High-Rise Condos, Apartments Proposed to Replace McLean Commons

McLean Commons, now a quiet community of garden apartments on either side of Anderson Road, will become a community of high-rise apartments and condominiums that resembles New York City under a rezoning proposal filed with Fairfax County.

Welcome to the Next Tysons Corner. McLean Commons sits within walking distance of the new subway station now under construction at Old Meadow Road and Dolley Madison Boulevard. Therefore it's within the area designated by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors as part of the new city of Tysons Corner – the economic revenue engine of Fairfax County and Northern Virginia.

Under the proposal, the 12 two-story garden apartment buildings containing 331 apartments would be replaced by seven high-rise buildings ranging in height from 18-24 stories and containing 2,504 units. Most of the buildings would have rooftop swimming pools and would "... help transform Tysons Corner from suburb to city," the developers said in their rezoning application.

"The Commons will be a pivotal part of a larger, mixed-use neighborhood with walkable blocks, lively streetscapes and wonderful open space areas and active recreation opportunities ... The Property provides an unparalleled opportunity to greatly expand the housing options near the Metro Station and to provide significant park and open space features," the rezoning proposal says.

The Commons is symbolic of how last year's massive rezoning of Tysons Corner will dramatically transform the area from an incoherent jumble of 20th century suburban developments to a 21st century planned city of high-rise office buildings, apartments, stores, restaurants and parks, home to 100,000 people.

Tysons Corner was originally centered around cars. The next Tysons Corner will be centered around the four new metro stations in Tysons Corner of the new Silver Line that is scheduled to open in 2013.

Dranesville Supervisor John Foust said, "The application has not yet been approved so there will probably be some revisions made as staff and the community review it.

"At this point, I believe the applicant has done a good job of incorporating the Comprehensive Plan's transit oriented development goals for Tysons Corner," Foust said.

McLean Commons management explained that the 246 units located behind the Safeway closest to Magarity Road will remain as is. These units are undergoing renovation and the tenants have been notified that they need to move.

No retail use is included in the proposal, because McLean Commons has always had it's own shopping area that includes a large and now renovated Safeway, The Lost Dog Cafe and a gas station. The Safeway was renovated last year and now contains a Starbucks.

"It represents an important piece of Tysons' transformation from a suburban, car-dependent place to an exciting, pedestrian-friendly realm where more people will use the Metro and the sidewalks to meet their daily travel needs," said the developer LCOR, in its application.

"With a connected street network, pleasant walkable blocks, major additions to Tysons' parks and open space system, innovative storm-water management, sustainable buildings, and workforce housing opportunities, The Commons will be a model residential neighborhood in Tysons and will make the most of the major public investment in the new Metro Silver Line," the developer said.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently approved the first rezoning in Tysons Corner to begin the creation of the new city – six acres near Route 7.

No public hearings have been scheduled on the McLean Commons proposals. Stay tuned.

The development proposal complete with renderings of the new high-rise neighborhood accompany this story. Click on the PDFs.