Action in Geer Case — A judge has ordered Fairfax County Police to provide vast portions of their investigation into the police shooting death of an unarmed man in 2013 to the attorneys for the man’s family, including the officer’s name, which had been previously undisclosed. [Washington Post]
South Lakes Moves Up — South Lakes High School, boosted by a win over Herndon even without their best player, moves to No. 13 in the Washington Post rankings. They were No. 15 last week. [Washington Post]
Millions in Unclaimed Money Waiting — Nearly $380 million in unclaimed money is waiting for Fairfax County residents. Are you one of them? [Fairfax Times]
Officers from Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station report two burglaries in unincorporated Herndon in the last week.
The first incident was in the 10300 block of Saddle View Court on Dec. 16. A resident reported someone entered the residence and took property.
The second was in the 3000 block of Marcey Creek Road on Sunday. A resident reported someone entered the residence and took property.
In other crime news:
LARCENIES
- 13000 block of Mares Neck Lane, wallet from vehicle.
- 4700 block of Medford Drive, property and wallet from school.
- 11100 block of South Lakes Drive, beverage from business.
- 2400 block of Centreville Road, wallet from business.
- 2200 block of Cocquina Drive, wallet from vehicle.
- 2300 block of Colts Neck Road, property from business.
- 12000 block of Greywing Square, phone from residence.
- 2500 block of James Madison Circle, equipment from vehicle.
- 1800 block of Jonathan Way, materials from construction site.
- 1300 block of Rock Chapel Road, wallet from vehicle.
- 11000 block of Saffold Way, property from residence.
- Soapstone Drive/South Lakes Drive, equipment from vehicle.
- 13200 block of Overcup Oak Court, wallet from vehicle.
STOLEN VEHICLES
13100 block of Ashnut Lane, 1998 Honda Civic
Comstock announced on Monday that the 11,000-square-foot retail center at Reston Station would become The Stock Market @ Reston Station.
They envision it is as a hip, urban dining and shopping destination. A place to get a glass of wine, an excellent latte, a spot at the oyster bar or pick up a carefully curated artisan gift or gourmet treats.
That leaves a blank canvas for 10 to 25 merchants to set up shop here. Others will test the market with food trucks or pop-up stores.
Michael Holstein, the area businessman who is organizing the project, sees it as similar to D.C.’s Union Market.
For the unfamiliar, developer Edens took an old market in Northeast D.C. and opened it with the new concept for artisanal wares in 2012. It has proven to be so popular that the neighborhood around it is expanding and gentrifying.
Union Market is organized with small booths and flexible spaces. Among some of the permanent vendors: Red Apron Butcher, Peregrine Espresso,, Rappahanock Oysters Co., DC Empanadas, Salt & Sundry household gift shop and Co Co Sala.
The Stock Market will likely feature two full-service restaurants, with the rest of the vendors in smaller, booth spaces, said Holstein.
So with that in mind, what would you like to see set up shop here in Reston? The developers are listening, so speak up in the comments.
Photo: The retail center at Reston Station
Reston Association’s Pony Barn Recreation Area will move forward with renovations in 2015, but those renovations will probably not include a memorial garden.
After several community meetings over the spring and summer, ideas for everything from an archery range to leaving it as is to building the memorial garden were considered for the quiet, wooded plot at Steeplechase Drive and Triple Crown Road in south Reston.
The space once held an actual pony barn, but since the 1980s has been mostly a picnic pavilion and swing set.
This year, RA allocated $30,000 from the 2014 Capital Improvement Budget for upgrades or changes. That will be carried forward to the 2015 budget.
At its meeting last Thursday, the RA Board heard from representatives from the Pony Barn Working Group. The group recommends that the 2,006-square-foot pavilion, which currently has a gravel floor, be improved with a solid surface floor and electrical access.
The group also suggested a kiosk with historical information about the land’s equestrian history, as well as play equipment, especially if it could be geared towards toddlers and/or special needs children.
The group also suggested an observation deck or walkway for the nearby butterfly meadow.
The board seemed pleased with the suggestions, which will be more formally presented early next year and will have to go through RA’s Design Review Board, a public comment period and vote by RA’s Board of Directors.
The idea for the memorial garden has been written into Reston’s comprehensive plan amendment. Reston was built with no cemeteries, so the idea for a quiet spot for remembrance and reflection has been suggested for years. There are such places at several local churches.
The Initiative for Public Art Reston (IPAR) approached RA earlier this year about using the Pony Barn area space for a memorial garden.
However, that idea was unpopular among RA members from the start. Concerns ranged from using public land for a religious purpose to the memorial garden’s narrow use to noise from a nearby neighborhood pool making it inadequate for quiet reflection.
See a full list of feedback on the subject on RA’s website.
See a list of how the working group narrowed down its ideas on RA’s website.
Developer JBG is seeking to rezone an office building at 1831 Wiehle Avenue in order to build a mixed-use development on the parcel.
The building is currently zoned Medium Intensity Industrial District, as was all space located in the area adjacent to the Dulles Toll Road until about four years ago. The Fairfax County rezoning application seeks to designate the land as Planned Residential Mixed-Use (PRM).
According to the application, the rezoning proposes 504 multi-family residential units and up to 61,000 square feet of complementary retail uses.
The space at 1831 Wiehle — bordered by Sunset Hills Road and the entrance to Reston Station Boulevard — contains a three-story, 75,000-square-foot office building. It houses Long & Foster Real Estate’s Reston office, as well as Northern Virginia Community College’s Reston Center, among others.
The mixed use development would add to the growing number of options close to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station.
Comstock is currently constructing 450 units at the BLVD apartments at Reston Station, on top of the Wiehle-Reston East Metro parking garage.
Work will begin this fall on a 421-unit residential building in the 11400 block of Sunset Hills Road, a small retail and mini-storage center currently sits. Chuck Veatch, who is developing the property along with Bozzuto Development, also had to get the parcel rezoned from Industrial to Planned Mixed Use.
Also, Comstock announced on Monday the upcoming Stock Market @ Reston Station, an 11,000-square-food food and retail space, as a new addition to Reston Station.
Twelve SLHS Swimmers Earn Regional Times — A dozen South Lakes high school swimmers had regional qualifying times as the boys and girls teams both defeated Stone Bridge on Friday. The boys won 193-93 and the girls, 180-106. Both SLHS teams are 3-1 heading into the holiday break.
Last Minute Reston Gifts — Restonian has a tongue-in-cheek gift guide. [Restonian]
Reston Glory Days Hiring — Glory Days Grill, set to open soon at North Point Village Center, has set up a hiring headquarters at 1422 North Point Village Center (in the old AT&T store). Interested in a position in the kitchen, bar or on the wait staff? Stop by to fill out an application. The new Glory Days will open in January at 1400 North Point Village Center.
New Life on Silver Line Route — Bisnow takes a look at the commercial real estate plans from Tysons Corner to Herndon [Bisnow]
Photo: South Lakes Swim Coach Scott Brown gets into the Christmas spirit at meet against Stone Bridge/Credit: Lyn Fiscus
Flying out of town through Dulles International Airport this holiday season? You can save lots of money on airport parking through Jan. 5.
Dulles is offering 50 percent off the daily parking rate at the Main Terminal — a savings of $17 a day. No coupon is required.
To accommodate the expected additional customers, a portion of the Terminal parking lot is sectioned off as “Holiday Discount Parking.”
Customers taking advantage of this special offer should enter through specially designated gates next to the Terminal/Hourly parking entrance. More than 900 parking spaces have been set aside.
Customers using Terminal/Hourly parking for pick-ups and drop-offs still have access to more than 1,000 parking spaces next to the terminal priced at $5 per hour or $35 per day. Valet parking customers should continue using the Hourly parking entrance to access the Valet service center.
The special $17 per day rate will be honored for all customers who use the Holiday Discount Parking entrance through Jan. 5, even if they exit the lot on a later date. When the promotion ends, Holiday Discount signage will be removed from the entrance, and the lot will return to the posted rate of $5 per hour/$35 per day, Dulles officials said.
By fall 2015, the empty retail space at Reston Station will have 10-25 vendors selling a variety of goods, food and libations.
Developer Comstock announced on Monday the opening of the the Stock Market @ Reston Station, an “urban, hip marketplace and retail space” for the 11,000-square-foot building.
Envision D.C.’s Union Market, but at the Silver Line’s Wiehle-Reston East.
“It is just what the community needs,” says Comstock spokeswoman Maggie Parker. “From a commuter getting a cup of coffee to couple looking for a night out with music and great dining.”
The Stock Market is a project developed by Michael Holstein. Holstein is an area entertainment lawyer and businessman who founded (and recently sold) Rockville’s Quench restaurant.
“We were initially contacted by Comstock about six months ago,” said Holstein. “What we saw was a beautiful, blank canvas. We couldn’t ask for better visibility or access to Metro.”
Holstein said the concept will make use of the retail center, as well as the platforms that are already built to one day be the base for office buildings. Those spaces may house pop-up stores. The market will also make use of the plaza space with kiosks and food trucks.
“We want to replicate the urban experience with suburban convenience,” he said.
Expect kiosks and food trucks on the plaza by spring, with the indoor space open by early fall, said Parker.
The market will be very convenient for the 450-unit BLVD apartments that are currently under construction. They are expected to also open next year.
Holstein said he cannot announce tenants yet, but is very close to signing some well-known national names. He says he is also saving space for Virginia-based businesses, and even envisions spots for local entrepreneurs to apply “Shark Tank” style to try out their product at The Stock Market.
If you are a retailer interested in space, email Holstein at [email protected].
The retail space has been finished for about a year. It has been used for special events, such receptions for stakeholders in the Silver Line, since then.
Eventually, the space above the retail center is slated to be built as a hotel.
Holstein said that the hotel project is still about five years away, but at least 9,000 square feet of the of The Stock Market space will remain with the hotel built around it.
Fairfax County Police were called to Hunters Woods Village Center about 7:25 p.m. on Sunday after a citizen reported gunshots being fired.
Units arrived at the scene via ground as well as the Fairfax County Police helicopter, a police spokesman said.
Police investigated the scene and determined that someone had fired a pellet gun, which has a loud sound similar to a real gun, they said.
There were no injuries, so police quickly concluded their investigation.
Watch out for some slick spots through afternoon rush hour Monday.
The National Weather Service has issued a Freezing Rain Advisory for Fairfax County in effect until 6 p.m. Monday.
Freezing rain is expected to move into the area by mid-day will potentially cause dangerous spots on roadways, bridges and sidewalks.
Little or no accumulation is expected, the NWS says.
Also, there is almost no change of white Christmas in Reston later this week. Temperatures on Wednesday, Christmas Eve day, will be close to 60 degrees and rainy. The Christmas Day forecast is partly sunny with a high of 51.
A former employee of Romano’s Macaroni Grill has started a Go Fund Me page to aid the workers who lost their jobs last week.
The restaurant, located at 1845 Fountain Dr. for nearly 20 years, closed Dec. 18 with no notice, the employees said.
From the Go Fund Me page:
Hi my name is Sussy Brennan, a former server and hourly manager, for the Reston restaurant that was closed on Dec. 18 with no prior knowledge. Over my four years with the company the employees there became my family and now 33 hard working people, many with children and no other source of income, are now unemployed the week before Christmas.
I am asking for your help to make this incredibly trying time easier for the countless employees that devoted years to a restaurant that showed little courtesy to its devoted team members.
Please spread the word and the cheer of the holiday season. Any donation of any size is appreciated.
Macaroni Grill was located in The Spectrum, the strip-mall area adjacent to Reston Town Center. The Spectrum, owned by Lerner Enterprises, has been approved for a major mixed-use redevelopment.
The restaurant was acquired by Ignite Restaurant Group this year, and many branches nationwide have been closed in a cost-cutting measure.
South Lakes boys basketball will be without leading scorer Brandon Kamga for the next month as the senior chipped a bone in his ankle last week.
Kamga, who was averaging 23.8 point per game for the Seahawks, went up for a layup and landed on another player’s foot during a victory over Jefferson last week, said coach Andrew Duggan. Kamga is in a boot cast.
“We expect him to be back in about four weeks and ready to rock,” said Duggan. “Unfortunately, these things happen.”
Kamga was the Northern Region 5A boys Player of the Year last Year. He has signed to play with Northeastern University next year.
Even though they were without Kamga as well as sophomore Marcus Cherry (injured knee) on Friday, South Lakes still defeated Herndon 64-59. Senior Zach Pearl scored 22 points in the victory. The team had not beaten crosstown rival Herndon since 2011.
The Seahawks are now 6-1 and ranked No. 15 by The Washington Post. It is the best start in Duggan’s five years at the school.
Duggan says he is impressed with the depth of this year’s team and there are a number of kids who can step in to make up for Kamga’s loss.
The Herndon game was a great example, he said.
“Zach [Pearl] is our second-leading scorer, and he really stepped up,” said Duggan. “Grant Chustz can get to the basket the way Brandon does. He had 12 against Herndon.
The Seahawks will need the rest of the team to be healthy as they take on No. 3 National Christian (8-1) in the first round of the Wakefield Holiday Tournament on Friday.
Photo: Brandon Kamga/Credit: Dmvlite.com
Christkindlmarket Helps Cornerstones — The German Armed Forces Command, which has a headquarters in Reston, presented Cornerstones with the proceeds from its annual Christkindlmarket. The outdoor holiday shopping and food festival raised more than $12,000 for the nonprofit.
Herndon’s Stone Gets Top Field Hockey Honor — Herndon High senior Taylor Stone was selected as the Washington Post’s All-Met Field Hockey Player of the Year. Stone had 20 goals and 23 assists for the Hornets. [Washington Post]
Don’t Speed Through Toll Gates — Speeding through some area EZPass toll lanes could get you a ticket. Find out where. [WTOP]
Artsy Last-Minute Gift — Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) has published a 40th anniversary book. The book features a history of GRACE, images, testimonials and artist statements from the recent exhibition, 40 for 40: Celebrating Four Decades of GRACE. [GRACE]
Photo: German Armed Forces present Cornerstones rep with donation at Reston Town Center/Courtesy of Cornerstones.
House hunting? Here is a selection of open houses this weekend in Reston.
1614 Park Overlook Drive
4BR, 3.5BA TH
$465,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
12185 Abington Hall Place
2BR, 2BA Condo
$420,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
12340 Coleraine Court
3BR, 2.5BA SFH
$519,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m.
11402 Gate Hill Place
2BR, 2BA Condo
$350,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m.
12509 Thunder Chase Drive
5BR, 3.5BA SFH
$645,000
Open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
2054 Whisperwood Glen Lane
2BR, 1.5BA TH
$282,000
Open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
11966 Heathcote Court
3 BR, 2.5BA TH
$379,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m.
Reston food truck owner Ed Hardy did not walk away with $25,000 on Food Network’s Kitchen Inferno.
Hardy, a longtime chef and the owner of the recently opened Bacon N Ed’s trailer at Reston Station, competed in the TV contest a few months ago, before he launched his new venture here. The Kitchen Inferno episode aired Wednesday.
His goal on the show was to win the top prize of $25,000 in order to help his wife, Francoise Villeneuve, jumpstart her new confectionary business, Wiggly Leroux.
Here’s the premise of Kitchen Inferno: Contestant is challenged in three timed rounds to create a dish that will go up against well-known chefs creating the same type of dish. Contestant gets $5,000 if he wins the first round, $10,000 for the second round, $25,000 for the third round. After each round, the contestant can step off and go home with his earnings or risk losing it all.
A panel of three food experts tastes each round’s dishes and declares a winner.
Hardy, who has trained with famous New York chef Marcus Samuelsson and at New York’s Gramercy Tavern, won the first two rounds. He opted to go for it in the third round, where he was challenged to “create a dinner that looked like a dessert.” Hardy created a meatball sundae, with mashed potatoes as the whipped cream.
Alas, the judges liked the savory pies created by famed chef Jet Tila better. Hardy, having risked it all, went home empty-handed.
Nonetheless, Villeneuve recently launched her confectionary business, Wiggly Leroux, and Hardy started Bacon N Ed’s.
You can find both of them on the plaza at Reston Station, above the Wiehle-Reston East Silver Line Station, at morning and evening rush hours on weekdays.
Photo: Kitchen Inferno Judges Michael Ruhlman, Judy Joo and Daniel Green/Credit: Food Network
