Boston Properties, owner of Reston Town Center, held its Third Quarterly Earnings Call earlier this week where the current state and future of Boston Properties in Reston were discussed.

Chief Executive Officer Owen Thomas says Boston Properties (BXP) has performed well, despite the pandemic.

“Despite a challenging recessionary environment, BXP continued to perform well in the third quarter, demonstrating the durability of our business,” Thomas explained. “In the quarter, we collected 99% of our office rents and 97% of rents overall. We completed 811,000 square feet of leasing, 40% being either new requirements or expanding existing customers, and we increased our average net rental rates on our second-generation leases by 20%.”

BXP properties that have recently been sold was also discussed, including Patriots Park in Reston that was sold for $325 million, according to Thomas, or what equals out to $450 a square foot and a 5.6 cap rate.

“This 724,000 square-foot asset is fully leased and sold to an asset management company,” Thomas said. “BXP built and subsequently sold Patriots Park in 2014 at roughly the same valuation.”

President of BXP Douge Linde later chimed in to discuss leasing activity around the country. Northern Virginia is the second market that relaxed its restrictions since the start of the pandemic, following Massachusetts, according to Linde.

“In Northern Virginia companies are actually required just to social distance and there are no limits to the occupancy threshold, and employees drive to their office,” Linde said. “We estimate our census is well under 15%. At this time, the return to work is not about transportation constraints, and it’s not about elevator constraints either.”

BXP also finalized a few leases in Northern Virginia, according to Linde, including Microsoft in Reston Town Center.

“They leased an additional 45,000 square feet and extended the 2028 expiration on 164,000 square feet to 2033,” Linde said. “We’ve also completed another 96,000 square foot of leases, 8 transactions during the quarter there. We are in negotiation on 5 more leases, totaling 65,000 square feet, for vacant space in the Town Center.”

Restonians should expect to see Volkswagon in Reston as BXP recently signed a 20-year lease with the company.

The future of BXP in Reston was also discussed by Chief Financial Officer Mike LaBelle.

“We’ve already signed leases for this space in Reston, and we expect it to be occupied in 2021,” LaBelle explained. “We partially offset the impact of the occupancy decline with revenue growth from a full quarter of contribution from our 100% leased 1750 Presidents Way development in Reston that we delivered in the second quarter, and $2 million of growth in our parking revenues.”

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

Fairfax County is considering adopting an ordinance banning the use of plastic bags for yard waste and instead encouraging residents to transition toward greener alternatives.

Presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors during its environmental committee meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 27), the proposed ordinance states:

Yard waste shall be set out in paper yard waste bags, reusable containers, other storage devices as approved by the Director, or bundled with string as instructed by the collection provider and shall not weigh more than fifty pounds. Yard waste shall not be placed in plastic bags.

The Board of Supervisors voted on Feb. 25 to begin phasing out the use of plastic bags by both customers of private companies contracted to collect yard waste and residents in the county’s solid waste collection areas.

County staff with the Solid Waste Management Program worked with community and private haulers to encourage customers to use compostable paper bags or reusable containers instead for this year’s yard waste season, which began in March and ends in December.

A survey of more than 5,500 homes in Fairfax County found that plastic bags were still utilized in 51% of yard waste set outs in the evaluated Census tracts. 31% of set outs were done with reusable containers, 11% with plastic bags, 6% as an uncontained yard pile, and 1% with compostable paper bags.

“It’s been a transition yard waste season, essentially, to help homeowners, and people that are generating yard waste that have properties get used to not being able to use plastic,” Fairfax County director of engineering and environmental compliance Eric Forbes said. “We didn’t have a ban. This yard waste season is really a transition year.”

Seven other jurisdictions in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area already discourage or prohibit the use of plastic bags for yard waste collection. Loudoun County, for example, has required paper bags or reusable containers since 2002.

Fairfax County’s current ordinance regulating yard waste collection only dictates that it be “set out in bags, reusable containers, or in piles as instructed by the company which will be collecting them.”

Fairfax County staff anticipate formally requesting a public hearing on the proposal to amend and readopt the ordinance in January 2021, with an actual hearing expected to take place in February. If everything goes according to schedule, the new ordinance will be implemented in March in time for the next yard waste season.

“In March of 2021, as long as the ordinance change is adopted, implementation of the new ordinance will begin, basically banning plastic bags from the yard waste recycling stream,” Forbes said.

Forbes says homeowners should prepare their yard waste first by grasscycling, then composting if they have enough space, and finally compiling the waste in a reusable container or paper bag for curbside collection.

“Grasscycling is actually cutting the grass back into the lawn or mulching your leaves back in the lawn,” Forbes said. “And then backyard composting would be the next best alternative for those residents that have the space.”

If neither grasscycling or composting is an option, yard waste can be placed in reusable containers or paper yard waste bags for curbside collection, which are available at the big box stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s or Walmart, he said.

Additional information on yard waste management can be found on Fairfax County’s Public Works and Environmental Services website.

Photo via Fairfax County government

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Reston area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Monday (Oct. 26)

• CenterStage Cinema – 7:30 p.m. at Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) – Presenting The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, due to COVID-19, food will not be served; social-distancing measures, masks and advance registration will be required, the website said. To register, use this link.

Tuesday (Oct. 27)

• Rainbow Teen Book Club – 7-8 p.m. at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) — This is a place for members of the LGBTQIA+ teen community and their allies to read and discuss queer titles, the website said. Discussing All Out by Saundra Mitchell, the group meet via Zoom. To register, use this link.

Thursday (Oct. 29)

• Marina Chamasyan and Students – 2:25-3 p.m. at Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) — The program features Dr. Marina Chamasyan and accomplished local high-school students who will present their original compositions, a world premiere and widely admiredDanse Macabre by Saint Saens, the website said. To register, use this link.
• Better Dens and Habitat – 5-6 p.m. at Hidden Pond Nature Center (8511 Greeley Blvd.) — Using logs, branches, leaves, rocks, and other materials, help our naturalists restore a heavily impacted natural area to provide homes for local critters, the website said. The cost is $7 and adults must accompany children ages 12 and under.

Friday (Oct. 30)

• Mathnasium of Reston’s Halloween Game Night (Online) – 5-7 p.m. — Join us online for a night of fun and math games with the whole family, the website said. To register, use this link.

Saturday (Oct. 31)

• Great Falls Pet Parade – 4-4:45 p.m. at The Arts of Great Falls Gallery (756 Walker Road) — Bring your pet on a leash dressed up in its favorite costume, the website said. Prizes will be awarded for special categories.
• Great Falls Halloween Spooktacular – 5-7 p.m. at Great Falls Shopping Center (754 Walker Road) — Children up to age 12 are encouraged to wear their favorite Halloween costume, experience the Haunted House, and enjoy trick or treating with local merchants in a safe environment right in the heart of town, the website said.
• Teen Halloween Party (Online) – 2-3 p.m. – Participants will play Halloween jeopardy, tell spooky stories, and show off their Halloween costumes, the website said. To register, use this link.

Staff photo by Catherine Douglas Moran

This week, Fairfax County businesses received clearance to continue to outdoor dining, fitness, and exercise activities under social distancing rules with heated, enclosed tents this winter.

“Businesses have been able to install open-sided tents outside their storefronts since May, which allowed them to operate while maintaining proper social distancing and thus reducing the spread of COVID-19,” Fairfax County said.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted on Oct. 20 to approve an ordinance amendment that will allow this trend to continue this winter with tents that have sides and heaters both inside and outside of the tents.

Previous permit requirements for heaters from fire officials have been relaxed to make the process much easier.

Under Fairfax County’s ongoing emergency ordinance, permits are not required for tents unless they are 900 square feet or larger in size.

“If an individual tent or a collection of tents is more than 900 square-feet, it needs to go to the fire marshal for a permit,” Fairfax County director of planning and development Barbra Byron said. “There is no fee for that permit.”

Tents must be fire-resistant, and heaters need to be rated, but there are otherwise no requirements, Byron told the county board.

Fairfax County says it made the decision to relax the permitting process “to reduce the stress on businesses working to revitalize the county’s economy while allowing county staff to devote their limited resources to maintaining continuity in government instead of processing an excessive number of applications.”

According to the county, this ordinance will last up to six months after the Board terminates the local declaration of emergency, which was issued on Mar. 17 by the Board of Supervisors and Fairfax County director of emergency management.

The county board adopted an emergency ordinance on May 28 that temporarily allows businesses to conduct outdoor dining and outdoor fitness or exercise activities without having to go through the lengthy application process that is normally required.

The original ordinance only permitted tents with all sides open. It was extended on July 14.

 

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

The Virginia Department of Transportation is planning bridge rehabilitation work over Sugarland Run this weekend, causing lane closures on westbound Route 7.

Only one lane on westbound Route 7 will be open from 10 p.m. today (Friday) to 3 a.m. Monday (Oct. 26), according to a statement from VDOT.

The following lanes of westbound Route 7 will be closed Friday night to Monday morning (October 23-26), if weather permits, and drivers are encouraged to take alternate routes:

• Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286)
• Dranesville Road (Route 228)

More from VDOT on what to expect on westbound Route 7 is below:

Bridge rehabilitation work over Sugarland Run

HERNDON – The two left lanes of westbound Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) and Dranesville Road (Route 228) will be closed (weather permitting) Friday night, Oct. 23 to Monday morning, Oct. 26 for work related to the Route 7 Westbound over Sugarland Run bridge rehabilitation project, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Traffic on westbound Route 7 will be reduced to one lane from 10 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Monday.

Drivers can expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.

The $4.4 million Route 7 Westbound over Sugarland Run bridge rehabilitation project includes a new concrete bridge deck, bridge pier and abutment repairs, guardrail upgrades, and new curb and gutter in the area of the bridge. The project is financed with state and federal State of Good Repair funds used for bridges and is expected to be complete in spring 2021. Read more.

Photo via Virginia Department of Transportation

Town of Herndon is preparing for new architectural surveys, procedure guides and more for its Heritage Preservation Program.

Next Thursday (Oct. 29) the town’s consultants will host a virtual meeting to discuss updates to the program that includes new district guidelines, according to the town’s press release.

In discussions with the town and Architectural Review Board, these updates include providing property owners and the review board with:

• Clearer factors for assessing building modifications, new construction and moving or demolishing a building
• Definitions for “contributing” and “non-contributing” buildings
• Meeting schedule change
• New architectural surveys
• Creation of uniform sign standards
• More administrative approval of minor changes
• Creation of procedure guides
• District awareness campaign Expand training opportunities

The Heritage Preservation Program is designed to provide “a mechanism to ensure conservation of the town’s traditional neighborhoods and older commercial structures, providing a community identify apart from the suburban growth of the urbanizing region,” the website said.

Residents can register for the meeting through the Town’s Meeting Webcast page, once it is available.

Questions and comments will also be accepted next Thursday (Oct. 29) though the chat function.

Photo via Town of Herndon

Fairfax County Police Department participates in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this week with several drop-off locations, including Reston Hospital.

This Saturday (Oct. 24) Reston residents can properly dispose of their expired, unused, or unwanted prescription pills and patches, according to FCPD.

There will be drop-off locations across the county collecting items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including Reston Hospital(1850 Town Center Parkway) as it works to “Crush the Crisis” during this day.

“Volunteers will be collecting tablets, capsules, and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and Oxymorphone(Opana), the press release said. “Needles, syringes, lancets, or liquids will not be accepted. Law enforcement officers from the Fairfax County Police Department will be on site to assist with the collection and disposal of unused medications.”

E-cigarettes and vape pens will also be accepted, only if the batteries are removed.

Other drop-off locations include:

• Fair Oaks District Station (12300 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway)
• Franconia District Station (6121 Franconia Road)
• Mason District Station (6507 Columbia Pike)
• McLean District Station (1437 Balls Hill Road)
• Mount Vernon District Station (2511 Parkers Lane)
• Sully District Station (4900 Stonecroft Blvd.)
• West Springfield District Station (6140 Rolling Road)

This year will be the 19^th year of U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Last year, almost five thousand law enforcement facilities participated across the county, with more than six thousand collection sites, the website said.

Photo by Freestocks/Unsplash

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Reston area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Monday (Oct. 19)

• Book Bingo — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) — Download a bingo card and read along, the website said. Get three books in a row and earn entry to a drawing for prize. Completed bingo cards can be emailed to [email protected].

Thursday (Oct. 22)

• Herndon Farmers Market – 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — The Farmers Market is held on Thursdays from April to November on Lynn Street in historic downtown Herndon, the website said.

Friday (Oct. 23)

• Campfire Fridays — 6:30-8 p.m. at Lake Accotink Park (7500 Accotink Park Road) — The program is $12 per person, the website said. Attendees will enjoy nature walks, interactive activities, animal presentations, and s’mores. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult. To register, use this link.

Saturday (Oct. 24)

• Watershed Cleanup — 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive) — Help keep our waterways clean, the website said. Volunteers will collect trash from streams and trails and compile and report results.
• Making a Scarecrow — 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Sully Historic Site (3650 Historic Sully Way) — Bring old clothing to stuff with hay, and afterward pose with your new friend and take a picture, the website said. The cost is $2o per family, with each family having 45 minutes to create their scarecrow. To register, use this link.
• Boo at the Pool — 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) — Dive into the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center’s Boo at the Pool, the website said. The cost is $4 for Reston residents and $8 for non-residents. Each participating child will receive a goody bag upon completion of the event and those wearing a costume will receive an additional prize. Children must also be accompanied by an adult. To register, use this link.
• Halloween Family Fun Day — 12:30-1:30 p.m. at Hunters Woods Village Center (2304 Hunters Woods Plaza) — Children should dress in their favorite costume and parents are encouraged to decorate their cars in a Halloween theme to be included in a self-driven Halloween Car Parade at Hunters Woods Village Center parking lot, the website said. Children will also receive a goody bag. To register, use this link.

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Reston area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Oct. 13)

• Birding on the Boat – 8-10 a.m. at Burke Lake Park (7315 Ox Road) — Enjoy a naturalist-led bird program aboard a tour boat, the event ad said. The cost is $15 per person. Children age 12 and younger must be accompanied by a registered adult

Thursday (Oct. 15)

• Herndon Farmers Market – 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — The Farmers Market is held on Thursdays from April to November on Lynn Street in historic downtown Herndon, the website said.
• Herndon Mayor Candidate Q&A (Online) – 8-9 p.m. — Porter4Herndon will host a question and answer town hall for mayoral candidates of Herndon, Sheila Olem and Roland Taylor, the event ad said. Questions can be submitted in advance to [email protected] or during the event. To register, use this link.

Saturday (Oct. 17)

• Royal Lake Park Cleanup – 7-10 a.m. at Royal Lake Park (5344 Gainsborough Drive) – Participate in park clean-ups and other volunteer-led projects to help keep parks clean, safe and beautiful, the website said. To register to volunteer, use this link.
• Herndon Women’s March – 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Herndon Town Green – In the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing, thousands of Women’s Marchers gathered across the country in their communities to honor the life and legacy of the Notorious RBG, the event ad said. Participants are asked to wear masks and practice social-distancing.

Photo via Fairfax County Park Authority 

Reston Community Center’s YouTube Channel was a named recipient of an award at the 65th annual Virginia Parks and Recreation Society Conference this week.

Virginia Recreation and Park Society is a nonprofit and professional organization designed to unify all professionals, students, and interested laypersons engaged in the field of recreation, parks and other leisure services in Virginia. Its annual conference, hosted remotely this year, is a five-day event with different workshops, a keynote speaker, and awards ceremony.

RCC’s YouTube channel was awarded on the third day of the conference for “Most Innovative Marketing Strategy” for 2019 (population 50,001-100,000).

Created last October, RCC’s YouTube channel was designed “to bring more content to patrons and tell the story of RCC through video,” according to Fairfax County’s press release.

Here’s more from RCC on the award:

The five-minute films look at RCC’s founding by involved community members. The way the local community theatre organization enjoys RCC’s professional theatre; how RCC supports low-income and recent immigrant communities; how RCC impacted the assimilation of one family who emigrated from Peru 20 years ago; RCC’s role in producing free, offsite community events such as concerts, art installations and children’s activities; and all that happens – from free Community Coffee to professional performing arts productions – on a busy Saturday at RCC.

RCC was one of 97 applicants for 14 different award categories. The awards given honor those who exemplify excellence in programming, personnel, marking, and more, the press release said.

Other categories included Outstanding New Professional, Distinguished Volunteer Service, Best Health and Wealth Initiative and more.

Photo via Charlotte Geary

Washington Parent magazine readers voted three Fairfax County parks as their regional favorites in the magazine’s 2020 Parent Picks contest.

With more than 11,000 votes, Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Riverbend Park in Great Falls and Burke Lake Park in Fairfax Station were all finalists in the contest.

Clemyjontri Park, located at 6317 Georgetown Pike, won in the category of Fun & Activities/Playground.  The park is known as a park for all children.

“It is a playground where every child is welcome,” according to the Fairfax County website. “This park is a place where children who use wheelchairs, walkers or braces, or who have sensory or developmental disabilities, can have a parallel playground experience of fun and exploration.”

Riverbend Park (8700 Potomac Hills St.) and Burke Lake Park (7315 Ox Road) both won in the category of Fun & Activities/Nature Centers.

Riverbend Park is known for its geology, plant life, wildlife, isolation, and beauty, the Fairfax County website said.

With 888 acres of land, Burke Lake Park is most loved for its campgrounds, mini-gold and disc golf courses, and more.

Photo via Friends of Riverbend Park/Facebook 

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of events coming up over the next week in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Reston and Herndon. Know of any we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Wednesday (Oct. 14)

• Reston Farmers Market by FreshFarm — 3-7 p.m. at St. John Neumann Catholic Church (11900 Lawyers Road).Vendors like Dimitri Olive Oil,Harmony Hill Farm, Lola’s Kitchen and more will be present.

Thursday (Oct. 15)

• Digital Drinking with Atlas Brew Works (Online) — 6 p.m. — This free event is for ages 21 and older. Those who wish to participate can choose a time to pick up a free six-pack of beer from The Kelvin and register for the Zoom link with Atlas Brew Works. The brewery is asking participants to post their favorite beer on October 15, tagging both @thekelvindc and @atlasbrewworks  on Instagram. Three people will then be chosen to receive a $125 bar tab covered by The Kelvin.

Friday (Oct. 16)

• NASCOW (Online) — Friends of Frying Pan Park will race 11 of the park’s cows against each other online. Sponsors can use this form to choose their favorite cow. All proceeds will support the park as they make up for the revenue lost during the pandemic.

Saturday (Oct. 17)

• Reston Community Cleanup – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Reston Community Center (2304 Hunters Woods Plaza) — Volunteers should plan to clean up along the Reston Association Trail behind Hunters Woods Shopping Center, between Glade Drive and Reston Parkway, the website said. Registration is required, and those who register should gloves, sturdy shoes and expect to follow pandemic precautions. The cleanup is for the Hunters Woods Shopping Center.

Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook

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Friends of Frying Pan Park, a local park in Herndon, will host its first NASCOW race next Friday (Oct. 16)

This event will race 11 of the park’s cows in efforts to replace revenues lost by the COVID-19-related cancellation of the park’s annual Farm Harvest Days fundraiser, the event ad said.

“Farm Harvest Days usually bring in 8,000 people per day,” said Yvonne Johnson, Manager of Friends of Frying Pan Park. “Due to COVID-19, we found a different way to generate revenue to support the farm and park.”

The cows that will race are of different ages from nine-months to four-years-old:

• Bandit (Age: 1)
• Brandy (Age: 3)
• Evee (Age: 3)
• Florence (Age: 2)
• Guinness (Age: 9 months)
• Helene (Age: 2)
• Hokie (Age: 3)
• Marybelle (Age: 4)
• Rain (Age: 3)
• Skipper (Age: 9 months)
• Smokey (Age: 1)

The race will be videotaped and aired online.

Sponsors for the NASCOW race can use this form to pick their cow and donate. So far the park has raised $8,000 of its $10,000 goal.

Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook

Cornerstones, a nonprofit that aids the Northwestern Fairfax County area, is combining two of its annual drives to eliminate the possible spread of COVID-19.

Cornerstones’ Thanksgiving Food Drive hosted every year, one week before Thanksgiving, and its Gifts for Kids, hosted every December will both run from November 16-20 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church (11900 Lawyers Road).

Both drives will provide extra help to families that are in need this holiday season. Due to the pandemic, Cornerstones will be assisting more families than usual.

“Normal years, we’re serving between 700-750 families,” said Nate King, Director of Urgent Needs and Herndon Resource Center Operations, “And this provides them with the non-perishable food items, as well as we give them a gift card for $25 to one of our local store chains that they can use to buy things like milk, dairy, meat products, and other things to help them with their Thanksgiving food dinner.”

This year, King said Cornerstones is “looking at helping between 1,000-1,050 families.”

The times of the drives will be Monday – Thursday (Nov. 16-19) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday (Nov. 20) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Although this year’s gifts will look different, more children will be receiving them.

“Normally teenagers ages 13-18 get gift cards through this particular drive this year, all children ages zero to 18, who get registered for this are going to get gift cards,” said King. “Normal years, we help about 1,300-1,400 children. We’re anticipating it’s going be closer to 1,600 this year, due to the upswing in people that are having problems getting jobs or that are losing jobs.”

The drive will be a contactless interaction, so donors and recipients can expect to have little interaction with Cornerstones’ employees.

“Basically, our volunteers will come and take everything out of your trunk if you’re making a donation and take it into the search,” said King. “And if you’re a donor-recipient coming in, you will be able to drive up and we will put it in your trunk you will not have to get out of your car to get the service so that everybody is protected.”

Northwestern Fairfax County families that are interested in the Thanksgiving Food Drive and Gifts for Kids can register online, or contact Minnie Orozco at 571-323-1410.

Photo via Cornerstones/Facebook

 

Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition and the Fairfax County Police Department Crime and Prevention Unit are planning to clean the Reston Association trails and Hunters Woods Village Center later this month.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event description said.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road), wearing gloves, sturdy shoes, and dressed appropriately for the weather – rain or shine.

Further questions can be emailed to Katy Defoe, [email protected].

Photo via Reston Community Center/Facebook