At Tysons’ new senior center, adults 50 and older will be able to stay fit, express their artistry, learn how to navigate technology and more.
Arbor Row Center is now open on the ground floor of The Mather, an apartment community for seniors, at 7929B Westpark Drive. After a ribbon-cutting celebration yesterday (Monday), the facility will host an open house today (Tuesday) where patrons can meet each other and enjoy refreshments from 10 a.m. to noon.
The center will begin offering its first programs tomorrow, with basic mat pilates starting at 10 a.m., followed by a Stay Active & Independent for Life demonstration class at 11 a.m.
All programs are free and open to both Mather residents and people 50 and older in the general public, though advance registration is required. In some cases, participants need to bring their own equipment, such as a mat for tomorrow’s pilates class.
“We’re thrilled to have this public-private partnership with Fairfax County, and we look forward to serving people who are 50 and better going forward by offering wellness programs, creative arts and more to help people age well in their community,” Mather CEO and President Mary Leary said after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Mather provided space for the publicly accessible senior center in its new Tysons “life plan community” as a condition of Fairfax County’s approval of the development, which has 293 apartments for adults 62 and older.
The Mather’s first 179 units opened in a 27-story “north” building in March 2024, and an 18-story building to the south, where the senior center is located, followed suit last September.
Programming at Arbor Row Center is being provided by both Mather and the county’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), which solicited community feedback earlier this year to help determine what kinds of activities to offer.
Input from Mather’s research institute will also result in a variety of program offerings that might not be available at the county’s other senior centers, according to Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik.
Activities on the May calendar range from cardio drumming and dance workshops to a mah-jongg open house, a “Joy of Animals” presentation where people are invited to share photos of their pets, and a lecture on generative artificial intelligence.
“I love that NCS … always starts with engaging the community, asking them what they want to see, what activities they would like to see, instead of us telling them and deciding without that input,” Palchik said. “I think it will not only make it better used, but a better amenity for everyone who lives here and might be considering moving here.”
Open from 9 a.m. to noon on weekdays, the 2,300-square-foot facility mostly consists of a reception area and a large, flexible meeting room that can be divided into two spaces.
Though it’s less than half the size of the nearby Lewinsville Senior Center in McLean, Mather and county officials believe Arbor Row Center will be a valuable addition to Tysons, as the urban area continues to draw more residents.
According to data collected by the Tysons Community Alliance, Tysons is now home to an estimated 29,000 people, about 22% of them 55 and older. That’s a slightly smaller share of the population than in Fairfax County overall, where more than a quarter of residents are at least 55 years old, per a 2024 demographic report.
With older adults representing the county’s fastest-growing population, Leary says The Mather is “far exceeding expectations in terms of residents moving into the community.”
In addition to Arbor Row Center, the complex’s amenities include a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, both private and publicly accessible outdoor green and park spaces, a spa, and six different dining options.
“The Mather provides a wonderful option for people to age in place in their community, while being an active part of the community at large,” Leary said. “Tysons is a very vibrant location … and it’s a place where people of all ages want to work, to socialize, to live.”
