and discuss Tysons development. Understood???