New leads in 1995 sexual assault case — A 49-year-old Florida man was charged for the assault of four female roommates living in Reston. [The Washington Post]
If you’re in love with Metro — Dying to snag a Metro-branded gift, t-shirt or souvenir? The M Shop, Metro’s new pop-up retail stores, opens today at Metro Center Station. [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority]
The fight with Lyft and Uber — A Sterling-based company called Reston Limousine is fighting off its competition by giving its drivers huge referral bonuses. [The Washington Business Journal]
Reston Association assessments due tomorrow — RA extended the deadline to pay dues by a week after phone lines went down last week. [Reston Association]
Photo by Ruth Seviers
A zoning ordinance change to raise Reston’s population cap of 13 people per acre to 16 has been delayed.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was expected to officially introduce the proposal, which would increase population density in Planned Residential Community districts, today.
New dates have not yet been announced. Earlier this year, representatives for community organizations, including Reston Association, suggested pushing forward the county’s schedule to allow more time to review the proposal.
Brian Worthy, a county spokesman, said Hunter Mills District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins continues to discuss “the proposed amendment with the community, and the county is continuing it work on it.”
County officials have said the zoning change implements updates to Reston’s Comprehensive Plan in 2014 and 2015 that calls for targeted, increased growth in Reston Town Center, the village centers and TSAs around the three Metro Stations. The proposal has drawn vehement opposition from residents at two standing-room-only community meetings.
File photo.
Flores Portillo, 18, of Herndon, was arrested on Sunday and charged in connection with a series of larcenies.
The Herndon Police Department arrested Portillo on the 500 block of Early Fall Court. He was charged with seven counts of felony larceny and three counts of misdemeanor larceny.
Police located him after they received a report from someone who had found property that was possibly stolen. Portillo is being held at the Fairfax Adult Detention Center without bond.
The Fairfax County Police Department also reported the following incidents in recent days:
Larcenies:
2500 Centreville Road, bicycle from business
2200 block of Hunters Woods Plaza, money from business.
12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, alcohol from business.
1800 block of Michael Faraday Court, electronics from building.
1400 block of Northgate Square, tools from vehicle
1400 block of North Point Village Center, merchandise from business.
1800 block of Presidents Street, passport and money from vehicle.
1300 block of Rock Chapel Road, jewelry from residence
13700 block of Sayward Boulevard, wallet from vehicle
11400 South Lakes Drive (South Lakes HS), cell phone from the school.
11800 block of Spectrum Center, merchandise from business
11700 block of Sunset Hills Road, money from business
Stolen Vehicles:
None reported
Anyone with information about any of the crimes reported by FCPD should call 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or text “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
Parking spaces for Metro users at the Wiehle-Reston East garage were not available earlier this morning as construction crews work in the area.
At around 9:30 a.m. today, users attempting to park at the garage indicated no non-reserved parking spots were available, forcing some to park in reserved spots in the 2,300-space garage.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority responded to complaints by telling users to notify an attendant at the parking gate about the lack of parking.
Users would be let out “with no charge,” WMATA wrote in a tweet.
See the social media roundup below:
Parking @ wiehle reston garage full. Full chaos!! Have parked at one of the reserved spots. Hope the officer doesn’t give me a ticket #wmata #wmataparking @dcmetrohero @dcmetrosucks
— Pankaj Kataria (@pankajkataria7) March 6, 2018
Not a single spot empty of the 2300 spaces @ wiehle stn parking garage. Usually there are tons at the lowest level. Chaos. Frustration and finally people started parking illegally at reserved spots. Illegal till 10
— Pankaj Kataria (@pankajkataria7) March 6, 2018
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Reserved spaces open after 10:00 a.m., if you cannot find an open spot, please go to the parking gate to notify the attendant there is no parking and be let out with no charge.
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) March 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/irishmexi/status/971034049086132226
File photo.
Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, an Annapolis-based restaurant, will replace Red Velvet Cupcakery (11939 Democracy Drive).
Buildout for the 800-square-foot restaurant will begin in late summer, according Dan Beck, lobster maven and the company’s founder.
The news comes as Aaron Gordon, owner of Red Velvet Cupcakery, announces plans to shutter his business at Reston Town Center on May 27 — a move he hinted at last year.
Gordon has vehemently and visibly opposed Boston Properties’ paid parking structure — a program that drove his decision to close his store.
“I have no interest in staying with our current landlord, which in my opinion, completely disregards it’s retail partners,” Gordon said. He may reconsider finding another location in Reston in the future.
Late last year, Mason’s opened its first franchise locations in Baltimore, Md. and National Harbor. Masons’ serves lobster rolls, lobster bisque, clam chowder, salads, and more.
Beck said his company selected Reston Town Center because the franchisee lives in Reston and because the community’s urban core has “strong foot traffic and strong demographics,” especially customers from nearby offices.
The store will be similar to other locations, but will also include a “very strong Monday through Friday lunch business.” Customers will be able to place online orders through an app.
Plans for build-out are still on the drawing board as the company works through the permitting process. The restaurant’s sign should be up in the coming weeks.
Six things to know after the windstorm — All you need to know about trees, power outages, food safety, and more. Let’s hope things can get back to normal soon. [Fairfax County Government]
Tackling traffic on Sunset Hills Road — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on plans to realign the road today at 4 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]
Online voting for Reston Association elections is live — To cast a vote in the election for RA’s Board of Directors, visit RA’s website. Paper ballots were mailed yesterday. [Reston Association]
Travel “Into the Woods’ with Herndon students — Tickets are on sale for the performance by Herndon High School Theatre from April 13 through April 21. [Herndon Drama]
Photo by Ruth Sievers
Demolition is underway to make way for Boston Properties’ 17-story tower, the future home of Leidos Holdings.
The project, called 17Fifty (1750 Presidents Street), is the last office space to be built in the 86-acre urban core of RTC.
Shalom Baranes Associates will design 17Fifty, which includes 8,000 square feet of retail space and a four-floor, below-grade parking garage. It replaces a Block Five building that housed tenants like Fed Ex and Ann Taylor.
Construction is expected to begin this spring, with an estimated opening date of 2020.
The project is across from the Signature, a 508-unit apartment building. Balducci’s Food Lovers Market is expected to open this spring on the first floor.
A promotional video that provides a walkthrough of the redevelopment is below:
https://vimeo.com/182405656
Photos by Don Renner; Renderings via Boston Properties
Voting for Reston Association’s elections begins today, launching a month-long voting period that would dramatically alter the nine-board Board of Directors.
A total of thirteen candidates are vying for four open board seats. Paper ballots will be mailed today and online voting will open at 5 p.m. on RA’s website.
All votes must be cast by April 2. Results will be announced on April 10 at 7 p.m. during RA’s annual members’ meeting at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive.
This year, four candidates — Travis Johnson, Sridhar Ganesan, Tammi Petrine and John Bowman — are running on a slate, a choice they said was driven by shared positions on the Tetra purchase and a plan to increase Reston’s population density.
In mailing distributions, four other candidates — Colin Meade, Aaron Webb, Andy Sigle and current South Lakes District Director Julie Bitzer — are running as the “Alliance for a Better Reston.” In mailing distributions, they say they are committed to “implement[ing] Bob Simon’s original vision” for the community.” The alliance’s endorsements include Eve and Rick Thompson, Cheryl Terio-Simon, Bill and Betsy Keefe and others.
A breakdown of candidates with links to their profile statements is below.
At-Large Candidates (Two seats for a three-year term)
At-Large Candidates (One seat for a one-year term)
South Lakes District Candidates (One seat for a three-year term)
Voter turnout for Reston Associations hovered just under 20 percent of eligible voters last year. With contested elections for every open board seat, RA’s election committee hopes for more voter engagement this year.
Photo by Caren Anton
The worst of the windstorm is waning, but Reston Association’s Central Services Facility staff say cleanup on RA’s pathways and common areas could take a minimum of one month.
Staff are focusing on removing trees downed on roadways and pathways and trees hanging or causing safety hazards.
In a release, Reston Association’s director of communications and community engagement wrote the following:
The association is asking members to report any downed trees that pose a safety threat. However, because of the vast amount of damage done by the storm, and the amount of work involved with cleaning up, CSF crews cannot at this time remove trees that are on the ground but do not block roads or pathways and aren’t considered a safety hazard.
Leone told Reston Now most of the cleanup involves down trees. He also said there is fence damage from a downed tree at Glade Tennis Court.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation and are doing emergency tree removal as indicated in the release,” he wrote.
For emergency situations involving downed or hanging trees on RA property, call 703-437-7658.
Photo by Gary Smith
Big issues, including ambitious growth plans, continue to draw scant attention as voting for Reston Association’s elections begins on Monday.
The beleaguered issue of lower voter turnout, which has hovered between 11 and 19 percent over the last four years, belies the importance of the election. RA commands an $18 million budget, funded in part through assessments from property owners.
In recent years, RA has pushed to boost voter turnout. Last year, nearly 19 percent of eligible voters participated in RA’s election for the Board of Directors – departing from a trend where turnout remained around 14 percent the three years prior.
But RA staff and residents say much more remains to be done.
This year, RA’s elections committee hopes to push turnout beyond 20 percent — a goal that Caren Anton, co-chair of RA’s elections committee acknowledges is a somewhat of a low standard.
“It’s not so much that people are not aware that it’s not happening,” Anton, who has served on the committee for roughly non-consecutive three years, said. “We’re making a real effort to call for candidates.”
Based on a Reston Now analysis of RA elections data over the last four years, voter turnout is significantly higher when elections are contested.
The committee pushed hard to court candidates last year. For the first time, RA will host an open house with all 13 candidates who are vying for four open board seats this Sunday from noon to 2 p.m at The Lake House. The roster of candidates promises a contested race, unlike recent elections for the seat of the Hunter Mill District Supervisor and state Del. Ken Plum.
The impact of past strategies like mobile voting sites at apartments and community centers and postcard mailings has been “minimal,” Anton said. In 2015 and 2016, the elections committee received $54,4000 in reimbursement. The largest expense was a $51,000 services contract with Intelliscan, Inc, which tabulates election ballots and certifies results.
RA staff and volunteers will also distribute a flyer with voting information at Metro Stations, community centers, shops, restaurants, libraries and on cars. Posters on RA property and roadways will go up next week.
Still, limited election engagement is perplexing to some, and RA’s board has grappled with the issue in recent years. The question of whether or not the outcome of RA’s election represents the voice of RA members often elicits pause.
Causes of low turnout have not been studied. Anecdotal evidence suggests members more invested in the community or who have lived in Reston for several years tend to participate more, sources say. Nearly four percent of eligible renters of apartments voted last year, with residents who own property boasting higher turnout.
“Some people think it’s not going to make a difference. And that’s certainly not the case,” Anton said. “It is important to vote and it does matter. We’re doing everything we can to make people aware.”
It’s no surprise the card slated to promote the election reads “important issues face Reston” in bold typeface.
Voting runs from March 5 through April 2. Paper ballots will be mailed on Monday. Electronic ballots can be accessed on RA’s website during the election period.
Refunds for Metro users — Roughly 17,000 customers will get refunds for trips that took 15 minutes longer than expected on the Orange and Silver lines. Now that’s a silver lining. [Reston Patch]
Expect delays on all Metro lines — The Rush Hour Promise won’t be in effect today due to the wind storm sweeping the region. Metrorail is running every 12 minutes per line with reduced speeds above ground for safety. [Washington Metropolitan Area Authority]
Deadline for assessments extended — Reston Association members now have until March 8 to pay annual assessments. The deadline was pushed after a power outage yesterday. [Reston Association]
Focusing on body cameras — In the coming weeks, you’ll see more Fairfax County police with the special gear. The county breaks down what the program will look like. [Fairfax County Government]
Flickr pool photo via vantagehill
Founding Farmers, a restaurant owned by Farmers Restaurant Group, will open on April 11 at Reston Station, a major mixed-use development by Comstock.
The restaurant, which pushed back its opening date several times since 2016, will take up a two-level, 10,000 square foot location at 1904 Reston Metro Plaza.
The location features a private dining space to seat 40-50 people, a large mezzanine, and a bar with cocktails from their D.C.-based distillery. Their First Bake Cafe will offer freshly-baked goods, sweets and a Compass Coffee blend. The cafe is designed for Metro users and others who looking for a quick bite.
The second floor is dedicated to the kitchen, requiring staff to speed up and down stairs to serve orders.
The build out was complicated by a lengthy permitting process and the unique design of the restaurant, which requires an elevator due to limited space for loading fresh deliveries, staff said.
Founding Farmers relies on daily fresh deliveries and has limited kitchen space for freezing products. It serves weekday breakfast, lunch and dinner and a weekend buffet brunch. According to promotional material, the restaurant’s dishes are made with “pure ingredients honoring the farmers and their hard-earned bounty.”
Parking, which is not free at Reston Station, will be validated. Valet parking will be offered for $3, allowing guests to pull up their vehicles at the plaza.
No word yet on when Sweet Leaf, a community cafe near the Founding Farmers location, will open.
The restaurant has other locations in the District, Tysons Corner, Montgomery County, Md., and King of Prussia, Pa.
Photos by Fatimah Waseem
(Updated at 6:05 a.m.) The strongest windstorm in years is sweeping through the region, causing major problems on roadways, widespread power outages, and closures.
Earlier this morning, Fairfax County Public Schools announced they will be be closed today. Metro is operating at slower speeds above ground and Metro’s Rush Hour Promise will not be in effect today.
All Fairfax County public schools and offices will be closed today March 2, 2018 (Condition 1) due to dangerous high winds.
— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) March 2, 2018
The dangerously high winds have left “all types of debris” on roadways in the county, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. The high wind warning is in effect until 6 a.m., with the strongest gusts expected in the middle of the day.
The National Weather Services advises all residents to remain in doors and away from windows.
Well the wind has arrived and it's supposed to only get worse. Power is out in various areas and if a signal is out, treat it like a 4-way stop. We are seeing all types, and we mean all types, of debris in the road! Be careful. pic.twitter.com/dqc5ybu1sb
— Fairfax City Police (@FairfaxCityPD) March 2, 2018
A high wind warning will be in effect from midnight on Friday through 6 a.m. on Saturday.
Widespread power outages and downed trees are expected as winds of 25 to 50 miles per hour course through the area.
Wind gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour are also possible, according to the National Weather Service.
Here's a timeline graphic showing predicted peaks wind gusts Friday & Sat. After midnight tonight, we see a sudden increase. Widespread 50-60 mph gusts likely Friday. Bring in/secure outdoor furniture. Charge portable devices in case of outages. More info: https://t.co/f6zGil8ufw pic.twitter.com/URFMZz4U0w
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) March 1, 2018
Fairfax County Government also offered the following tips:
- Before sunset tonight, secure outdoor items like trash cans, lawn furniture and other objects. Trim tree branches away from your home.
- Be prepared for possinble power outages. Keep digital devices charged and plan to use flashlights.
- Report power outages to your provider. Dominion Energy’s line is 1-866-366-4357.
- Contact the appropriate entity to report downed trees and wires. A complete list is available here.
To contact Reston Association to reported downed trees on RA property, call 703-437-7648.
Preparing for tomorrow's #HighWindWarning, consider securing your items that are outside, & please report any downed trees on RA property to our Central Services Facility 703-437-7658. https://t.co/kyZMLEEmPs #Reston pic.twitter.com/Bbl4nrqpwe
— Reston Association (@RestonOnline) March 1, 2018
As Boston Properties announces a mix of new commercial tenants, the Reston Merchants Association continues to decry paid parking at Reston Town Center roughly eight months after ParkRTC scaled back its parking structure.
Seven businesses reported a downslide in revenue over the last year, losses that owners said were caused by paid parking.
Others worry that parking will drive out small businesses and cause RTC to lose its appeal and accelerate its transformation into a downtown similar to other town centers. Tenants also say customers often express gripes over paid parking.
Last June, Boston Properties, RTC’s owner, changed its paid parking structure, which originally charged for weekday parking, following major outcry from tenants and customers. Parking is free for one hour during the day and after 5 p.m. Street parking is $3 for one hour and $6 for two hours, with no charges on Sundays.
The narrative by merchants upset over paid parking stands in stark contrast to official statements from Boston Properties, which currently owns more than 4.6 million square feet in RTC. The company has successfully inked long-term leases with major tenants.
Although the company did not respond immediately to a request for comment, the company indicated RTC is a “top experiential” development in the country.
New commercial tenants have recently signed long-term leases with the company, including Balducci’s Food Lovers Market, &Pizza, Muse PaintBar and Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls.
“We have listened to the community and are thrilled to announce a combination of new national, regional, and local retailers that will continue to enhance the shopping experience. Developing best in class retailers that strengthen Reston’s connection to the Town Center is our priority,” wrote Stephanie Friedman, director of leasing at Boston Properties, in a statement announced new developments in RTC.
Aaron Gordon, owner of Red Velvet Cupcakery, said that despite changes to the structure, requiring customers to pay for parking was the “worst decision” made by RTC. He reported a 37 percent drop in income over the last two quarters of last year, as compared to 2016.
“What took decades to make us the true center of Reston has been undone by one shortsighted, money-grabbing decision. Reston Town Center is more a ghost town than town center,” Gordon said.
Ray Pugsley, owner of Potomac River Running, said business between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. is “terrible.”
“Even when doctors refer people to use, they tell us that their patients refuse to patronize Reston Town Center,” he said.
In the statement, other businesses reported the following:
- Big Bowl reported a 15 percent drop in sales compared to 2016. A major portion of the drop happened during lunch hours, when parking is not free.
- Ben and Jerry’s estimated a 10 percent decrease in sales.
- Pitango reports an 11 percent drop in sales last year, as compared to 2016.
- Edibles Incredible Desserts reported $135,000 in losses last year compared to the previous year.
- PR Partners says its new quest business is down an average of between 25 and 30 percent “as a result of paid parking.”
File photo.
