Alison M. Rice looks at the transformation of the Washington D.C. suburb of Merrifield, Va. from an industrial-suburban wasteland to a $542 million mixed-use development.
"There are very few sites left in the country that are undeveloped and that have the density and strength of a permanent and daytime consumer base within a 10-minute drive time," said Jodie W. McLean, the president and chief investment officer for Edens. Her company is the private retail developer that has helped replace the auto body shop, fast-food restaurants, and acres of surface parking of Merrifield's past and brought in the Angelika Film Center, a 150-room Hyatt House hotel, 73,000 square feet of office space, and shops and restaurants. Her firm's project - the 31-acre Mosaic District - will be "divided into four geographic districts: fashion and retail; film and dining; market, which includes specialty food shops; and residential."
The District, which was named "to refer to the many different Northern Virginia neighborhoods that encircle Merrifield," is the center of the redevelopment. There is a one-acre park with an outdoor movie screen, specialty shops arranged by type, and a mix of national retailers and tiny local shops. Edens wanted to provide a unique shopping experience, and the firm hopes customers visit the district at least twice a week.
"As the district comes together, though," says Rice, "one piece remains stubbornly hard to fit: walkability. Intended as a pedestrian-friendly town center and less than a mile from a Metro station, Mosaic is still best reached for many visitors by car or bus, rather than on foot, because of traffic on nearby roads."
"Such a mixed bag of infrastructure takes time to convert into a walkable neighborhood," notes Rice. "Elected officials say recent road improvements intended to divert traffic away from known Merrifield bottlenecks should help. So should many of the residential projects under construction in the area, which will expand the sidewalk network and create the new street grid, they said."
FULL STORY: A Suburban Wasteland in Virginia Gets a Modern Urban Feel

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie