JBG Plans New Retail, Dining Destination Close to Metro

Developer JBG Companies is planning a new development at Sunset Hills and Reston Parkway that will bring Reston Town Center-type amenities closer to where the future Reston Parkway Metro Station will be located.

The developer is seeking a special exception in order to add retail, restaurant and food stores to the 13-acre site that currently houses three office buildings.

The new development will be called RTC West. The area is bordered by the W & OD Trail on the side of Reston Town Center, Town Center Parkway, Sunset Hills Road and the complex that currently houses Chipotle, Potbelly, Chick-fil-A, Carrabba’s and Extended Stay America.

“The development vision includes the upgrade of the first one or two floors within the office buildings to be more suitable to retail uses, and extensions of the retail program in specific areas of the site,” says JBG materials included in a Fairfax County Planning Commission Staff Report.

“This development will transform RTC West into a retail destination with a vibrant pedestrian-friendly environment to complement the existing office components.”

JBG’s application to the planning commission says the project will have 40,100 total square feet of retail stores, eating establishments, quick service food stores, and fast food restaurants.

JBG says it plans to convert 15,100 square feet of office space to retail/restaurant space and add 25,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant space (on the southwest corner of the site) within an existing office campus on three parcels. JBG says it will convert the first two floors of each building to turn office in to retail.

The plan includes:

Connecting an existing walkway to the adjacent trails along the public roadways and adding two new crosswalks across Town Center Parkway, as well as connecting the development to the W & OD trail, which runs on the northern part of the property. One development condition for JBG is working with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) and Dominion Virginia Power to establish an easement for a pedestrian connection between the site and the W&OD trail.

Adding 1,538 parking spaces to the current 1,600 that already exist.

Leaving 15 percent open space (90,000 square feet) as per zoning requirements.

Closing the existing exit-only driveway on Town Center Parkway and to construct new signalized access point about 440 feet north of the intersection at Sunset Hills Road. Constructing an entrance in this location will require the relocation or closure of an existing entrance for the property across Town Center Parkway to avoid an unsafe intersection, JBG says. JBG will have to work out an agreement with Boston Properties, which owns that parcel, as a condition of development.

Other development conditions in the county staff report:

More road improvements, including a new turning lane on Reston Parkway, and pedestrian improvements.

Attention to keeping existing trees and planting new ones and meeting underground stormwater management standards.

See the entire staff report on the Fairfax County Planning website.

The plan will go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission in a public hearing Feb. 4.