Tysons Corner in northern Virginia is

Tysons Corner in northern Virginia is one of the largest “edge cities,” with the nation’s 14th largest daytime office population and a retail concentration second only to New York City on the East Coast, according to the Washington Post. But the area’s sprawl and lack of character caused Fairfax County to approve a plan envisioning Tysons Corner as a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use downtown. As the Post reports, to date the plan has failed to achieve its goal. Buildings are so far apart that Tysons Corner lacks any spatial definition. The streets are too wide, and in many cases designed with high-speed geometrics. Parking lots front buildings, which are set back as much as 200 feet and placed at odd angles. Berms and clusters of suburban-style plantings are used in an attempt to hide the disjointed landscape. “There is no there there,” said Fairfax supervisor Gerald Connolly, who was quoted in the Post. “It needs to change.” But it is unlikely that Tysons Corner will be transformed into a true urban place, at least in the foreseeable future. Fairfax County’s well-meaning plan lacks a supporting code which fosters genuine urbanity. Furthermore, the street network is disconnected and suburban in character.