Defense contractor General Dynamics envisions one five-story building nestled into a wooded area off Sunset Hills Road in Reston for its new headquarters. It’s a complex with a small footprint, an unobtrusive security fence and on-site amenities for about 200 employees.
However, it is not the plans themselves that worry nearby residents and workers — it’s the added stress to Sunset Hills Road, which is two lanes in most spots and is already often a traffic jam during rush hour.
“I think it is a spectacular site plan,” said one citizen at a community meeting with General Dynamics representatives at South Lakes High School on Wednesday. “But Sunset Hills Road 45 years ago is exactly the same way it is today. Every other road has been brought into the 21st Century. This is the perfect time to bring [Sunset Hills] into the 21st Century.”
General Dynamics announced last week it intends to build a 190,000-square-foot headquarters on a 22-acre lot currently owned by Boston Properties. The project would have 300 parking spaces, most of them in a below-ground garage.
The site is at 11011 Sunset Hills, between Wiehle Avenue and Hunter Mill Road and bordered on one edge by the W&OD Trail. Read More
Dance Troupe in Herndon — The Koresh Dance Company of Philadelphia is setting up for a weeklong residency at the Classical Ballet Theatre Feb. 1 -6. [Herndon Connection]
Helping Metro — The transit agency is hoping development around stations such as Wiehle-Reston East will slow the decline in ridership. [WAMU]
‘No Drones’ A Worry For Reston Group — Drone users meet in Reston at Nova Labs to discus FAA ban on drones in a 30-mile radius of Washington, DC. [Reston Connection]
Kudos, SLHS Band Members — Several South Lakes High School students were successful in their audition for All-District Band: Abel Ruiz Diaz (percussion – alternate); Assad Aijazi (tuba); Catie George (clarinet); Darwin Walter (alto sax – alternate); David Clark (alto sax); Everest Gromoll (trumpet); Gary Quaresima (French horn); Kamron Rose (French horn); Maddi Nicol (contra bass clarinet); Mason Moy (tuba); Max Onozuka (clarinet); and Miriam Wolter (trumpet).
Photo: Ice on Lake Audubon/Credit: Joy Every
Fairfax County Schools will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 21.
That’s a departure from the announcement the school system made Wednesday night, when it said there would be a two-hour delay after a small amount of snow fell during rush hour and into the evening.
There was significant re-freeze overnight and the roads are not in good condition this morning, according to DC-area forecasters and traffic-watchers.
FCPS’ closure also means the following are canceled:
- extracurricular activities
- interscholastic contests and games
- 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) centers are closed.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is urging motorists who must head out to use extreme caution, as low ground temperatures overnight mean that even treated roads have refrozen. “
“Slow down, allow extra time to destinations, and take extra care on areas prone to freezing such as bridges, ramps and secondary roads,” VDOT said in a statement.
About 500 trucks worked through the night to clear extremely treacherous conditions, said VDOT. Crews will remain on duty through the morning rush hour to continually treat slick roads.
Drivers are reminded to check www.511virginia.org for road conditions and to follow @VaDOTNOVA on Twitter.
Traffic officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of Wednesday night’s commute, where many people said it took hours to make a what is usually a 30-minute commute. Major arteries such as I-66, Route 123, and I-495 were jammed, leaving drivers frozen and frustrated.
Me stuck in traffic on MD-210 around 11pm last night. From Reston to Waldorf took 10+ hours. @fox5dc @WTOPtraffic pic.twitter.com/9K4UknFz58
— lamont152 (@lamont152) January 21, 2016
@wusa9 took me 4.5 hours to get from Reston to Fort Washington — Candace Wilson (@cwilson7719) January 21, 2016
And this is all just a warm-up — or cold-up, even though that’s not a phrase — to the big storm expected to hit Reston and Northern Virginia Friday night and Saturday. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Watch, saying the storm — expected to begin Friday afternoon — could have two feet of snow, high winds and power outages.
Restonians did their usual mass dash for storm necessities beginning Wednesday, reporting long lines and empty shelves at local grocery stores.
Reston Now will give you more information on updates forecasts and additional closings for Friday’s storm as it gets closer.
Photo: Top, Snow in Reston/2014 file photo; Bottom, empty shelves at Reston Trader Joe’s Wednesday afternoon/Courtesy Amanda Andere
Wednesday evening’s snow will cause a delay for local schools Thursday morning.
All Fairfax County public schools and school offices will open two hours late tomorrow, the school system says. Central offices will open by 10 a.m.
Conditions will be reassessed in the morning and if closure is necessary will be announced by approximately 6:15 am.
A major blizzard is expected to move through Fairfax County Friday afternoon and Saturday. Check back for information on additional closings as they are decided.
From FCPS:
- Morning preschool (special education) classes are canceled.
- Afternoon preschool classes start on their regular schedule.
- Full-day preschool (special education) and Family and Early Childhood
- Education Program/Head Start classes start two hours later than the regular schedule.
- Morning field trips are canceled.
- School age child care (SACC) centers will open at 7:00 a.m.
- Morning transportation for high school academy classes is canceled. Transportation for afternoon academy classes will be provided.
- Adult and community education classes will start on time.
Several Reston-area residents have reported coyote sightings in the area in recent days.
While there is no way to verify whether the animals were actually coyotes, the reports have similarities, and Fairfax County wildlife officials say they are getting an increase in the number of calls reporting coyotes countywide.
Wildlife officials say coyotes are established and widespread in Fairfax County.
A resident of Becontree Lane contacted Reston Patch last week to say she saw a coyote in her backyard near a wooded area.
“At first I thought it was a fox because we’ve seen those, but no bushy tail and the face and coloring were different,” the resident said. “Seeing the coyote photo on your article, I now know it was a coyote!”
More recently, several Fox Mill Woods residents say they saw coyotes in that area off of Lawyers Road in the last few days.
Abby Reed told her neighbors on a neighborhood message board that she saw a coyote on Blue Spruce near Riders Lane about 7:15 p.m. Sunday. Another neighborhood resident, Eliza Beaulac, said she saw one hit by a car on Sunset Hills Road near Target on Monday.
Another Fox Mill Woods resident said this after his dog was making lots of noise about 11:15 p.m. Monday night: “I saw either a very large fox or a coyote in the tip of the park behind my backyard between Grey Birch and Blue Spruce. … I put my head over with a flashlight and shined it right into the animal’s eyes about 50 feet away. It looked to be the size of a husky when it finally turned to the side and decided to leave. I haven’t seen a fox that big so either it was a loose dog or a coyote.”
County wildlife officials say keep an eye on your house pets just to be safe.
“The best way to safeguard pets in areas where coyotes are active is to keep them indoors and do not leave them outside without supervision,” Katherine Edwards, Fairfax County Wildlife Management Specialist, said in a release. Read More
Several adjustments are already being made in advance of the expected snowstorm in Reston Friday and Saturday. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Watch for a storm expected to dump more than a foot of snow here.
South Lakes High School’s basketball games against Langley have been moved from Friday to Thursday, Jan. 21.
Girls will play at home at 7:15 p.m. Boys will play at Langley at 7:15 p.m. Freshman will play at 4:30 p.m.; Junior Varsity at 5:30 p.m.
The Reston Camp Expo, slated for this Saturday at Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods has been moved to Saturday, Jan. 30 at RCC-HW from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The camp expo is an opportunity for families to learn about the many summer opportunities in Reston.
Saturday is also an SAT date at Herndon High School. If Fairfax County Public School activities are canceled on Saturday, then the SAT will also be canceled, College Board officials said.
Students registered to take the test should monitor FCPS updates.
If schools remain open and a student is unable to get to the testing location, the student should call SAT Customer Services at (866) 756-7346 to reschedule.
In the event of a cancellation on Saturday, the makeup date is Saturday, Feb. 20. Students will need to contact their test site to confirm administration of the SAT on the makeup date, the College Board says.
Know of any other postponements or cancellations? Tell us in the comments. Reston Now will also keep you updated with more closings as they occur.
Before the big storm hits Northern Virginia Friday and Saturday, there may be a small one.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Wednesday from 6 p.m. to midnight.
The NWS warns of about an inch of accumulation that could make for snow-covered and slippery roads. That means just enough slick roads to mess up this afternoon’s commute.
From the NWS:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT.
HAZARD TYPES…SNOW FOR THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING.
ACCUMULATIONS…A COATING TO AN INCH THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING.
IMPACTS…ROADS THIS EVENING WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND
SLIPPERY…AND THIS WILL MAKE TRAVELING HAZARDOUS.A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT
PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Watch for the DC area Friday and Saturday, with the possibility of a foot of snow, along with high winds and freezing temperatures.
Get ready for Reston’s first winter snow — and it is expected to be a big one that dumps at least a foot of snow here.
The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Watch for the area for Friday and Saturday.
Here is the NWS’ report as of 11 a.m. Wednesday:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.HAZARD TYPES…HEAVY SNOW AND WIND. A WINTRY MIX IS POSSIBLE
FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING EAST OF INTERSTATE
95…BEFORE CHANGING BACK TO ALL SNOW ON SATURDAY.ACCUMULATIONS…POTENTIAL FOR A FOOT OR MORE OF SNOW.
TIMING…FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW…STRONGEST WINDS…AND POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.
IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AND WILL BE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. TRAVEL IS EXPECTED TO BE SEVERELY LIMITED IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.
WINDS…NORTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH FRIDAY. NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH FRIDAY NIGHT…THEN SHIFT NORTH SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
USE THIS ADVANCE NOTICE TO PLAN AHEAD! ADJUST TRAVEL PLANS…AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES. STOCK UP ON NECESSITIES. MAKE PLANS FOR ELDERLY FAMILY AND THOSE MOST AT RISK. PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
POWER OUTAGES DURING SNOWY AND COLD CONDITIONS. USE THIS TIME TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON YOU…YOUR FAMILY…AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
Snow in Reston/2014 file photo
Fairfax County Police said they caught the suspects in a Friday night burglary on Cross School Road in Reston.
Police were called to the 10700 block of Cross School about 8:18 p.m., when a resident reported his car was missing from his garage.
He also discovered a door to the home had been forced open and property was missing.
While officers were on the scene, however, the victim’s car returned to Cross School Road. The officers stopped the car and took the occupants into custody. The investigation is ongoing.
Police did not release the names of the suspects charged.
In other recent crime news reported by FCPD’s Reston District Station:
LARCENIES
- 1800 block of Cameron Glen Drive, property from vehicle
- 2400 block of Centreville Road, wallet and cash from residence
- 2400 block of Dakota Lakes Drive, property from vehicle
- 11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business
- 1400 block of North Point Village Center, property from residence
- 1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
Pedestrian Crashes On The Rise In Fairfax — There were 11 pedestrian fatalities in Fairfax County in 2015, the highest in five years. [Fairfax Times]
Diva Central Needs Your Donations — Reston Community Center’s annual Diva Central, a program where high schoolers can pick up free prom dresses and accessories, needs your donations of gently used dresses. Collections run through the end of March. [Reston Community Center]
Leidos Deal? — Reston-based Leidos may be close to merging with part of Lockheed Martin in a big government IT deal. [Washington Business Journal]
Updated, 8:36 a.m. Wednesday. The road has been reopened.
A tractor trailer accident on Leesburg Pike westbound under Fairfax County Parkway is affecting traffic Wednesday morning.
Fairfax County Police said the crash occurred about 5 a.m. and the road will be closed until at least 7 or 8 a.m.
There is a detour around incident routed onto Algonkian Pkwy.
Photo: Fairfax County Police
There were people painting, repairing, singing, speaking and discussing at Reston Community Center’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in Reston over the holiday weekend.
Highlights included a large group of volunteers helping at Southgate Community Center Saturday; concerts by the Reston Community Orchestra and various groups at the annual “Voices of Inspiration” concert; and a keynote speech and performance on the progress of race in America by actor and playwright Anna Deveare Smith.
Summer may seem a long way off, but camp signup is not.
Reston Community Center is hosting its third annual Reston Camp Expo Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at RCC Hunters Woods.
There will be dozens of representatives there to show you a wide variety of summer opportunities in and near Reston. Admission is free.
In 2015, more than 500 community members visited the expo. This year’s expo will feature demonstrations and activities for kids.
It’s been a mild winter so far, with barely a few flakes falling in Reston.
That could change this weekend.
It’s four days away, but some forecasters are saying expected snowfall this weekend could be a major storm.
Local TV stations were at a grocery and hardware story Monday night — four days away from said snowfall — already interviewing people who were preparing for the event by buying the usual ice melter and bread.
Does anyone ever take this info seriously anymore? Yes, it’s January. It snows here. But the Washington area seems to have forgotten the different between a forecast of four inches and one of 24 inches. (By the way, they are calling for somewhere in the middle…or they can’t even say this far out).
Bottom line: It will likely snow Friday and Saturday. Here is what the Capital Weather Gang says. Here is info from The Weather Channel.
Whether the storm is brutal or a bust, we will keep you posted on how it will affect Reston.
Snow in Reston/file photo
The plans for Reston’s tallest building are getting a few revisions.
RTC Partnership and Akridge have jointly filed a Planned Residential Community Plan Amendment for design modifications for the 23-story tower, which was approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2012.
The tower will replace a five-story office building currently on the site at 1760 Reston Parkway.
The developers are going back to the board for approval of design modifications on the building entry and pedestrian plaza; pedestrian plaza landscaping; redesign of the rooftop terraces; and the addition of two new private terraces.
The plans also call for an increase in parking for the five-level parking garage. It is not yet known how much more parking the planners are requesting.
The new plan will go to the Fairfax County Planning Commission is scheduled for May 18,.
The $210 million building was controversial when it was approved by the supervisors because of its size, height and distance of nearly a mile from the future Reston Town Center Metro Station, slated to open in 2020. Read More
