TYSONSTYSONS

THE AUDACITY OF THE AUDACITY OF CHANGECHANGE

Assumption #1 – Metro will comeAssumption #1 – Metro will come

Assumption #2 – Significant growth Assumption #2 – Significant growth will occurwill occur

Assumption #3 – Tysons’ Assumption #3 – Tysons’ transformation – possible/desirabletransformation – possible/desirable

WHY DO I BELIEVE THIS?WHY DO I BELIEVE THIS?

THE TYSONS TASK FORCE THE TYSONS TASK FORCE MISSION POSSIBLEMISSION POSSIBLE

Manage growth – T.O.D. experiencesManage growth – T.O.D. experiences Involve the public and all stakeholdersInvolve the public and all stakeholders Recognize the constraintsRecognize the constraints Plan for walkability, livability, and likabilityPlan for walkability, livability, and likability Guiding principle: do what’s always been Guiding principle: do what’s always been

done and you get what’s always been done and you get what’s always been gottengotten

THE COMPETING THE COMPETING INTERESTS:INTERESTS:

Adjoining communitiesAdjoining communities Local businessesLocal businesses ResidentsResidents State agenciesState agencies UtilitiesUtilities Emergency servicesEmergency services Commuters throughCommuters through Transit operatorsTransit operators Pedistrians & BicyclistsPedistrians & Bicyclists Construction Construction

requirementsrequirements

LandownersLandowners Large employersLarge employers EmployeesEmployees County agenciesCounty agencies Environmental Environmental

interestsinterests Commuters toCommuters to DevelopersDevelopers MWAAMWAA Freight carriersFreight carriers Financial interestsFinancial interests

THE TASK FORCE:THE TASK FORCE:

3 reps of 3 reps of landownerslandowners

11 reps of citizens 11 reps of citizens associationsassociations

8 residents of ring 8 residents of ring communitiescommunities

3 elected officials3 elected officials 12 from involved 12 from involved

districtsdistricts 6-8 MCA members6-8 MCA members

7 employees7 employees 3 Tysons residents3 Tysons residents 9 reps of businesses9 reps of businesses 3 ex-off. PC members3 ex-off. PC members 5 other county districts5 other county districts 6 reps of special 6 reps of special

interests (arts, interests (arts, housing, environment, housing, environment, bicyclists, accessibility)bicyclists, accessibility)

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING FOR THREE DOING FOR THREE

YEARS?YEARS? ConsultantsConsultants

OutreachOutreach

Seminars & focus groupsSeminars & focus groups

EducationEducation

CoordinationCoordination

A “preferred alternative”A “preferred alternative”

WHAT HAVE OTHER T.O.D. WHAT HAVE OTHER T.O.D. EXPERIENCES SHOWN? EXPERIENCES SHOWN?

(PART I)(PART I) Provide mobility choicesProvide mobility choices

Increase public safetyIncrease public safety

Increase transit ridershipIncrease transit ridership

Reduce rates of Vehicle Miles Reduce rates of Vehicle Miles TraveledTraveled

Increase household’s disposable Increase household’s disposable incomeincome

WHAT HAVE OTHER T.O.D. WHAT HAVE OTHER T.O.D. EXPERIENCES SHOWN? EXPERIENCES SHOWN?

(PART II)(PART II) Reduce air pollution/energy Reduce air pollution/energy

consumption ratesconsumption rates

Conserve land & open spaceConserve land & open space

Play a role in economic developmentPlay a role in economic development

Contribute to more affordable Contribute to more affordable housinghousing

Decrease local infrastructure costsDecrease local infrastructure costs

AUTO TRIP REDUCTION AUTO TRIP REDUCTION FACTORS FACTORS (PART I)(PART I)

Better balance between housing and Better balance between housing and jobsjobs

Parking managementParking management

Pedestrian and bicyclist accessPedestrian and bicyclist access

Circulator systemCirculator system

Community shuttlesCommunity shuttles

Increased transit usageIncreased transit usage

AUTO TRIP REDUCTION AUTO TRIP REDUCTION FACTORS FACTORS (PART II)(PART II)

TelecommutingTelecommuting

Convenience retailConvenience retail

Grid of streetsGrid of streets

Other TDM strategiesOther TDM strategies

Price of gasPrice of gas

WHAT EXACTLY IS TYSONS WHAT EXACTLY IS TYSONS TODAY? TODAY? (PART I)(PART I)

46 million sq. ft. of development46 million sq. ft. of development

Additional 30 million sq. ft. by Additional 30 million sq. ft. by current current

plan & zoningplan & zoning

40 million sq. ft. of parking!40 million sq. ft. of parking!

The economic engine – idling?The economic engine – idling?

To, thru, and within, congestionTo, thru, and within, congestion

WHAT EXACTLY IS TYSONS WHAT EXACTLY IS TYSONS TODAY? TODAY? (PART II)(PART II)

Many, many landownersMany, many landowners A piecemeal processA piecemeal process 12 “that’s nice” objectives in the 12 “that’s nice” objectives in the

1994 Plan1994 Plan Nearly $300 million/year from 3 taxNearly $300 million/year from 3 tax

sources (property, sales and sources (property, sales and business license)business license)

TYSONS – THE ECONOMIC TYSONS – THE ECONOMIC ENGINE ENGINE (PART I)(PART I)

Virginia’s largest office market & business Virginia’s largest office market & business center; 15center; 15thth largest in the U.S. – w/ 28 million largest in the U.S. – w/ 28 million sq. ft. of office spacesq. ft. of office space

The malls of Tysons Corner creates the 2The malls of Tysons Corner creates the 2ndnd or or 33rdrd largest shopping area in the nation. largest shopping area in the nation.

Surrounding communities of McLean, Vienna Surrounding communities of McLean, Vienna & Great Falls add another 7 million sq. ft. of & Great Falls add another 7 million sq. ft. of office and over 2 million sq. ft. of retailoffice and over 2 million sq. ft. of retail

Average home price in the Greater Tysons Average home price in the Greater Tysons area is over $600,000 (much higher in area is over $600,000 (much higher in McLean and Great Falls)McLean and Great Falls)

TYSONS – THE ECONOMIC TYSONS – THE ECONOMIC ENGINE ENGINE (PART II)(PART II)

128,000 jobs and nearly 6,000 128,000 jobs and nearly 6,000 businesses (only 17,000 residents)businesses (only 17,000 residents)

Greatest concentration of hotels in Greatest concentration of hotels in the county: 14 (3,880 rooms)the county: 14 (3,880 rooms)

The question is: will Tysons continue The question is: will Tysons continue to get its share of the 2 million to get its share of the 2 million residents and 1.6 million jobs residents and 1.6 million jobs projected for the region over the projected for the region over the next 25 years?next 25 years?

WHAT DO THEY SAY WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT TYSONS? ABOUT TYSONS? (PART I)(PART I)

““The blob that ate Northern Virginia”The blob that ate Northern Virginia” ““Too balkanized, too big, too spread Too balkanized, too big, too spread

out, too auto-oriented”out, too auto-oriented” ““A hodge-podge, placeless pattern of A hodge-podge, placeless pattern of

structures and parking… visually structures and parking… visually incoherent, inimical to pedestrians and incoherent, inimical to pedestrians and horribly congested by traffic stuck on a horribly congested by traffic stuck on a woefully inadequate road network”woefully inadequate road network”

WHAT DO THEY SAY WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT TYSONS? ABOUT TYSONS? (PART II)(PART II)

““Current development = lack of Current development = lack of cohesiveness and identity”cohesiveness and identity”

““Development that forces people to Development that forces people to use cars to go short distances”use cars to go short distances”

““A walk across Tysons is more A walk across Tysons is more dangerous than a walk from the dangerous than a walk from the Baghdad airport to the Green Zone”Baghdad airport to the Green Zone”

WHAT IS NEEDED?WHAT IS NEEDED?(PART I)(PART I)

More housing (work force)More housing (work force) A grid of streetsA grid of streets Circulation systemCirculation system Sidewalks & bike lanesSidewalks & bike lanes Parks & open spacesParks & open spaces Green buildingsGreen buildings Urban vs. suburban standardsUrban vs. suburban standards Mixed use – convenience retailMixed use – convenience retail

WHAT IS NEEDED?WHAT IS NEEDED?(PART II)(PART II)

StreetscapesStreetscapes Public facilitiesPublic facilities Civic usesCivic uses Recreation facilitiesRecreation facilities Phased infrastructure expansionPhased infrastructure expansion Significant transportation Significant transportation

improvementsimprovements IMPLEMENTATIONIMPLEMENTATION

HOW DO WE GET ALL OF HOW DO WE GET ALL OF THIS?THIS?

Leveraged densityLeveraged density IncentivesIncentives Coalitions of Coalitions of

landownerslandowners Realistic planningRealistic planning Three decadesThree decades Political willPolitical will

Creative Creative financingfinancing

ConsensusConsensus Intercessory Intercessory

prayerprayer All of the aboveAll of the above

SO WHAT’S THE PLAN?SO WHAT’S THE PLAN?

Metrorail with 4 Tysons stationsMetrorail with 4 Tysons stations 2040 planning horizon2040 planning horizon Urban standardsUrban standards Key elements added before Key elements added before

developmentdevelopment PhasingPhasing Defined bordersDefined borders Robust implementationRobust implementation

IMPLEMENTATION IS THE IMPLEMENTATION IS THE KEY!KEY!

Why? – transition from suburbanWhy? – transition from suburbanto urban standardsto urban standards

A new authority as a governanceA new authority as a governanceframework for the Tysons visionframework for the Tysons vision

Design review and expedited, consistent Design review and expedited, consistent processingprocessing

Power to raise, receive and expend funds for Power to raise, receive and expend funds for prioritized improvementsprioritized improvements

Create and use improvement districts, tax Create and use improvement districts, tax increment financing, public/private increment financing, public/private partnershipspartnerships

Thank YouThank You