Why downtown Mclean is such a drab?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you want that McLean lacks

As a resident, I am fine with the grocery stores (Balducci's, Giant, Organic Butcher), the CVS is ok and meets basic needs, we like the Kids Toy Store and we really enjoy having the Total Wine. But I would like some better restaurants and more outdoor social areas where families and singles could enjoy spending time. We like Aracosia, J Gilberts, Masala. But most of the other true restaurants are just ok.

I don't expect them to turn downtown McLean into a Mosiac district, but something closer to that would be great. If you spend time in places like downtown Falls Church, Vienna, and Mosiac you see a lot of people out walking around and being social at scale (families, people on dates...), outdoor spaces designed to be interesting and condensed. McLean has a decent coffee shop, and places like Sweet Leaf lean in the right direction IMO. But in general things are spread out and tired looking. The multiple old fashioned little strip malls, ie. Balducci's, Masala, McLean Hardware, Walgreens, and Lacrosse shop.. just aren't an attraction.

Ultimately, since the age demographic skews wealthier/older, I assume that's why the residents don't have interest in more interesting restaurants, beer gardens, outdoor dining, playgrounds and a better social scene etc.

I think you have to look for small victories when you can find them. It was nice when Cava and Chopt moved into the strip mall near McLean Hardware. Some of the tucked-away restaurants, like the Chaing Mai Thai place, are great.

Santini's is a popular place for high school kids to hang out after practices, and I'm happy they opened a place in McLean.

Apparently, the space where the old Safeway was located is going to reopen with not just the Lidl, but also the relocated Pulcinella's (not special, but still a good family restaurant), a Matchbox, and a new burger joint that will be more affordable than the old one off Old Dominion.

The Montgomery family has shown time and time again they don't care whether residents want them to spiff up their holdings, and the beer gardens are always going to be found elsewhere, but I'd expect the area along Elm, in particular, to eventually be more inviting.

Sorry - Chiang Mai Thai Cookhouse was the place I had in mind.

[Anonymous]

McLean does not want to be another Maple Ave nor a Merrifield. Too much congestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, it's right next to DC and Tysons. Is there any reason to think there would be much demand for a downtown area full of crap?

+1 downtown McLain is literally five minutes from Tysons.

[Anonymous]

The rents are definitely not worth it for what you get.

[Anonymous]

It has a few handy places. A hardware store, post office, toy store, music store, coffee shops, grocery stores, pharmacies, doctor offices, FedEx, Kinko’s, UPS, restaurants. That’s all it needs. Please. Let’s not draw a crowd.

[Anonymous]

If it were redeveloped, there would be lots of mixed use. Which means apartments where poor people might live. And the poor people would send their kids to the local schools. The rich wealthy people do not want this.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know when the new Matchbox will open? That will be a nice addition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it were redeveloped, there would be lots of mixed use. Which means apartments where poor people might live. And the poor people would send their kids to the local schools. The rich wealthy people do not want this.

Yup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know when the new Matchbox will open? That will be a nice addition.

spring 2022

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it were redeveloped, there would be lots of mixed use. Which means apartments where poor people might live. And the poor people would send their kids to the local schools. The rich wealthy people do not want this.

Yup.

The rich wealthy people do not send their kids to the local publics. They send their kids to Potomac, Sidwell, St. Albans, Georgetown Prep, etc.

The UMC people in McLean know that all the multi-family housing units in Tysons already go to Marshall HS and McLean HS; that any further multi-family housing in central McLean would go to McLean HS; and that the current School Board member has made sure none of it goes to Langley HS. And they also know that they current School Board isn't doing anything to expand McLean HS, which currently has 2361 kids in a building with fewer than 2000 permanent seats.

On the other hand, FCPS now has plans to expand Falls Church HS, which currently has an enrollment of under 2000 students, to 2500 seats. So, if there were more apartments and condos in central McLean, what would likely happen is that kids in less expensive apartments off Lee Highway in Merrifield would get bumped from McLean HS to Falls Church HS, and McLean HS would pick up kids from the more expensive new condos and apartments instead (along with a small number of affordable housing unit set-asides).

So it would actually play out rather differently than you suggest.

[Anonymous]

https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/dead-center/

[Anonymous]

https://www.tysonsreporter.com/2021/09/21/regional-pizza-and-burger-chains-coming-to-mclean-grocery-store-space-next-year/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it were redeveloped, there would be lots of mixed use. Which means apartments where poor people might live. And the poor people would send their kids to the local schools. The rich wealthy people do not want this.

Yup.

McLean is full of apartments and condos with low income kids who are already in the schools. The only difference is that most of the low income kids are mostly Asians because the elementary schools feed into Longfellow Middle School which at one time had a good admission rate to TJ. Not sure how popular those buildings will be now that TJ has skewed its admittance policies. But kids can still go to McLean or Langley which are both good schools.

[Anonymous]

McLean is the most convenient place on earth. No clue what OP is talking about. They have the nicest Giant I've ever seen, Balducci's grocery, The Organic Butcher, Santinis subs, Starbucks, Cava, a ton of restaurants, Total Wine, a nice hardware store, Sherwin Williams, Ben Moore, dry cleaners, a toy store, a ton of salons, two 7-11s, and it's right by both Tysons malls. What more do you want???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it were redeveloped, there would be lots of mixed use. Which means apartments where poor people might live. And the poor people would send their kids to the local schools. The rich wealthy people do not want this.

Yup.

The rich wealthy people do not send their kids to the local publics. They send their kids to Potomac, Sidwell, St. Albans, Georgetown Prep, etc.

The UMC people in McLean know that all the multi-family housing units in Tysons already go to Marshall HS and McLean HS; that any further multi-family housing in central McLean would go to McLean HS; and that the current School Board member has made sure none of it goes to Langley HS. And they also know that they current School Board isn't doing anything to expand McLean HS, which currently has 2361 kids in a building with fewer than 2000 permanent seats.

On the other hand, FCPS now has plans to expand Falls Church HS, which currently has an enrollment of under 2000 students, to 2500 seats. So, if there were more apartments and condos in central McLean, what would likely happen is that kids in less expensive apartments off Lee Highway in Merrifield would get bumped from McLean HS to Falls Church HS, and McLean HS would pick up kids from the more expensive new condos and apartments instead (along with a small number of affordable housing unit set-asides).

So it would actually play out rather differently than you suggest.

A cursory glance at the Langley High School parking lot would tell a different story. But thanks for playing.