• E-Newsletter
• Videos

In 2010, Fairfax County supervisors approved a vision for what was billed as the largest redevelopment plan in the United States: transforming Tysons into a walkable, green, 24-hour urban center by 2050. Since then the skyline has continued to grow and evolve, and one of the biggest changes is Capital One Center.

Popping up just inside the Beltway, Capital One Center, a 26-acre mixed-use retail and cultural arts destination, is nearing completion. Opening later this year will be Capital One Hall, a world-class performance hall, the 300-key Watermark Hotel, along with The Perch, an elevated sky park. Planned for opening in late-2022 will be a 900,000 square foot mixed-use tower that includes office and retail space.

“Anchored by the headquarters of Capital One, Washington, D.C.’s hometown bank and home to its 10,000 associates in the region, Capital One Center is quickly transforming the skyline and the cultural landscape of Fairfax County,” said Jonathan Griffith, managing director of Capital One Center, in an FCEDA video interview.

Headquartered in Tysons for the past 19 years, Capital One, one of the 11 Fortune 500 companies based in Fairfax County, is a bank holding company with more than 755 branch locations.

The crown jewel of the Capital One Center development will be Capital One Hall, planned to open this fall. “This venue will no doubt be an epicenter of culture, not only for Fairfax County, but the entire Washington, D.C. region,” Griffith said.

As a multi-venue corporate event and performing arts center, Capital One Hall will feature a grand  performance hall with nearly 1,600 seats, a 250-seat black box theater called “The Vault,” a spectacular event lobby and adjoining outdoor terrace, and numerous other meeting spaces. Top touring shows and internationally beloved musical concerts will be among the robust mix of performances slated for the venue. Click here to see the list of upcoming events and performances, which currently includes shows by Little Big Town, John Crist, Taylor Tomlinson, Kansas and Clint Black — with more announcements to come.

Through a partnership with Fairfax County, community arts programs will also have the opportunity to perform at Capital One Hall. Fairfax County arts groups interested in booking events at Capital One Hall can find out more by clicking here.

“Personally, I am most excited about The Perch, a large rooftop park and dynamic event space sitting some 11 floors above the street and atop Capital One hall,” Griffith said. “The Perch offers an amazing vantage point to experience Fairfax County and the mountains beyond.”

The Perch will include the Starr Hill Biergarten, and more than 5,000 square feet of outdoor dining and lounge space, as well as an adjacent 250-seat amphitheater with lawn seating, offering a wide array of live entertainment. Added to this will be an outdoor gaming and events area, retro-theme food trucks, a dog park, interactive art displays, an 18-hole miniature golf facility—and more. A wide range of events are planned, including musical acts, speaker series, fitness classes and festivals.

Rounding out the Capital One Center development will be the Watermark Hotel, as well as restaurants and retail. The 300-room hotel will be managed by B.F. Saul Hospitality, which also manages numerous other properties in the region.

With all of this planned, fortunately the pandemic has not slowed down the construction schedule. While there were some equipment and supply chain disruptions, Griffith said that the team was able to capitalize on the reduction of vehicle and pedestrian flow.

“Fairfax County has also stepped up to the plate, finding creative ways to maintain their zoning and inspection processes, allowing for construction to continue in a safe and controlled manner,” Griffith said.

Griffith said Fairfax County is an ideal location for the new Capital One Center.

“Fairfax County, and notably the urban transformation of Tysons, create a unique opportunity for growth and very much factored into the planning and design of both Capital One Center and Capital One Hall,” he said.

“The 40-year master plan for Tysons creates a bold but achievable framework to reimagine Tysons as an urban center, an economic powerhouse surrounding the four Metro stations along the Silver Line,” Griffith said, referring to the Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Tysons Corner Urban Center that the Board of Supervisors adopted in 2010.

Designed to take advantage of the four new Metro stations that are now open in Tysons, the Comprehensive Plan envisions Tysons as Fairfax County’s “downtown,” a 24-hour urban center where people live, work and play. Three-quarters of future growth will be within a half mile of the Metro stations.

“With easy access to a robust transportation network, a diverse workforce, and an overall quality of life recognized as one of the best in the country, Capital One Center offers both our company and the community the world class amenities and cultural attractions to align with this ambitious vision,” Griffith said.

He also noted how Capital One Center could help the company attract and retain a talented workforce.

“The area has continued to offer a great quality of life and pool of talent that has become an essential component of Capital One’s strategic growth plans in the region,” Griffith said. “The buildout of Capital One Center further amplifies this mission, creating an energy and sense of community and engagement that not only allows us to recruit and retain top talent, but to create a destination that our associates, their families, and the broader community can engage in and be proud of.”

Capital One’s plans drew high praise from Sol Glasner, president and CEO of the Tysons Partnership, a group of Tysons stakeholders working together to guide and accelerate the transformation of Tysons.