Aperture, a five-story, 421-unit building on 11410 Reston Station Boulevard is now officially open. Local officials and professionals behind the project held an official grand opening earlier this month.
The project is the product of a joint partnership by Reston-based developer Chuck Veatch and Bozzuto Group. It includes studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, as well three courtyards, outdoor cooking stations, a library, a gum and a lounge area.
Developers aimed to create an art-infused community that mixes city and suburban living in a lower-density setting.
Rents for a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment unit with 628 square feet start from $2,010. The rate for a two-bedroom apartment with 1,034 square feet starts from $2,475.
The building includes a Reston Wall, which offers a nod to Reston’s history and developers. Zachary Oxman’s steel sculpture, “Convergence” in the entrance.
Aperture is one of the first residential projects to open next to the new Metro Station.
Photos via Bozzuto Group and Marion Myers
The design behind Aperture Apartments, one of the first residential projects to open next to the new Metro station, was intended to fill a void in Reston’s architectural vernacular, according to the architecture firm behind the 421-unit luxury rental building.
“Our goal was to create a facade that would fill a decades-old gap in the city’s architectural vernacular,” said Rohit Anand, principal of KTGY Architecture + Planning, the architecture firm behind the design.
The project on 11410 Reston Station Blvd. is developed by Bozzuto Group and Veatch Commercial Real Estate in an effort to create an art-infused community that blurs the line between city and suburban living in a lower-density setting.
Anand said his team sought to create an entry plaza that would showcase a state-making art installation that would set the tone for the community. An underground parking garage with 589 parking spaces was also intended to enhance the experience on the street, he said.
The team also sought to create a community that would specifically attract artists and entrepreneurs. A double elliptical staircase in the lobby was intended to create a residential feel and lead up to gathering areas like an e-lounge and conference room, a library nook and a shared office area.
On the second floor, three interior courtyard will take up roughly 23,000 square feet of the space with a pool, grilling stations and seating. The courtyard connects to other rooms like a club lounge and an outdoor yoga center that is part of the building’s fitness center. A second courtyard contains a television, fire pit and seating. The third deck is intended to house a community dog run, according to the firm.
Aperture was previously the home of a retail strip center and a mini-storage facility. The project is part of the ongoing $5.3 billion Dulles Corridor Metrorail project and Silver Line expansion.
At a panel event last week, developers said that filling the thousands of new rental units coming to Reston’s Metro corridor is proving to be a “bumpy road.”
Commercial real-estate news source Bisnow hosted a “Fairfax County State of the Market” event last week, at which representatives of several top area developers spoke about the boom in development in Reston and Tysons. According to Bisnow’s report, the areas are currently in a state where supply is outpacing demand.
“In Reston we’re a little sick, but Tysons is in hospice in terms of the glut of apartments,” said Greg Trimmer, JBG Smith executive vice president of development, according to the Bisnow report. Trimmer is reported to have said that apartment rents in Reston are flat — and in some cases slightly negative — due to the amount of new multifamily construction.
JBG Smith is involved in numerous residential projects around Reston, including the next phase of the RTC West project, which would include 700 dwelling units in two towers. It also has a stake in the 1831 Wiehle project, which would bring in about 1,500 new residents. In addition, Fairfax County has approved JBG Smith’s plans for about 500 more residential units and more at the Commerce Executive Park; however, the developer may be looking to unload that property.
Trimmer is reported to have said that Reston is positioned well to be a residential success, but that it is currently experiencing a “blip.”
“In the long term we’re set up well, but right now we do have a bit of a problem,” Trimmer is reported to have said.
Comstock CEO Chris Clemente is reported to have agreed, saying that the 450-apartment BLVD has not leased as quickly as expected. He says the hope is that will change once the full Reston Station development begins to take shape.
“I think a lot of that has to do with the lack of understanding of what this neighborhood here is going to be,” Clemente is reported to have said. “The new residential buildings will benefit from that lifestyle that only comes when you have a more complete environment.”
Comstock’s additional plans include 460 more residential units where the Sunset Hills Professional Center currently stands.
Mike Henehan, Bozzuto’s senior vice president, also spoke on the issue during the forum. He is reported to have given similar comments about the glut of new apartments and the supply surge in Reston.
Bozzuto is currently leasing apartments at its new 421-unit Aperture building.
“There is still some rent growth in this market,” Henehan is reported to have said. “It certainly doesn’t keep up with construction costs and some of the other costs, so I think there will be a little resistance there over time.”
File photo of Bozzuto’s Aperture apartments under construction, August 2016
New residents are beginning to move into Aperture (11410 Reston Station Blvd.), which is described as “not just an apartment building, but an artistic expression.”
Mike Henehan, senior vice president of Bozzuto Development Company, said the leasing process began last month and about 14 units in the 421-unit building are being moved into already. The finishing touches are being put on the building, with hopes for hundreds more residents moving in during the coming months.
“We didn’t want to do another high-rise — we wanted to do something that was a little cool,” said Reston developer Chuck Veatch, who has owned the property since 1978. It was previously the home of a mini-storage facility and retail strip center. “One of the things that we talked about was tying it in with a lot of art and a lot of photography.”
Veatch, who came to Reston in 1964 and was involved in its original development, is also chairman of the board and contributing editor for Nature’s Best Photography magazine. With that in mind, the building features the overarching theme of nature photography, with numerous stunning photos out of the Nature’s Best archives displayed throughout.
“We gave [the design team] all of the winners that have been in our exhibits down at the Smithsonian, and they went through and decided what they wanted to use in the building,” Veatch said. “The corridors all have Nature’s Best photography in them, and what they did was pick a theme for each floor.”
Sculptor Zachary Oxman also has works displayed inside and outside the building, including the 11-foot-tall “Convergence” that was unveiled last month. Architecture firm KTGY designed the building, and its interior design was envisioned by award-winning designer Rebecca Jones.
The building offers studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom dwelling units. There are three courtyards, with amenities including a saltwater pool, outdoor cooking stations, a pet-play area and more. Also included are a full gym, an extensive lounge area, a library and other features.
Orangetheory Fitness will soon open as Aperture’s first retail tenant. Veatch said a second retailer, which will be a restaurant, is in the works.
The goal is to cultivate a sense of camaraderie among residents, Veatch said.
“We want Aperture to be a place, a community,” he said. “There will be a lot of programming and all kinds of cool stuff here for people to do.”
Aperture residents will also be part of a larger community, as members of Reston Association.
Tours of Aperture will be included as part of the Reston Home Tour, taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Prospective residents are also invited to schedule their own visit to learn more.
Reston’s newest piece of public art was unveiled Thursday evening in front of one of its newest luxury-living facilities.
“Convergence,” a bronze and stainless steel work that shows a human figure emerging from the lens of a camera, was debuted in front of a cheering crowd at Aperture (11410 Reston Station Blvd.). The 11-foot-tall bronze sculpture, displayed at the intersection of Reston Station Boulevard and Metro Center Drive, was created by Reston-native artist Zachary Oxman. Oxman was also the sculptor of Lake Anne Plaza’s “Untold Stories” (aka “Bronze Bob”) and has had his work commissioned by DC officials and presented as diplomatic gifts.
“This opportunity is very unique and very special to me, because I do have such a strong connection to Reston,” Oxman said. “Public art has a unique way of not only adding visually to a community, but it also offers the opportunity to share stories about life and to inspire personal thought and reflection for those who experience the art.”
Oxman said “Convergence” tells a story about the “imperceptible and fragile point that exists between having an idea and actually pushing it forward and becoming a reality,” to which he drew parallels to Bob Simon’s vision for the community of Reston.
“Convergence” also keeps with the theme of photography that spawned Aperture’s name, said Chuck Veatch, president of the Charles A. Veatch Company.
“The pure scale and power of the work and its obvious — at least to me — depiction of the creative process and the art of photography … I was fascinated,” Veatch said of first seeing the piece at Oxman’s studio. “It needed a place of prominence.”
In addition to his commercial real-estate work, Veatch is chairman of the board and contributing editor for Nature’s Best Photography magazine.
Bozzuto’s new seven-story building a stone’s throw from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station is slated for an official grand-opening in the spring, representatives said during Thursday’s art dedication. The apartments are now leasing.
For more photos from the event, visit Chip McCrea Photography.
Tickets are now on sale for the 16th annual Reston Home Tour, slated for Saturday, Oct. 14.
According to information provided by tour organizer Reston Historic Trust and Museum, the tour “focuses on six homes whose owners have moved in within the last few years and whose homes have given them a new perspective on their life, their surroundings and in some cases their attitudes.”
The homes on the tour include residences on Bromley Village Lane, Hemingway Drive, Orchard Lane, South Shore Road and Spyglass Cove Lane, as well as at the Stratford condominiums. In addition, Reston Association’s Lake House and Bozzuto’s Aperture apartment building will be open for tour.
Tickets can be purchased for $25 through Oct. 7, after which the price will increase to $30. Group-rate tickets are available in blocks of 10 or more for $20 each. They can be bought online or at a number of area locations including:
- Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.)
- Chesapeake Chocolates (11426 Washington Plaza W.)
- Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.)
- Appalachian Spring (11877 Market St.)
- The Wine Cabinet (1416 North Point Village Center)
All proceeds from the event benefit the Reston Historic Trust and Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the past, informing the present and influencing the future of Reston through its educational programming, archives and exhibitions.
For more information about the event, contact the Reston Historic Trust and Museum at [email protected] or 703-709-7700.
Images courtesy Reston Historic Trust and Museum
Orangetheory Fitness is one of the newest fitness crazes around the nation, and now it’s coming to Reston.
The new location is will be at 11410 Reston Station Blvd., at the Aperture building near the Wiehle-Reston East station. It is scheduled for a September opening, said Maggie Parker, spokesperson for Reston Station developer Comstock Properties.
“They have a kiosk on the [Wiehle-Reston East Metro] plaza and they’re recruiting members,” Parker said.
Come party with us on Saturday!! 12-8! Lock in your pre-sale rates now!! pic.twitter.com/BJqxSiKv3H
— OTF Reston (@OtfReston) June 22, 2017
The Aperture building is being developed by the Bozzuto Group.
The fitness studio offers 60-minute workout classes that operate in the format of a group-personal training. The classes combine 10- to 30-minute intervals of running and weight training that add up to an hour of constant exercise.
According to its website, “Orangetheory’s heart rate monitored training is designed to maintain a target zone that stimulates metabolism and increases energy.”
There is a sign-up for an email newsletter available on the Reston location’s website.
Membership options include a basic package for four classes a month, an elite package with eight classes a month and an unlimited package. For more information on pricing, call 703-822-5272.
The Florida-based chain has hundreds of locations nationwide, including many in the area.
