| Tysons Corner Center, already one of the nations | | | | merge the now separated buildings into something |
| largest malls, hot bed for real estate and the regions | | | | more like a city block. However, they will have to face |
| largest has proposed a new development plan that will | | | | vehement opposition from homeowner groups about |
| expand the shopping mall into its own "self-sustained" | | | | traffic problems and the effects of even more |
| city. | | | | buildings, cars and people. By adding more commercial |
| The proposed plans will double the mall in size by | | | | real estate and increasing the traffic it will create an |
| adding more than 5 million square feet, or more than | | | | even worse situation in Northern Virginia. One resident |
| twice as much as the Empire State Building! The | | | | of McLean, Virginia commented on the proposed plan |
| project is a mix of mid-rise buildings containing hotel | | | | and said Wed like to be able to drive from McLean to |
| rooms, commercial space for offices, retail space and | | | | Vienna in less than a day!" |
| condos. Northern Virginia is planning to add 2 million | | | | The plan would add some community aspects to the |
| square feet of office buildings, 600 apartments, and a | | | | Tysons area including an outdoor ice skating rink. |
| 120-room hotel and a few shops adding to the existing | | | | Currently there is no place to sit outside, only |
| market for commercial real estate in Northern Virginia. | | | | commercial office buildings. |
| The project faces at least two obstacles to the | | | | The second obstacle is that only about a third of the |
| addition of more | | | | project can be built before funding for the $1.5 billion |
| Northern Virginia commercial real estate. First, it must | | | | Metro rail expansion from West Falls Church through |
| win the approval of the Fairfax County Board of | | | | Tysons Corner is approved. Members of the |
| Supervisors. The Board would like to create a | | | | community are invited to attend the planning |
| traditional downtown at Tysons Corner, and this plan | | | | commissions meetings. |
| would move that vision closer. The plan would also | | | | |