In a recent podcast, host Bree Davies opened a segment with a couple with a question (“Why are planners so excited about what’s happening at Tysons?”) and a statement about “How to figure out this whole density thing without pissing off the neighbors.” Certainly, Tysons, Virginia is a model for how to redevelop a formerly auto-dominated suburban region into a transit-oriented, walkable community.
Our Justin Schor joined Bree on her podcast to discuss how the Tysons experience could be replicated in communities across the country.
This episode of the City Cast Denver podcast called “Can Cherry Creek Become a True ’15-Minute City‘?” discusses how TDM helped to overcome NIMBY opposition to higher density development in Tysons, VA.
Combined with an opportunity to present at The Road Ahead 2023 event about the quantifiable success of TDM at higher density developments at Tysons Corner Center, it was part of an information exchange led by Stuart Anderson with Transportation Solutions to dialogue with leaders in the Denver Region looking to redevelop Cherry Creek Mall.
One of those leaders is Amy Cara with East West Partners who is on this same podcast. Amy is leading the effort to redevelop 13 acres of parking lot on the southwest corner of the Cherry Creek Mall. It’s called Cherry Creek West, and it will be a 15-minute community that focuses on pedestrians first. It will have an exciting mix of land uses that will allow people who work here to live here and walk to all their needs. My favorite part about Cherry Creek West is that its unbundled shared parking is underground to focus on a positive pedestrian experience at grade.
We’re excited to visit Cherry Creek West when it’s completed. Until then, we hope the successes of TDM in reducing peak traffic congestion at higher density mixed-use developments in Tysons, provide inspiration and confidence to leaders in Cherry Creek and Denver at large.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t give credit to the team of people on the ground that have made the TDM program at Tysons Corner Center a success over the last 10+ years. Hillary Zahm with Macerich has been a fearless advocate and supporter of TDM at the shopping Center and the properties that now surround it. Linsey Burch, Matt Wilke, and Courtney Kulyk Menjivar with Wells + Associates work tirelessly with individual tenants at these developments every day to offer transportation amenities and services that make their transportation experience a positive one.