E-Newsletter

“Placemaking” is enhancing Fairfax County’s landscape for companies, employees and residents

The landscape around Fairfax County continues to change, with many of the development projects underway focused on a walkable, urban mix of office, residential and retail spaces close to a Metro station. There is also a laser focus on amenities that will attract companies, employees, residents, shoppers and visitors — and enhance the county’s reputation as a great place to work, live, play and learn. This is what urban planners call “placemaking.”

The Washington Business Journal recently listed the top 25 construction projects in the Washington area as estimated by 2019 project cost. Six of these projects are in Fairfax County. Five of the six are located at a Metro stop, and there is a lot of emphasis on many aspects of placemaking. Read on to learn more about each (and we’ve thrown in a bonus project at the end).

Halley Rise

South of the Dulles Toll Road at the Reston Town Center Metro Station, this project by Brookfield Properties is approved for 1.5 million square feet of office space, 1,500 apartments and up to 380,000 square feet of retail space. Highlights include a Wegmans market and Pinstripes, an entertainment center with bowling and bocce.

halley rise reston virginia

Rendering courtesy of Brookfield Properties

hally rise reston

Current photograph

Reston Gateway

North of the toll road at the Reston Town Center Metro station is Reston Gateway by Boston Properties. This development will feature 2.2 million square feet of office space, about 2,000 residential units, 162,000 square feet of retail and a 570-room hotel. Fannie Mae signed on for 850,000 square feet of the office space.

reston gateway

Rendering courtesy of Clark Construction

reston gateway

Current photograph courtesy of Clark Construction

Reston Station

At the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, this project from Comstock Partners already has 368,000 square feet of office space open (Google and co-working provider Spaces are anchor tenants) with another 430,000 square feet underway. It also includes almost 450 residential units that are completed (the “BLVD” building), and 120,000 square feet of retail space featuring the Founding Farmers restaurant.

Rendering courtesy of Comstock Partners

reston station comstock

Current photograph

The Boro

This development from Meridian Group, adjacent to the Greensboro Metro Station in Tysons, already includes Boro Tower, which opened with TEGNA, KPMG and the law firms of Hogan Lovells and Womble Bond Dickinson in the first wave of tenants. It will have up to 2.3 million square feet of office space. It also will be home to 680 residential units across three residential towers, a 15-screen ShowPlace Icon movie theater, retail space and a Whole Foods Market.

the boro

Rendering courtesy of The Meridian Group

Current photograph courtesy of The Meridian Group

Transportation Safety Administration HQ

TSA announced in 2017 that it would move its headquarters from Pentagon City to Springfield. The 625,000-square-foot property being built by Boston Properties is a short walk from the Franconia-Springfield Metro Center and is close to the Springfield Town Center. When it opens in 2020, it is expected to bring 3,000 jobs to the area.

tsa headquarters springfield va

Rendering courtesy of Boston Properties

Current photograph

The National Museum of the United States Army

Celebrating more than 200 years of Army history, this 185,000-square-foot museum being built by the Army Historical Foundation at Fort Belvoir also will have an amphitheater, parade ground and gardens. The museum is scheduled to open in 2020 and will be another star attraction in the tourism corridor of southeastern Fairfax County that already spotlights George Washington’s Mount Vernon, George Mason’s Gunston Hall and the Woodlawn Estate that also includes Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House.

Rendering courtesy of Army Historical Foundation

Current photograph courtesy of Army Historical Foundation

Bonus: Capital One Center

Already the site of the bank’s 470-foot-tall headquarters (second-tallest structure in the Washington area after the Washington Monument), now under construction is the 1,600-seat performance hall called Capital One Hall. It also will have a Wegmans market and a corporate hotel. Next up will be a 900,000-square foot tower that includes office and retail space. The campus is approved for 5.4 million square feet of development, including more than 3 million square feet of office space.

Rendering courtesy of Capital One

Current photograph