Drive the Capital Beltway and you’ll see signs for “Tysons Corner” in Fairfax County, Virginia. But the U.S. Postal Service now uses the area’s relatively-new name: simply “Tysons.”
That change reflects an evolving transformation in the area that is now celebrating 10 years of progress.
Ten years into a 40-year redevelopment plan, the Chair of the Tysons Partnership, Jeff Tarae said there’s been good fundamental success; and the goal to make Tysons an urban, walkable city where you can live, work and play is on track for completion by 2050.
Tarae was among officials attending a Wednesday progress report presentation on the comprehensive plan adopted by the county board of supervisors in 2010.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said he was initially skeptical that the plan was attainable, but now after 10 years, he’s a believer.
“I don’t think anyone had ever seen anything quite as ambitious as what we proposed 10 years ago,” Foust said. “Now, I think we’re going to make it.”
Evidence of progress includes:
- Four Metro Silver Line stations
- Seven new intersections
- More than seven approved road segments
- The Jan. 1 approval of scooters for transportation
- More than 2 miles of additional sidewalks and bike lanes
- Opportunities for physical recreation in parks with baseball fields
- Nearly 9 million square feet of development, 50% residential with 4,500 new units since 2012
- New office inventory has 0% vacancy
“I’m pleased across the board with everybody’s participation,” Foust said. “From the citizen groups to the land owners to the government people — everybody pulling and working in the same direction — that’s why we’re successful.”
Building the community includes more people living and working within Tysons.
“It’s all the elements of the 24-hour components of a thriving city,” Tarae said, of goals for the plan’s actualization by 2050.
“So it’s what happens here during the week, but also what happens here over the weekend.”
