Crafters can now enjoy AR Workshop, a new do-it-yourself studio that opened in Herndon today (Thursday).

A grand opening party is set for 6-9 p.m. at the new location, which is located at 315 Spring Street. Attendees can take part in a free mini project and enjoy drinks, sweets, giveaways, and raffles. Guests must register online and like the Facebook page of the business.

Here’s more about the studio from co-owners Jacqueline Maglione and Michelle Shepard:

Workshop participants can construct custom wood plank signs, framed signs, canvas pillows, round signs, trays, Lazy Susans, centerpiece boxes, cake stands, canvas items, specialty projects and more utilizing raw materials, a variety of non-toxic stain and paint colors, and stencils. Attendees can also create textile items such as chunky knit blankets as well as seasonal or holiday keepsakes.  

“We’re so excited to share our new do-it-yourself space with the Reston community,” Maglione said. “Everyone is always on the search for something fun to do and we have a huge variety of projects to make.”

The business has eight other locations across the country.

Photo via AR Workshop

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will hold a meeting later this month to discuss paving and restricting projects.

The meeting is set for Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Terraset Elementary School (11411 Ridge Heights Road).

The meeting begins with a formal presentation at 6:45 p.m., after which the floor will open for questions, feedback, and comments.

Here’s more from FCDOT:

Overall, the paving and restriping program improves hundreds of roads in Fairfax County each year through maintenance and repaving. At the same time, the state and county agencies coordinate restriping efforts to address safety issues for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians through the creation of bike lanes, parking lanes, crosswalks and more.

Comments can also be submitted online for those unable to attend the meetings.

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Carahsoft, a Reston-based IT company that was founded in 2004, is taking part in the state-based veteran employment program.

State Gov. Ralph Northam announced this week that the company will participate in the Virginia Values Veterans Certification Program, which aims to give veterans more employment opportunities through training and education.

The Reston-based company is the 1,000th to receive certification in the state program.

The program was created in 2012 and is describes the first state-based program dedicated to improving employment opportunities for veterans by training employers on national best practices for recruitment, hiring, and retention.

Northam plans to visit Carahsoft next week to present the certification.

Photo via Unsplash

A bill to reduce the use of styrofoam use by food vendors in Virginia cleared the state House with a 55-44 vote on Tuesday (Feb. 11).

Introduced by Del. Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria) and backed by Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston) who introduced a similar measure this session, the bill requires some chain restaurants to stop using styrofoam containers by July 1, 2021. All food vendors must phase out the use of the containers by July 1, 2025.

Plum proposed a similar measure that was incorporated into Carr’s bill.

Styrofoam products — which are also known as polystyrene — are not biodegradable and take up a significant percentage of space in the state’s landfills.

Environment Virginia, an advocacy organization that is part of Environment America, applauded the vote:

A lot of waste comes from things we don’t need and we know we shouldn’t use, such as foam cups and take-out containers. This trash ends up in our open spaces and waterways, where it endangers wildlife. Polystyrene never breaks down, so it harms our environment for decades. Nothing we use for five minutes should pollute our planet for generations to come. 

Environment Virginia has talked to tens of thousands of Virginians about plastic pollution and polystyrene and has collected more than 50,000 petitions calling on our leaders to take action on this crucial issue. Virginia’s leaders in the House of Delegates listened today and we look forward to our leaders in the Senate doing the same. 

The ban will not apply to public schools and correctional facilities. Localities can also step in and provide one-year exemptions to individual food vendors if the proposal causes “undue economic hardship.”

All violators will be charged a $50 fee for each day of violation, which would be reused for lottery control and recycling projects.

The state Senate will consider the bill at a date that has not been announced yet.

Reston Station, a major mixed-use project at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, will welcome its newest tenant on March 1.

After permitting delays and an anticipated opening in December, CVS Pharmacy will open at 1906 Reston Metro Plaza between the entrance to the station and Starbucks on the plaza.

The business will occupy roughly 8,451 square feet of space.

Here’s more from Comstock, Reston Station’s developer, on the opening:

Adding CVS to the project’s retail will provide convenient on-site access to prescription medication and pharmacy experts, health and wellness products, and flu shots to Reston Station’s office tenants and commuters. CVS Pharmacy serves millions of consumers around the country with programs including a curated grocery and food selection, elevated beauty, customer-driven personalization with the ExtraCare Rewards program, and an enhanced assortment of health and wellness products.

“The addition of CVS Pharmacy to the Reston Station neighborhood aligns with our commitment to provide convenience and service to our tenants and residents,” said Tim Steffan, EVP/Asset Management, Development and Leasing for Comstock. “We are pleased to welcome this national retailer to our community, and look forward to growing our retail tenants in 2020.”

The company was the first to sign a lease for plaza-level retail space in Reston Station’s third tower, which is currently under construction.

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

Nominations Sought for Annual Volunteer Service Awards — Reston Association is seeking nominations for the ward by Friday, Feb. 28. [Reston Association]

Hours Extended at Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion — Hours will be extended on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Monday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. due to President’s Day. [Reston Town Center]

Reston-based Tech Firm Acquires Danish Company — “Reston-based federal contractor and tech firm SOS International LLC (SOSi) has acquired Denmark-based analytics software company NorthStar Systems, SOSi announced Tuesday, making it the company’s fifth acquisition since 2016, including New World Solutions, Defense Group Inc., STG Group Holdings Inc. and Vykin Corp.” [Virginia Business]

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

A Sterling man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for distributing large amounts of heroin that led to at least two fatal overdoses, including an incident in Herndon.

Nedrick Lamont Jackson, 42, and his co-conspirators distributed, repackaged and sold narcotics in Loudoun and Fairfax counties, according to the office of U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger.

According to court documents, Johnson gave $400 of heroin to a woman in Herndon in March 2018, even though he knew she was “highly-impaired,” according to court documents. The woman — whose name was identified as L.R. — was found dead in her home two days later due to mixed drug intoxication.

Here’s more from Terwilliger:

In January 2019, Johnson distributed fentanyl to one of his co-conspirators to sell to a customer. The customer ingested these drugs, overdosed, and then drove their car into a parked vehicle in Sterling. Loudoun County deputies revived this customer through CPR and administration of Narcan.

In February 2019, Johnson distributed fentanyl to one of his co-conspirators to sell to a user. That customer, referred to as K.P., ingested the narcotics along with other drugs that he had obtained from a second source. K.P. died shortly thereafter of mixed drug intoxication.

Photo via Michael Longmire/Unsplash

While some Reston Town Center tenants may be closing their doors, the Apple store, which opened in 2009, plans to expand its footprint.

The store (11949 Market Street) will double its 5,000 square foot location by moving into the 10,000-square-foot space next door that was previously occupied by Pottery Barn.

Apple did not return multiple requests for comment on when the expanded space is expected to be open to customers.

The opening of LA Fitness in Herndon Centre has been delayed to March.

This is not the first time the opening date of the fitness gym, which will open in Herndon Centre (494 Elden Street), has been pushed back.

Last year, the business was expected to open Jan. 16, a few weeks earlier than originally anticipated. Then, the gym announced it would open sometime in early 2020.

Now, the Kristhian Reyes, the general manager of the location, says the “best-case scenario” is that the gym will open by the beginning of March. In any case, he hopes the gym will be up and running by the end of next month.

“We understand everyone’s concerns on our opening date, but some things have been out of our hands,” Reyes said.

The delay was caused by delays in the permitting and inspection process, according to the general manager.

“We have people working 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. seven days a week trying to make sure the gym gets finished as quickly as possible now,” Reyes said.

Anyone who already signed up to use the facility will have access to other LA Fitness locations in the area.

Since early 2014, a little over 10,000 residential units were approved in Reston. Just under 15 percent are considered affordable.

As the more residential development begins in Reston’s Transit Station Areas (TSAs) and Metro’s Silver Line ushers in more activity, nonprofit leaders and area community organizers wonder if Reston will hold true to Bob Simon’s vision for housing affordability.

“Reston was originally a very inclusive community. We have to ask ourselves, are we keeping that promise? Yes, we are a changing and growing community. But how can we achieve that balance between old and new?” said Kerrie Wilson, CEO of Cornerstones, a nonprofit organization that helps neighbors overcome economic hardship.

Achieving greater housing diversity is an aim of Reston’s comprehensive plan, which notes that most new affordable housing should be in multi-family units.

“Future development should ensure that a diversity of housing is available in the TSAs,” the plan states. “The residential component of mixed-use development should meet the needs of a variety of households such as families and seniors.”

But as Reston grows, will inclusive affordable housing keep up?

Tackling affordable housing is a regional problem and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D) and other elected representatives have stated they expect to reexamine the county’s policies and procedures soon.

The county’s rejection of a proposal to redevelop Reston Town Center North — which would have delivered affordable housing units and redeveloped a homeless shelter and Reston Regional Library — was a significant setback for some local housing advocates.  The need for affordable housing — particularly workforce units — is expected to grow as more workers take up jobs in new mixed-use centers.

From a policy perspective, the county has aggressively pursuing affordable housing in every development that requires it, according to county officials. A variety of techniques — including land-use policies, federal funds, and nonprofit and for-profit housing partnerships — are used to preserve housing units and create new ones.

Last year, a panel created by the county to study affordable housing outlined several strategies and recommendations to the county’s board for considerations. The 37-page report – which was incorporated into the county’s housing strategic plan — is part of an ongoing conversation on how to tackle housing affordability.

“Reston has traditionally been a welcoming and inclusive community and a leader in affordable housing,” said Tom Fleetwood, director of the county’s Department of Housing and Community Development. “Still, Reston, like the rest of Fairfax County, is a challenging housing market for low-to-moderate-income families because this is a very desirable place to live.”

Per goals outlined in planning documents, the county aims to reach a net 15,000 new affordable units at up to 60 percent of the average median income within the next 15 years.

“We have certainly made significant steps forward. But a significant amount of work remains,” Fleetwood said.

Since early 2014 through June 2019, the county approved 10,045 residential units, including a 2,010-unit proposal by Boston Properties and a 668-unit proposal by Comstock for Reston Station. Developers are set to pitch $18.1 million into the county’s housing trust fund once the first non-residential use permit is issued, according to county data released to Reston Now last year.

Private developers have delivered 453 workforce dwelling units for rent and 188 affordable dwelling units for rent in Herndon and Reston, according to county data.

“We are trying to work through every application to get affordable housing and we have gotten some affordable housing through every development,” said Bill Mayland, branch chief of the county’s zoning evaluation division.

He noted that it can be challenging to incorporate inclusive affordable housing units — whether workforce units or affordable dwelling units — in high-rise buildings, especially if condominium fees are charged in addition to rent.

Creativity is a common word used by experts as a solution for affordability challenges. Working outside of county land use and zoning provisions, some communities across the country have embraced more unconventional means to secure affordable units for rent and purchase in existing and new development.

At Cornerstones, the staff has successfully pursued a scattered-site model by working with developers to make specific units affordable. Recently, the nonprofit doubled its Reston housing stock by adding 48 units from the Apartments at North Point.

But in the town center and other rapidly growing areas, developers are not always open to experimentation beyond the county’s existing requirements. The hope is that the oncoming Silver Line train at Reston Town Center — which could begin operation by early 2021 — will boost developer’s confidence in the residential market and add more pressure to incorporate more affordable units as more people and jobs come to the area.

Others say that the county should consider dedicated one penny of the real estate tax to affordable housing projects.

Fleetwood says that he expects renewed discussions on housing affordability – including reaching more income levels – to continue in the coming weeks.

“My assessment is that the county’s policies have been productive and helpful. I think they are going to continue to evolve so that we have a policy that works over the long-term and for our developers. It is a continuing and evolving partnership.”

Editor’s note: Interviews were conducted in late 2019

Photo by Bako Glonto/Flickr