Reply to Why downtown Mclean is such a drab?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Sorry noob question here as I just moved. Isn’t Mclean supposed to be an ultra wealthy area?
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They've been trying to redevelop downtown McLean for a couple of decades but the surrounding homeowners associations/residents have been aggressive about petitioning for limitations.  Primarily around height restrictions for the new buildings, traffic/parking, density (impact on already crowded schools) and requirements for public space in the plan.

We moved here 5 years ago and while there are some nice aspects of downtown McLean, it is clearly in need of substantial revitalization.  We can walk downtown and I for one would welcome many changes.  It feels like the old (and well funded) guard, and I mean that literally as the majority we hear/see complaining are 70+, are doing what they can to control the terms of McLean's business development.  The whole "McLean small not Tyson's Tall" brigade... While I agree with some of their arguments, it feels like they are just too much overall and discouraging potential developers from stepping into the mix.  Its a generalization, but many of the older residents seem to like that its a small and sleepy downtown... which I might be ok with if it was at least modernized.  The run down strip malls and vacant storefronts like the old burger joint next to the butchers, are just ugly and don't attract new and interesting businesses/restaurants.

FWIW, we briefly lived in FCC years ago and there were similar issues there... but they eventually worked through them.  Just my opinion as a ~45 yo living within walking distance to downtown that is hopeful that there are some improvements in the next decade.  [/quote]

Bethesdan here who happened to be in McLean today. It strikes me as very car-centric, not very walkable.

Frankly, I’m surprised the older residents were listened to. People from Bethesda and Chevy Chase protested the redevelopment of Bethesda, but the County Council could care less. 
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That sounds more like a criticism of local government in Montgomery County than a criticism of McLean.

Fairfax County amended the zoning for McLean this year to allow greater density. It’s really up to the big property owners to decide whether and when they think redevelopment in the central area would be economically viable.  They would be competing with new developments in Tysons/McLean already under development.

In the meanwhile the central area has all the basic amenities and you can get around without dealing with as much congestion as in many nearby areas. [/quote]

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