Fairfax County approves 4.2 million-square-foot, mixed-use project at Tysons

Published January 13, 2016 by Paula C. Squires

The Meridian Group said Wednesday it will move forward with plans to develop The Boro after Fairfax County approved the 4.2-million-square-foot, mixed-use development in the heart of Tysons.

The county’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the project, on an 18.1-acre site that was formerly the campus for SAIC. The campus, with four office buildings and surface parking, is within walking distance of the Greensboro Metro station.

Plans for the Boro include offices, apartments, condominiums, retail – including the region’s largest Whole Foods grocery store — restaurants and entertainment. Three of the former SAIC office buildings reportedly will be kept intact while a fourth building will be torn down.

“We’re pleased that the Board of Supervisors approved our plans, and we’re excited to be moving ahead,” David Cheek, president and co-founder of The Meridian Group, based in Bethesda, Md., said in a statement.  “We’re looking forward to making The Boro one of the preeminent developments in the Washington area.”

The Meridian Group has a joint venture with Kettler to develop The Boro’s residential buildings as well as retail space in those buildings. The first phase, scheduled to break ground this summer, will consist of 1.7 million square feet of mixed-use development. It will include 800 residential units, 223,000 square feet of retail, 400,000 square feet of office space, and a one-acre public park.

“The Boro will be a vibrant town center on a huge 18-acre site,” said Gary Block, managing director of The Meridian Group. “We’ve had tremendous interest from a number of tenants interested in being a part of this outstanding development.”

The Meridian Group said it already has signed two companies as tenants:

•  Whole Foods Market, which will open a 70,000-square-foot store as a flagship location – both in terms of size and innovative concepts. Plans call for a food court, a craft-beer brewing operation and demonstration kitchens with guest chefs and cooking classes. The store, the biggest in the DC region, will open in 2019.

•  Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, which will open a new cinema with 15 screens, upscale dining options and reserved seating. Opening in the summer of 2018, the Showplace ICON cinema will offer large screens and deluxe leather recliners.

The Boro, located near Route 7, Route 123 and Greensboro Drive, plans to have a combination of high-rise and mid-rise construction. According to its developer, the project will be divided into various blocks, with three residential towers. There will be lots of outdoor open space, with pedestrian-friendly roadways and restaurants with outdoor seating.

The Washington, D.C., architectural firm of Shalom Baranes Associates is designing the buildings.

When complete, The Boro will consist of more than 1,500 residential units, 1.8 million square feet of office, 316,000 square feet of retail, and 250,000 square feet of hotel space.