Mixed-Use Developments, Workforce Housing And Empanadas: What’s On The Rise In Tysons?

1) Tysons started off the year by ushering in a new era of retail. Both L.L. Bean and Bed Bath and Beyond announced the closing of their area locations, while Tysons Corner Center moved forward with the second phase of its mixed-use redevelopment plan, demolishing the site where Lord & Taylor once stood to make way for a new high-rise development. 

2) This move toward more mixed-use development is a result of market forces. Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Executive Vice President Alex Iams told Bisnow that new-to-market tenants in the area are looking at mixed-use developments with access to public transportation.

3) In late March, Tysons residential and commercial security company Alarm.com Holdings Inc. announced that it expects to continue expanding in Northern Virginia and will likely outgrow the nearly 190K SF it leases at 8281 Greensboro Drive. 

4) This spring will bring more than 20 new restaurants to the D.C. area, including several in Tysons. The upper-level food hall at the Tysons Corner Galleria will soon welcome a West African cuisine restaurant, a pour-over coffee outpost, cooked-to-order empanadas from husband-and-wife duo Gabriela and Tyler Steelman and more. The new offerings at the Galleria from owner Brookfield were spurred by vacated anchor space.

5) A new mixed-used development featuring housing, retail spaces and a public plaza is coming to Tysons in McLean as part of the Scott’s Run neighborhood at 1800 Chain Bridge Road. This 28-story building will be a new addition to the 6.5M SF project, which is the largest approved in the history of Fairfax County. Dubbed Heming and developed by Skanska, the building is expected to be delivered in 2023. 

6) A Capital One Financial-owned property in Tysons will be redeveloped to include a multifamily building. According to the Washington Business Journal, the building will feature 460 housing units, two-thirds of which will have capped rents for workforce households earning up to 60% of the area median income.

7) Developer John T. “Til” Hazel Jr., who played a major role in the development of Tysons Corner and several planned communities in Fairfax County, died last month. He first began promoting commercial and residential growth in Fairfax County in the 1950s and was known for defeating “no-growth” opponents who were against development in the area.