Tysons Corner plan has critics on all sides
Community leaders, developers still differ on best approach to expected growth
It seems that no matter your perspective on future growth in Tysons Corner, there is something to dislike in the current draft plan to guide redevelopment of the district.
At the first of two public comment meetings on the latest draft comprehensive plan for Tysons Corner last week, developers griped about some proposed conditions and residents of neighboring communities aired their lingering fears about growth.
In its current draft form, the plan would allow Tysons to grow to about 96,600 residents and 190,500 jobs in up to 116 million square feet of development over the next 40 years. Tysons current population is 18,500, with 112,600 jobs. The plan also includes goals for affordable housing and environmentally sensitive building standards. It strives to create an urban grid of streets and make the area more welcoming to pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. One of the main transit developments in the plan will be four Metro stations that will open in 2013.
Some members of the development community, including some who own properties in Tysons Corner, say the plan's ambitions go too far and certain provisions will discourage redevelopment.
"It is a delicate balance between encouraging too much growth and not enough," said Jonathan Cox, a senior vice president with the Alexandria-based AvalonBay Communities Inc., which owns the Avalon Crescent in Tysons.
Cox was among several people opposing a proposed requirement that would force owners of existing, more affordable apartment communities in Tysons to replace any "market rate affordable" housing that is redeveloped.
Elizabeth Baker, land-use coordinator with Walsh Colucci Lubeley Emrich and Walsh, said if a property like the Post Tysons Corner redeveloped, it would need to preserve nearly half of the new units it built at its old market rate, now about $1,400 for a one-bedroom apartment.
"They're not going to choose to redevelop under that," Baker said. "They need to make an economic return."
Another disincentive to residential development is the proposed minimum "green building" certification required, Cox said. The U.S. Green Building Council's certification program was developed for commercial buildings, he said, and it is harder, in his experience, to achieve certification for residential properties.
"The goals need to be realistic," Cox said.
The only developer to have experience working under the proposed plans, the Georgelas Group of McLean, is supportive of it. The company is allowing one of its projects to serve as a beta test of sorts for applying the development strategies in Tysons.
"It is a good plan, and as your neighbor, I support it," managing partner Aaron Georgelas, a Town of Vienna resident, told the audience and the Planning Commission Tysons Corner Committee Meeting.
The county will grow regardless, and it makes sense for growth to happen in Tysons, he said. "It's not just the developers who benefit, it's all of us."
Residents of McLean and Vienna remain concerned growth will slam their communities with traffic.
Ted Alexander, McLean resident and member of the Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition, said he is supportive of growth at Tysons "just as long as that development does not outgrow the infrastructure."
Many residents of McLean and the Town of Vienna are concerned growth in Tysons could put a strain on the parks, schools, roads and other facilities in neighboring communities if too much growth happens too fast. They support phasing building to the provision of infrastructure, and some would like to see less dense development overall in Tysons.
"I believe the transformation of Tysons Corner must not degrade the quality of life in surrounding communities," Sally Horn of McLean said.
The Tysons Corner Committee will hold another public comment session 7 p.m. Feb. 11 in the Fairfax County Government Center.



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