Politics & Government

Four New High Rise Buildings Coming To Tysons Corner Mall

Will Replace Former Circuit City building and its strip mall

You can say goodbye to the old Circuit City building, its strip mall and the trees at Tysons Corner Mall. 

Macerich, the company that owns Tysons Corner Center, plans to tear down and the buildings and start construction of a four-phase project that will include 26-story buildings, a hotel and a walkway built over Route 123 to the new Metro station now under construction.

News of the Macerich plans comes nearly three weeks after the Lerner Company announced plans to build an 18-story office building across Route 123 from Tysons Mall.

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The new Metro Silver Line expected to open with its four stations in 2013 in Tysons is spurring the new development.

Fairfax County and Virginia officials have made clear that they see Tysons Corner as the economic engine not only of Fairfax County but for all of Virginia. Economic engine means more jobs and tax dollars.

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That's why a year ago the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted a new master plan for Tysons Corner to transform it into a city of 40,000 residents in the next 20 years.

Only two businesses remain open in the strip shopping mall. The rug store in the former Circuit City building has large "going out of business" signs posted.

Angel Nails is also open but signs tell customers it will close in September and reopen in the mall.

La Madeleine has closed. Signs in its vacant windows say it will also remain in the mall in the fall.

For phase one, Macerich’s plan calls for four buildings:

  • A 26-story multi-residential: approximately 429,000 square feet (including retail), a maximum of 380 units.
  • An 18-story office building: approximately 536,000 square feet
  • A 23-story hotel: approximately 250,000 square feet (including retail and conference facilities), up to 300 rooms
  • Commercial addition: approximately 3,500 square feet that will be adjacent to the mall.

This development was a rezoning approved by the Board of Supervisors under the old land use plan for Tysons on Jan. 22, 2007, said Brian Wilson, a spokesman for Fairfax County government. Tysons Corner development is now operating under two plans: the 2007 plan and the new 2010 plan.
 
Macerich currently only has approval for infrastructure work (sewer, electrical, etc.) and work on a 13,000 square foot transit pavilion, which will provide a connection between the Tysons I & II Metro station, the mall and new development, Wilson said.

"This is likely the land-clearing activity that residents have seen," he said. "The company also recently submitted plans to tear down the old Circuit City and the associated strip mall; this is under review. Macerich hasn’t applied for building permits yet."

We inquired of the Macerich Co. and look forward to talking with them.

The looming question: Traffic. It's already difficult to come and go from Tysons Mall by the Route 123 entrance. What happens when you add tenants and guests in four new high-rise buildings?

The McLean Citizens Association raised the traffic question when it opposed the 2007 rezoning. "MCA opposed it because of the significantly higher vehicle trips it would have generated," said Mark Zetts, chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee. "There were many transportation improvements recommended in the Tysons Comp Plan that had not been done. MCA thought the rezoning should have been denied until the capacity of the road network had been increased."

Background:

Macerich is a real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. Macerich owns approximately 72 million square feet of gross leaseable area consisting primarily of interests in 70 regional malls. It is a public company.

Arthur Coppola, of Santa Monica, Calif., is the chairman of the board and CEO of Macerich.

Other holdings include:

  • Queens Center in New York City
  • Scottsdale Fashion Square in Arizona
  • Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, Calif.
  • Washington Square near Portland, Ore.


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