(Updated at 12:42 p.m.) Four businesses in Hunters Woods Village Center were burglarized earlier today.

Police say they responded to a report of a burglary at the plaza shortly after 8 a.m. today.

Someone forced entry into Jersey Mike’s Subs, Ledo Pizza, the Buffalo Wing Factory and King Pollo, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

FCPD told Reston Now that it is currently unclear what was taken but all four businesses were damaged.

Officers and detectives are on the scene investigating the incident.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the police’s non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.

Businesses throughout the area have succumbed to the pressures and drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hunters Woods Cleaners has joined that list, as a member of management confirmed that the business will close its doors on Saturday, October 31. The store previously reduced its hours of operation from being open seven days a week to closing on Sundays this year.

The business, located at 2308 Hunters Woods Plaza in Reston, has been a staple in the Hunters Woods Village Center since the cleaners was established in 1990.

The cleaners joins a multitude of businesses that have announced closures during the pandemic, including Best Buy in The Spectrum at Reston Town Center and restaurants Big Bowl and Le Pain Quotidien in Reston Town Center.

The pandemic caused larger layoffs early in the summer. Over 450 layoffs were reported in notices filed by six businesses in Reston and Herndon through the Virginia Employment Commission.

Photo via Google Maps

Reston Association plans to explore ways to repurpose the Hunters Woods Ball Field using funds originally allocated for path lighting near Hunters Woods Village Center.

The field, which is located behind Reston Community Center, is no longer used by the Reston-Herndon Little League due to its distance from the nearest parking lot.

RA’s Board of Directors approved a motion to reallocate funds previously approved for pathway lighting at a meeting last Thursday (Sept. 26) to design, study and implement the project.

In tandem, RA plans to install 16 lights near the village center and the ball field. The roughly $100,000 project uses $81,300 in proffer commitment funds from the developer of Hunters Woods at Trails Edge, a senior living community on Colts Neck Road. The proffer is designated specifically for path lighting and cannot be used for any other purpose.

Larry Butler, RA’s Chief Operating Officer, said staff will work with the community to brainstorm possible ideas for the ball field. The Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition — which has long advocated for pathway lighting to improve safety in the area —  requested that RA examine the issue.

“We could do a lot of things there,” Butler said, adding the plan is in its early phases.

In a July 19 letter, the county’s planning staff indicating the ball field is classified as open space, which is designed for scenic or recreational purposes.

Meanwhile, RA is working with Dominion Energy to develop preliminary design plans for the pathway lighting project. The latest plan — which Butler said addresses the “area of most concern” —  is a scaled-back version of a 2014 plan to install 52 lights, which faltered due to limited funding.

The cost of the study is unclear, especially because RA will likely engage with a design architect to determine constraints on the site, including utility polls, Butler said.

The preliminary design calls for 16 LED, shoebox lights likely spread out by about 80 feet. The original plans did not call for LED lights.

Once plans are in place, the project will head to RA’s Design Review Board for a discussion and a vote.

File photo

Reston Association Board to Discuss Budget — RA’s Board of Directors will discuss the first draft of the upcoming budget at a meeting today (Thursday) at RA headquarters. Issues related to boat and dock policies, as well as path lighting near Hunters Woods Village Center, will also be discussed at the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. [Reston Association]

Burglary Reported at Forest Edge Elementary School — Police believe some broke into a school trailer and damaged property. The incident happened between Sept. 20 and Sept. 23. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Spots Available on Fairfax County Chaplain Corp. — The Fairfax County Community Chaplain Corps works as part of an emergency disaster team to provide chaplain care to community members impacted by the effects of a disaster or emergency. Register for an orientation session to meet current community chaplains, learn more about what it means to serve as a community chaplain and learn how to apply. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Jay Westcott

Several clients’ clothes are missing following what appears to be the abrupt closure of Reston Tailoring, a local business that has called Reston home for more than 30 years.

An associate for Just Cats Clinic, which neighbors Reston Tailoring at Lake Anne Plaza, told Reston Now that many people have been calling their business to track down their clothes, following Reston Tailoring’s disappearance over the weekend.

“We have no idea what happened,” the associate said.

Reston Now was unable to reach the owners, Berta and Wagner Cordova, after multiple attempts. The property owner of the building also did not respond to requests for comment. Reston Tailoring’s website also went down over the weekend.

The shop moved from Hunters Woods Village Center, its home since 1984, to Lake Anne in 2013.

The store in Lake Anne is empty and no signs indicate what may have happened. It is unclear if the closure is temporary or permanent.

What is known is that Reston Tailoring has been woven into the fabric of the Reston community, serving three generations of customers.

Hunters Woods at Trails Edge, a senior living community under construction near the Hunters Woods Village Center, is on track for its spring opening next year.

When complete, the IntegraCare facility will have 210 senior-living units — including 90 independent living units, 81 for assisted living, 24 for memory care and 15 for special needs.

“We believe that it will [open] in May, but have not set a specific date as projects of this nature are always subject to the timeline of county agency approvals,” Cissy Nickel, the community integration director for IntegraCare Corp., told Reston Now.

The exterior shell is finished, and the first floor is almost complete, Nickel said. Drywall, trim, flooring and appliance installation still need work.

Located on a 4.3-acre lot at 2222 Colts Neck Road, the retirement community took the former site of the United Christian Parish. The $72 million project aims to address the shortage of senior housing in the Reston area. 

Reston Now previously reported that construction started in May 2017.

A temporary office and showroom opened in July in the Hunters Woods Shopping Center (2254B Colts Neck Road) to provide more information. 

An open house is set for Dec. 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the showroom. 

Rendering by Moseley Architects

The Fairfax County Police Department has released new information about an attempted robbery on Tuesday at the 2200 block of Hunters Woods Plaza.

At around 5:15 a.m., a resident told police that several young men attempted to rob him at gunpoint. When one of the men implied he had a gun, the resident ran away. Two gunshots were fired and the group dispersed.

The man described the group as five Hispanic men who were at least 18 years old. Multiple shell casings were found on the scene and one bullet entered another resident’s home.

No one was harmed and nothing was taken. The incident remains under investigation. A helicopter-assisted search following the incident was unsuccessful in tracking the suspects.

File photo

Fairfax County police are investigating a stabbing that took place Friday afternoon in the Hunters Woods Plaza.

According to a Fairfax County Police Department spokesperson, a male juvenile was stabbed on Friday. Police responded to a call at 4:43 p.m. on Friday indicating someone had been stabbed.

INCIDENT ADVISORY: Officers investigating stabbing in 2300 block of Hunters Woods Plaza (Reston). One victim, non-life-threatening injuries. pic.twitter.com/hAxL8f0TTK

— Fairfax Co. Police (@fairfaxpolice) November 24, 2017

The victim was found in the 2300 block of the plaza with a non-life threatening wound to the upper body. He was taken to the hospital and is recovering, the spokesperson said.

Police do not have any updates on the investigation at this time. Anyone with information about crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).

An application has been filed with Fairfax County to bring another new restaurant to the Hunters Woods Village Center.

Under the permit name “Mingtong Huang,” the application for a new restaurant at 2260-B Hunters Woods Plaza was processed earlier this month. Attempts to reach the applicant and plaza management for additional information about the incoming restaurant have been unsuccessful.

The site at the plaza, between Rite-Aid and Buffalo Wing Factory, was most recently the home of Mathnasium. Prior to that, it housed Reston Tailoring for nearly 30 years.

Several new restaurants have already opened in the plaza this year, including Kung Fu Tea, King Pollo and Pista House Indian Cuisine.

Hunters Woods Village Center has another new spot to visit.

Kung Fu Tea opened over the weekend at 2280 Hunters Woods Plaza. The “soft opening” of the shop is continuing, manager Jayden Park said, until a grand-opening event tentatively slated for early May.

The shop is a national chain that specializes in drinks such as bubble tea, milk tea and yogurt tea, as well as coffee and slush drinks. The application for the Reston location was submitted to the county in December.

King Pollo and Pista House Indian Cuisine have also recently opened in Hunters Woods.

Other area Kung Fu Tea locations include in Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) and in the Centreville Plaza (13830 Lee Highway).

Store hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Check out the menu at the company’s website.

Work surrounding the construction of the Hunters Woods at Trails Edge Senior Living Community will disrupt walkways in the area, including forcing the closing of the underpass to Hunters Woods Village Center, for up to two years.

According to information provided by Reston Association, temporary pathways will be created in the area of the construction, 2222 Colts Neck Road. This will include the building of a new pedestrian bridge over Snakeden Creek near the property to ensure access to Colts Neck Road from Reston Parkway remains.

Pedestrians who regularly use the Colts Neck Road underpass to access Hunters Woods Village Center from Reston Parkway can walk to the intersections of Glade Drive or South Lakes Drive where there are signaled crosswalks, RA says.

Developer Atlantic Realty Company will pay for pathway alterations in the area of the construction. The temporary trails will be wood-chipped and unlighted. According to RA, they may not be suitable for bicycles or strollers.

The work to re-route the pathways is expected to begin within the next two weeks.

ARC has agreed, as part of its work to construct the senior-living facility to contribute $81,300 to improve pedestrian trails and pathway lighting within a half-mile of the facility. It also will be putting $60,000 into improvement of the facade of the Colts Neck pedestrian underpass, in coordination with Public Art Reston and Reston Association.

Map courtesy Reston Association

If you’ve visited the Hunters Woods Village Center recently, you may have noticed some new signs accompanied by delicious smells.

King Pollo opened recently at 2254-G Hunters Woods Plaza, between Elysium Nail & Spa and Blaze Cut. The space is the former home of Solar Plant Tanning Salon, which closed in 2014.

The restaurant, which offers Peruvian chicken and other Latin cuisine, began work on the location last year.

Early Yelp reviews of the restaurant show praise.

The chain operates five other locations in the region, including in Chantilly and Sterling. The restaurant is open at 10 a.m. every day. Catering options are also available.

King Pollo is the second new restaurant to open in Hunters Woods Village Center in recent weeks, after Pista House Indian Cuisine (2316 Hunters Woods Plaza) opened in February. In addition, signage is up and work is progressing on a Kung Fu Tea location at 2280 Hunters Woods Plaza.

Several dozen community members filled the cafeteria at Dogwood Elementary School on Thursday to learn more — and express their opinions — about proposed changes to street designs in Reston.

The proposal from the Fairfax County Department of Transportation to alter lanes on Colts Neck Road, North Shore Drive and Twin Branches Road drew a large amount of reaction, positive and negative, from community members who would be affected. FCDOT officials say the changes would increase safety for all users of the roads — drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians — by allowing for the addition of crosswalks, creating bike lanes and limiting speeding.

“All of this is happening because [the Virginia Department of Transportation] is repaving the roadways, so we have a chance to re-stripe,” said project manager Adam Lind, Fairfax County’s Bicycle Program manager. “The county has a Bike Master Plan that they adopted in October 2014, so we are here simply trying to implement those recommendations.”

The meeting was a followup from a November meeting at which community feedback on priorities for the three roads was gathered.

Residents raised concerns at Thursday’s meeting about the potential loss of parking in certain areas, including near Hunters Woods and Lake Anne elementary schools and the Lake Audubon Pool. In addition, worries were brought up by residents including increased congestion on Colts Neck Road and the potential danger of having one center turn lane in areas with left-hand turns on both sides.

“We’re definitely getting feedback from both sides,” Lind said. “A lot of it is people who have their concerns about their specific neighborhoods, and we think we’ve done a decent job trying to address a lot of those concerns, but the point of these meetings is to get this local feedback so we can continue to make upgrades and updates to the design.”

Bruce Wright, of Reston, is a Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling board member. He said making Reston a more bike-friendly community is important. In addition, he said, pedestrian safety on Colts Neck Road is a particular concern.

“There have been two pedestrians killed crossing Colts Neck, and I think by going from four lanes to two lanes, it’s going to be safer for everybody,” he said. “I think it’s going to be great if the county goes through with that plan.”

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A national chain centered around bubble tea and coffee has plans to open a location at the Hunters Woods Village Center.

Kung Fu Tea is due to open at 2280 Hunters Woods Plaza, according to a permit application filed with Fairfax County.

A representative for Edens, the company that manages the shopping center, said the store could open as soon as next summer.

Kung Fu Tea is a national chain that specializes in drinks such as bubble tea, milk tea and yogurt tea. The business also sells coffee, slushes and punch beverages.

The forthcoming Reston location will be the company’s third in Virginia, according to its website.

Photo via Facebook / Kung Fu Tea