The blueprint for a massive project to convert the Tysons Corner Center into an urban village could see approval from county planners as early as next week.
The Planning Commission is set to vote on the final development plan on Jan. 11, which would cement exactly how developer Macerich would turn one of the region’s largest malls into a mix of new dwellings, offices and retail space along the path of a planned rail line.
Whether the project can move forward still depends on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who have yet to review it. But the approval of the development plan would represent another piece in a large puzzle of regulatory approvals falling into place.
As it now stands, the development would bring about 1.6 million square feet of residential space, about 1.4 million of office space, street-level shops and a 300-room hotel, as well as open space and public amenities.
The mall proposal is another of Fairfax County’s recent spate of “transit-oriented development” proposals, which depend on the presence of rail to reduce the number of cars it puts on the area’s roads. The development would be one of the first to make use of the planned extension of Metrorail past Dulles Airport, which would run directly through Tysons Corner.
The transportation issue is of utmost importance in Tysons, which is already bottlenecked with traffic. Critics of the mall overhaul say it hasn’t gone far enough to reduce new traffic. They have also criticized Macerich for moving forward with the project while a broader planning effort for Tysons is ongoing. About 20 other land use proposals have been put on hold pending the completion of the task force’s work.
