Macerich, owner of Tysons Corner Center, has some big changes in mind for the popular shopping mall. The company recently asked Fairfax County for (and was granted) a proffer and plan interpretation that would allow a significant reconfiguration of the recently-built elevated plaza area. The plan is to raze the building that was formerly owned by Lord & Taylor, and enlarge the plaza by about 13,000 square feet. The remainder of the building site would be redeveloped at some point in the future.
According to the request, the second-floor public plaza at Tysons Corner Center has been a success, but the programming for the outdoor area has always had to deal with the fact that the space available for events is limited. With Lord & Taylor’s recent liquidation, Macerich acquired the anchor space, which has lately been used as a COVID-19 community vaccination center. Earlier this month, the Fairfax County Health Department announced that the vaccination clinic will close starting June 26, which would clear the way for demolition preparation to proceed.
This will commence a long-term switch for the property, and reflects the accelerating trend among mall operators of replacing vacant department store anchor space with entertainment or other uses. Nearby Tysons Galleria is in the process of replacing an empty Macy’s store with a Bowlero and automobile showroom, among other stores. At Tysons Corner Center, the plaza expansion is also an opportunity to provide additional outdoor retail frontage to a few more tenants. In particular, the request mentions a plan to consolidate some of the interior retail space on both the first and second floors of the mall, to accommodate a current tenant looking to expand and establish a “flagship store.” Much of the space to be consolidated is currently occupied by Forever 21, and it would not be a surprise if that is the tenant to make the move. No announcements have been made at this point.
The request also involves moving the Shake Shack restaurant from its current space on the corner of the plaza, to a new spot fronting the expansion area, with both exterior and interior storefronts. The popular children’s play area would close at the start of construction, and ultimately move to a spot near the new Shake Shack entrance. A restroom near the interior Lord & Taylor entrance would be relocated to the first floor, where several stores would be closed to make room for the “flagship store” expansion.
The plaza opened in 2015 as part of Tyson Corner Center’s “Phase 1” expansion that included the VITA apartment tower, Tysons Tower, and a Hyatt Regency hotel. Three additional phases have been approved, which would bring even more residential, office, and restaurant space to the area’s largest shopping mall. A new Proffered Condition Amendment application for the property was filed with the county this month, which means more changes might soon be on the way.