RA Picks Working Group to Form Ideas for Tetra Building

Reston Association has selected a panel to serve as the Tetra working group as it looks towards future uses for the 3.47-acre property in North Reston.

RA closed in July on its $2.65-million purchase of the former Reston Visitors Center. RA members narrowly approved the purchase in a referendum in May. The referendum capped a busy few months of community discussion, debate and opposition to the purchase.

The acquisition gives the association 98 acres of contiguous space at Brown’s Chapel Park and Lake Newport Tennis. During community meetings, RA said it expects to use the space for events and rentals, after-camp care, a conference center, among other suggestions. It also forecasts earning revenue of more than $100,000 annually in rentals for events and groups.

RA also plans a park at the site, which sits on the shore of Lake Newport.

Renovations have begun on the 32-year-old building, and RA CEO Cate Fulkerson says the association hopes to put it to use by Spring 2016. Lauer Commercial (formerly Tetra Partners), owners of the building since 2003, is renting the space as offices through the end of 2015.

Fulkerson said previously there will be no impact to the RA assessments until “2018 at the earliest.”

RA hopes the working group will have a plan for the building by December. RA’s Board will vote on the working group membership at its meeting on Thursday.

RA members appointed to the working group:

• Laura Creilly (Surrounding Neighborhood Representative)
• Nicola Caul Shelley (Surrounding Neighborhood Representative)
• Karen Loesch (Surrounding Neighborhood Representative)
• Rebecca Smith-Zakowicz (North Point District Representative)
• Art Murphy (North Point District Representative)
• Angela Loving (North Point District Representative)
• Sterling Wheeler (Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District Representative)
• Lloyd Kinzer (Hunters Woods District Representative)
• Simon Rakoff (South Lakes District Representative)
• Linda Singer (55+ Advisory Committee Representative)
• Danielle Wilson (Environmental Advisory Committee Representative)
• David Nielsen (Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Representative)
• Carol Nahorniak (Community Engagement Advisory Committee Representative)
• Anne Delaney (IPAR Representative)