Comstock’s newest redevelopment plans for downtown Herndon are moving forward.

Town Manager Bill Ashton told the Herndon Town Council at its public session last night (Feb. 26) that the staff has finished reviewing the fourth resubmission of the site plans. The staff began the review at the start of February.

Now, the staff is preparing to send a consolidated list of questions back to Comstock.

“It’s something we’re working on diligently, but it’s deep in the staff weeds right now,” Ashton said.

The next step will involve the Heritage Preservation Review Board, he said.

At the meeting, the Town Council approved a special exemption to increase the number of nonresidents from four to seven in a 24-hour period at a home-based business.

The change affects a hair salon at 767 Monroe Street. The salon’s website says:

The salon is located in an English basement on a private residence. Please park in the driveway.  On the left side of the house you’ll see a fence gate, if it is closed please let yourself in, then follow the concrete sidewalk all the way around back where you’ll find a staircase down to the salon.

“We really want to make it easier for home-based businesses to thrive in Herndon,” Councilmember Cesar del Aguila said, urging locals to share any advice they may have.

The Town Council also approved an amendment to the town’s Comprehensive Plan to create a design concept for improvements on South Elden Street between Sterling Road and Herndon Parkway.

“I know this is the first step, and we need to secure the funding so we can get into the nitty-gritty with trash cans and raised medians,” Mayor Lisa Merkel said. “As the Metro station opens, this does need to be a more walkable and friendly area.”

PM Pediatrics held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last night (Feb. 26) to celebrate its new Herndon spot.

The ceremony came about two weeks after PM Pediatrics opened at 905 Herndon Parkway on Saturday, Feb. 16, according to a Facebook post.

The after-hours urgent care center advertises itself as an alternative to the emergency room for children and young adults. The staff of pediatric emergency specialists can treat kids in urgent situations, including earaches, fevers, infections, asthma, wounds and more.

PM Pediatrics has 39 locations spanning Alaska to New York and 10 more “coming soon,” according to the website. The Herndon location is open every day until midnight.

Image via Google Maps

Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Reston man on Valentine’s Day after he allegedly assaulted a woman in Sterling.

Deputies responded around 1 p.m. on Valentine’s Day to the 400 block of Bailey Court — the area where a female reported that a man she knows unlawfully entered her residence twice that day.

The man woke up the woman after entering her home in the morning and then fled with the woman’s purse after another resident in the home confronted him, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

“He then returned later in the day and again entered the home unlawfully,” the report says, adding that the man grabbed the woman and would not allow her to use her phone to call for help.

“The suspect then pushed the victim and a brief altercation ensued” before the man fled the area, police say.

Police arrested 20-year-old Chester S. Wesley of Reston and charged him with two counts of burglary, two counts of simple assault, trespassing, stalking, petit larceny, grand larceny, abduction and robbery.

Wesley is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on no bond.

The Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station reported the following incidents in recent days:

LARCENIES:

11100 block of Saffold Way, wallet from vehicle

6500 block of Springfield Towne Center, cell phone from location

12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, wallet from location

STOLEN VEHICLES:

11000 block of Saffold Way, 2014 Hyundai Sonata

Herndon police are trying to find the armed robber who took off with an undisclosed amount of cash from a Herndon business.

The robber entered the business in the 1100 block of Crestview Drive shortly after midnight on Feb. 10, according to the Herndon Police Department. The suspect then “displayed a weapon and indicated to the victim he wanted cash” before getting away.

“The suspect is described as possibly a black male, wearing all black, a mask, and gloves,” according to the Herndon Police Department.

The case is currently under investigation.

Herndon police say an unknown number of suspects broke a basement window and entered a Herndon home in the 800 block of Locust Street sometime between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8. Nothing was reportedly taken from the home. Police are currently investigating the case.

File photo

Baskin-Robbins is no longer dishing out ice cream at its store on Elden Street in Herndon.

A spokesman for Dunkin’ Brands, which owns the ice cream chain and franchises Dunkin’ Donuts, confirmed that the shop at 1258 Elden Street in Herndon has closed. He did not answer questions about when the store shuttered its doors or why.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our loyal guests,” according to a statement from Baskin–Robbins. “We recommend guests visit our location at 13344 Franklin Farm Road in Herndon.”

Baskin-Robbins also has a location in Reston at 1446 Reston Pkwy.

Image via Google Maps

The team behind the Koko FitClub that recently closed in the Fox Mill Shopping Center has plans in the works to return to Herndon.

Right before Koko FitClub closed at 2537 John Milton Drive at the end of January, Owner Kavitha Maddi told Reston Now that the gym is slated to open at the new location in the spring.

Now, Maddi and Yogender Rakasi want to bring Koko FitClub back to Herndon at 281 Sunset Park Drive, the former spot of Saigon Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant.

Herndon’s Planning Commission took up the proposal at its meeting last night (Feb. 11). The fitness club is seeking approval of a special exception to meet zoning requirements for the area.

The staff report notes that parking has been a concern for businesses at Sunset Park Drive, adding that a cap on the number of clients that can use the gym between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays to ensure “it does not create a burden on parking that is any greater than the by-right use of a restaurant.”

The “digital gym” offers a three-step Koko Smartraining System, individualized coaching, personalized nutrition, 30-minute strength conditioning and 15-minute HIIT cardio training.

More than 60 locations span 20 states and Canada. The recent closures in Herndon and Reston have left Koko FitClub without any locations in Virginia.

Image via Google Maps

Drawing class — Head to ArtSpace Herndon from 5-8 p.m. to develop artistic skills with pens, watercolors and pencils. [ArtSpace Herndon]

Photo of Reston lawmaker goes viral — A photo posted by photojournalist Tom Brenner of Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) quickly went viral on Twitter. Ocasio-Cortez responded that the photo makes it look like they are “in a road trip buddy comedy or something.” [Patch]

Data products partnership — Herndon-based SAP NS2 recently partnered with Google to bring integrated cloud computing and data products to the federal market — similar to the Herndon company’s partnership with Amazon Web Services last year. [Washington Technology]

Calls for governor to resign over racist photo — Democrats and Republicans are calling for Gov. Ralph Northam to resign after a photo of two people — one wearing a KKK costume and another in blackface — surfaced from his medical school yearbook. “In a press conference held Saturday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he now does not believe he was in a racist picture in his 1984 medical yearbook and has no immediate plans to resign. Northam said that while he previously apologized, after further reflection he does not believe he is in the photo.” [ABC7]

Open mic poetry — Virginia Poet Laureate Henry Hart and Bill Glose will kick off an open mic at 7 p.m. at ArtSpace Herndon. Then anyone can take the mic from 8-9 p.m. [ArtSpace Herndon]

Herndon business acquisition — Government contractor CACI recently announced it struck a $750 million deal to acquire Herndon-based LGS Innovations, which provides network infrastructure for the Defense Department and the intelligence community. CACI, which is based in Arlington, has major operations in Chantilly, Herndon, Lorton and Reston. [Washington Business Journal]

“For the Love of Art” — The League of Reston Artists will debut a new painting and photography exhibit at RCC Hunters Woods. While RCC programming is canceled today due to the snow, locals can check out the exhibit this weekend. It runs until Feb. 28.  [League of Reston Artists]

Photo via Patty Rollin

Nestled away in Sport and Health at Worldgate Drive is a fitness studio with a surprising twist on exercising: Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS).

Co-founded by Connie and Pedro Ruiz, Personal20 started as an EMS franchise in Portugal before it came to the United States in 2017. The Herndon location at 13037 Worldgate Drive is the only one in the country, although that might change as Connie Ruiz eyes new markets for a possible expansion.

This is how it works: clients don special suits with 10 pairs of electrodes that provide electrical stimulation to the muscles as they work out for 20 minutes. During the sessions, the muscles feel tingly and prickly sensations.

The workouts, which are delivered by certified personal trainers or physiotherapists, are customizable to clients’ goals, ranging from weight loss to minimizing back pain issues. Personal20 claims the technology provides all of the benefits of a 90-minute workout in 20 minutes.

Ruiz told Reston Now that most of the prospective clients find out about Personal20 either through Sport and Health or from current clients. While “Electro Fitness” is a novelty in the U.S., Ruiz said that it has gained popularity in Europe, where professional soccer team athletes and celebrities have brought attention to EMS training.

Reston Now caught up with Ruiz to find out the details behind why “Electro Fitness” landed in Herndon.

Reston Now: Why Herndon?

Connie Ruiz: The demographics supported the brand positioning as a premium service for those with disposable income who are busy working executives and professionals who value exercise but are challenged with time.

RN: How many people can you accommodate now with the two stations per day?

CR: We can service about 28 trainings a day with our two stations. We just now have started considering a third station for the first semester of the year.

RN: Can you describe the very first time you tried electro fitness?

CR: The very first time I tried it was in Europe, after my husband wanted to start the concept however I was initially resistant. When I tried it, I gave up all my other exercise and only did Electro Fitness once a week. After the one month workout (four visits), I was amazed at the results. I got definition in my arms that I never had before and I even lost a couple of pounds.

RN: What’s your favorite part of the training?

CR: The effectiveness in a short time.  I love that I can do a 20-minute workout only twice a week and see body shape change and definition. I can even do one a week for maintenance.

RN: What keeps people coming back?

CR: The common thread that keeps people coming back is the effectiveness of the technology.  It really does deliver all the benefits of a 90-minute workout in only 20 minutes. Also, the clients enjoy the experience as that is what we focus on delivering.

Photos courtesy of Personal20

Last day for MLK art exhibit — An art exhibit at RCC Hunters Woods that was created by Reston elementary school students for MLK Day is set to close today. [Reston Community Center]

Dollars and Sense — The free monthly group at Reston Regional Library focuses on business leaders and markets. Tonight’s 7 p.m. discussion will be about Tony Robbins’ “Unshakeable.” [Fairfax County]

Silver Line suit ends with $1 million settlement — “A contractor will pay $1 million to settle a civil case that it falsified test results for concrete panels it built for Phase 2 of the Silver Line Metro extension, the Justice Department announced Monday.” [The Washington Post]

Acquisition for Herndon business —  Herndon-based ePlus Technology, a provider of technology consulting services, recently acquired Virginia Beach-based IT consulting firm SLAIT Consulting. The acquisition is expected to help ePlus expand. [Virginia Business]

“Wicked Fairfax County” — Head to Scrawl Books for storytime and trivia at 7 p.m. from the author of “Wicked Fairfax County.” [Scrawl Books]

Photo via Marjorie Copson

Wooboi Chicken is set to hold a soft opening tomorrow ahead of its grand opening next week.

The grand opening at 139 Spring Street, Suite 1 — the former spot of Metro Cafe — is set for Feb. 5, Wooboi Chicken told Reston Now.

The chicken eatery posted on its Facebook page today that it plans to have a soft opening with a limited menu tomorrow (Jan. 30) from noon to 4 p.m. Government workers and law enforcement officers can receive 10 percent off of their entire order.

Wooboi Chicken had pop-up locations in Maryland and Virginia last summer.

The “Nashville hot chicken” is free-range, does not contain antibiotics and is fried in peanut oil, according to its website. For customers with peanut allergies, Wooboi Chicken has a separate fryer that uses canola oil instead.

Depending on how hot customers like their chicken, Chef Minwoo will offer six different levels of heat, along with five options for sides.

Image via Google Maps

Updated at 2:05 p.m. — The owner confirmed that the store is closing today.

Less than a month after the Koko FitClub closed in the North Point Village Center, the Herndon location is set to close as well.

“We are closing this location as we have another place in Herndon but waiting on permission and buildout, but our landlord did not agree for a short term lease,” Kavitha Reddy, the owner and managing director for the Herndon location, told Reston Now in an email.

Reddy said that the spot at 2537 John Milton Drive in the Fox Mill Shopping Center will close by the end of today (Jan. 25). 

“[We are] hoping to start back in April [or] May as so many members shared their story on how Koko helped improve their health,” Reddy wrote, adding that the new location is slated to be along Sunset Park Drive. “We want to give something back to the community.”

Back in December, Koko FitClub closed at 1424 North Point Village Center. The owner of that location declined to say why the Reston spot shuttered. 

The “digital gym” offers a three-step Koko Smartraining System, individualized coaching, personalized nutrition, 30-minute strength conditioning and 15-minute HIIT cardio training.

More than 60 locations span 20 states and Canada. The Herndon and Reston closures will leave Koko FitClub without any locations in Virginia.

FCPS opening two hours late today — Fairfax County Public Schools will open two hours late today due to the “very cold weather.” [Tysons Reporter]

Networking night — Tall Oaks Assisted Living is hosting a networking tonight from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Registration will close at noon today. [Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce]

DARPA’s subsidiary scores satellite Bus development — The Herndon-based subsidiary of Airbus Group recently received a contract to develop a satellite bus intended for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency demonstration program. [ExecutiveBiz]

Response to PRC letters to the editor — A Reston resident writing for Greater Greater Washington argues that “it’s not a lack of coordination or communication from the county that leaves people wondering what will happen. It’s the simple fact that no matter what the PRC limits are, the county can’t zone its way to a specific vision of the future. It would be disingenuous for it to say that it could.” His article responds to two letters to the editor published on Reston Now. [Greater Greater Washington]

Winter Restaurant Week extended — Slated to end on Sunday (Jan. 20), Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) decided to push the end date. Diners now have until Sunday (Jan. 27) to enjoy the prix fixe meals at several Reston restaurants participating in the event. [RAMW]

RA urges members to attend PRC meeting — In the latest Reston Today video, Reston Association’s Board President Andy Sigle urges RA members who are concerned about population density to attend a Jan. 23 meeting related to the county’s proposed amendment to the Planned Residential Community zoning ordinance. [YouTube]

Dense fog alert — This morning the National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory until noon today for portions of the region, including Fairfax County. Drivers are encouraged to slow down, use their headlights and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. [National Weather Service]

“Superior Donuts” opens tonight — Reston Community Players’ production opens tonight at RCC Hunters Woods at 8 p.m. Tickets are $28. [Reston Community Center]

Ed-tech merger — Herndon-based Real Time Cases merged with Delray Beach, Fla.-based Elearis. The Herndon startup’s ideo-based business case studies paired up with the technology platform from Elearis for a new Herndon-based firm. [Washington Business Journal]

Photo via Marjorie Copson

Two friends teamed up to create Herndon’s new coworking space called Rowan Tree, which debuted today (Jan. 15) in Sunset Business Park.

The coworking space, which describes itself as “geared for women but welcome to all,” offers an open workspace, meeting rooms, onsite yoga and professional and personal growth workshops at 280 Sunset Park Drive.

As a part of the grand opening, Rowan Tree’s co-founders Amy Dagliano and Kate Viggiano Janich announced a scholarship for local entrepreneurial women who may face financial barriers with the membership. (Memberships cost either $2,400 for the year or $275 per month, which totals $3,300 per year.)

Janich said the scholarship is meant to support a diverse and inclusive environment. For every five members, Rowan Tree will fund one full scholarship.

Reston Now caught up with Dagliano to find out the details behind Rowan Tree’s name and why they picked Herndon.

Reston Now: How did you come up with the name “Rowan Tree”?

Amy Dagliano: We are best friends — and we also happen to share the same birthday: April 9. We found that just like with birthstones, there are actually trees associated with birthdays.

The Rowan Tree is the tree of April 9. The tree represents vision, power, connection, transformation, and balance. All things we knew we wanted in the community. The tree is known as the portal tree, taking you from one place to another, and it seeks the highest of altitudes to grow and thrive.

Rowan is also a family name of Kate’s cousin — the same cousin who helped Amy heal from Lyme Disease.

RN: Why Herndon?

AD: We found most women-focused coworking places are in cities, but we are working moms who live in NoVA. We like having our parking lots and yards — but we are still really interested in growing our careers, connecting with others and being part of a movement.

There is nothing like Rowan Tree in Herndon or the surrounding area. Before we opened, we interviewed a lot of women in the NoVA area. We found that those who lived in Herndon and nearby were very enthusiastic about the concept. Many of them were launching something new for themselves, but they didn’t have a place to land. Then, as we started pop-up events, we received incredible community support. We love this small town with a big heart and its strong sense of community.

Finally, it’s HERndon. What better place to open our flagship coworking and cogrowth space focused on women than a town with “HER” in the name?

RN: How did you choose the Herndon location?

AD: Our original intention was to open 10,000 square feet with private offices. Soon into research, however, we realized something smaller and more community-focused would better fit our vision of a close, collaborative network of women. When we held pop-up coworking at ArtSpace Herndon, our ArtSpace friends suggested we check out this place for rent.

We took one look and knew it would be perfect for Rowan Tree. The owner understands and supports our vision, and by adding our furniture, touches of color, twinkle lights and artwork, we were able to create a warm and inviting space. It’s the perfect “treehouse.”

RN: How many people can occupy the space?

AD: If everyone is sitting at tables and utilizing the conference rooms, we can fit about 40 to 50 people at once. But the great thing about the space is that it’s flexible. We can roll the tables out of the main space and have more than 50 people in chairs watching a presentation or more than 75 people for a cocktail event or fundraiser.

We also have an open studio space that can we can bring tables and chairs into to add seating or to hold wellness or artistic activities.

RN: What are you most excited about?

AD: We are blown out of the water by the caliber of the women joining our community. Our members are forming relationships. They are sharing ideas and leaning on each other. They are connecting each other to their networks. They are growing. They are making Rowan Tree their own.

We are truly looking forward to the impact we will have on our local community and economy — and hopefully, far beyond.

Photos via Rowan Tree 

MLK art exhibit opens — An art exhibit by Reston elementary school students debuts today at RCC Hunters Woods ahead of Reston’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations planned for next week. The exhibit will run through Jan. 31. [Reston Community Center]

Gymboree music — Discover melody and rhythm in songs at the Reston Regional Library with two dance sessions cosponsored by the Friends of the Reston Regional Library. Gymboree Music I runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for ages six months to 18 months with adults. Gymboree Music II from 11:15 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. is meant for kids ages 18 months to two-year-olds with an adult. [Reston Regional Library]

Deltek expands industry reach — The Herndon-based provider of software and solutions for project-based businesses recently announced it acquired Avitru, a content and software company. Deltek’s acquisition will expand its offerings to the architectural, engineering, construction and facility operations industry. [citybizlist]

Reston startup secures funding — Reston-based LifeFuels, which makes portable beverage makers, secured its Series-A funding. [Cision]

County expands drug disposal boxes at police stations — Fairfax County announced this week the expansion of the Prescription Drug Take Back Box Program Countywide, where locals can drop off prescription medications at boxes at district police stations. [Supervisor Pat Herrity]

Photo via Marjorie Copson