I know this discussion thread will likely turn very quickly against this subject, but I thought I'd see what people really think about Tysons Corner as it is, and could be. I know from the "Old Tysons" discussion that a lot of people are angry with what the area has become. As a resident of Tysons Corner I couldnt agree more, the place has turned completely soulless, money driven, not anything with a consistent design, and completely dangerous unless you are in the safest of vehicles. That doesn't mean there doesn't remain some pretty nice stuff that makes it worth while to live her, and I think what a lot of people are hoping is that all the money that circulates around tysons in commerce will finally get used to correct all the uncontrolled bullshit that's happened over the past 20 years of corporatism in the region.

So the question I guess is two parts favorite thing in the current tysons, biggest need in your opinion for the new tysons before you stop thinking of it as a shithole.

For me the best thing in current Tysons is the decent selection in non-franchise restaurants. When you get past the Capital Grilles and Cheesecake Factories of the world, there are places like Panache, Neisha Thai, Chef Geoffs, Shamshiri, etc. that are much better and much more affordable than individual owned restaurants in DC.

Biggest need in Tysons is a better night life. Iris lounge is the only place that could be considered a dance bar, every other place is a restaurant/bar/lounge. I'm not a person who goes out a lot but even I would like a place that doesnt make me feel 20 years older than I am.

Note: Answers from this semi-poll will likely be compiled for an article Im writing on www.thetysonscorner.com so I hope it doesnt devolve into the hilarious rants and mocking that usually occurs until atleast page 2. Thanks.

I didn't think the tunneling of the subway was necessary cause of the cost but now that I see the eyesore the above ground tracks look like changed my mind.

Frankly, I think it adds to the souless nature of Tysons. then again i'm not big fan of the 21st century urban look i.e. Ballston/Clarendon.

the overhaul of Tysons was economic development to enhance the worth of landowners and corps in the area with the public footing a lot of the bill

You don't like Chics and Wings and Tysons Dunkin' Donuts aka McLean police annex

I like to play frogger across 123 at international, of course an expert would play at RT 7/westpark. Everyone now thinks it would have been a good idea to put the rail line underground.

But the area does have a lot of good places to eat but not cheap. I can’t wait too see the new pedestrian friendly Tysons, coming soon I am sure.

wally pip jr. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't think the tunneling of the subway was
> necessary cause of the cost but now that I see the
> eyesore the above ground tracks look like changed
> my mind.
>

I also didn't think it was going to be as horrible as it is.

That said, there were really only two alternatives - build it as it is or don't build it at all. The criteria for the Federal money for project cost per passenger mile made tunneling impossible. Under the rules, Fairfax/Virginia couldn't even have used their own money to tunnel in Tysons if the rest of the project to Wheile used Federal transportation money. By the time the "Over Not Under" group got into it, the Dulles rail project was already grandfathered under a looser per mile criteria than required for success in the round of competition for Federal transit dollars that was going on then.

They should have tunnelled. All you "now I wish.." folks can bite me. Like NIMBY's, you were all short sighted in your thinking.

When they get done with the Metro in Tysons, they might as well just start using it as the set for the next 20 Batman movies cause it'll be a real life Gotham City.

My predictions:

1 week within the completion of the construction, graffitti will be up and down the overpasses.

1 month within completion, a pedestrial will get struck underneath the overpass

1 year within completion, a train will get stuck on an overpass

2 years within completion, hookers will be giving head underneath the overpasses

3 years within completion a train will fall off an overpass.

What an ugly mess. Tysons is now destined to fail.

BTW Metro to Dulles will be a complete and utter disaster.

They say 2012 will mark the end of a great era.
When Metro begins to open in 2013 - the great era of No. Va. will officially come to an end.

I like urban atmospheres and have lived in many cities. I realize Tyson's development was inevitable. I just did not realize it would feel so chaotic. Even when I'm there during the day when it is not bumper-to-bumper traffic, I feel stressed now. Everywhere you look, there is a building, or an overpass. It's just stressful. I really don't like it. I am also concerned about the potential for graffiti. Just look at what grafitti "artists" have done to the Beltway at Route 50. Thankfully, officials paint over it immediately, but I cannot imagine what that might cost. I mostly wish that the Tyson's development wasn't all at once. If feels like WAY too much WAY too fast. Sorry developers. Not lovin' it.

I don't see the problem with it being above ground, it doesnt effect the niceness of king street, it happens in plenty of places in NYC. I dont think people understand how long Metro was proposed for this corridor. When 267 was put in the piers were put in place for metro because they thought it was eminent. Finally a brief era occurred in congress where people could get infrastructure projects approved, and everyone wanted to discuss it more? Im sorry but the discussion ended a long time ago. When a lot of federal funding is proposed that will finally get a project that otherwise was proven to never be built (over a dozen years), then you do it.

As far as the look of it, the reason certain areas get tagged isnt because there is above ground concrete. There has been tons of concrete all over NOVA including in Tysons which has remained clean. There have been thousands of dark overpasses perfect for hookers and drugs, and yet they have remained clear. The reason shitty places look shitty is because they have shitty people and shitty atmosphere. They have shitty police patrols, they have shitty residents who fear calling said police because they also hide shitty things. The reason Route 50 inside the beltway is "tagged' is much more because of this than the fact that they have a couple of concrete overpasses. (BTW look at route 28 the king of concrete overpass highways, with a complete lack of tagging).

Jazzy Juice Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They should have tunnelled.

I greatly preferred the tunnel (and a tunnel into Reston TC as well), but the reality was, there were only two options, build it the way they are, or don't build it all.

As I said, under the Federal rules, it didn't matter whether localities added their own money beyond their expected contribution, if the overall project cost per passenger mile didn't meet the Federal criteria, no Federal money would be provided. None of the tunnel options - even the large bore tunnel that came up at the end - could meet the Federal requirement.

I thought the rules sucked, but those were the rules.

I appreciate the responses, but I think theres a lot of discussion but nothin really about the original question. Good stuff and bad stuff about the new Tysons. Clearly theres a lot of opinion on the bad stuff (although some of it may be presumptuous) can we get some good stuff about Tysons. And also to the second part things that can be done with the new design (as its gonna be, not just griping about metro being above ground) that could make the area better. Civic centers? Museums? parks? More housing options?

----------
www.thetysonscorner.com

The above ground metro was the only way to go. Sure its ugly and a major eyesore, but it fits perfectly with the rest of Tysons. And I don't mean that as a compliment.

The tunnel was way too expensive and not worth it IMO. And that pipe dream people (mostly developers) had about turning Tysons into a "walkable downtown area" was just plain retarded.

The hood is going to come to Tysons.

Remember what Springfield was like before Springfield Metro? It was an amazing place to shop,eat, hang out and feel safe.

The metro brings nothing to the table except the riff raff from the hood.

I'm not racist, but I am against gangbangers, kids that act like gangbangers, families that support kids that act like gangbangers, and I am against people with no manners, who blare their music and force others to "appreciate" it; and people with significant attitude problems.

when the metro opens Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The hood is going to come to Tysons.
>
> Remember what Springfield was like before
> Springfield Metro? It was an amazing place to
> shop,eat, hang out and feel safe.
>
> The metro brings nothing to the table except the
> riff raff from the hood.
>
> I'm not racist, but I am against gangbangers, kids
> that act like gangbangers, families that support
> kids that act like gangbangers, and I am against
> people with no manners, who blare their music and
> force others to "appreciate" it; and people with
> significant attitude problems.

Spot on. I see buses from DC full of fat women with five kids
who they turn loose and let run wild. Metro will make it even
worse.

Yea Vienna and West Falls Church are totally riddled with gangs all over! And how about Rosslyn, Ballston and Courthouse. Jeeeeez great place to get stabbed.

You guys dont know shit, springfield and other areas are generally the exception to the metro rule. The reason why Springfield turned into the hood is because its near route 1 and 95 and those corridors are always blighted. Also there was no money in that region, there were no corporations, no retail places other than the mall, it became a terminal line only to get on and get away from. Tysons and Reston have none of those feature. Most people who are against metro seem to be the same people who sit in traffic for 2 hours thinking their lives are great cause they own a 25000 dollar car and a worthless lot in the boondocks they cant even afford. Go find a job in your neighborhood and stop screwing up all the roads for the rest of us.

They should make it walkable but I don't know that they've done anything major to make that happen. I think the best they can hope for is a Vegas strip kind of setup where you have a ton of traffic (which we will always have with or without Metro) yet people can walk to any point on the strip. This requires a lot of walking overpasses or pedestrian tunnels which either they haven't planned for or will be the first on the chopping block as the project goes over budget.

geoff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They should make it walkable but I don't know that
> they've done anything major to make that happen.
> I think the best they can hope for is a Vegas
> strip kind of setup where you have a ton of
> traffic (which we will always have with or without
> Metro) yet people can walk to any point on the
> strip. This requires a lot of walking overpasses
> or pedestrian tunnels which either they haven't
> planned for or will be the first on the chopping
> block as the project goes over budget.

I'm picturing more like Ocean City, MD. That's Probably the best case scenario for Tysons.

geoff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They should make it walkable but I don't know that
> they've done anything major to make that happen.

Part of the 40-year (yes, forty) plan for Tyson's corner involves re-aligning and re-zoning the area to include an urban, grid-like layout. It's been a long time since I looked at the design, but I recall alot of changes that would occur along Boone Blvd, almost turning it into a city street, as well as high-rise development right along Route 7. Imagine Ballston stuck between Route 7 and Old Courthouse/Gallows Rd, and alot of other changes around the metro stops. This is the long-term plan they've been following- they aren't changing the place overnight. I don't recall any pedestrian bridges planned to cross 7 or 123, they wouldn't be needed because the new layout will be the pedestrian-friendly part.

As a 15 year resident of Tysons, I don't think the metro is an eyesore. If I wanted to live in a pleasant rural setting, I wouldn't live there. I also think it's funny to assert that the place will soon be crawling with gang members. That somehow investment and redevelopment will spawn urban decay- that's silly. Eventually more people will be living there, and with more people come more problems, but it's not like all of the new development is going to turn the place into SE Washington.

I'm not sure what you think the metro project is, and how it relates to FFX counties plans for Tysons Corner. But your "they" that you speak of has nothing to do with metro. Metro is building a design bid build project which has very little to do with infrastructure around Tysons. The one thing metro did is to catalyze the change to make infrastructure improvements around tysons but metro itself does nothing about that with the exception of 2 skywalks in each direction with each station. As far FFX County they have only been determining the design to this point. They have loose agreements as to the funding of the new road and sidewalks but there is still a discrepancy between 5-10% of the funding whether it be public or private developer. They cant go over budget because there is yet to be a budget. This is a 1.2 billion dollar overhaul over the next 10 years for the most part.

As far as Tysons corner looking like ocean city, I'm confused does ocean city have 5 fortune 500 companies headquartered in it, is the 13th largest commercial engine in the country, and have 5 current 20 story buildings under construction?

Metro doesnt do that Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> As far as Tysons corner looking like ocean city,
> I'm confused

They're going to build a boardwalk and huge beach back behind the Galleria.

Oh a beach behind Tysons 2? Sweet that will be nice during the summer.

Don't forget to go to seacrets

Couldnt agree more about your statement. Development and investment if anything is what areas like Springfield and SE are lacking which is why they fall apart. But when money pours in the people who put that money there make sure that cops come along, and that their customers have better service than other places near by (ie better walks, restaurants, etc). The first one that will set the tone will likely be the massive georgelas project on route 7

Metro doesnt do that Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> As far as Tysons corner looking like ocean city,
> I'm confused does ocean city have 5 fortune 500
> companies headquartered in it, is the 13th largest
> commercial engine in the country, and have 5
> current 20 story buildings under construction?

He was comparing the "walkability" of future Tysons to Ocean City. I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. What do Fortune 500 companies and 20 story buildings have to do with anything?

Last time I checked beach cities regardless of how piss poor a place they are, typically are pretty walkable. The streets in OC are fairly narrow there is a boardwalk, theres really only 1 road with minor cross roads intersecting it and you can basically walk from one end of town to the other. So I am pretty sure thats not what he was saying. Im pretty sure he was saying its gonna be shitty like ocean city (which I agree ocean city is marylands version of white trash). I just dont see how Tysons has anything to do with that.

The "grid system" is basically what you have in the clarendon area of arlington, but this works because there is no major highway. 66 routes around this part of Arlington. In Tyson's how will the grid system pass over the beltway which slices right through Tysons?

66 comes no where near Tysons. 267 defines its north boundary and 495 defines its east boundary (theres a slight area that gaps over this) but I think mostly you are confused as to where tysons corner is. Drive down international, greensboro, westpark. Tysons corner isnt just the area next to the mall that all the suburbanites go. The roads that do go through Tysons are 123 and route 7 which they are widening and then separating by metro and pedestrian plaza and walkways which allow crossing them easier. Additionally these metro stops will have skywalks (that is already part of the project to build with the metro). Outside of these 2 major roads which will be handled differently, all other roads will be converted to a grid style system based on each individual projects construction and a master road plan which is part of the overall comprehensive plan.

geoff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The "grid system" is basically what you have in
> the clarendon area of arlington, but this works
> because there is no major highway. 66 routes
> around this part of Arlington. In Tyson's how
> will the grid system pass over the beltway which
> slices right through Tysons?


It won't. They're not building an entirely new city, just redesigning parts of it. IIRC, the area inside the beltway off the north side of 123 (near Capital One) aka "Tysons East", will see new development on grid-like streets.

Some info Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 66 comes no where near Tysons.

I consider anything adjacent to 7, between 66 and the toll road to be Tysons Corner, and so do the businesses who reside there.

Let me clarify, Transit Oriented Design projects have nothing to do with the area near 66. The TOD projects (the walkable Tysons) has to do with route 7 and 123 and the surround areas within 1 mile of each metro stop. These are the areas converting to Arlington style development. Outside of these areas I have not heard of any new projects in the works involving infrastructure improvement. This could change with the new Falls Church plans for a railcar.

I avoid Tyson's like the plague due to the traffic. Obvious in hindsight they should have built more walkable AND drivable infrastructure. Silver Line is a boondoggle for politically-connected Tyson's merchants and may increase crime. But biggest crock going forward is that our idiotic County Board just approved far more development there WITHOUT ANY plan to expand road capacity. And no way folks like me who live West of Tyson's are going to park at Vienna, transfer at FCH, and metro over to Tyson's (or to Dulles for that matter), especially with fares rising.

Ok well enjoy rising gas prices making you poorer and poorer or not having the job in Tysons anymore I guess? Enjoy 2 hours of traffic also. The point is Tysons doesnt want your cars anymore. It wants people to either live her or live in a place that can get here without cars. Go find a job in Centreville.

Brian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I avoid Tyson's like the plague due to the
> traffic. Obvious in hindsight they should have
> built more walkable AND drivable infrastructure.
> Silver Line is a boondoggle for
> politically-connected Tyson's merchants and may
> increase crime. But biggest crock going forward is
> that our idiotic County Board just approved far
> more development there WITHOUT ANY plan to expand
> road capacity. And no way folks like me who live
> West of Tyson's are going to park at Vienna,
> transfer at FCH, and metro over to Tyson's (or to
> Dulles for that matter), especially with fares
> rising.

Agreed. There's nothing special about the stores and restaurants in Tysons. And I sure as hell wouldn't take public transportation to get there.

You already see the hoodrats hanging out on the metro, it's going to skyrocket in Tysons when the metro is finished.

The only reason people want the metro to come to Tysons is so that they can lower Tysons to the rest of the area in terms of crime and allow the uneducated hoodrats to run free.

Once public transportation comes to tysons the property value is going to drop like a rock as the Corporations bail for a less crimeridden area.

The whole DC/MD/VA triangle is going to end up like Chicago or SE DC with a bad business environment, bars on all the windows, and a huge influx of homeless.

Just symptoms of a future to come where people lower us to third world country status.

I wish prices in Tysons were like Chicago dumbass, you ever seen how much even a 1 bedroom condo goes for in center city chicago. You know nothing about real estate clearly or land development. SE DC has nothing to do with metro, high density, or anything else. If you are gonna make a statement atleast think what yer saying. In that analogy places more like Centreville would be more apt to SE dc cause last I checked 0 work, 0 good restaurants, 0 good anything in Centreville just like SE which is the only suburban sprawl area of DC with row after row of house without a single thing to do or work.

Oh and also how many of you people that supposedly keep seeing hoodrats at metro even ride the metro. Yer all full of shit and have this preconceived notion that city = crime. Get over yourself with your bullshit suburbia. Oh NOOOOO theres non-white people at a metro stop. And at what metro stop are you even seeing this imaginary "hood rats". Everyone I ever go to all I see is people in suits like Clarendon, Ballston, Vienna, West Falls Church, East Falls Church, King Street, McFerson, MetroCenter do you want me to keep listing areas where all you see is multi milliondollar homes or do you want to go wallow back in the home you own which should be worth 50,000 but gets artificially increased because its piece of shit sticks and bricks are 20 miles adjacent to things that actually make money.

Fuck off.

crime is going to skyrocket Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You already see the hoodrats hanging out on the
> metro,

This is such a RIDICULOUS statement I just had to respond.

Do you actually ride metro??

Agreed Meeper, and finally if you call people hood rats, yer probably the real hood rat. Cause anyone with an education and a cent to their name wouldn't be that retarded. Again go ahead and fuck off.

They couldn't have tunneled to Dulles because of the secret highway underneath the toll road that leads out to Mt. Weather!

Is that the same one that runs underneath downtown Leesburg?

So we are all in agreement, lets keep this area in suburban sprawl mode cause it couldnt possibly get any worse? I hope the Tysons area does get overhauled, it isnt going to be tomorrow or this year, or even the next couple years, it will be slower and project by project but I think with as much money as in this region, and specifically in Tysons, it will happen eventually.

Bringing back Hot Shoppe's Cafeteria and Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour to Tysons Corner Mall will make this easier to welcome.

You bring up a good point, even though I have no idea about those particular places, Tysons Corner needs an identity. Its been brought up that there is a corporate soul-less and franchise feel to the area and I think its true. The area needs unique stores and food choices. I think to some extent the lack of retail space is making it too expensive for mom and pop unique style places, but hopefully more construction will bring more space, bringing down the price. Otherwise there's always the hope for food trucks picking up the slack.

If I had 50k or a loan available for one I would be doing a food truck asap cause theres only 3 in all of tysons and theres 80000 prospective customers who cant walk anywhere.

Idea? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> lack of retail space

What?

Idea? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You bring up a good point, even though I have no
> idea about those particular places, Tysons Corner
> needs an identity. Its been brought up that there
> is a corporate soul-less and franchise feel to the
> area and I think its true. The area needs unique
> stores and food choices. I think to some extent
> the lack of retail space is making it too
> expensive for mom and pop unique style places, but
> hopefully more construction will bring more space,
> bringing down the price. Otherwise there's always
> the hope for food trucks picking up the slack.
>
> If I had 50k or a loan available for one I would
> be doing a food truck asap cause theres only 3 in
> all of tysons and theres 80000 prospective
> customers who cant walk anywhere.

Tysons is the best shopping destination in the DC area. Take your food truck and go park in Del Ray, moron.

Ohhh Noo. I Just found out there is metro stop in Vienna, and there is graffiti and hood rats everywhere! LOL

Go ride the Green Line and stop your bitchin about tysons.

If you mean all the space in the mall, I dont think you understand how expensive it is to have a retail/restaurant store in those. Start ups have no chance in landing in it. Also malls in general are going to be more sterile than nice outdoor shopping lining streets. Point being, 95% of people who work in tysons dont go to the mall for lunch... so keep mocking the idea of a food truck but even if you hit up 5% of the SAIC, Booz Allen, and other IT corporations you could make a killing every day.

Idea? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You bring up a good point, even though I have no
> idea about those particular places, Tysons Corner
> needs an identity. Its been brought up that there
> is a corporate soul-less and franchise feel to the
> area and I think its true. The area needs unique
> stores and food choices. I think to some extent
> the lack of retail space is making it too
> expensive for mom and pop unique style places, but
> hopefully more construction will bring more space,
> bringing down the price. Otherwise there's always
> the hope for food trucks picking up the slack.
>

I see your point but none of that is going to happen. The "New and Improved" Tysons will be nothing but more generic chain restaurants (can you say Chipotle?) and stores. And if you're not into bar hopping I doubt there will be any reason to go there. See Reston Town Center.

All of these "walkable" retail areas are built so yuppies can feel more "urban" and pretend they don't live in the suburbs.

Nah yer dumb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you mean all the space in the mall, I dont
> think you understand how expensive it is to have a
> retail/restaurant store in those.

There's alot of other retail space around in the various shopping centers and the ground floors of office buildings, and not everything is a chain. Rents are pricey, so yeah it would be hard for a cheap-eats mom & pop type place to open up. I actually think the food truck is a good idea, it's gotta suck if you're forced to go to the same office deli everyday, or face traffic on Rt 7 when you want lunch, because you can't walk anywhere. While I'm quite happy to live in that neighborhood, I'm actually glad I work elsewhere. Working in Tysons seems like it would suck, IMO.

Because actual Urban areas are scary... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> All of these "walkable" retail areas are built so
> yuppies can feel more "urban" and pretend they
> don't live in the suburbs.

Or more logically, so people can actually live & work in Tysons, instead of commuting from someplace else. It's that simple. For a high-density job center with tons of retail, there isn't a whole lot of housing around there. I think the nighttime population is less than 20K, but swells to over 100,000+ people during the day.

In my opinion, they shouldn't have extended the metro to Tysons and instead used the funds to densify and improve the interior of the metro web. Tysons should have been maintained as an automobile centric place and do whatever car people think should be done to foster that lifestyle - more roads? more parking? - I don't know, but trying to put mass transit in a place like Tysons seems like a waste.

Why did Bistro 123 at Tysons 1 go out of business so soon after relocationg from Vienna?

wally pip jr. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why did Bistro 123 at Tysons 1 go out of business
> so soon after relocationg from Vienna?


I loved their Vienna location and was leery about their move to the mall. Bad location for a restaurant like that. Too many other restaurants in the new annex, and it didn't have an inside entrance. Shoppers inside the mall would have no idea it's there unless they drove by it on the way in. Was a shame, they had good food.

Arlington vs Tysons Corner. The thing about Arlington is its constrained in maximum height by National Airport, and DC of course has its issues about higher density. Tyson's while having the same impressive economic basis (if not better if you look at the diversity available in tysons) also does not have these artificial constraints. Arlington is the reason why Tysons is happening though, in the 1970s-2000s Arlington showed that better planning and more options in transportation can take an area thats doing pretty good and turn it into a power house in all measureable forms, economic, cultural, residential, yada yada. Those first steps in 1970 are the reason Arlington is as great of a place as it is today. I think Tysons only hope to be a more compact, maybe taller, version of Arlington in 50 years. If that happens consider it another big win for our area because then we will be talking about our own real northern virginia city when the areas in between those two regions fill in as well.

The key here is if Arlington, Reston, Fairfax, and Tysons are looked at together it is the 7th most economically powerful city in America behind cities like NYC, Chicago, LA, Boston, Philly, and Seattle. It's not about competing its about coagulating a good region to become a legit city (with all the inherent negatives but also the great positives).

I appreciate the good discussion, better than the pointless bickering before.

TysonsEngineer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arlington vs Tysons Corner. The thing about
> Arlington is its constrained in maximum height by
> National Airport, and DC of course has its issues

How is Arlington constrained by height? Buildings in Rosslyn are 20 stories +

-----------------------------------------------

"...your suffering will be legendary even in Hell!"

Maximum height of structures within Arlington is 400' based on approach to National Airport. While it could still grow taller, the economics behind demo'ing a 20 story building only to put up a 35 story building requires some serious incentive, ie a big time client who needs that extra space all in one building. Otherwise it just doesnt make sense to tear down a 50 million dollar building to put up a 100million dollar building only to make an extra 5 million dollars a year in lease, its just too much risk for too little reward.

In tysons there is no real height restriction except for the current limit of 400' based on "not wanting to grow too fast". In 10 years if Tysons is a much more sustainable city they will most certainly remove this restriction in order to attract more ambitious developers to construct what they have wanted to do for 30 years in Washington DC, real skyscrapers. The dynamics of tearing down a 20 story building for a 70 story building are much different.

Its the equivalent of tearing down a perfectly good house to put up 3 townhouses vs tearing down that house to put up a 30 unit mid-rise condo. The 3 townhouses barely makes a profit and takes on a lot of risk where as the condo, by going vertical brings in a hell of a lot more.