First Tysons Corner Plans Go Before Fairfax Planning Commission Tonight

Tonight plans proposed by one of McLean's best known development companies will become the first test of the county's vision of transforming Tysons Corner into a city.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission holds a public hearing tonight on the first Tysons Corner rezoning application.

The Fairfax County Board rezoned Tysons Corner a year ago to concentrated high-rise offices and residence buildings around the four new subway stations now under construction along Route 123 and Route 7. The subway acts as the spine of the new development.

The plans submitted by the Georgelas Group for more than 30 acres around the new Metro station on Route 7 near Spring Hill Road are the first to use the new mixed use, high-density zoning categories.

Nearly 100 people filled the meeting room in Vienna’s Town Hall last week to learn more about the plans from the Georgelas Group, which call for a three-stage development that includes more than 2,000 housing units, ground-level retail space and some buildings nearing 300 feet in height. That makes them taller than both the Sheraton Hotel and the Rotunda.

At this informal public hearing last week in Vienna, developers, county staff, engineers and supervisors began to answer questions and share more details about the three-part plan that may take up to 30 years to complete. If approved, land now occupied by car dealerships and industrial uses will begin to resemble New York City.

The Georgelas Group, a well-known, family-run development group founded in McLean in 1963, first submitted plans last June for a mixed-used area known as Tysons West. The three neighborhoods, abutting the future Tysons West/Spring Hill metro station, would be connected by new streets that could also connect to the Dulles Toll Road.

The current rezoning application covers only six acres. Part C, at 24 acres, is not yet finalized.

The McLean Citizens Association, which closely follows all developments in Tysons Corner, voted last night to support this development. This plan "is consistent with many of the principals we supported" during the rezoning process. "We want you to follow the plan," said Rob Jackson MCA president.

Tonight's public hearing will be held at 8:15 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. Patch will cover Thursday's public hearing.

Here's a closer look at what will be presented:

2. Georgelas Plans By The Numbers:
3. At Information Session, Residents Concerned About Traffic, Green Space: While many residents were supportive of the plans, several said some important issues like green space, traffic and cost burden did not appear to have ready solutions.

McLean Patch editor Bobbi Bowman contributed to this story.