Tweaks to Arrowbrook Centre, a mixed-use development approved in 2005 for more than two million square feet of development, are being proposed.

The developer behind the project, which is near the intersection of the Dulles Toll Road and Centreville Road, is seeking to shuffle residential units from one building to another and the change the shape of one building from a L-shape to a U-shape. Roughly 78,000 square feet of footage will be reserved for a future application.

Other proposed changes include adding up to 32 multi-family units and 10 single-family units to a second building. Changes only apply to a 3.4-acre section of the 54-acre site.

“This change would create a more cohesive community and better respond to market demand in this Metro Station area,” according to the proposal, which was submitted in mid-May.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the project in 2005. Roughly 280,000 square feet of development were added to the site with the county’s approval in 2015.

Overall, no increase in the total gross square footage or buildings heights isis being proposed.

The Fairfax County Planning Comission will review the project in January next year.

A new Reston Sports Council, which includes 13 representative organizations, is seeking to becoming a unified voice for the interests of the local sports community.

The council, which grew out of focus group discussions and meetings by Reston Association’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee in 2016 and 2017,  held its first meeting in February. Members involved the initiative presented updates to RA’s Board of Directors last week.

At the meeting, Jeremy Lee, the newly appointed chairman of the council and a Reston resident of more than 20 years, said the council is an independent entity and intends to speak as a single voice to RA the Fairfax County Park Authority and the county.

Organizers hope the council will also help sports organization — including those that are not formally organized — coordinate the use of RA facilities, consider bulk purchasing, review industry standards, and collaborate to solve shared challenges, according to Laura Kowalski, RA’s director of recreation and environmental education.

Former RA Board Director Jeff Thomas and current RA Board Director Julie Bitzer, who is also the board’s PRAC liaison, pushed for the formation of the council.

Bitzer, who lauded the initiative, said the council will be a productive way to ensure “all sports have a voice” and prevent one sport from dominating conversations.

Larry Butler, RA’s director of land use and planning, cautioned that only Reston-based organizations are allowed to use RA facilities based on RA’s resolutions and by-laws.

The council is in the process of developing its bylaws, operational procedures and website. It plans to hold monthly meetings that are open to all.

So far, the council serves 6,000 constituents involving in local sports, including Reston, Herndon and Great Falls.

Photo via Reston Association/YouTube

Fairfax County officials are in the process of obtaining land rights to build a walkway between Glade Drive and Freetown Drive.

A public hearing on the project is planned for Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m., if the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors decides to continue with the planning process tomorrow (Tuesday).

So far, the county has obtained land rights from four of the five property owners impacted by the construction of the project.

Although negotiations are pending with one remaining property owner, the board will likely need to use its eminent domain powers to obtain land rights and avoid further delays on the project.

Improvements include the addition of a five-foot wide concrete sidewalk with ADA-friendly ramps, as well as curb and gutter improvements along the north side of Glade Drive from Colts Neck Road to Reston Parkway and along the south side of Glade Drive from Reston Parkway to Freedom Drive.

The project, which was originally on track for completion in January 2020, will cost roughly $650,000.

File photo

Local police arrested a wanted man who was trying to escape local law enforcement near the Chantilly Shopping Center on Thursday (July 25).

Larell Lansdowne, 35, of Reston, was charged with obstruction of justice and with outstanding warrants for larceny, failing to register as a sex offender, probation violation and trespassing.

Three other people who were with Landsdowne were arrested during the incident, which happened around 8 p.m. Eugene Mitchell, 54, of Leesburg was charged with providing false information to avoid arrested and was served an outstanding larceny warrant.

Nicole Hamm, 43, of Herndon was charged with possession of marijuana and Barbara Patton, 45, of West Virginia, was charged with possession of a Schedule I drug and possession of marijuana.

Photos via FCPD

North Italia, which the company describes as a “modern Italian concept,” will officially open its doors in Reston Town Center on Wednesday (July 31).

Fox Restaurant Concepts — which also brought True Food Kitchen to Mosaic District — is behind th restaurant, which is located at 11898 Market Street.

It takes over space previously occupied by Neyla Mediterranean Bistro.

The menu includes a mix of pastas, pizza and salads. Brunch is available on the weekend.

Reservations can be made online. Members can sign up for North Italia’s email campaign, which offers up a $10 off coupon for purchases of $20 or more.

Robbery at CVS Pharmacy on Centreville Road — Police believe two suspected jumped the pharmacy counter on Thursday at the CVS on 2525 Centreville Road and took property. The suspects were described as black men with hooded sweatshirts. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Makeup Class Tomorrow at Reston Regional Library — Learn new makeup techniques in this free class presented by a local make up artists. Some makeup tools and makeup will be provided. [Fairfax County Government]

Reminder: Real Estate Taxes Due — Real Estate first installment bills are due today and second installment bills are due December 5. Payment is accepted online. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo by Bako Glonto/Flickr

Before we head off into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the biggest stories on Reston Now this week.

1. Police Withhold Autopsy Information in ‘Suspicious’ Death Near Hunters Woods Plaza
2. Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce Drops Flavors of Fall Festival
3. Lack of Affordable Housing in New Developments Near Future Herndon Metro Station Sparks Debate
4. Reston Under Severe Thunderstorm Warning Sunday Night
5. Op-Ed: Open Space — All of It for All of Us

If you have ideas on stories we should cover, email us at [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.

Feel free to discuss these topics, your weekend plans or anything else that’s happening locally in the comments below.

Photo by Don Renner

Several Reston communities will be holding special events to mark National Night Out, an annual campaign of solidarity against crime.

The nationwide, community-building campaign — which promotes policy-community relations and neighborhood camaraderie — is set for Tuesday August 6 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Activities include keeping the lights on all night outside to fun and games with local polie officers.

In particular, the Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition and Cornerstones are partnering up to host a kick off cook out at Hunters Woods Plaza from noon to 2 p.m.

The cook out is open to all and will take place on the plaza in front of the Reston Community Center.

More information about local events in the Reston area is expected to be released soon.

Neighborhoods interested in hosting an event are encouraged to register online.

Photo via FCPD

Learn a new way to elevate your yoga game with stand up paddle board yoga tomorrow.

Beloved Yoga is organizing a recurring event on Saturdays from 9-11 a.m. Participants will learn how to balance on a paddle board and take their yoga routine to the next level. 

The event is organized in partnership with Surf Reston. Participants will meet at the Lake Anne boat launch. The last class is on September 21.

Registration is available online. Tickets are $20 if you bring your own board and $40 if you do not.

Saturday (July 27)

• Family Fun Entertainment Series (10-10:45 a.m.) — Groovy Nate creates educational shows with exotic musical instruments and puppet skits. Attendees should be ready to move, sing and play.
• Historical Swordsmanship (3-4 p.m.) — Fantasy lovers can learn about sword fighting and gets hands on instruction from professionals at Reston Regional Library.
• Dragonfly Count (9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.) — Meet at the Walker Nature Center and help count dragonflies in natural areas of Reston.

Sunday (July 28)

• Sunday Art in the Park with GRACE (5:30-7 p.m.) — Greater Reston Arts Center offers creative activities for all ages.
• Sunday Art in the Park (7-8 p.m.) — Professor of clarinet Garrick Zoeter and soprano Mariana Mihai-Zoeter interpret romantic and inspiring work from around the world during this performance at Reston Town Square Park.
• Summerbration Fun Brunch (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) — Dave Lange presents country and blues music at Reston Station Plaza. Garage parking is free on weekends in the Metro parking garage.

Photo via Beloved Yoga

As budget season comes into full swing, Reston Association’s CEO Hank Lynch is exploring several ways to boost revenue beyond funds that come directly from member dues.

After conversations with RA staff, Lynch pitched several ideas — varying from concession stands at pools and tennis courts to a three-season education program for sailing — to RA’s Board of Directors at a meeting Thursday night.

Lynch floated ideas that he said could serve members while generating money for RA’s coffers.

Specifically, Lynch said RA’s competitive advantage lies in its ownership of local lakes, which could be the site of a new waterfront festival and paddle boat tours.

Other ideas that were suggested include but are not limited to:

• Offering parking spots at RA’s Central Services Facility for rent during the Town of Herndon’s annual festival.
• Creating a mobile concession truck that would travel to RA events and facilities
• A floating dock for wedding, graduation and anniversary pictures at the Lake House
• Electric shuttles to serve outdoor concerts, as well as paid tours

RA’s fiscal committee plans to vet all ideas that would cost more than $5,000, along with RA’s board.

The primary purpose of these ideas is to generate revenue — with the added bonus of providing a service to the community, RA board member Ven Iyer said.

RA’s 2020-2021 budget development process began in late May. The budget will be up fora vote on November 21.

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Amazon.com Inc.’s cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services, is expanding its footprint across Northern Virginia.

The Washington Business Journal reports that the company has inked a deal with Griffin Essential REIT, INC. to lease 13820 Sunrise Valley Drive.

Here’s more from WBJ:

South Lake at Dulles Corner, as the building is also known, is about 2 miles from the East Coast hub AWS established at One Dulles Tower, a 400,000-square-foot building the company also leased in full. The company planned to create up to 1,500 new jobs in the commonwealth, according to that deal’s announcement in 2017.

Griffin is one of several commercial real estate owners in the Herndon area poised to benefit from an expanding AWS presence. And expand it is likely to do as it lands more contracts with the federal government, particularly as it awaits word on the Department of Defense’s $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud contract. AWS and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) are now finalists.

Amazon has leased nearly 852,800 square feet in Northern Virginia, cementing its position as one of the fastest-growing tenants in the market, according to the report.

Last month, an Amazon.com subsidiary moved to acquire 13600 EDS Drive.

Map via Google Maps

Update on Friday, July 26 at 8 a.m.: The road was reopened early Friday morning.

Commuters passing through Georgetown Pike at Seneca Road should plan to take a detour today (Thursday).

The Fairfax County Police Department indicated that the road is shutdown due to emergency repairs.

It is unclear how long the road will remain shutdown.

No other information was immediately available.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Georgetown Pk at Seneca Rd will be shutdown for emergency repairs. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/bQzJU0e9Vw

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 25, 2019

The Reston Planning and Zoning Committee will revisit TFC Cornerstone’s Campus Commons proposal next month.

The committee failed to approve the project, which is located on the southeastern corner of Wiehle Avenue and the Dulles Toll Road, at a meeting on July 15 amid concerns about the proposed pedestrian connection across Wiehle Avenue.

The developer plans to add 630 residential units spread across a mid-rise and high-rise building on the site, along with a new office building at the corner of Wiehle Avenue and Sunrise Valley Drive. The developer will preserve two office buildings from the 1980s on the site and add roughly 26,000 square feet of retail.

Some residents pushed the developer to build an underpass that connects Comstock’s project on the other side of Wiehle Avenue to Campus Commons.

But TFC Cornerstone plans to install at an at-grade crosswalk at Wiehle Avenue — an option that the company Vice President Ken Houle said is the safest and convenient pedestrian crossing.

“We have studied the issue extensively with multiple industry experts and FCDOT, looking at both regional and national precedents.  There is a consensus among the experts that an at grade crosswalk is the preferred pedestrian solution,” Houle told Reston Now.

He noted that TFC Cornerstones also plans to contribute land to construct a westbound lane on Sunrise Valley Drive as part of proposed infrastructure improvements.

Residents from Upper Lake Drive — which is neighbors the site — said the developer did not engage with the neighboring community before proceeding with the project.

They expressed concerns about the spillover effects of the new development on their community, including shared parking on Upper Lakes Drive, neighborhoods streets being used as a cut-through, and increased noise and light.

Residential units will not be under the Reston Association’s purview — which residents said should prompt the developer to pay for maintaining the neighborhoods paths if they are used by residents of Campus Commons.

Hoele said they launched an “extensive public review process” over the last two years, including meeting with adjacent communities, the Reston Planning and Zoning, meetings and Reston Association.

In response to concerns, Hoele said the company plans to widen the geographic area of its outreach and schedule an additional public session with Upper Lake Drive residents.

If the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee approves the project next month, Campus Commons heads to the Fairfax County Planning Commission in September.

A timeline for the development of the project has not been made public.

Photo via Kenneth Houle/TFC Cornerstone