From 'Wasteland' to Mixed-Use 'Mosaic'

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.

2 minute read

December 22, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Jessica Hsu


"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."

Tuesday, December 18, 2012 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Red SF Muni ticketing machine.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time

A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

May 21 - San Francisco Examiner

Electric car charging station with several Chevy Bolts charging in parking lot of store in Bellingham, Washington

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth

Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.

May 21 - GovTech

Top view new development riverside residential and commercial neighborhood with vacant land in Texas, USA.

Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas

Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.

May 21 - The Texas Tribune