What's the latest news about the Mosaic District? (Merrifield, Seven Corners: townhouse, theater)

[JD984]

Maybe if Mosaic starts off with high-end retail, it will pull more people to the area, and some lower-end retail close to, but not actually in, Mosaic will get more business - in places like Loehmann's. Over time, if the initial retail at Mosaic is too expensive for the market, it will adjust.

It's always hard to satisfy people with the retail in new or planned developments. Over in Reston, some people complain that the retail in RTC is too upscale and that the options now in Lake Anne Plaza are too limited and downscale. I still think the Mosaic area will end up being nice, but maybe they should find a way to slot in a Taco Bell just to pay homage to the past (there used to be a Taco Bell that did an obscene amount of business at the corner of Gallows and Lee Highway).

[yolli71]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Maybe if Mosaic starts off with high-end retail, it will pull more people to the area, and some lower-end retail close to, but not actually in, Mosaic will get more business - in places like Loehmann's. Over time, if the initial retail at Mosaic is too expensive for the market, it will adjust.

It's always hard to satisfy people with the retail in new or planned developments. Over in Reston, some people complain that the retail in RTC is too upscale and that the options now in Lake Anne Plaza are too limited and downscale. I still think the Mosaic area will end up being nice, but maybe they should find a way to slot in a Taco Bell just to pay homage to the past (there used to be a Taco Bell that did an obscene amount of business at the corner of Gallows and Lee Highway).

Ha...I thought the same thing about the Taco Bell! A guy I used to know worked at the Riggs Bank that was across the street in the 90's and said the Taco Bell owner used to bank there and would chat with him. He said it supposedly was the #1 money-making Taco Bell in the country. I used to hit that place up for the 3am drive-thru during my younger days...lol. Maybe the Taco Bell could go across the street from its old location where the dumpy Tires Plus and Mattress Warehouse buildings are now located...man are those places an eyesore!

[LogSS]

Originally Posted by DenKinVA

I second that, the Mosaic sales people did mention there will be free shuttle service for residents. However, they did not mention the shuttle schedule (whether it will run from a set period of time, run until Metro's closing, and etc.).

I walk my dog from Gatehouse road to the metro and back every day. It's 800ft (about 15 minutes) and it is not hard to get around. The area will only get better once the intersection(s) Gallow/Lee and Lee/Merrifield are completed with crossways and timers. They are holding a town hall meeting on the 27th of September at Luther Middle school to go over the plan for the area. They are bringing in developers to highlight their plans for the area. According to the zoning map, it looks like the area is poised to get atleast 10,000 units.

[LogSS]

[quote=tysonsengineer;26065678]Theres nothing that says it will be only upper middle class aimed stores. I dont really want to get into a fight about this, but that corridor has always been a bastion for ethnic and diverse small businesses, and there is nothing in the way Mosaic is being done that will change that fabric.

I can say the same thing about route 7 in Tysons corner. You said in your "TheTysonCorner" website, that cities don't grow in a day.

[tysonsengineer]

[quote=LogSS;26077070]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

Theres nothing that says it will be only upper middle class aimed stores. I dont really want to get into a fight about this, but that corridor has always been a bastion for ethnic and diverse small businesses, and there is nothing in the way Mosaic is being done that will change that fabric.

I can say the same thing about route 7 in Tysons corner. You said in your "TheTysonCorner" website, that cities don't grow in a day.

Yes and no. Ive discussed with developers in Tysons and because of the saturated nature of the mall and existing retail the new retail coming on ground floors will be substantially more neighborhood style layouts. In other words the spaces will be far smaller for lease thereby making leasing them easier for small businesses. No one other than Tysons West is proposing more big store options because frankly they would have trouble finding anyone who isnt already in Tysons.

Tysons is an example of the next logical step when youve already "yuppied" out a location when it comes to retail. I think Mosaic, despite the target, will actually be able to do this also with smaller stores as there is also a glut of large retailers around merrifield already and because there is not a lot of benefit for the Nordstroms/anthros/etc of the world to get a whole other store only 4-5 miles away from their existing one in Tysons. I think what you will get is the first 5 years dominated by outside retailers not typical of this area and then after that a period in which the lease rates will come down (when newer spaces are built) and become available to small businesses.

Thats not to say that starting in Day 1 that there wont also be opportunity for local small businesses also to be in Merrifield (as one person said whether in mosaic or directly adjacent).

[bmwguydc]

That was the site of an aged multiplex, a uhaul lot, and an auto body shop, and the redevelopment did not displace anything that was small or ethnic in nature. H Mart still exists, and while an ethnic store, is not local, nor a small business. Wilson Boulevard was for a time a collection of small businesses that were locally owned an operated by families of various ethnicities, but I have never known Merrifield to be characterized in the same light, as it was more to the light industrial use.

The Taco Bell was always busy, and the Bank of America at that intersection was the only one in which I had seen the bullet resistant glass to the ceiling in Northern Virginia. On Juniper, it's more of a warehouse area, same with Merilee and areas adjacent to Home Depot. I don't recall the Lee Highway corridor being anything but light industrial and retail through Merrifield, and while there are different businesses in the warehouse and warehouse-like buildings, it's not exactly as if Target orchestrated the demolition of an area like the Eden Center or Wilson Boulevard (before the redeveloped Clarendon came into being) to build a store in Merrifield. South Moon Under is a chain, but at least it's a local chain, just as MOM is a local organization.

As to the greater debate of chain stores, I will not set foot in a WalMart, even if I pay extra to shop elsewhere, but that's my choice as a consumer, and I don't begrudge developers who lease to WalMart as they are accountable to shareholders to return a profit on investment in new shopping centers. Small town centers don't really exist in this region as they do elsewhere, where one has a local greengrocer, hardware merchant, paint store, jewelry boutique, baker, etc. However, compared to what was on the site previously, it's a step in the right direction, especially if the Neiman Marcus is more like the NJ store and the one at State Line, NV-CA as the Last Call at Arundel Mills is horrible and filled with outlet store only merchandise, not a consolidation of collections from the main stores.

[finecognac]

Just get back from there. The movies theater were showing shorts (as part of short films festival, scheduled to officially open next weekend) and giving out free popcorn, fountain drinks and smart water (only stupid people drink smart water). MOM 's open along with those that have been open for awhile like Coldstone, Four Sisters, etc.. many are with sign that says coming Oct 2012.

[michgc]

I'm going to be up in the area the first weekend in October! I look forward to checking it out. Thanks for the update.

[JD984]

Did a little tour of the Mosaic District yesterday. We'll start with Four Sisters, one of the area's best-known Vietnamese restaurants, which moved from Eden Center in Falls Church and has now been here for a while. By the way, there's a Chipotle directly across from Four Sisters, so there are some less expensive food options. Near Four Sisters and also open for a while are a Noodles and a cafe/bakery that has some nice-looking sandwiches and desserts.



Also now open (or soon to open) are Target and Mom's Organic Market; note that there will be additional retail at the ground level of Target and that the dress code for Mom's employees (second picture) appears to be fairly relaxed.



Here are a couple of pictures of the Angelika Film Center, which will officially open later this month, but is advertising "DC Shorts" on the outside screen (I waited for a shot with sub-titles to show they are serious about the foriegn film/independent stuff).



Now - a few shots of the EYA apartments that are just starting to be built. EYA is going for a modern look that's pretty common in Williamsburg, Brooklyn these days. The last shot is of the alley between the rows of townhouses - showing that the plan is for the parking to be in the back of the townhouses so that the fronts have a more urban appearance.

There were quite a few people walking around the Mosaic area yesterday, even though most of the new stores aren't going to be open until later this year, and much of the additional housing is just starting to be built (there's also a new apartment building that's substantially complete, but I didn't get a good shot). I think it will turn out to be very popular. It's a bit of a hike from the Dunn Loring Metro station, but there are bike trails along Gallows Road now and I gather they'll have some sort of shuttle. There's also a fair amount of parking at Mosaic, but it's on the perimeter, so the car traffic in the main area will be more limited.



Here's an example of some of the benches that are being placed next to the storefronts - again, the assumption appears to be that the vehicular traffic will be sufficiently limited that people will enjoy sitting on benches like this close to the streets.

[FC Merrifield]

Thanks for posting the pics; they look great. Yeah, in addition to chipotle, there's also a corner bakery/panera (I always get those two confused, seems like the same store to me) right next to sea pearl. I also like the little bakery/cafe next to cold stone.

I had no idea that Target was open already. I thought they had announced an October opening, but that's good news.

Those townhouses look just like the ones built in that development off Jermantown between Lee Hwy and 66.