The Future of Tysons West
When Walmart comes to Tyson’s Corner in late summer, it will be just the beginning of what is shaping up to be the next buzz-worthy Northern Virginia locale, as Tysons West will soon be one of the most bustling places in our area.
Tysons West is a new development that is situated in the former site of the Moore/Cadillac/Hummer dealership. It is adjacent to the Tyson West metro stop on the new Silver Line through Tysons Corner and is expected to bring thousands to the area each day.
Located at 8595 Leesburg Pike, the 79,000-square-foot Walmart is being developed by JBG Rosenfeld Retail.
In addition to Walmart, the development project will include a 24-hour fitness center and a variety of other restaurants, offices, retail and residential rental units.
According to Jay Klug, principal at developer of JBG Rosenfeld Retail, the final phase is expected to house another 8,000 square feet of small-store retail and approximately 25,000 square feet of medical office space, where five floors of space will be devoted to dentists, doctors and other medical practitioners.
Currently, both Walmart and 24 Hour Fitness are building the interiors of their spaces and should both be set to open by September.
Unlike the massive Walmart superstores found in some areas, the Tysons location has been branded as an “urban store,” better suited to serve the immediate community. That means that approximately half of the Walmart space will be devoted to groceries and a pharmacy.
Klug said this is the first phase of what JBG hopes to turn into another large-scale Tysons Development. Rezoning applications are pending for an office building and a high-rise residential building with additional retail space.
When finished, the overall plan calls for 1.6 million square feet over 16 acres. Also improved is the Tysons West pedestrian walkways along Route 7, which replaced the asphalt trail to create an inviting pedestrian environment and a true urban nature to the frontage.
“We [JBGR] really do share the County’s vision for common areas and enticing streets which will improve retail viability,” Klug says. “Pedestrian connectivity is important to us. We want walkability, and to create the most open and inviting sidewalk system to walk to the Sheraton Convention Center and new retail and to connect residence in an enhanced system.”
In addition to JBG’s project, other major development projects have been approved in the last few months in Tysons West. Those include the Georgelas Group’s 3.8-million-square-foot Spring Hill project, CityLine Partners’ 20-Acre Arbor Row complex and the major overhaul of Capital One’s headquarters.
According to a recent report in the Washington Business Journal, the Georgelas Group hopes to start work by the end of the year on a second residential tower at its Spring Hill Station development in the Tysons West area, which will be a 30-story residential tower.
Aaron Georgelas, the Georgelas Group’s managing partner, told the Journal that the tower will be one of seven the company plans to build as part of a 3.8 million-square-foot, mixed-use project the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved February 12. One of those improvements is a fire station the company has agreed to build for the county.
Georgelas has tapped Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC to develop Spring Hill Station’s first 404-unit residential tower, currently in development.
“The Silver Line is the thing. It’s the gate that, once it’s opened, allows us to do a number of things,” Georgelas said. “You’ve got this amazing transportation improvement that unlocks those residents to us.”
CityLine Partners’ 20-Acre Arbor Row complex is expected to be 20 acres along Westpark Drive and will include 1.1 million square feet of office space, three residential buildings with as many as 1,180 units, a 250-key hotel, roughly 60,000 square feet of ground floor retail, 4,000 parking spaces and 4.4 acres of park space.
By 2014, Capital One’s headquarters complex will include 3.1 million square feet of office space, four high-rise residential buildings with as many as 1,200 units, a hotel, 100,000 square feet of restaurants and retail, as well as parks, playgrounds, plazas, bicycle routes, parking structures and new streets. All of it will surround Capital One’s existing corporate headquarters, eventually spanning several blocks.
Tysons West also will be home to the newly renovated Sheraton Premiere Hotel, which has long been a landmark of Tysons Corner and has been totally renovated to assume its central role in the new Tysons West community. In addition to providing accommodations for overnight guests, it will feature a full range of conference and business facilities available to the companies that locate here.
The plan is for Tysons West to be a transit-oriented development offering a unique environment for all who come here. Commuters can squeeze in an early-morning or lunchtime workout at the state-of-the-art 24 Hour Fitness facility; residents can pick up something for dinner from the new urban style Walmart grocery or relax and do some people watching while waiting for dinner or cocktails in one of the many outdoor dining and public areas.
