Construction on a development with a 600-foot-tall tower can start now that land purchases have been finalized near the Spring Hill Metro station.

The Washington Business Journal reported today (Thursday) that Tysons Development LLC, which is made up of Clemente Development Company and Saudi Arabian businessman Khaled Juffali, bought three properties around the Spring Hill Metro station in early February, per county records.

“The developers acquired the land, currently home to a series of car dealerships and auto shops, from the Cherner Family for a total price of about $123 million, according to the records,” The Washington Business Journal reported.

“The joint venture previously closed on the purchase of another piece of land along Leesburg Pike accounting for roughly a quarter of the total View property in February 2018. BP Realty sold about 1.3 acres for $26 million,” according to the news story.

Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors approved The View in October.

Clemente’s project will add six buildings, including the “Iconic Tower,” which will reach higher than Capital One’s headquarters. The View also plans to include a black box theater, art walk and open-air theater.

Image via Fairfax County 

Updated 3/5/2020 — Corrects date in second graph.

The new annual report from Tysons Partnership expects Tysons to surpass 110 million square feet of development by 2050.

Tysons Partnership, which is made up of organizations and major employers in the area that want to boost Tysons’ prominence in Northern Virginia, unveiled its new report at an event today to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the region’s Comprehensive Plan.

Barry Mark, the vice president of workplace solutions at Capital One, kicked off the event by saying that Tysons is becoming a vibrant, urban center.

“Tysons is become a hub for top talent, especially in tech and continually provides us with the skilled workforce that we need to succeed,” he said.

Since 2012, 8.9 million square feet of new development and 4,500 new residential units have been added in Tysons, the report notes.

Wit major projects underway, like Capital One’s campus and Scotts Run, Tysons is projected to have roughly 113 million square feet of development by 2050.

“We have over 40 million square feet of approved unbuilt construction still left in the pipeline,” Jeff Tarae, the chair of the Tysons Partnership Board of Directors, said at the event.

What Tysons will be like several decades from now has dominated several recent events.

Tysons is expected to quadruple its population from 27,000 to 100,000 and boost its employment by 80,000 jobs when 2050 arrives, the annual report and Comprehensive Plan note.

To prepare for 2050, Tarae said that the Tysons Partnership board teamed up with Fairfax County for an “exploratory process” over the next few years that aims to “elevate the Partnership to a more robust, sustainable organization.”

Tysons Partnership has also been working closely with the county on a rebranding effort for the area and also on finding a different business model.

Calling Tysons the “economic engine of the county,” Jeff McKay, the chair of the county’s Board of Supervisors, said at the event that the county approaches Tysons with a focus on long-term results.

“When you make a commitment to do what we’ve done, you can’t stop midway,” McKay said, adding that “scattered high-density, no sense of place” is his worst case scenario for Tysons.

McKay also pointed to concerns that Fairfax County is working to address: the “affordable housing crisis,” climate change, timing infrastructure work with developments and trying to get young people to move to Tysons.

“We’re in this for the long haul,” McKay said. “We’ve stuck to the long term vision, and ultimately we’re in this now to complete it.”

This story was reported by Catherine Douglas Moran and Ashley Hopko. 

A rezoning request for a proposed office tower near the McLean Metro station will be considered by the Board of Supervisors later this month.

Akridge and the Ronald D. Paul Companies are looking to develop 1690 Old Meadow Road, a triangular spot between Dolley Madison Blvd and the Old Meadow Road, into a 15-story tower with Class A offices.

Called One Tysons East, the project would include a 8,300-square-foot restaurant and cafe on the main level, along with retail space and a bike room, according to the website.

The project plans for five levels of parking with 500 spaces — two levels of parking would be underground, while three would be above the lobby. Above the parking, the tower would have 11 floors of office space totaling 24,500 square feet.

The tower also plans to have a landscaped outdoor terrace with a bocce court on the fifth floor, which would also include a client-only cafe, coffee bar, conference room, fitness center and yoga space.

The developers are looking to increase the floor area ratio and receive approval for their plans.

The Planning Commission recommended approval for the rezoning last April after discussion on how the distinctive curved-glass tower could potentially kill birds.

Now, county documents indicate that the Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing on March 24.

Images via One Tysons East

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Wednesday (March 4)

• Wellness Wednesday — 4 to 7 p.m. at LATHER Fairfax (2910 District Ave) — This event lets people enjoy a drink while making a quartz crystal intention necklace. Registration is limited and people can RSVP online.

Thursday (March 5)

• Beyond the Beltway 2020 — 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner (1700 Tysons Boulevard) — Attendees at this conference will get to hear from over a dozen speakers on topics including development, government spending, public safety and similar topics. Registration is $645 for non-members.
• Raise Her Voice — Untold Stories of Women in the Workplace — noon to 2 p.m. at Maggiano’s Little Italy at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) — To celebrate International Women’s Day, Maggiano’s is hosting a brunch where people can hear stories about women who have succeeded in the workplace and overcome obstacles. Tickets run for about $36. Speakers will include women in leadership from companies around Tysons.

Friday (March 6)

• Tysons Library Friends Quarterly Book & Media Sale — 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Tysons Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike) — People will have the chance to score deals on books and beef up their book collection. All books are under $5 and some are going to sell for less than $1. This event is taking place until Sunday (March 8).
• Almost Queen — 7 to 9 p.m. at The State Theatre (220 N. Washington Street) — This four-person group wants to foster a love for Queen with covers from the original band. Advanced tickets are $25.

Saturday (March 7)

• Capital Princess Ball — 6 to 10 p.m. at Westwood Country Club (800 Maple Avenue E.) —  This father-daughter dance is a charity function supporting adoptions and foster care. A pair of tickets cost $250 and include a buffet dinner.

Sunday (March 8)

• Landscape Photography Workshop — 9 to 11 a.m. at REI Tysons (8209 Watson Street) —  All skill levels are invited to this workshop that teaches people photography basics. Tickets are $35 for non-members and all cameras, phones and devices are welcome.
• QuinTango Concert — 8 to 11 p.m. at 1st Stage (1524 Spring Hill Road) — Fans of live music can gather to enjoy a tango quintet performance. Danging is encouraged and champagne will be served. Tickets are $25 -$30.

Photo via QuinTango Concert/Facebook

Updated 3:05 p.m.– Though the project is behind schedule, construction at the Tysons Pimmit Park playground is expected to finish by the end of the month.

Crews at Tysons Pimmit Park (7584 Leesburg Pike) are replacing a picnic shelter, a Fairfax County Park Authority spokesperson said, adding that the area should reopen by late March.

Construction was originally supposed to be finished by Feb. 28, a spokesperson previously told Tysons Reporter.

“There was a need for extra time to accommodate procurement issues and delivery of the equipment,” the Fairfax County Park Authority spokesperson later told Tysons Reporter.

Overall, the project cost $120,000 and is being funded by the 2019 Park Bond, according to county documents.

Domino’s plans to celebrate its new pizza place in Tysons next week.

A ribbon-cutting will be held on Monday, March 9, at 10 a.m. Attendees can expect light refreshments, a raffle drawing and tours of the new space.

The pizza chain opened at 8133 Watson Street in October, according to a flyer for the event.

Other nearby locations include McLean (1420 Chain Bridge Road), Vienna (331 Maple Ave E.) and Falls Church (1106 W. Broad Street).

Tysons may not have the liveliest nightlife at the moment, but that could soon change as more late-night restaurants and places to hang out open. “Tysons After Dark” will highlight a different spot every week.

Showplace Icon doesn’t officially open until March 6, but the new theater in Tysons is offering free movies starting today before its grand opening.

Earlier this week, Tysons Reporter got a tour of the 72,000-square-foot theater (1667 Silver Hill Drive) in The Boro development near the Greensboro Metro station.

The theater has 14 auditoriums ranging in size with seating for 1,795 people. Inside the auditoriums, the recliners turn into love seats when the armrest is up and people can warm up with the seat heaters.

The theaters are split between two floors. Along the hallways, movie-goers can spot posters of films from 1963 — the same year the Leesburg Pike and Route 123 interchange contract was awarded, morphing the country crossroads into an urban area.

People can dine at the ICON Bistro and The Lobby Lounge and bring food, like bacon popcorn, into the auditoriums.

A spokesperson for the theater told Tysons Reporter that the goal with the dining options is to appeal to non-movie-goers as well.

During the theater’s soft opening from today (Friday, Feb. 28) until Wednesday (March 4), people who are Extra Club Members — a free membership available online — will be able to watch free movies with free popcorn and drinks. (There’s also a paid membership option as well for people who want more perks.)

The movies on the big screen for Friday-Sunday include:

• “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey”
• “1917”
• “The Gentlemen”
• “Little Women”
• “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
• “Frozen 2”
• “Jumanji: The Next Level”
• “Knives Out”
• “Ford v. Ferrari”
• “Uncut Gems”
• “Just Mercy”
• “Dolittle”

Tickets are available an hour before each movie and must be reserved in person, according to the theater’s website.

This will be the movie theater chain’s seventh location, according to a press release.

A cafe proposed along Leesburg Pike wants to add a late-night option to Tysons’ growing food scene and after-hours options.

The cafe would occupy the main level of a two-story building at 7787 Leesburg Pike, according to county documents. The restaurant would be open from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 a.m. every day, according to the proposal.

The site, which used to house a United Bank branch, is in the southeast corner of the Leesburg Pike and I-495 interchange and north of George Marshall High School. It is located within Tysons’ East Side neighborhood.

According to the plans, the site provides 36 parking spaces, with the cafe expecting to use 20 of those spots.

“Since most of the use of the restaurant will be during the evening hours, then the main operation hours will be outside the peak (rush) traffic flow for the area,” the applicant said. “It is not anticipated to change the overall traffic level for the existing Leesburg Pike.”

The county’s Planning Commission is set to consider the proposed restaurant in late June.

Image via Google Maps 

Former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg is set to make an appearance in Tysons tomorrow (Saturday) morning.

Bloomberg plans to participate in the Women for Mike get-out-the-vote event ahead of the March 3 Super Tuesday primary in Virginia.

The event is set to take place at 9 a.m. at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner (7920 Jones Branch Drive), according to a press release. Doors will open at 8 a.m.

After the event, supporters plan to knock on doors for Bloomberg’s campaign.

“This will be Mike’s seventh trip to Virginia since launching his presidential campaign,” the press release says.

Cranes and crews are busy working on a new office tower near the Greensboro Metro station in Tysons.

Tysons Biergarten’s former site will soon become a 383,000-square-foot office tower with 20 floors and a penthouse, according to the project’s website.

Named Tysons Central, the tower is set to open in the first quarter of 2022, according to signs along Leesburg Pike.

The building will include 365,000 square feet of office space and 19,000 square feet of retail space, the signs say.

The plans show that the office space will be atop parking decks, which will be above the retail and plaza area, according to the project’s website.

The building will also have a sky lobby with an outdoor terrace on the eighth floor and a private terrace on the 12th floor.

“Additionally, the exclusive 6,362 sf Penthouse floor offers a unique opportunity to create a private C-Suite, conference center or tenant lounge for a lead tenant,” according to the website.

At full build-out, the office tower will be a part of a mixed-use development that was approved in 2014 with 1,100 residential units, 200 hotel rooms and 135,000 square feet of retail, according to the website.

Here are renderings of what Tysons Central plans to look like when it’s finished:

Renderings and map via Tysons Central