Town leaders agreed Tuesday to accept $5 million more from Fairfax County to finally begin the construction of a residential-retail-arts complex downtown.

The long-awaited development, which calls for 273 apartments, a parking garage, retail space and an arts center, will get $6.2 million from the county through the additional support.

“This is huge,” Councilmember Signe Friedrichs said. “This isn’t just a little bit of money; this is a lot of money,” she said of the county’s increased contribution. “We are so grateful.”

The new funding arrangement calls for releasing the $5 million in $1 million increments each year; payment would begin once the project gets an occupancy certificate for its first residential unit.

The support came after the town and developer agreed to equally split an estimated increase of $24.6 million of the project. Dennis Holste, economic development manager for the town, said that eight-figure increase was related to materials, labor and workforce restrictions “due to the pandemic.”

Town officials were unable to comment Wednesday what the breakdown of the additional costs involved. Comstock didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

In November 2020, the town and Comstock amended an earlier agreement with the company from 2017. The town then sold the nearly 4.7-acre parcel at 770 Elden St. to Comstock for over $10.06 million on Dec. 16, 2020, according to a county property database.

“I think this is a big win not just for the town but for the area,” said Vice Mayor Cesar del Aguila, following the council’s unanimous vote to accept the county contribution, coming from an Economic Opportunity Reserve Fund, designed for strategic investments to stimulate growth.

Comstock has to start the project by Dec. 31, 2021 but can extend that by up to two years depending on market conditions or other matters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the town.

While police dogs are often seen in detecting drugs and explosives, one by the name of Bragg in Herndon is known for another area: comforting people.

Bragg assists officers, dispatchers and department staff following stressful situations and in counseling sessions, interviews and roll calls as a facility dog. He can sense increases in one’s heart rate and can get help when needed, part of a repertoire of 50-plus commands.

Recently, the town applauded two lieutenants and the canine, who were part of a group of town workers who received Outstanding Performance Awards. Town manager Bill Ashton presented the awards on Dec. 7 to thank them for going above and beyond in their service.

“In this challenging year, the creativity and innovation demonstrated by these employees made our workplace safer, our employees healthier and our team spirit stronger,” Ashton said in a statement. “Often, leaders emerge in times of trial. Each employee recognized by these awards exemplifies leadership in the truest, best sense of the word.”

Lts. Jay Carson and Mark Dale, who joined the department last year, developed a comprehensive wellness program for the police department to help officers cope with stressful incidents and contribute to positive mental health. The town noted that they created the program in eight months and it includes a contracted police psychologist, annual wellness checks, peer support teams, meditation training, a dedicated wellness/meditation room, the addition of Bragg and more.

The department announced the addition of Bragg in April after the Labrador Retriever spent two years receiving specialized training from the nonprofit Mutts With A Mission. Nowadays, he can be seen in areas of the Herndon Police Department and community events, where he serves as a four-legged ambassador.

“He is a big calming presence,” police spokesperson Lisa Herndon told Reston Now, noting the department also brings him out to farmers’ markets, community events involving kids and Target.

His first deployment was responding to the police station in June following a tragedy involving the murder of a mother and her two young children at their Herndon apartment at the hands of a romantic partner who committed suicide, according to police.

Bragg is now an additional element who can sit in on meetings to provide another layer of support.

In the community, he’s used to help put children at ease and show that police are there for them, the department said. The department’s spokesperson also noted that police in the town want to be seen as welcoming to immigrants and Herndon police don’t check immigration status.

Capt. Steven Pihonak, Bragg’s handler, brings him to work each day, and Bragg lives with the lieutenant and his family.

“Bragg really has the best of both worlds; he gets to help the men and women of the Herndon Police Department by day and go home with me and be a carefree dog at night,” Pihonak previously said in a statement.

Police Chief Maggie DeBoard said Bragg is an important part of the health and wellness program to help ensure officers and staff have the resources to remain emotionally well and focus on serving the community

My Dr.’s Pharmacy is looking to move next year to a bigger space to house its existing setup involving two separate locations in the same plaza.

The business (412 Elden St.) features pharmacists and nutritionists and added a COVID-19 clinic nearby during the pandemic in Herndon Centre (the temporary clinic is at 388 Elden St.).

But it’s hoping to consolidate those two footprints and feature a wellness center under the JunoWellness brand by June, president and pharmacist Omar Shoheiber of the company said in an email.

“The new location will become a retail based wellness hub where a team of pharmacists, nurses, clinical nutritionists, and physical therapist work together,” he wrote. “The focus will not only be on caring for the sick but also to help the healthy stay healthy.”

The business provides nutritional and herbal wellness consultation services, supplements and prescriptions. Its clinic has been delivering COVID-19 vaccines as well as testing, delivering results within two hours or the next day, depending on the type of test.

Shoheiber described the new location as a retail-based wellness hub where a team of pharmacists, nurses, clinical nutritionists and a physical therapist work together. He likened it to a Home Depot for health care services.

The business is currently looking to get signage for the new location approved through the town. The existing locations will be vacated.

Photo via Google Maps

The Reston Associations expects a multimillion-dollar project to renovate the Lake Thoreau pool, closed since last year, will be done by the 2023 swim season.

The organization’s Design Review Board approved the $3.5 million project in July, and RA finalized a contract with Maryland-based Hubert Construction.

RA suggested that it held a meeting on Monday (Dec. 13) about the logistics and scheduling, but a spokesperson for the organization declined to provide details, saying when information is available, it would be released to members through RA communication channels.

The association’s board of directors is slated to hear an update on the project at its regular meeting Thursday (Dec. 16).

According to the presentation, there are ongoing adjustments to 20% of the design, which includes expanding the footprint of a pool house. The project also calls for reconstructing the pool, expanding the bathhouses as well as a parking lot, and more.

The pool first opened in 1981 but has had structural problems, such as cracks in the pool shell and concrete deck.

RA had sought to begin construction in October or November. The association declined to comment on why the timeline was delayed.

New buildings going up around Tall Oaks Village Center could be completed in 2022, according to developer Stanley Martin Homes.

The new condo flats, starting in the upper $400,000s, have had 15 units sold so far, and the first building could be complete this May, a representative tells Reston Now.

Per Stanley Martin’s website on the neighborhood:

Tall Oaks is a neighborhood of townhomes and 2-level condos, is now offering 1-level condominiums in two new elevator buildings. … The 4-floor elevator buildings will feature underground parking and secure building entry with multiple floorplans to choose from.

The second building hasn’t had units for sale yet, and it’s slated to be completed by the fall or end of 2022, according to the company.

The neighborhood expands upon the real estate company’s presence there, where new homes abut a small village center.

The community is replacing a former Giant Foods that anchored the village center before it closed in 2007, part of a difficult history of vacated commercial stores that have been tucked away from a major thoroughfare.

Construction equipment has also been staged in a central area that’s also slated for housing, which could begin in the spring or summer and be completed by the end of 2022.

The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!

Monday, Dec. 13

• Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights — 5:30-10 p.m. at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens — Enjoy lights and holiday scenes in this annual transformation, which will stick around through Jan. 2. Tickets start at $18.

Tuesday, Dec. 16

• Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones — 7:15 p.m. at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe-Herndon — A married couple from Galax, Virginia participate in their first performance with The Folk Club. Tickets start at $10.

Wednesday, Dec. 15

• Senior Movie Day — 9:15 a.m. to noon at Reston Town Center’s Bow Tie Cinemas — Watch Tom Hanks portray children’s show icon Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Registration is not required. Free.

Thursday, Dec. 16

• American Mah Jongg — 9:30 a.m. to noon at RCC Hunters Woods — A drop-in program for players of all skill levels invites adults to participate. Free.

Friday, Dec. 17

• “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)” — 8 p.m. at NextStop Theatre Co. with recurring performances throughout December — A three-member cast brings together this satirical and irreverent holiday production featuring traditional carols to pop-cultural references and of course, Christmas icons ranging from Santa to the Grinch. Tickets start at $25.

Saturday, Dec. 18

• Snow Much Fun — Fountain Square at Reston Town Center — Enjoy festive performances throughout the day from community groups, featuring the Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Northern Virginia Ukulele Society from 12:30-1:15 p.m. and caroling from from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 19

• Equity Matters: Moving Forward to Equal Justice – “Crescendo” — 3 p.m. at CenterStage — Follow the extraordinary tale on screen about an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra and its overtures for peace in the Mideast. Registration is required. Free.

An apartment fire that displaced 44 people Dec. 2 in Herndon has drawn responses from numerous services and community members to help as families embrace a holiday season much different than they expected.

Help has come through an outpouring of donations as well as help in staying in hotels for the short term, following the fire that officials say was linked to a charging cable.

“We are working to help make sure that these families have all of their short-term and long-term needs placed,” Cornerstones spokesperson Margaret Ann Lara said.

The nonprofit Cornerstones has been working with the Fairfax County Emergency Operations Center, county schools, a helpline for residents known as Coordinated Services Planning (703-222-0880), the American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region and other safety net providers  to address the “devastating impact of this fire,” Lara also said in a statement.

Cornerstones, the social services organization known for assisting homeless individuals and families, has also provided gift cards so victims can purchase food, clothing and transportation. It’s also working with other agencies to provide support for many suffering from emotional and physical trauma, Lara wrote.

“In that same light, the community’s support is extraordinary. We’ve received generous offers of clothing, furniture, toys, appliances, etc.” Lara said in the statement. “Household and personal items will definitely be needed in the future. But for now, the greatest community support opportunity is to donate gift cards or make direct financial donations through Cornerstones, as we coordinate resources to help with short-term needs and anticipate the long-term supports required for these families over the next 8-12 months.”

The organization plans to partner with local nonprofits, faith and civic groups and corporate as well as individual advocates to help fulfill families’ needs for household goods, furniture, appliances and more.

Planning leaders gave the final OK for a developer to build an eight-story residential block with up to 480 units despite lack of clarity on whether condos will be part of the mix.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved the project on Wednesday, which will be part of Brookfield Properties’ 36-acre development known as Halley Rise by the yet-to-open Reston Town Center Station.

The project calls for 15% of the units to be workforce dwelling units, according to a November staff report, meaning up to 72 units would be under a county affordability program: Half of those would be at 100% of the area median income (AMI) and the remaining half would be reserve for 80% AMI and 70% AMI.

An eastern portion will have approximately 366 residential units, and a western portion will have approximately 114 residential units “that will be designed to be condominium ownership to broaden the appeal to the community but depending on market conditions may still be rental apartments,” Gill wrote.

Gill, representing developer Jaco Acquisition, wrote that the possible condominium portion would “provide opportunities for homeownership and appeal to a broader community” but added that the applicant “reserves the right to operate this building as a rental apartment community.”

The project also calls for 9,500 square feet of retail and above-grade parking garage spaces. Among its amenities, the site will include a double row of trees to along the Reston Parkway, bike racks, and an interior courtyard.

“The building will contain two above-grade parking garages, which will be wrapped by residential and retail uses,” Katie Quinn, a county planning staff coordinator, told the commission.

County staff said in a report that the nearly 541,000 square foot building wouldn’t have any urban park area, but Halley Rise overall will eventually have a little of five acres of green space with the addition of two upcoming parks: The Quad and the Gateway. The green space is a little over the square footage of four football fields.

“The heart of it is replacing what is largely a surface parking lot for that existing office building and developing a shared parking garage to provide parking not just for our residential project but also that office building,” Gill said of the Jaco Acquisition project, known as Block C.

A six-story residential structure with a Wegmans is currently being constructed on Block F of the development, which lies north of the Jaco Acquisition residential project. Commission member John Carter, representing the Hunter Mill District, said the Wegmans phase of the project could open toward the end of 2022.

Jaco Acquisition, tied to D.C. developer Akridge, is developing the project, but Brookfield Properties still owns the land. Gill, the land use attorney, said that Jaco is a partnership between Akridge and The Meridian Group.

Wednesday’s action finalizes approvals needed from elected and appointed government boards.

After stepping away from corporate life, a 35-year-old man who once owned a craft beer bar in Australia is looking to take his knowledge and industry contacts to a new level.

Anton Sagan has taken over Aslin Beer Co.’s old space in Herndon’s Sunset Business Park at 257 Sunset Park Drive and plans to open in December for takeaways and a taproom, creating small batches of fruit-based craft beers with four 132-gallon fermentation vessels, which can create 300 crowlers (32-ounce cans) at a time.

Juicy Brewing Co.’s drinks will range from fruity sours to hazy India Pale Ales.

The space currently features ingredients he’s importing from around the world: malts from Germany, an in-demand product called Phantasm that uses Sauvignon blanc grapes from New Zealand and more.

“We’re already playing with our recipes here,” he said. “Being so niche with hops with the other business, … but having that background … gave us that additional knowledge base with the recipes we want to create now.”

He brewed the first batch for the public last month for private events and a pandemic-induced craft beer called FML Festival at a Hampton brewery last month, and he said he’s looking to have a handful of flavors that rotate each month, starting off with flavors such as peach-banana-vanilla (vanilla from Madagascar, Sagan notes) and Siberian berry.

Sagan, who attended grade school in Cherry Creek in western New York state and went to university in Australia, has lived abroad, including Moscow, but he and his wife and two kids relocated during the pandemic to Herndon this year.

Living for 15 years in Australia by way of Melbourne and Sydney, he got connected with farmers and sold hops through the craft beer-focused distributor Hops Engine, which eventually began selling to Aslin Beer Co. Sagan also got connected with former Tired Hands and Foreign Objects brewer Steven di Eva, who’s serving as his brewer.

“As we grow into it, we’ve got 10 taps we want to be running at any one time,” he said.

He thinks the taproom will allow for 30-40 people, even though the space can accommodate more on paper.

“Having that intimacy is important to us,” he said. “We want to stay small and local and humble.”

He’s looking to work with local shops and farms and is already providing spent hops to a family farm for animals free of charge.

Investment firms in New York and Canada spent hundreds of millions of dollars this year to acquire office and residential buildings near the Dulles International Airport in Fairfax County.

Ivanhoé Cambridge, a real estate company based in Montreal, acquired Ashton at Dulles Corner, a set of luxury apartment buildings along Sunrise Valley Drive in McNair, on Nov. 12 for over $149 million. A spokesperson, Véronique Désilets, suggested by email that the company increased an existing stake it has in the property but declined to say what its long-term plans are for the property.

It’s still being managed by global real estate developer and property manager Greystar, which is headquartered in Charleston, S.C.

Manhattan-based Innovatus Capital Partners acquired three office buildings located at 13530 and 13560 Dulles Technology Drive on May 28 for $113.5 million. According to its website, the investment firm seeks to “identify and capitalize on market distress, disruption, and growth.”

And the North American Islamic Foundation, which holds prayers and religious classes at its current location at 13515 Dulles Technology Drive, Suite 1, bought a building next door that currently houses the Little Oaks Montessori Academy and Oak Hill Christian School. The $6.8 million purchase happened on Aug. 30.

“An expansion plan is underway on the main campus to match the needs of the rapidly growing community,” NAIF says on its website.

Officials with Innovatus Capital Partners and NAIF declined to respond to messages seeking comment about their plans.

The properties are near the yet-to-open Innovation Center Station for the continued expansion of Metrorail’s Silver Line, which is still facing delays. It also comes as the pandemic has led businesses to rethink whether they’re using office space as efficiently as possible.

Developers are already there, constructing apartments, townhomes and condos, a senior facility, and more along with plans to further transform the office and residential park.

Photo via Google Maps

Herndon officials are slated to move forward with two regional transit applications to help improve traffic, sidewalks and more, including the addition of a key connection for vehicles by the Herndon Parkway.

The Herndon Town Council could vote at its regular meeting today to seek the funding through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for projects on Sterling Road and Herndon Parkway.

Both projects would add on to existing money received and efforts to upgrade the corridors in long-term plans to diversify modes of transit for people, reduce congestion and increase safety. Both projects would also upgrade sidewalks.

Funding for the projects could be distributed around 2028 if approved by the regional transit authority.

The Sterling Road project would add turning lanes and evaluate whether a new signalized intersection could be created at Crestview Drive. The entire project would involve upgrades from Elden Street to Rock Hill Road, and the town is seeking up to $500,000 for funding.

Staff plan to present the concept design plans and estimated costs next summer.

The other project, creating an extension of Worldgate Drive to pass through an office park by Van Buren Street to connect with Herndon Parkway, has been eyed for years by town officials. The project also includes sidewalk and cycle track improvements, continuing the undergrounding of utilities and other pedestrian crossing upgrades.

The total project would cost over $6.5 million, and town officials are seeking millions of dollars to assist with the effort. The town has already been allocated $1.8 million in funding through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for the project. This application would seek up to $1 million more.

It’s separate from a bus bay project that’s ongoing there that’s slated to serve the Herndon Metro Station, which should open to all in the spring.

The 11.5-mile extension from the Wiehle-Reston East Station to Dulles International Airport and beyond has been delayed for years.

Image via handout/Town of Herndon

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) Estefania Cabrera, 29, died after a 2017 Toyota Highlander drifted off the roadway and struck a tree, police said.

Officers responded around 4 a.m. Sunday and found the vehicle was traveling eastbound on Poplar Tree Road in Chantilly.

Cabrera was a passenger in the vehicle and was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.

The driver of the vehicle, whose name was not immediately provided by police, was taken to a hospital with injuries considered to be life threatening. Police said Monday that the driver remained hospitalized.

“Preliminarily, detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit believe that speed and alcohol both appear to be factors of the crash,” police said, adding:

Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact our Crash Reconstruction Unit at 703-280-0543. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone -1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by text – Type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411, and by web – Click HERE. Download our Mobile tip411 App “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1000 dollars if their information leads to an arrest. Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to contact you. 

The crash happened after the vehicle passed through the intersection at Leighfield Street, police said.

Cabrera’s death is the 19th non-pedestrian related fatality in Fairfax County during 2021.

The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!

Monday, Dec. 6

• Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights— 5:30-10 p.m. at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens — Enjoy lights and holiday scenes in this annual transformation, which will stick around through Jan. 2. Tickets start at $16.

Tuesday, Dec. 7

• Bouncin’ Babies — 10:30-11 a.m. online — Sing songs, read stories and enjoy the sounds of a ukulele with this literacy program hosted by Fairfax County Public Library.

Wednesday, Dec. 8

• Chair & Mat Yoga Class — 10-11 a.m. online — A class geared for relaxation makes use of both a yoga mat and chair.

Thursday, Dec. 9

• “The Nutcracker” — 7 p.m. at the CenterStage with performances through Sunday– Reston’s Conservatory Ballet performs this holiday classic. Face masks required. Tickets start at $30.

Friday, Dec. 10

• Critter Caboodle Workshop — 7-8 p.m. at the Walker Nature Center — Create woodland critters using natural materials. Face masks required. The cost starts at $10.
• “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)” — 8 p.m. at NextStop Theatre Co. with recurring performances throughout December — A three-member cast brings together this satirical and irreverent holiday production featuring traditional carols to pop-cultural references and of course, Christmas icons ranging from Santa to the Grinch. Tickets start at $25.

Saturday, Dec. 11

• Holiday Market — noon to 4 p.m. at the Reston National Golf Course — From photos with Santa to free hot drinks, local vendors, food trucks, music, and more, celebrate the holiday season with this family-friendly event. Free and open to the public.

Sunday, Dec. 12

• Reston Town Center Holiday Performances — 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Promenade — Sing along and enjoy holiday performances by The Beltway Brass Quintet and Reston Chorale.

Peraton is moving its corporate headquarters from Worldgate Drive in Herndon to Reston Town Center.

The 19,000-employee company has around 5,000 workers in the D.C. area, and its new space at 1875 Explorer St. could be in use by September 2022, the company announced today in a news release.

According to the news release:

[T]he new headquarters will house Peraton’s Mission Capability Innovation Center, where Peraton employees will generate and apply cutting edge capabilities to develop mission solutions that address customers’ most unique and complex challenges. The Center will provide both physical and virtual working environments and access to the vast network of Peraton Labs’ Research and Innovation Centers.

“With the announcement of our new Reston headquarters, we are excited to remain in Northern Virginia, close to our customers as well as a robust and diverse talent pipeline and supported by world-class resources and infrastructure,” company chair, president and CEO Stu Shea said in a statement.

The company said it’s been “in the middle of a multi-year review of its office footprint. The selection of a new headquarters is the first major decision in that process.”

Photo via Google Maps

An artist using a wall as a canvass has plenty of inspiration as well as the backing of the building’s owner.

Vehicles using the Tesla Supercharger at Reston Station have noticed the artwork forming this fall. Developer Comstock commissioned the piece through Frederick, Md.-based R Design Group and has been working with artist Jack Pabis, an independent contractor who has created murals throughout the region, including one for Buffalo Trail Elementary School near Dulles airport as well as others for D.C. schools.

The artwork has drawn interest from Tesla drivers who use the charging station.  Pabis set up scaffolding there that he can transport in his van.

“It’s becoming more and more obvious what it is,” he said Tuesday of the mural. “I think now you can finally tell it’s a car.”

Comstock’s Reston Station, the office-residential-retail complex by the Dulles Toll Road and Wiehle-Reston Metro Station at 11389 Reston Station Boulevard, includes a Park and Ride, and the Tesla supercharging station arrived there in July 2020.

Pabis presented several options to Comstock and said the idea of a Tesla convertible hurling through space came forward as a clear favorite.

“They definitely liked it right off the bat,” he said of the Tesla-in-space option, and Comstock worked with him to refine it.

It’s a tribute to two companies and their iconic images after SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster was used as a dummy payload. It’s attached to part of a rocket, launched in 2018, that’s been orbiting the sun.

He said he got inspiration from images he’s seen of the feat, which was livestreamed, and he plans to contain a hodgepodge of concepts.

Comstock didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.

Plans were sidetracked amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Pabis began painting this fall. Last month, he racked up over a week’s worth of work. He plans to finish by Christmas.