The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Tuesday night have a unanimous approval to a change in the county’s comprehensive plan that will permit substantial new development at the West Falls Church Metro station.

The vote opens the door for WMATA to collaborate with Virginia Tech and the City of Falls Church for a seamless development of over 40 acres at the site which could result in one of the biggest regional developments in Northern  Virginia.   

Being adjacent a currently-underutilized Metro rail station, the grand plan has been met with favor by “smart growth” and environmental advocates for advancing a huge transit-oriented option that will also lead to more bike and pedestrian uses in the area.

It will be linked to the 10-acre megadevelopment project now beginning to get underway at the site of the former George Mason High School in Falls Church. which has been demolished to make way for it, even as a brand new, state of the art high school, called Meridian High School, has risen right next door.