House hunting? Start with these open houses this weekend.
1515 North Point Drive
2 BR, 2 BA Condo
$339,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
12340 Coleraine Court
3 BR, 2.5 BA SFH
$519,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11423 Summer House Court
3 BR, 2 FB, 2 HB TH
$600,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
2214 Wakerobin Lane
4 BR, 2.5 BA SFH
$679,900
Open Sunday,1 to 4 p.m.
2301 Middle Creek Lane
3 BR, 1 FB, 2 HB TH
$389,890
Open Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
2075 Cobblestone Lane
3 BR, 2.5 BA SFH
$544,995
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11525 Wild Hawthorn Court
3 BR 2 FB, 2 HB TH
$524,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11530 Links Dr.
4 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$444,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11543 Hearthstone Court
4 BR, 2 FB, 2 HB TH
$450,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
For complete real estate information, visit Reston Now’s Real Estate section.
Fairfax County Planning Commission on Thursday recommended the plan for major redevelopment at Crescent Apartments and the area surrounding Lake Anne Plaza move forward to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
The Supervisors will give a final vote on the project on Tuesday.
“The actions we take tonight are a step forward in a long (process) of redevelopment of Reston’s first village at Lake Anne Center,” said Frank de la Fe, the Hunter Mill representative.
The planning commission held a public hearing on the project on Dec. 8. The main issue that caused the two-week deferral in the planning commission decision was a discrepancy in how much money Lake Lake Anne Development Partners should proffer to the Fairfax County Park Authority.
LADP wanted to give $100,000 to the parks department. The standard county rubric for fair share contributions to the Park Authority is $893 per resident. That means LADP should make a contribution of about $1.4 million, the county’s staff report said.
LADP reps agreed on Thursday to give $500,000 to the park authority.
The planning commission also agreed to waive some conditions set forth by the planning staff concerning residential street length, transitional barriers and underground storage facilities.
Some larger issues raised in the staff report, including the realignment of Village Road, will be worked out before construction begins, said de la Fe.
LADP was chosen by the county in 2013 to redevelop the aging Crescent Apartments, which was purchased by the county in 2006 for affordable housing.
LADP’s plans for the area include 1,037 residential units, including replacement of the 181 affordable units at Crescent; 60,000 square feet of retail; a 15,800-square-foot grocery store; and 78,000 square feet of office space. The project will also have a 1.1-acre central park, an outdoor amphitheater, a bike share station and 12 public art works, according to the staff report.
See the entire staff report on the project on Fairfax County’s website.
Photo: Rendering of plans for Crescent Apartments site/Credit: LADP
Opening tonight in Reston and Herndon: annual musical revues from the schools’ choral departments.
South Lakes High School will present its 10th annual Broadway Night, where more than 200 students and feature selected numbers from the last 10 years of shows. SLHS Choral students also assume leadership roles, running every aspect of the show: performing, directing, production, technical theatre, publicity, costuming, and choreography.
Show dates are Friday at 7 p.m and Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Tickets start at $8.
Over at Herndon High, choir students will present their annual Broadway Cabaret. This year’s theme is “The Streets of New York,” and students will present numbers from shows such as Annie, Newsies, Anything Goes and 42nd Street, among others.
Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased at the door.
Photo: Herndon students in dress rehearsal for this weekend’s Cabaret/Courtesy of HHS
Reston Association is taking steps to add the former Reston Visitors Center to its property portfolio, but ultimately the members will get the final say on the acquisition.
The RA Board on Thursday unanimously passed a motion to authorize a referendum on the purchase this spring.
Members would vote on whether RA should purchase the building, which is set on 2 1/2 acres off of Baron Cameron Avenue.
The building was constructed in 1982, and for nearly two decades served as a visitors center to familiarize people with Reston, particularly the North Point area as it was constructed.
The 3,200-square-foot building is currently the headquarters of Tetra Partners, a commercial real estate firm. Tetra approached RA about purchasing the property about a year ago, said RA president Ken Knueven.
The property would be a natural fit for RA as it abuts several other RA properties. Among them: Browns Chapel Park, Lake Newport Dam and Lake Newport Tennis. The building also has a 50-foot extension into Lake Newport.
Firefighters Filled the Boot — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue collected the most money of any department in the country in 2014’s Fill The Boot fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. FCFD raised $489,444 in the Labor Day weekend campaign, officials said.
Invisible Ink? — Restonian has some fun with the saga of the missing signatures and unofficial stamps testimony that went on for hours at Wednesday’s Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on Reston National Golf Course. [Restonian]
Theatre Camp Moving to Lake Fairfax — Traveling Players Ensemble, a summer theatre camp formerly located at The Madeira School in McLean, will relocate to Lake Fairfax Park this summer. [Reston Patch]
Camp Expo Saturday — Think summer! Visit Reston Community Center Saturday for the 2015 Camp Expo, where reps from more than a dozen area programs will be on hand to show off their summer opportunities. Expo is free and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. [Reston Community Center]
Photo: Snow Wednesday at Lake Anne/Credit KPJDCA via Twitter
The Capitol Steps return to Reston Sunday for their 32nd annual performance to benefit Cornerstones.
The satirical and musical troupe pokes fun at all things Washington, politics and current events. It’s motto — “We put the MOCK in democracy.”
The performance is Sunday at 7 p.m., with a silent auction beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Reston.
This event helps raise funds for Cornerstones to aid families in need of shelter and affordable housing, as well as childcare, food and financial assistance.
Cornerstones said a limited number of tickets are available. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cornerstonesva.org. Cost: $75 for an individual seat; $900 for a table of 12.
Registration includes desserts and wines, and the opportunity to bid on items in the silent and live auctions led by Virginia Del. Ken Plum.
Photo courtesy of The Capitol Steps
Glory Days Grill will open at North Point Village Center next week, a company spokesman said.
The restaurant, which has been under construction in the former Blockbuster Video space for more than a year, is holding a soft opening for invited guests on Monday.
Glory Days will then open to the public Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Glory Days is a regional sports-themed restaurant with locations in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Florida.
In other Reston restaurant news, Barcelona and bartaco have started hiring for their new restaurants at Reston Town Center, but no opening date has been announced.
This is a sponsored column by Jessica Storm, ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist and NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist. Jessica is the owner of Storm Fitness – A Personal Training and Nutrition Company based out of Reston, VA. Her Company has been servicing the Northern Virginia area for over a decade and has received numerous recognitions for the life changing results they have delivered to their clients. Read more about their offerings at www.StormFitness.com
As a personal trainer, one of the questions I get asked most is “how do I get rid of my saddlebags?” It’s a common complaint among women as stubborn fat often resides in the hip and thigh area. There are some really great exercises that can have this area toned up and trim for you in no time. It just takes some dedication and consistency.
Sorry my friends, there is no magic pill out there to melt off those saddlebags, and I wouldn’t be expecting one anytime soon. Good old-fashioned exercise will do the trick. Exercise will make you feel great — even better when you see the results.
Spot reducing is a myth. The great thing about these exercises is they have the ability to tone the entire body. This will really boost your overall calorie burn so that you see results all over. It is important to remember that in order to tone and trim down, eating whole, nutritious foods and following a healthy lifestyle is an essential requirement for longterm results.
Here are my top seven exercises for melting off saddlebags. The best part is no equipment is required:
- Do these exercises in a circuit format. Perform each exercise in order and then follow it with a one-minute break.
- Repeat the circuit two to three more times. If you are just starting out with exercise, then build up to doing the circuit three times. Perform this routine three days per week for the next four weeks.
- Cross over lunge with leg lift out to the side, 20 each side
- Plié squats, 20 total
- Step Ups with lateral leg lift, 20 each leg.
- Skater lunges, 15 on each side
- Side walking squat with resistance band, 20 each side.
- Lateral side step lunge back to a one leg balance, 15 each side
- Fire-hydrants – performed on hands and knees, 20 each side
Email me your results at [email protected]. I can’t wait to hear about your success!
If you need more detailed descriptions of each of these exercises you can head over to my website to find videos and descriptions on how to perform each of these exercises.
Reston is shaping up to be one of the major competition sites at this summer’s World Police and Fire Games.
Reston Association is expected to approve at its meeting on Thursday the use of its pools, lakes and trails for the games’ triathlon, half marathon and open water swim.
The biennial games are expected to attract more than 12,000 police officers and firefighters — as well as thousands more spectators — to Fairfax County June 26 to July 5.
There will be competition in more than 60 sports — some of them typical olympic events such as track and field, others more esoteric, such as climbing flights of stairs at an office building.
Here’s what Fairfax 2015 has in store for Reston:
Open Water Swim, June 28 — Swimmers will swim two-one mile laps in Lake Audubon.
Triathlon, July 3 – About 300 athletes will participate. The World Police and Fire Games will use the same course as the Reston Triathlon, which uses Reston Association paths, streets in the area of South Lakes High School, the track at South Lakes High School and Lake Audubon.
Half Marathon, July 5 — About 800 athletes are expected to run on the course that will begin and end at Reston Town Center and take place in part on Reston trails.
Other events in Reston include indoor rowing (on rowing machines) at the Hyatt Regency Reston and wrist wrestling at the Reston Town Center pavilion.
RA documents say all costs to use RA locations will be paid by organizing group Fairfax 2015. RA maintenance crews will insure the trails are passable and the aquatics team will assist in coordinating lifeguards for the swim events, but there will be no budget impact, RA documents say.
Additionally, the Hyatt Regency Reston will serve as the Athletes Village for the competition. The Athletes Village will not be where the participants stay, but is the location for registration, information, competitions, nightly entertainment and socializing with fellow athletes.
Games officials estimate that the Fairfax County economy will see a direct benefit of $60 to $80 million dollars from the event.
Opening Ceremonies will be held at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. Closing ceremonies will be held at the Filene Center at Wolftrap.
To see a full schedule of events and locations and other World Police and Fire Games information, visit the Fairfax 2015 website.
Photo: Runners at previous World Police and Fire Games/file photo
Kudos for Herndon High Athletes — Herndon field hockey players Taylor Stone, Sofia Palacios and Alexis Duke earned VHSL Group 6A all-state honors. Stone, a senior midfielder, and Palacios, a senior forward, were named first-team all-state. Duke, a senior defender, earned second-team honors.
Leidos Diversifying Sports Support — Reston-based Leidos, the government contractor that is DC United’s major sponsor, is also working with the Washington Wizards. Leidos ‘ “Defending the Rim” promotion will donate $100 for every blocked shot to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. [Washington Business Journal]
Superintendent Is Listening — Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza will hold two additional listening tours in February and March. If you missed the recent one in Reston, visit the 2015 meetings to make your voice heard. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Two Bodies Recovered At ScienceLogic COO’s Home – Anne Arundel County Fire investigators finally could enter the home of Donald Pyle, COO of Reston’s ScienceLogic, to look for victims of Monday’s fire that destroyed Pyle’s 16,000 square foot home. Pyle, his wife, and four grandchildren were believed to be in the home at the time. Two bodies were recovered late Wednesday. [NBC4 Washington]
The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals heard more than five hours of testimony concerning the future of Reston National Golf Course on Wednesday, but opted not to make a decision. The BZA will make a ruling on the subject on April 15.
At issue: The zoning appeal of RN Golf, the owners of the 166-acre public course in south Reston, who say the land can be considered residential. RN Golf, a division of Northwestern Mutual Insurance, has been asking the county of the land status since 2010.
The appeal is in a response to a 2012 ruling by the Fairfax County Zoning Administration that said altering the planned use of the golf course at Sunrise Valley and Colts Neck Roads would require a comprehensive plan amendment.
The county recently issued a staff report that upholds the 2012 ruling.
That inquiry has been met with significant citizen pushback. More than 300 members of Rescue Reston, the citizens advocacy group formed in response to the initial 2012 appeal, showed up at the Fairfax County Government Center clad in signature yellow/green shirts and carrying signs supporting keeping Reston’s open space open.
Also in attendance — and among the people testifying Thursday — were attorneys for Rescue Reston and Reston Association.
The day included lots of details about zoning filings and Planned Residential Community (PRC) documents, including many details on how and when the original 1971 zoning documents were located since 2012.
“When [Reston] was zoned, and now, there are only five categories [for land use],” said Frank McDermott, attorney for RN Golf. “Residential, neighborhood center, convenience center, town center or village center. It has to be one of those categories. There is no such things as PRC golf course or PRC open space. Our position this was and is PRC residential.”
After RN Golf’s side gave a long saga of trying to locate the original documents — which took them through Fairfax County file rooms and Reston Association records, among others — McDermott argued that at least two of the the 1971 documents located came from George Mason University’s planned community archives.
McDermott said without coming from the county with official government stamps, the documents are not valid.
“You must be persuaded you be persuaded [by Fairfax County zoning] to respect and give greater dignity to unapproved plans from an unapproved source,” said McDermott. “They call these the approved development plans. There is not one iota of evidence that they are the approved development plans.”
McDermott also said there is no such thing as permanent open space, even though the 1971 documents list it as such.
“There is nothing common about the golf course,” he said. “It is privately owned, and frankly, residents who live by the golf course, who, by their own statements, go out and run on the course, they are trespassing. It is not common, open space. It is private.”
Residents who testified wholeheartedly disagree. They said they purchased homes on the golf course with the understanding they would have a view of the rolling greens or wooded areas, which also add a value premium to their home value.
“What concerns me is that my family, as well has hundreds of others, would stand the lose the views we paid premiums for,” said Jay Szlamowicz, who lives on Weybridge Lane. “Allowing home construction in Reston without changing the master plan would invalidate the concept of planned community. This is what makes Reston great and we can’t allow a greedy company to destroy that.”
Realtor Ray Wedell said homes on the course have already been impacted by the chance of redevelopment. He pointed out that townhomes on Indian Ridge sold quickly for an average of about $500,000 in the first half of 2014. In the second half, no contracts were ratified. By the end of the year, when the BZA application was reinstated, five Indian Ridge homes lingered on the market
Other residents took issue with the process RN Golf has used in getting to the appeal. The company purchased the course for $5 million in 2005. Residents said if it had redevelopment plans in mind, it stands to make a great deal of money — and how could it be that the owners did not know what they were purchasing?
Fairfax County Police report that three vehicles were stolen in Reston in the last week.
Incidents were reported in the 2300 block of Colts Neck Road, (2002 Hyundai); Glade Drive/Rosedown Drive (Hyundai Santa Fe); and in the 1800 block of Wiehle Avenue (2010 Toyota).
In other crime news this week:
LARCENIES
2300 block of Middle Creek Lane, property from vehicle.
1000 block of Utterback Store Road, wallet from vehicle.
9800 block of Georgetown Pike, property from library.
9700 block of Leesburg Pike, jewelry from residence.
11600 block of Plaza America Drive, wallet from business.
1800 block of Satinwood Court, equipment from vehicle.
12900 block of Highland Crossing Drive, merchandise from business.
11100 block of South Lakes Drive, cash from business.
Fairfax County Public Schools have cancelled all evening and afternoon activities on school grounds for Wednesday due to the falling snow.
Cancelled are:
- extracurricular activities
- interscholastic contests
- team practices
- field trips
- middle school after-school programs
- professional learning and training courses
- adult and community education classes
- recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS
School Age Child Care (SACC) will remain open until 6:15 p.m.
File photo
The Fairfax County Planning Commission is set to make a decision Thursday that will move forward the massive redevelopment plan at Crescent Apartment and the surrounding area.
Lake Anne Development Partners had a planning commission public hearing on Jan. 8. but the planning commission deferred decision due to several areas of concern.
Among them:
- How much money LADP should contribute to the Fairfax County Park Authority. The developer says $100,000. The planning commission says $893 per new resident, which totals about $1.4 million.
- How Village Road will be vacated during the time it is realigned to provide better exposure and sight lines through to Lake Anne.
- Square footage requirements for Land Units A and D. The county is concerned it will not reach its true mixed use goal.
- The planned grocery store. LADP wants to market it for one year; the county thinks it should be a three-year project.
- The county wants an $265,000 elevated walkway from the parking garage to the grocery store. LADP says it would provide minimum return on investment.
- LEED certification for the grocery store building. Strobel said it would be difficult to get certification for the grocery store, but if a grocery store ends up not being built they are willing to comply.
Once the planning commission recommends the plan for approval, it moves on to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for final approval. It is slated to be on the Supervisors’ Jan. 27 agenda.
LADP, a division of Republic Land Development, was chosen by the county in the summer of 2013 to redevelop the county’s 16-acre Crescent Apartments site as well as areas adjacent to Lake Anne Plaza’s Historic District.
LADP’s plans for the area include 1,037 residential units, including replacement of the 181 affordable units at Crescent; 60,000 square feet of retail; a 15,800-square-foot grocery store; and 78,000 square feet of office space.
The project will also have a 1.1-acre central park, an outdoor amphitheater, a bike share station and 12 public art works, according to the staff report.
At the Jan. 8 hearing, a county rep said $100,000 is just 7 percent of what LADP should be offering for recreational amenities.
“It is the staff’s opinion that what LADP is providing enhances the quality [of the area], but does not provide active amenities such as basketball courts or athletic fields,” a county representative said.
Lynne Strobel, the attorney representing LADP at the Jan. 8 hearing, said the developer’s application “is providing significant and costly improvements to Washington Plaza. Those are not unlike parks; they are public areas that serve the community.”
Strobel said the improvements to Washington Plaza total $1.2 million, so an alternative formula for LADP’s contribution should be used. The developers also said new residents would be Reston Association members, so their added yearly assessments would be boosting coffers for recreational amenities in Reston.
See the entire county staff report on Fairfax County’s website.
Fairfax Connector Wants Your Input — The bus service is making changes that will affect Reston this spring. Come to a public meeting Jan. 28 to learn more and offer your opinion. [Fairfax County]
Supervisor Frey Retiring — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will have a new face later this year as Michael Frey (R-Sully) announced he is retiring and will not seek re-election in the fall. [Centreville Independent]
No Fees, Say Photographers — Area photographers are trying to convince the Fairfax County Park Authority Board to remove or lower a permit fee for professional photographers doing photo shoots in county parks. The park system instituted the permit in 2011 after problems at one park, Green Spring Gardens, that was very popular with wedding photographers. [Fairfax Times]
Photo: Construction at Barcelona/bartaco at Reston Town Center
