By Brian Trompeter
The move away from new office buildings continues apace in Tysons.
Fairfax County Planning Commission voted 8-1-1 May 15 to recommend the Board of Supervisors allow Cityline Partners LLC to build a 23-story residential structure in Tysons instead of the approved office building.
The proposed building, to be located on 2.92 acres at 7925 Westpark Drive, would have about 269,000 square feet of residential space with up to 240 dwelling units, plus about 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail.
The site occupies Block C2 in the larger Arbor Row development and is located between The Mather, a continuing-care facility, and The Monarch, a high-rise condominium building.
The development proposal includes 1.76 acres of urban parkland behind the building, which would connect with other Arbor Row park spaces.
Commissioners held a lengthy and intricate discussion with the applicant over how and where to provide workforce-housing units that weren’t rentals.
The county’s Tysons Comprehensive Plan encourages provisions of affordable- and workforce-housing units on-site, but makes allowances to locate them elsewhere in Tysons if this would bring advantages in financing and managing them, said Lynne Strobel, an attorney for the property’s contract purchaser.
If the development’s required workforce-dwelling units (WDUs) were provided off-site, Cityline would keep them within the Tysons Urban Center. The applicant also would contribute up to nearly $4.9 million to the county’s Housing Trust Fund, with contributions based upon actual sales prices after half of the units have sold.
County planning staff expressed concerns about the fixed monetary contribution, saying it did not fully address the development’s WDU needs and deviated from the comprehensive plan, which states such contributions should be based on units’ actual sales price. Staff recommended denial of the application.
Only one of three condominium buildings that have been constructed in Tysons – The Monarch – has on-site WDUs, Strobel said. Few for-sale WDUs exist in Tysons, but there are many such rental units, she said.
At least 22 WDUs would be required with this development. Based on results from two other recent residential projects in Tysons, county housing officials likely will be able to leverage Cityline’s nearly $4.9 million contribution to achieve many more affordable units, said John McGranahan, an attorney for the applicant.
But several other financial factors – including a substantial donation from Amazon – contributed to the affordable-housing achievements at those projects, cautioned Tom Fleetwood, director of the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development.
Wendy Feldman Block, executive managing director with Savills Northern Virginia, told the commission that Tysons needs more one- and two-bedroom condominiums and additional green space. She favored the application.
“The importance of a strong residential sector is key, even more so now than ever, as the pandemic has significantly decreased interest in office space,” Block said. “As such, seeing more sites convert from office to residential use is critical. We need to maintain a robust pipeline of residential options to help attract tenants to the Tysons area.”
The commission had heard the matter April 24, but decided to hold another hearing May 15 to give the applicant time to address outstanding issues. Commissioner Walter Clarke (Mount Vernon District) abstained from the vote, but said he generally supported the application. Commissioner John Carter (Hunter Mill District) voted nay and colleagues Evelyn Spain (Sully District) and Peter Murphy (Springfield District) were absent.
Commissioner Jeremy Hancock (Providence District) said he hoped the applicant and county officials could work together on shared goals moving forward.
The application “provides a cohesive development that will generate a growing pedestrian-activity center that will benefit Fairfax residents,” he said.
