Edge cities: Magnets for development.(Brief Article)

These fast-growing areas, often spawned by large retail projects, are acquiring a more urban character

Joel Garreau's widely read 1991 book Edge Cities described a phenomenon that has had a profound impact on U.S. development -- the advent of fast-growing areas adjacent to major cities. The following stories describe how these "edge cities" are changing the landscapes of two metropolitan areas -- Washington, D.C., and San Jose, Calif.

When the first retail mall was built in Tysons Corner, Va., in 1968, no one imagined that this suburban outpost of Washington