Metro Police Seek Carjacking Suspect — Metro Police said a woman was carjacked at the Vienna Metro station Thursday at about 12:40 a.m. The suspect displayed a handgun and forced the victim to drive to several ATMs to withdraw cash. The suspect released the victim at the New Carrollton Metrorail Station and left the scene. The suspect is described as approximately 5’10” and walks with a limp to his right side. [Metro]
More Taking Fairfax Connector to Silver Line — Fairfax transportation officials say the Dulles corridor bus routes are transporting more passengers since the July opening Wiehle-Reston East and other Silver Line stations. Ridership is up by 4 percent on weekdays and 7 percent on weekends. [Washington Post]
RA Inspecting Common Areas — Reston Association is making the rounds of common spaces to ensure they are free of invasive plants, yard debris and other unwanted items. Inspections will start in south Reston. [Reston Association]
New Chamber Group Performs This Week — The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Greater DC will give its inaugural performance on Friday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at the United Christian Parish, 11058 North Shore Drive, Reston. Conductor Yeong Su Kim will lead the orchestra in works by Mozart, Schubert and Debussy and the Beethoven ‘Emperor” piano concerto featuring Matthew Van Hoose, soloist. Ticket prices are $20 adults, $15 for students and seniors, and free for children. [United Christian Parish]
Photo: Lake Audubon/Reston Pool photo by Busy Bee
House hunting? Start here with these open houses this weekend in Reston.
1439 Church Hill Place
1 BR, 1 BA Condo
$259,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
2027 Swans Neck Way
4 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$560,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
2075 Cobblestone Lane
3 BR, 2.5 BA SFH
$555,000
Open Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11008 Saffold Way
3 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$410,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11423 Summer House Court
3 BR, 2 FB, 2 HB TH
$599,900
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
12037 Lake Newport Road
5 BR, 3.5 SFH
$735,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
1300 Windleaf Drive
2 BR, 2.5 BA Condo
$399,950
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
11964 Sentinel Point Court
3 BR, 2.5 BA TH
$420,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
1602 Wainwright Drive
2 BR, 1.5 BA TH
$367,700
Open Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m.
11104 Thrush Ridge Road
4 BR, 3.5 BA TH
$725,000
Open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
Reston has been a tech hub going back to the earliest days of both the community and the tech industry.
That’s the topic of “From Sputnik to the Silver Line: High Technology in the Dulles Corridor,” a free program sponsored by the Reston Historic Trust on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Reston Community Center-Lake Anne.
The featured speaker will be Paul Ceruzzi, curator of aerospace electronics and computing, at the Smithsonian Institution.
Ceruzzi will detail how the area’s high tech corridor from Tysons to Dulles Airport developed and how this area became a leader in defense contracting, computer innovation, and telecommunications.
Ceruzzi is the author of several books on the history of computing and related topics, including:
- Computing, a Concise History (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2012).
- A History of Modern Computing (MIT Press, 1998).
- Reckoners: The Prehistory of The Digital Computer (Greenwood Press, 1983).
Reston Museum programs are presented with support by Reston Community Center
Photo: Sputnik/Credit: Wikipedia Commons
The quest to possibly redevelop Reston National Golf Course may be taking shape again.
The attorney representing RN Golf Management, which owns the public golf course, has asked the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals to put the issue back on a meeting agenda.
The BZA hearing would likely take place in January or February as it is required under state rules to do so within 90 days of attorney Frank McDermott’s request.
The county last heard from the golf course owners in July of 2013, when they asked that the same appeal be deferred indefinitely. That ended — or at least subsided — about a year of discussion on the matter.
RN Golf, a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual Insurance, asked the county in the spring of 2012 for clarification on the course’s status. Even though it was commercial/open space, could it be considered residential? RN Golf said at the time that the course was zoned residential, and therefore it could be built as such.
Fairfax County responded that the course is open recreational space, and if the owners wanted something different, they needed to seek a rezoning.
While the appeal was scheduled for hearing several times in 2012 and 2013, it was deferred indefinitely in July 2013.
However, the issue of potentially losing 166 acres of green space sparked a grassroots organization, Rescue Reston, as well as a stance on the issue by Reston Association, which is opposed to the golf course being redeveloped.
RA said Friday it remains opposed to the golf course land being redeveloped for residential use.
“It is RA’s stance that these golf courses are integral to the active lifestyle of its members and furthers the Reston lifestyle ‘live, work, play and get involved,’ ” said RA president Ken Knueven.
RA says is also willing to consider a purchase of the golf course in order to keep Reston a golf course community.
Rescue Reston president Connie Hartke says the group is ready to resume the fight for open space.
“We are prepared to respond,” she said. “We have money in the bank. We will fight to make sure it remains zoned as open space.”
Since the last time the golf course issue was active, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved Phase I of the Reston Master Plan Special Study, which guides development around the transit centers.
The county is now deep into the Phase II process of the comprehensive plan amendment. The working draft of the Phase II guidelines, which will update plans for neighborhoods and village centers, has several areas in which it speaks of Reston’s commitment to open space and recreational areas.
The Phase II strawman text states that both Reston National and Hidden Creek Golf Courses “are planned for private recreation use, more specifically to remain as golf courses.”
Meanwhile, the county earlier this year called for public land use proposals for Phase II. Fairfax Hunt Club, for example, inquired about changing zoning from recreational to residential. RN Golf did not file a land use proposal at that time.
Reston National has been golf course space since it was built in 1970. RN Golf purchased the course in 2005 for $5 million, county records show.
McDermott, the attorney for RN Golf, did not return calls from Reston Now.
Photo: Golfers at Reston National/file photo
Three athletes from South Lakes High School and four from Herndon High signed national letters of intent this week to play Division I sports in college.
The National Letter of Intent early signing period opened on Wednesday.
South Lakes High School
Princess Aghayere, women’s basketball — University of Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-1 Aghayere led the Seahawks in rebounding, including grabbing 22 in a game against Madison,, in 2013-14.
Delaney Wickman, track and field — Northeastern University. Wickman was a state meet participant last spring, taking third with the girls 4×400 relay and fifth in both the 200 meters and 400 meters.
Brandon Kamga, men’s basketball — Northeastern University. Kamga is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard who scored in double figures in every SLHS game last season.
Herndon High School
Ashley Schnarrs, softball — George Washington University. Schnarrs plays with HHS teammate Martire on the Vienna Stars travel team.
Melanie Martire — softball — St. Francis (Pa.). Martire plays catcher and third base.
Ryan McLaughlin, men’s lacrosse — High Point University. McLaughlin also passed for 14 touchdowns as quarterback of the Herndon football team this season.
Taylor Stone, field hockey — University of Louisville. Stone had 23 regular-season goals and 20 assists to lead the Hornets to an 18-2 regular-season record this fall.
Photo: SLHS basketball player Brandon Kamga signed this week to play basketball at Northeastern University next season/Credit: Seahawk Sports
Fairfax County planners encouraged Restonians to dream big last week when it came to a new vision for Tall Oaks Village Center.
At the third of three community meetings on Phase II of the Reston Master Plan, the discussion focused on pedestrian connectivity, possible changes with the Baron Cameron retail, and more talk on what the future holds for the more-than-half-empty Tall Oaks Village Center.
Phase I of the Master Plan — which outlines development around Reston’s transit centers — took about four years to formulate but was approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors earlier this year.
Phase II is on the fast track under a new system called Fairfax Forward. The process kicked off in June, has held three community meetings and hopes to have formal plan in 2015.
A new comprehensive plan is necessary, planners say, because Reston’s plan has not been updated in 25 years. Much has changed since then and there will be a lot more changes in population and development as Reston moves towards becoming a transit-oriented community.
Whatever changes are incorporated into the plan will not be a regulatory document and any structural changes will have to eventually go through the Reston Association’s Design Review Board, as well as county planning and zoning and the Board of Supervisors.
A September meeting discussed what, if any, rules should be in place should an entire cluster be considered for redevelopment (this would likely be apartment complexes and not solo-owned properties).
Read the entire Phase II draft plan here.
October’s meeting, featuring small-group discussions, concentrated on the pros and cons of Reston’s Village Centers.
One theme ran through the October meeting — that it may be time to consider Tall Oaks a “convenience center” and redevelop the rest of the space, which has been without an anchor tenant for nearly four years.
Heidi Merkel, the county’s Reston Master Plan Phase II Project Manager, asked last week’s atendees to “think out of the box when it came to Tall Oaks.” Visitors were given stickers to “vote” for different concepts at Baron Cameron and Tall Oaks.
Among some of the most popular ideas for Tall Oaks: Wide Variety of Retail Shops; Grocery, Food and a Beverage Stores; Other “Local Businesses; and Restaurants, Bars and Fast Food.
Those are actually “inside the box” ideas since that was what mainly was at Tall Oaks until stores closed at a fast clip over the last few years.
Other ideas: residential, mixed-use, a rec center, a boutique hotel, outdoor amphitheater or children’s play area, among others.
Hayfield Honors Tremaine — Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria has renamed its spirit shop in memory of former principal Dave Tremaine. Tremaine, a Reston resident, died earlier this year after battling colon cancer. There was a ceremony that featured a YouTube slideshow of students’ best memories of Tremaine [YouTube]
Finding Winter Shelter — With cold weather settling in, Fairfax County has begun this year’s hypothermia program and six emergency shelters throughout the county. [Fairfax County]
Show ‘Les Miz’ Some Love — The Reston Community Players’ production of Les Miserables is up for a 2014 Broadway World Washington “Best Community Theatre Production” Award. The show, which ran last fall, is competing with — and currently running second to — Kensington Arts Theatre’s production of Les Miz, among others. You can vote online. [Broadway World]
Shop at RCC Saturday — Reston Community Center is holdings its Children’s Flea Market at RCC Hunters Woods Saturday from 9 to noon. Come and shop for gently used books, clothes and toys. [RCC]
Photo: Sunrise Valley ES students sing to veterans and other visitors on Veterans Day/Credit: SVES PTA via Facebook
On Fridays, we take a moment to thank our sponsors and advertisers.
Reston Serenity Smiles — Hoda Kazemifar, DMD, offers complete dental services for the entire family.
Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, the business community for the vibrant region.
Reston Station, Comstock’s mixed-use development and parking garage at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro stop.
The Avant, new luxury rentals in the heart of Reston Town Center.
The Harrison, brand-new apartments now leasing at Reston Town Center.
Berry & Berry, PLLC, Reston law firm specializing in federal employment, retirement, labor union, and security clearance matters.
Just Cats Clinic, Reston’s first cats-only vet practice.
Reston Real Estate, Eve Thompson of Long & Foster Real Estate specializes in Reston homes.
Reston Community Center, Serving Reston’s recreational and cultural needs.
Cindy L. Beyer Design, Reston-based interior design firm with creative ideas for residential and commercial clients.
Van Metre Homes, handcrafted homes since 1955.
D.R. Horton Builders, America’s largest home builders.
Storm Fitness, offering personalized fitness training.
DMD
The holiday season starts at Tysons Corner Friday with Santa arriving via Metro’s Silver Line.
No word if St. Nick is traveling by Metro from the end of the line at Wiehle-Reston East or taking the train all the way from the North Pole. But in any event, he will disembark at the Tysons Corner Station Friday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m.
Santa will be accompanied by more than a dozen needy children, who will have their pictures taken with Santa, enjoy lunch and pick out gifts from the American Girl store.
Tysons Corner Center and the Tysons Partnership are also teaming together for “Silver Saturdays,” a holiday promotion to encourage Metro riders from across the region to visit Tysons by train.
The promotion includes discounts from more than 30 retailers, restaurants and hotels for Metro riders who show their SmarTrip card on Silver Saturdays this holiday season.
Santa will be at Tysons through Christmas as part of Visit Santa’s Magical Workshop & Observatory, presented by HGTV. The magical workshop is located in Fashion Court on level one between Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
The workshop will feature, of course, photos with Santa, as well as chances for kids to scan themselves at the Naughty or Nice O’Meter; star in their own video; experience Elf-Ray Vision in Santa’s Observatory and more.
New this year: no waiting if you make pre-paid Santa visit reservations on this HGTV Santa HQ website.
There will be several chances to visit Santa in Reston as well. He will be available for visits at the Holidays are Here! parade at Reston Town Center on Nov. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
He will also arrive via barge at Lake Anne on Dec. 6 at noon as part of Lake Anne Plaza’s Jingle on the Lake celebration.
Too soon for Christmas? Then take a ride on the Turkey Train at Reston’s Lake Fairfax Park this weekend.
Graphic: Courtesy of Metro
The Fairfax County Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended for approval plan changes to the comprehensive plan for Crescent Apartments and the Lake Anne area.
The changes, which mostly look at densities and adds continuity to the six separate Land Bays comprising the plan, will go before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 2.
The plan, as approved in 2013, calls for a mix of uses and intensities in designated zones surrounding Lake Anne’s original village center, but leaves the historic part of the plaza untouched.
A spokesman for Lake Anne Development Partners, which was selected in 2013 by the county to develop the project, the changes only modify some of the density around within the “various Land Units to be consistent with our design as it has evolved during the pre-planning process, but it does not actually represent any material change in the overall densities or intent of the original Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Lake Anne Village Center that was initiated in 2007 and approved in March 2009.”
The plan as already approved calls for up to 1,415 dwelling units and 219,000 square feet of non-residential uses and up to 1,535 dwelling units and 113,000 square feet of non-residential use under full consolidation.
To see the full document and maps of Land Units A-F, see this document from Fairfax County.
Photo: Association of School Business Officials building, which is slated to be torn down as part of Lake Anne redevelopment/file photo
The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been given a gift that it hopes will enable them to launch an endowment campaign and secure its future.
The owners of the museum space at Lake Anne Plaza, which the nonprofit historic trust has been renting since 1997, have given the space to the organization, says Historic Trust chair Shelley Mastran.
While the Historic Trust will still have to pay the mortgage, it gives them an asset to jump start the future, she says.
“Our goal is to be financially self-sustaining and to hire a full-time executive director,” says Mastran, who says the organization would like to raise $2 million in the endowment campaign. “The space is worth about $200,000, and we have received pledged of nearly $300,000 from board members, so we are already about $500,000 towards our goal.”
The Historic Trust’s board announced the endowment campaign and gift of the museum space at a reception at the Greater Reston Arts Center on Wednesday.
The Historic Trust, founded in 1996, hired a part-time executive director, Katie Eichler Jones, in 2013. Eichler Jones is a native Restonian and trained museum professional who has brought new energy and ideas to the organization, says Mastran.
Eichler Jones says one of her goals is to increase the outreach programs she has started.
“We want to be more self-sufficient and secure the museum’s future,” she said. “The endowment will enable us to expand our reach.”
The Historic Trust currently has an outreach in which it brings Standards of Learning-related programs to Reston public- and private-school students. Some of the subjects: “Going Green,” which is about Reston’s community gardens; “Our Community,” which covers urban planning; “Art as Science,” which looks at public art and Reston’s fountains (and has students create their own fountains); and “1964,” which looks at cultural and political history in America during the year Reston was founded.
Eichler Jones says it is particularly important to get younger residents involved in Reston’s history as the community enters its next century, as well as a period of growth with the arrival of Metro.
“We have a whole bunch of young professionals moving here who don’t have a sense of why Reston is cool,” she said. “We want them to know about our history, our public spaces and public art.”
Donations to the Historic Trust can be made on its website.
Photo: Children take part in mural painting event at Reston Museum/Credit: Reston Museum
(Updated, Thursday 4 p.m. adding North Point vacancy)
Four seats will be up for election to the Reston Association Board in 2015. If you are interested in a running for a seat on the board, the time to file for candidacy is coming soon.
Here is what you need to know:
Each director serves a three-year term.
Voting in the 2015 Election begins at 5 p.m. on March 2 and runs through March 30.
Three board seats will be opening in April of 2015 include two at-large seats, the North Point Director spot and the South Lakes Director seat.
To qualify you must:
- Be a member of the Reston Association, either as a renter or property owner.
- Complete a Statement and a Petition of Candidacy (links below).
- If you run for a district seat, you must live in that district.
Candidate forms for 2015 (forms must be filed by 5 p.m., Friday Jan. 30, 2015.):
Visit Reston Association’s website for more election information.
FCPS Seeking Solutions to Overcrowding — There are 900 trailers in use for Fairfax County Public Schools, and overcrowding may be an issue for years to come, the school system says. [Fairfax Times]
Kids See The Nutcracker For Free — The Classical Ballet Academy has seats available for its free Children’s Series performance of The Nutcracker on Thursday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale. This is a shorter performance for little ones. Space is limited, please telephone (703) 742-9395 to reserve a seat. Full-length presentations will take place Nov. 29 and 30. [Classical Ballet Theatre]
Kudos, Herndon High Quiz Kids — Seven students from Herndon High traveled last week to Yale University to compete at the Yale Certamen Invitational Tournament. This is a national level, quiz bowl-type competition featuring classics-themed questions. The intermediate team of Dora Drezga, Christina Ngo, Kyle Nielsen, and Jocelyn Robertson placed third out of 21 team. Herndon’s advanced team of Charlie Shen, Angie Ngo, Grace Bailey, and Shruti Shrivastava placed sixth out of 21 teams.
Bechtel’s A Military Friendly Employer — Bechtel, which has a large Reston headquarters, has been named a Military Friendly Employerby Victory Media, the publisher of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse magazines. The title is awarded to companies that demonstrate a commitment to transitioning military personnel, veterans, U.S. National Guard members, and military reservists through hiring and training programs as well as company policies. [Bechtel]
Crews were busy at Reston Town Center on Tuesday putting up and decorating the giant Christmas tree that will remain in front of the Mercury Fountain until January.
Tuesday was Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
Is early November too soon to start decking the halls? Some of us have not even put away the Jack O’Lanterns from Halloween yet.
Meanwhile, official holiday events will kick off at Reston Town Center on their typical schedule, beginning the day after Thanksgiving with the Holidays Are Here! celebration.
Events for Nov. 28 include the kids Gingerbread Mile Run; the holiday parade; visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus; the tree lighting; and more. Visit Reston Town Center’s website and future Reston Now stories for more information.
Improperly discarded smoking materials were the cause of a fire on Monday that cause $1.25 million in damage to an apartment complex in unincorporated Herndon, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue officials said.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded to the fire at a garden apartment building at 13842 Jefferson Park Dr. in unincorporated Herndon about 9:50 a.m on Monday.
Firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from the top floor and attic of the four-story building, fire officials said.
The incident commander sounded a second alarm, which brought more than 60 firefighters to the scene. The fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes, fire-rescue said.
Eighteen occupants have been displaced and the American Red Cross is providing services.
Fire investigators said the accidental fire started when smoking materials were improperly discarded on a fourth-floor balcony.
Photos: Trevor James via Flickr
