It has been a long time since we heard any news from the Capital One campus on their rezoning plans along Route 123. Yesterday the first update came from Fairfax County staff who recommended approval of the Rezoning, proffered condition amendment, and final development of a proposed office and hotel high rise buildings located within the master property.
The staff report located here denotes the projects request to build closer to Route 495, in line with the comprehensive plans goals of building massing, use of an underground stormwater management structure in a residential area, and request of unique planting materials known as planting cells which reduce the necessary root zones for streetscape trees.
The ultimate build out of the site will include office, residential, hotel, retail, and public use encompassed within 14 buildings of which 2 already exist. The new capital one project incorporates a lot of marquee architectural features and innovative designs including incorporation of vertical planter walls, public art installations, and public terraces. The premier building 12, a 28-story 392′ office tower will be a striking feature along Route 123.
It might seem like more of the same office park in steroids if you were driving along Route 123, but if you delve into the property after build out you would find a half dozen residential towers atop retail store fronts. At the front edge of these residential units will be a large metro park commons plaza at the foot of the metro station. Additionally, the plans show our first glimpse of the plans to screen the elevated metro structure which has been called by out of towners anything from a monstrosity to an eyesore.
As anticipated the region underneath the tracks will incorporate a range of decorative trees and shrubs to help reduce the visual impact along Route 123. The plans also show an interesting trend of avoiding Route 123 by shielding all higher end uses (residential and retail) on the non-123 side of the development. This indicates that the plans funneling into Fairfax County already disagree with FCDOT and VDOT’s assertions that Route 123 must be an arterial highway in order to spur development (as always people will never want to have dinner or a balcony on their residence overlooking a polluted and crowded 8-lane highway).
We are disappointed that the plans do not provide any indication of the crossing under Route 495 and therefore remains disconnected from much of Tysons Corner in terms of walkability (though admittedly this is outside of the scope of the Capital One development). Pedestrians would need to use the vehicle prioritized Route 123, in combination with walking 1 mile out of the way, to get to this site without this link. It is unclear when Scotts Run Crossing will be extended to Jones Branch Drive under 495 and if this improvement will included dedicated bike and pedestrian paths. This is an important internal connection that must be made within Tysons Corner to connect neighborhoods and improve walking access. Instead FCDOT and VDOT have focused on more commuter road connections to outside regions of Tysons such as the debacle currently known as the Boone Boulevard OnRamp.
The final decision will be up to the Board of Supervisors on whether this project can start construction on Block A, but with all reviewers returning approvals it is likely this project will be green lit for 2013.
For more information on the Rezoning Plan see the submitted plans here;
For more information on Block A Final Development Plans see the submitted plans here;