Reston Company Adds New Domains — Public Interest Registry is adding .giving, .charity, and .foundation to its network. The Reston-based company hopes to give more options for nonprofits, mission-driven organizations, and other entities. [Technical.ly]
Where to Find the Best Holiday Trees — There are many options to find the biggest and brightest trees in Northern Virginia. One local option is Reston Town Center, which is also hosting horse-drawn carriage rides and min train rides. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
County Issues Guidance on COVID-19 — The county is encouraging residents to maintain social distancing as the holidays draw near. Cases of COVID-19 are increasing. Northern Virginia has returned to a high transmission level this week, although the Omicron variant has not been identified locally. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
A software company has signed a lease for 85,000-square-feet of space at Reston Station — a big move that will bring 400 new jobs to Fairfax County.
In a release today, Gov. Ralph Northam announced that Qualtrics will invest $15.9 million as it moves from former offices in Reston. Virginia courted the experience management software company from other competing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio.
“Organizations everywhere are undergoing an experience transformation and Qualtrics has an incredible opportunity in front of us. With its strong talent pool, Virginia is a perfect place for Qualtrics to grow,” said Qualtrics CEO Zig Serafin. “The investments we’re making today will put us in an even stronger position to help our customers build their next great customer, employee, product, and brand experiences.”
The office will be located at 1906 Reston Metro Plaza, part of Comstock’s Reston Station development.
Here’s more from Northam’s office on the news:
The FCEDA worked with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Northam approved a $1.4 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Fairfax County with the project. The governor also approved $2 million in funds from the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant. Support for job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program.
“Virginia offers access to the highest concentration of tech talent in the United States,” Northam said. “The Commonwealth’s diverse tech ecosystem is driven by our stable business climate, competitive operating costs, and a world-class workforce. We look forward to Qualtrics’ continued success in Fairfax County.”
Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of FCEDA said the news marks a second vote of confidence that the company places in Fairfax County.
“First was the purchase of Clarabridge, a homegrown tech success story, and now the expansion being announced today. We thank and congratulate Qualtrics for this tremendous growth and we stand ready to assist the company further as it expands its footprint here.”
Reston Station is already home to big companies like Google and ICF International.
Photo via Comstock
Fairfax County police are investigating two threats of violence reported at schools in the county earlier this week.
Both threats concerned schools in the Herndon area and were determined to be unfounded, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The first incident involved a threat of violence written inside a bathroom at Rachel Carson Middle School. School officials notified a school resource officer at the site about the discovery around 2:10 p.m. on Tuesday (Dec. 7), according to police.
The FCPD says it provided additional officers who conducted extra patrols of the area around the school on Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution.”
“FCPD takes these threats serious and continues to investigate the case with the assistance of FCPS administrators,” the police department said. “…We encourage anyone with information about this threat to please share it with either school officials or our officers.”
At approximately 6:15 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday), Herndon Middle School officials notified a school resource officer that they came across “a vague threat of violence made over social media,” according to police.
Fairfax County police investigated the threat with support from the Herndon Police Department and Fairfax County Public School administrators. Investigators identifed the person behind the post and determined they did not have access to any weapons.
“Officers are continuing to investigate further and charges are pending,” the FCPD said.
FCPS confirmed to FFXnow that there were two threats involving local schools, but the school system opted to share details only with the affected schools.
“We are not proactively sharing details to those outside the immediate school community to avoid encouraging copycat threats,” FCPS spokesperson Julie Moult said.
The two FCPS threats came at the same time that the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 18-year-old Fairfax resident Shane D. Lucas, who allegedly made threatening statements toward Farmwell Station Middle School in Ashburn in a social media post that included a photo of a firearm.
Detectives determined that the photo came from the internet and did not find any firearms in Lucas’s house, but he has been charged with threats of bodily injury or death to persons on school property.
FCPS says students, parents, and other community members can report concerns through its safety tip line at 571-423-2020. Tips can also be sent by text to 88-777 with the keyword TIP FCPS.
Photo via Google Maps
Fairfax County’s approach to criminal justice is quite different from when public defender Bryan Kennedy started his job here a decade ago.
In 2010, the county housed 1,207 people in its jail. That population has been nearly halved, down to 667 people in 2020, according to 2020 Census data compiled by The Marshall Project.
Going back further, the county’s inmate population was 3,749 people in 2000. But the changes from 2000-2010 involved the 2001 closure of the Lorton Reformatory, which housed over 2,800 people as of Dec. 31, 1999 and had its inmates moved to other facilities across Virginia and the federal prison system.
More recently, policy and cultural changes have dramatically altered the county’s judicial system, according to Kennedy, who also belongs to the criminal justice reform group Justice Forward Virginia.
“Ten years ago judges sentenced people to jail much more frequently on low level charges (both misdemeanors and felonies), including misdemeanors like possession of marijuana and driving on a suspended license,” Kennedy said in an email. “People were also held pretrial and held on secured bonds (cash bonds) that they could not afford much more frequently.”
After taking office in 2020 as one of three new progressive prosecutors in Northern Virginia, current Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano ended the use of cash bail and stopped prosecuting simple marijuana possession cases prior to the state’s legalization, though future reform efforts could be challenged by Virginia’s incoming Republican administration.
Kennedy told FFXnow that the judicial system is now more receptive to alternatives to incarceration, as judges and prosecutors feel more comfortable not placing people in jail, because those individuals are getting more services outside of jail.
County Adopts Diversion Framework
One possible driving force behind the decline in Fairfax County’s incarcerated population in the last decade is its Diversion First policy, which began in 2016 after Natasha McKenna’s death at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center in February 2015.
The initiative aims to reduce the incarceration of people with mental health and substance use issues, as well as intellectual and developmental disabilities, by directing those arrested for nonviolent offenses to services instead of jail, which the county says is less costly.
“Through broad stakeholder collaboration, we are giving individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities and co-occurring substance use disorders the treatment and support they need to maintain a healthy and productive life in the community and stay out of jail,” Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Andi Ceisler said in an email.
She noted that Sheriff Stacey Kincaid’s office has increased the availability of education, life skills, therapeutic, and behavioral health programs that give inmates more opportunities and reduce recidivism.
Tied to the diversion policy, the county also launched the Merrifield Crisis Response Center (MCRC) in 2016 as an alternative to jailing people experiencing mental health problems.
A Diversion First annual report released in August noted that the number of individuals with behavioral health issues incarcerated on misdemeanors decreased by 28% from 2015 to 2020, and MCRC cases increased 37% from 2016 to 2020.
A state corrections spokesman, Benjamin Jarvela, said the Fairfax County probation office and the Commonwealth felt it was “too early” to comment or determine the effect of the diversion policy, saying doing so would be “premature.”
Police Credit New Training
The county also reworked its crisis intervention team training for law enforcement in 2016, following criticism and a lawsuit over how its handling of a police officer’s fatal shooting of Springfield resident John Geer in 2013.
The Fairfax County Police Department says its use of crisis intervention team training has helped officers with a better understanding and deeper appreciation for people experiencing mental health crises.
Other nearby law enforcement have had higher training rates, but the FCPD says the training is just one of the many efforts to lower the inmate population, along with social services, the county’s Mobile Crisis Unit, and a Community Response Team that assists with people who frequently utilize public safety services.
“Diversion First has undoubtedly helped divert individuals suffering from mental illness who commit low level, low risk offenses from the criminal justice system,” FCPD said in a statement. “We also recognize our community partnership with the Fairfax County-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) has played a key role in helping reduce the number of individuals arrested.”
The Fairfax-Falls Church CSB was formed to provide mental health, substance use treatment, and disability services in January 1969, making it one of the first in Virginia after the state adopted legislation establishing the agencies in 1968.
Over the first six months of Diversion First, law enforcement officers brought 771 people to the CSB’s Merrifield Crisis Response Center, 209 of whom ultimately received treatment services instead of facing criminal charges.
The number of diversions has slightly increased since then, with 484 diversions out of the 2,176 individuals transported to the MCRC in fiscal year 2021, according to the CSB’s most recent annual report.
Overall, more than 2,100 people have been diverted from potential arrest under Diversion First, as of Dec. 31, 2020.
Kennedy says the CSB has done a lot of outreach, assisted the judicial system, and “helped ensure that our jail is used as a mental health facility less frequently, although it is still a problem and more work needs to be done.”
Fairfax County has officially expanded its tax relief program for seniors and people with disabilities for the first time in more than 15 years.
At a Tuesday (Dec. 7) meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved expanding the county’s real estate tax relief program by allowing people with higher incomes and net worth to qualify. A 75% tax relief bracket was also added, and the program gives some residents the option to defer payments.
The changes are expected to serve an additional 2,500 Fairfax County residents, according to Jay Doshi, director of the county’s Department of Tax Administration.
Doshi said the county’s tax relief program is now three times the size of Virginia Beach’s program, which is the next largest jurisdiction in the state.
“These proposals represent the largest change and an increase for our residents,” Doshi said.
The maximum gross income to qualify for tax relief was raised from $72,000 to $90,000, while the limit on net worth increased from up to $340,000 to $400,000.
The program also allows homeowners to exclude up to five acres of land that can’t be subdivided when calculating their net worth.
The 75% relief bracket would be available to households with a combined income of between $60,0001 to $70,000. But the amount of tax relief for all brackets would be capped at 125% of the mean assessed value of county homes.
Residents can also defer payment of real estate taxes if the household has a combined total income not more than $100,000 and a net worth of $500,000. Deferred taxes would be subject to interest.
Changes will go into effect on Jan. 1 and will be phased out over the next two years.
Older adults pushed for the changes at Tuesday’s board meeting.
“Having a tax relief program designed for the economic reality of 2006 does not make sense in the economic reality of 2021,” said Catherine Cole, chairwoman of the Fairfax Area Commission on Aging.
Cole noted that rapid inflation, rising economic insecurity among the county’s older populations, declining assets, and rising housing costs have strained many seniors, pushing some to leave Fairfax County.
“It would make sense to encourage those who are growing older to remain in their homes,” Cole said.
But others said the changes did not go far enough.
Daniel Campbell, a Fairfax County resident with two adult sons who are handicapped, said the county should consider freezing property tax assessments once residents retire and remove net worth as a requirement for seniors to qualify for property tax relief.
He said the net worth requirement penalizes people who have significant savings. Campbell and his wife hope to leave savings for their sons in the form of a special needs trust.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said the changes — though imperfect — were long “overdue.”
“This has become an acute need at this point,” McKay said, calling the changes a significant advancement. He said the changes increased the yearly fiscal impact on the county from $28 million to $48 million.
McKay said he would like to evaluate tweaks to the program in the future.
Others said the county needs to find other ways to diversify its income beyond real estate taxes as the primary revenue source.
“Tax reform is really where we have to go,” said Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn. State law limits sources of revenue for jurisdictions.
But Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity — who supported the changes — said that controlling spending, not diversifying revenue should be the priority.
“It’s unfortunate that it took the pandemic for us to do this,” he said.
Graphic via Fairfax County Government
Reston Businessman Convicted of Bankruptcy Fraud — A Reston businessman was convicted on a series of fraud charges related to a bankruptcy case. Alan Russel Cook Sr., CEO of Metropolitan Aviation, discharged over is six million in personal debt when he file for bankruptcy. He reportedly transferred more than $350,000 to his former girlfriend and directed her to open accounts in her name and in the name of a fake company in anticipation of the filing. [U.S. Department of Justice]
NextStop Theatre Announces 2022 Schedule — The Herndon-based theatre has announced its line-up for the first half of 2022. Artistic director Evan Hoffman said the theatre company is excited to take programming to the next level after a gradual return to smaller productions this year. [Broadway World]
TransUnion Acquires Reston-based Company — TransUnion has acquired Neustar for $3.1 billion. The company’s CEO says he looks forward to the smooth integration of the businesses. Neustar is a network security company. [Cyber Wire]
Jingle on the Lake Returns — Hundreds of people attended the 50th anniversary of Jingle on the Lake at Lake Anne Plaza earlier this month. Santa arrived by a pontoon boat at the annual event. [The Connnection]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
After stepping away from corporate life, a 35-year-old man who once owned a craft beer bar in Australia is looking to take his knowledge and industry contacts to a new level.
Anton Sagan has taken over Aslin Beer Co.’s old space in Herndon’s Sunset Business Park at 257 Sunset Park Drive and plans to open in December for takeaways and a taproom, creating small batches of fruit-based craft beers with four 132-gallon fermentation vessels, which can create 300 crowlers (32-ounce cans) at a time.
Juicy Brewing Co.’s drinks will range from fruity sours to hazy India Pale Ales.
The space currently features ingredients he’s importing from around the world: malts from Germany, an in-demand product called Phantasm that uses Sauvignon blanc grapes from New Zealand and more.
“We’re already playing with our recipes here,” he said. “Being so niche with hops with the other business, … but having that background … gave us that additional knowledge base with the recipes we want to create now.”
He brewed the first batch for the public last month for private events and a pandemic-induced craft beer called FML Festival at a Hampton brewery last month, and he said he’s looking to have a handful of flavors that rotate each month, starting off with flavors such as peach-banana-vanilla (vanilla from Madagascar, Sagan notes) and Siberian berry.
Sagan, who attended grade school in Cherry Creek in western New York state and went to university in Australia, has lived abroad, including Moscow, but he and his wife and two kids relocated during the pandemic to Herndon this year.
Living for 15 years in Australia by way of Melbourne and Sydney, he got connected with farmers and sold hops through the craft beer-focused distributor Hops Engine, which eventually began selling to Aslin Beer Co. Sagan also got connected with former Tired Hands and Foreign Objects brewer Steven di Eva, who’s serving as his brewer.
“As we grow into it, we’ve got 10 taps we want to be running at any one time,” he said.
He thinks the taproom will allow for 30-40 people, even though the space can accommodate more on paper.
“Having that intimacy is important to us,” he said. “We want to stay small and local and humble.”
He’s looking to work with local shops and farms and is already providing spent hops to a family farm for animals free of charge.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $5 million in funding for the delayed redevelopment of downtown Herndon.
The approval — which was requested by the town — brings the county’s contribution to $6.1 million of the $101 million public-private partnership between the town and developer Comstock.
Marred by delays and an oft-changing groundbreaking date, the revitalization project would bring transform 4.7 acres of land previously owned by the town into a mixed-use town center with 273 residential apartments, 17,000 square feet of retail space, an arts center, and a 726-space parking garage.
But the county’s financial commitment is conditional. Five payments of $1 million per year would go to the town. The first payment is conditioned on the approval of the certificate of occupancy for the first residential unit.
“The project provides an opportunity to partner with the Town of Herndon in its downtown redevelopment efforts and will produce new tax revenues for the county on a site that currently does not generate tax revenue,” according to a Dec. 7 staff memo.
In response to requests from Reston Now for information, town officials have provided few details on why the project has been pushed back. Comstock has also been tight-lipped about the project.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust lauded county staff for ironing out the conditions of the agreement.
“It’s just going to be absolutely awesome what they have going,” Foust said.
The project faced a $24.6 million funding gap as a result of the effects of the pandemic, changes in the construction market for materials and labor, and workforce restrictions. The town and Comstock agreed to split the funding gap equally as part of a new agreement that was negotiated roughly one year ago, including tax abatement efforts for Comstock.
The county already committed $1.2 million from its Economic Opportunity Reserve Fund in June 2018. The funds were committed but remain undistributed to the town.
If construction stops within six months of the first payment, the county would suspect future funding and restart payments at its discretion — if and when construction activity resumes.
The Herndon Town Council will review the updated MOU at its Dec. 13 meeting. The town is contributing nearly $18 million while Comstock will shoulder $85 million of the total cost. The county’s contribution amounts to six percent of the total cost estimate.
County funds would be pulled from the Economic Opportunity Reserve Fund, which aims to support capital development projects, real estate purchases, and programming support for economic development activities.
A web development and marketing firm has moved into bigger offices in Reston.
Orpheus, a company that offers web design, web development and digital marketing services, has opened at Plaza America. The firm is also increasing its footprint by 50 percent.
Benjamin Portman, lead developer at the company, said that the new office space provides a “quality experience” for staff who are not working remotely.
“A building complex like Plaza America has convenient access to Dulles Toll Road Road for employers to easily get to work and an abundance of amenities that they can enjoy making this building an ideal location.”
The business was founded in 2014. It will be located 11710 Plaza America. Orpheus was previously located
Photo via Orpheus
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved slight changes to the boundaries of local electoral districts yesterday (Tuesday), following population changes reported by the 2020 Census.
The board voted 9-1 to adopt a new map that keeps the county at nine magisterial districts. The dissent came from the county’s lone Republican supervisor, Pat Herrity, who represents Springfield District, which is affected by five of seven voting precinct changes.
County leaders heralded the redistrict process as transparent and equitable.
“These small adjustments aim to take population changes into account while minimizing the disruption to the daily lives of our residents and keeping communities together,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said in a statement following the vote.
The redistricting primarily sought to make supervisors have roughly the same amount of constituents represented in districts and treated equally, McKay said, noting that all districts grew during the last decade except Springfield District.
The board moved forward with a slightly tweaked citizen-proposed plan that shifted seven precincts to a different district:
- Saratoga (626) — from Mount Vernon to Springfield
- Fort Buffalo (703) — from Providence to Mason
- Woodburn (717) — split along the Capital Beltway between Providence and Mason
- Penderbrook (730) — from Providence to Springfield
- Irving (827) — from Springfield to Braddock
- West Springfield (840) — from Springfield to Lee
- Compton (933) — from Sully to Springfield
The approved map was one of 64 plans proposed by citizens and the county’s 20-person Redistricting Advisory Committee (RAC).
Appointed by the county board in June, the RAC voted on Sept. 27 on their preferred nine, 10, and 11-district plans. There was only one submitted map with 11 districts, and the two preferred 10-district maps were chosen without much contest, but the committee struggled to agree on two nine-district recommendations, ultimately only choosing one.
Stating that he only learned about the anticipated changes to his district on Monday (Dec. 6), Herrity requested that the board vote on the Redistricting Advisory Committee’s preferred nine-district plan, but he failed to get a second to take the matter to a vote.
“The public or the RAC has not seen this particular map,” Herrity said in a lengthy statement that accused Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who chairs the board’s legislative committee, and his other colleagues of adopting the plan behind closed doors based on politics.
The typically year-long redistricting process was shortened into five months, because the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the release of 2020 Census figures.
County officials noted that there was a public hearing on the matter and meetings throughout the process. Walkinshaw said at the meeting that his door was always open for Herrity to express concerns.
“This is a plan that’s minimally disruptive,” Walkinshaw said, as county officials noted that consistency was a driving factor. He added that ideas from the public can be the best approach, saying the modified plan of “RAC_9_0924_1309″ could have been made by someone in their pajamas.
The Board of Supervisors accepted the last redistricting plan for Fairfax County 9-0 a decade ago. Herrity agreed with that plan, but then-Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins abstained.
Because of Virginia’s new Voting Rights Act, which took effect on July 1, the adopted district map needs to get certified by the state attorney general before becoming active.
Going forward, the Redistricting Advisory Committee has been tasked with evaluating potential name changes to districts. It has until March 1 to make a recommendation to the county board, which would then vote on whether to make any changes.
New School Vaccine Clinics in Reston — The county and the school system have added new school-based clinics for COVID-19 vaccines in the area. A school-based vaccine clinic is scheduled for Dec. 11 and Jan. 6 at Hunters Woods Elementary School. [Fairfax County Government]
County Adopts New Redistricting Plan — The county has adopted a new redistricting plan. Seven precincts were shifted to new districts. The Virginia Attorney General will certify the new map. [Fairfax County Government]
A Reminder to Decorate Safely — With the holiday season quickly approaching, local fire and rescue personnel are reminding risks to decorate with safety in mind. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
The Fairfax County Police Department is about to bring its public records request system a little closer to the 21st century.
Starting early next year, the many people who request Fairfax County police records every year through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) will be able to pay the attached fees online, the county’s FOIA office confirmed to FFXnow.
Currently, the FCPD and nearly all other county departments and agencies require a physical check sent by snail mail for FOIA fees, which cover the costs of labor, copying, and other expenses incurred in the process of obtaining and delivering requested records.
With the new system, records requesters will fill out an online form with their contact information and details about their FOIA request before submitting an electronic check through a secure checkout screen.
“This new process is still being finalized, but we are confident that certain high-volume FOIA agencies (like the FCPD) will be able to collect FOIA fees electronically in early 2022,” Amanda Kastl, the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs’ countywide FOIA officer, said by email.
The county introduced the online fee portal in August 2020 for the countywide FOIA office, which handles complex requests and ones that involve multiple departments. The office also oversees the overall FOIA process, including standardizing fee collection and processing.
Kastl says her office partnered with the Fairfax County Department of Finance to develop, test, and implement the new system after seeing an increased desire for the ability to pay fees electronically from those requesting records.
The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role, since FOIA staffers were working remotely, which made it harder to process checks.
According to Kastl, the online portal was intended to make the FOIA process simpler and more efficient for both the community and staff, and so far, it has paid off.
“We have received positive feedback from requesters on the convenience and efficiency of submitting payments electronically,” she said.
While online payments are now accepted for everything from grocery shopping to federal taxes, Fairfax County appears to among the vanguard in Northern Virginia when it comes letting people pay FOIA fees electronically.
The only other jurisdiction with an online option is the City of Falls Church, which allows requesters to pay fees through an e-check and credit card payment portal under the “general billing” category.
Arlington County instructs requesters to pay via check, and FFXnow’s sister site ALXnow says that’s also the case for the City of Alexandria. Loudoun County has an online portal for submitting and tracking requests, but it’s unclear whether the system can also be used to pay fees.
The Prince William County Attorney’s Office says it does not have an online system. FOIA payments are normally made by check to the specific department that’s the subject of the document request.
The Town of Vienna does not have any electronic payment options and isn’t planning on implementing one anytime soon, since the number of FOIA requests it receives is “very low,” according to Vienna Police Department public information officer Juan Vasquez.
For now, Fairfax County is only planning to expand its online payment system to the police department, which consistently receives the most public record requests of any county agency.
According to the county’s annual FOIA report for fiscal year 2021, which ran from July 1, 2020 to June 30 of this year, the FCPD received 5,716 requests — more than twice as many as any other agency. It also assessed $40,926 in fees, which is about as much money as the next nine top agencies combined.
Police reports tend to be among the most requested documents, along with complaint records, salary information, and emails and text messages, according to reports from fiscal years 2019 and 2020.
Notably, the amount of FOIA fees collected by the county has declined from $109,710 in FY 2019 to $94,253 in FY 2020 and $86,758 in FY 2021, even though the number of records requested has increased over that same time period.
Kastl notes that one records request with over $15,000 in fees from FY 2019 contributed to the discrepancy, but she says agencies have also become more willing to grant fee waivers to people experiencing hardships under the county’s One Fairfax policy, which directs the government to consider racial and social equity issues in its decision-making.
In addition, county staff have been providing more FOIA responses by email during the pandemic instead of in person or by mail, reducing the amount of processing time for staff and assessed fees, according to Kastl.
“The pandemic taught us the importance of improving efficiency through utilization of innovative IT solutions — from a cloud-based countywide FOIA request tracking application to search-friendly digitization of more and more public records,” Kastl said.
Investment firms in New York and Canada spent hundreds of millions of dollars this year to acquire office and residential buildings near the Dulles International Airport in Fairfax County.
Ivanhoé Cambridge, a real estate company based in Montreal, acquired Ashton at Dulles Corner, a set of luxury apartment buildings along Sunrise Valley Drive in McNair, on Nov. 12 for over $149 million. A spokesperson, Véronique Désilets, suggested by email that the company increased an existing stake it has in the property but declined to say what its long-term plans are for the property.
It’s still being managed by global real estate developer and property manager Greystar, which is headquartered in Charleston, S.C.
Manhattan-based Innovatus Capital Partners acquired three office buildings located at 13530 and 13560 Dulles Technology Drive on May 28 for $113.5 million. According to its website, the investment firm seeks to “identify and capitalize on market distress, disruption, and growth.”
And the North American Islamic Foundation, which holds prayers and religious classes at its current location at 13515 Dulles Technology Drive, Suite 1, bought a building next door that currently houses the Little Oaks Montessori Academy and Oak Hill Christian School. The $6.8 million purchase happened on Aug. 30.
“An expansion plan is underway on the main campus to match the needs of the rapidly growing community,” NAIF says on its website.
Officials with Innovatus Capital Partners and NAIF declined to respond to messages seeking comment about their plans.
The properties are near the yet-to-open Innovation Center Station for the continued expansion of Metrorail’s Silver Line, which is still facing delays. It also comes as the pandemic has led businesses to rethink whether they’re using office space as efficiently as possible.
Developers are already there, constructing apartments, townhomes and condos, a senior facility, and more along with plans to further transform the office and residential park.
Photo via Google Maps
Herndon officials are slated to move forward with two regional transit applications to help improve traffic, sidewalks and more, including the addition of a key connection for vehicles by the Herndon Parkway.
The Herndon Town Council could vote at its regular meeting today to seek the funding through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for projects on Sterling Road and Herndon Parkway.
Both projects would add on to existing money received and efforts to upgrade the corridors in long-term plans to diversify modes of transit for people, reduce congestion and increase safety. Both projects would also upgrade sidewalks.
Funding for the projects could be distributed around 2028 if approved by the regional transit authority.
The Sterling Road project would add turning lanes and evaluate whether a new signalized intersection could be created at Crestview Drive. The entire project would involve upgrades from Elden Street to Rock Hill Road, and the town is seeking up to $500,000 for funding.
Staff plan to present the concept design plans and estimated costs next summer.
The other project, creating an extension of Worldgate Drive to pass through an office park by Van Buren Street to connect with Herndon Parkway, has been eyed for years by town officials. The project also includes sidewalk and cycle track improvements, continuing the undergrounding of utilities and other pedestrian crossing upgrades.
The total project would cost over $6.5 million, and town officials are seeking millions of dollars to assist with the effort. The town has already been allocated $1.8 million in funding through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for the project. This application would seek up to $1 million more.
It’s separate from a bus bay project that’s ongoing there that’s slated to serve the Herndon Metro Station, which should open to all in the spring.
The 11.5-mile extension from the Wiehle-Reston East Station to Dulles International Airport and beyond has been delayed for years.
Image via handout/Town of Herndon
Planning is underway to begin the construction of a sidewalk along the south side of Sunrise Valley Drive and west of Reston Parkway.
The roughly half a-million-dollar project is expected to improve pedestrian connectivity near the future Reston Town Center Metro Station, which is expected to open sometime in the spring of next year.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is considering an agreement to fund the project at a meeting today. The project was recommended in the Reston Area Metrorail Station Access Group study, which endeavored to ensure ample pedestrian connectivity and walkability to and from Metro stations in the area.
The agreement would be made with the Metropolitan Washington Airports. Authority.
MWAA has already constructed a contractor for the sidewalk project. Last year, the county already completed the first phase of the project from Glade Drive to just east of the Reston Association entrance.
If the agreement is approved this week, MWAA expects the project to take roughly four months to complete.
“There are no anticipated delays to Phase 2 of the Silver Line with the inclusion of this work,” according to a Dec. 7 staff memo.
