It’s been nearly two years, and Aslin Beer Company is still waiting for approval to move into its planned tasting room and bar in Herndon.
The company is waiting on the Department of Public Works to approve grading plans as a deadline looms for the Heritage Preservation Review Board to consider approval of the project at its upcoming meeting next month.
In the summer of 2017, the brewery was told it would have to leave the Town of Herndon due to the limitations of its current space (257 Sunset Park Drive). So Aslin found a new home at 771 Elden Street, which was the location of the former Napa Auto Parts, and planned to open the Aslin Tasting House later that year, Reston Now previously reported.
Originally, the new location planned to have 2,500 square feet of interior tasting room space and another 2,500 square feet of outdoor space — including a rooftop deck and bar, bocce ball court and covered deck.
Then last year on Dec. 10, Aslin resubmitted plans with a revised design that include terrace seating and a rooftop bar.
Herndon’s Heritage Preservation Review Board held a work session last Wednesday (Jan. 2) that included discussion on the redesign and amendments, which the board had previously approved.
Ira Saul, an attorney representing Aslin, “stated no additional structural changes would be made, other than the removal of the cantilevered deck area on the second floor and removing the exterior stairway for an internalized stairwell to the second floor,” according to draft minutes from the meeting.
Saul said that a second-floor fireplace with a stone veneer, second-floor rain screens and a second-floor overhead trellis near the rear of the building that appeared to have been removed from the submitted design would be included in future drawings. Additionally, the two different color schemes in the submission will get clarified in the future to have just one color scheme.
Board Member Ossolinski requested that the formal application submission include perspective color renderings of the structure — as had been provided during the original case review and subsequent approval — to help clarify the differences between the new and the revised design.
Once the Department of Public Works approves the grading plans — a prerequisite to Heritage Preservation Review Board approval — the beer company will be able to submit the final application by the Jan. 14 deadline for the board’s February meeting.
Aslin Beer Company declined to comment for the article.
“The town remains committed to working with Aslin’s owners through this process,” Anne Curtis, the chief communications officer for the Town of Herndon, told Reston Now.
Images via Google Maps and the Town of Herndon
Updated at 9:45 a.m. — Includes information from Starbucks and Virginia ABC.
Four businesses closed up shop in Woodland Park Crossing in Herndon last year, adding to its list of retail vacancies.
The mixed-use development, which includes a Harris Teeter and UFC Gym, currently has nine vacant retail spaces, according to a list from Rosenthal Properties.
Marion Myers, a spokeswoman for Rosenthal Properties, told Reston Now that some of the closures were not surprising. “It’s normal in the retail cycle when leases come up for renewal for there to be churn,” she said.
While the development saw several closures in 2018, it has upgrades in store for this year.
“We are working to improve the customer experience at Woodland Park Crossing,” according to Rosenthal Properties, adding that upgrades include LED lighting along with more parking and a new green space that will get added in the first quarter of 2019.
The Starbucks closed last year at 2309 Woodland Crossing Drive, which Myers said was a part of Starbucks’ larger plan to shutter 150 stores in fiscal year 2019.
A spokeswoman for Starbucks told Reston Now that the Woodland Park Crossing location, which closed on Nov. 30, was “special to our customers and our partners.” Now, those customers can go to the nearby store at 2465 Centreville Road, and the partners have been relocated to other nearby stores, she wrote in an email.
“As part of Starbucks standard course of business, we continually evaluate our business to ensure a healthy store portfolio,” the spokeswoman said. “After careful consideration, we determined it was best to close the store at [Woodland Crossing Drive].” She added that Starbucks expects to grow its store numbers by 3 to 4 percent in the U.S. at a rate of 550 new stores per year.
Cleaners located at 2310 Woodland Crossing Drive, Suite 1 closed at some point last summer, according to employees at businesses near the former cleaners.
Next Day Blinds at (2976 Highland Crossing Drive, Suite A) closed its doors on Nov. 21 and now services Herndon customers out of the Sterling, Va. location, according to its website.
“We are still here for you, for life. We look forward to seeing you in Sterling,” the website says.
The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority relocated its store at 12950 Highland Crossing Drive, Suite B to the Village Center at Dulles (2435 Centreville Road) on Aug. 22, Dawn Eischen, a spokeswoman for the Virginia ABC Authority, told Reston Now. “We chose the new location because of potential profitability and better parking,” she wrote in an email.
Next to the parking lot, an existing building that used to house a Capital One bank branch that closed in 2016 is currently getting torn down, Myers said. The demolition started last fall and is slated to wrap up this quarter, she said.
Between 1,135-square-foot to 6,512-sqaure-foot retail spaces are cuurently available for lease, along with 2,589-square-foot and 4,641-square-foot office/retail spaces.
“We are currently looking for the right mix of retail and restaurants and feel it’s worth being strategic, even if it takes some time,” according to the commercial real estate company. “There are new leases in the pipeline, but they cannot be discussed until finalized.”
Image and map via Rosenthal Properties
This story has been updated
Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store will bring about 140 new jobs when it arrives in the Herndon Centre later this year as part of a broader expansion.
The grocer announced today (Jan. 8) that it will open approximately 30 stores this year. Nine of those stores are set to open in the second quarter of 2019, including the one at 494 Elden Street.
With each new store, the grocer expects to bring 140 new jobs to each location, according to the press release.
Reston Now previously reported in September that the natural and organic grocer would join part of the space vacated by Kmart.
Construction is currently underway as Florida-based real estate investment firm Sterling Organization divides the former big box store into several businesses, including LA Fitness, MOD Pizza and IHOP.
Started 16 years ago, Sprouts Farmers Market currently operates more than 300 stores in 19 states.
Sprouts Farmers Market said that opening dates for each store will be shared separately.
Photo via Fatimah Waseem
Herndon’s HawkEye 360 aims high — The Herndon-based company behind a space-based civil global intelligence network successfully sent its first three satellites into orbit last month. [Financial Times]
Bike ban ends — Starting next week, Metro will allow bikes on trains during rush hours, which means Metro riders can now bring their bikes onboard at any time. The ban on bikes during rush hours ends on Monday. [WMATA]
Metro crime decreases — Metro recently announced there were fewer serious crimes on the transit system in 2018 than any year since 1999. The decline was driven mostly by a 19 percent reduction in theft. Robberies decreased 6.2 percent and aggravated assaults declined at slightly 3 percent. [WMATA]
County tallies up most traffic fatalities statewide — Fairfax County had the most traffic fatalities in 2018 in Virginia with 44 deaths — an increase from 35 in 2017. On Dec. 30, a 16-year-old South Lakes High School student died after a hit-and-run in Reston. [DCist]
Ice House Cafe will raise a glass to toast to more than 40 years in Herndon before its Jan. 1 closing.
Two celebrations are set this weekend for the cafe and bar (760 Elden Street).
Locals can make reservations for the Sunday Dinner, which will include live jazz by E & Me Contemporary Jazz, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 30.
The next day marks the restaurant’s grand finale on New Year’s Eve. The party kicks off at 6 p.m. and will last until 12:30 a.m. The Mary Shaver and the Smokin’ Polecats are set to perform.
Resverations for both events will be by phone only.
Photo via Ice House Cafe/Facebook
Kabobi by the Helmand, a restaurant serving Afghan cuisine, plans to open early next year in Herndon.
Owner Khaleeq Ahmad told Reston Now that he is aiming for an opening in February. Right now the restaurant is in the construction phase and waiting for the build out, he said.
Located at 2321 Dulles Station Blvd, Suite A, the restaurant will be near the Silver Line Innovation Center Metro station, which is scheduled to open in 2020.
Ahmad said that Kabobi by the Helmand will offer Zeke’s Coffee in the morning for commuters and locals and then serve lunch and dinner offering unique and affordable Afghan cuisine.
Ahmad said he has spent the last 16 years going back and forth to Afghanistan, with the goal of adding traditions currently lacking in Afghan cuisine in the United States.
While he doesn’t want to give away surprises on the menu, Ahmad said customers can expect kabobs, stews and “a lot of really good vegetarian options.” For libations, he plans to serve craft beer from Baltimore and wine.
The menu in Herndon will resemble the one from the restaurant’s partner, Kabobi from The Helmand, in Baltimore. The chain of Kabobi restaurants started in 1982 in San Francisco and expanded to Boston, Baltimore and Chicago, with the Chicago location now closed after 30 years, he said.
Bank redesign in the works — In the final stages of acquiring Reston-based Access National Bank, Union Bank & Trust is planning to refresh its brand to avoid confusion with McLean-based United Bank. [Washington Business Journal]
Herndon police officer honored for DUI prevention — On Friday, Officer Jonathan Heavner was recognized by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program for a 2018 Law Enforcement Award of Excellence for Impaired Driving Prevention. [Herndon Police Department on Facebook]
Upcoming data security program for the U.S. Air Force — Herndon-based Peraton has secured a potential five-year, $65 million order from the U.S. Air Force to provide programmatic, engineering and technical support for a cross-domain information platform designed to ensure the security of data sharing and collaboration across agencies. It is slated to launch in 2019. [ExecutiveBiz]
Award-winning architecture — Ellucian’s Reston headquarters received the top honor in 2018 James M. Scott Exceptional Design Awards for its open space in the LEED Gold building. [Ellucian]
Korean grocery chain H Mart will hold its grand opening this Saturday in the Elden Street Marketplace.
Located at 1228 Elden Street, H Mart is taking the spot vacated by Giant Food in November after it relocated to Centreville Road.
H Mart, which is operated by the Hanahreum Group in New Jersey, describes itself a “one-stop shop for everything Asian and more.” The grocery chain has more than 60 stores across 12 states, including California, Illinois, Georgia and New York.
The Herndon opening will mark H Mart’s seventh store in Virginia, with stores already in Falls Church, Annadale and Fairfax, according to the website.
The grand opening starts at 9 a.m. on Dec. 22 and will include free gifts for its Smart Card members and giveaways.
Photo via Google Maps
Herndon’s Ice House Cafe set to close soon — The cafe and bar, which has been in Herndon for more than 40 years, will close its doors at 760 Elden Street. Celebrations are planned for Dec. 30 and New Year’s Eve before its Jan. 1 closing date. [Fairfax County Times]
Brookfield Properties eyes neighbors for Wegmans — The Toronto-based developer is considering different retailers for the $1.4 billion mixed-use project, which will include an 80,000-square-foot Wegmans. A bowling alley concept, movie theater, fitness center and restaurants are under consideration. [Washington Business Journal]
Man convicted for sexually assaulting four Reston roommates in 1995 — A jury found Jude Lovchik guilty on all 17 counts, including charges of sodomy, abduction and burglary. The case had gone cold until Lovchik’s ex-wife told Arlington County police that Lovchik had confessed the actions to her and had her recreate the scenes. [The Washington Post]
Clean Virginia says Dominion Energy customers pay too much — The new political action group claims that Virginians pay $254 in excess a year because of poor state oversight. [The Washington Post]
Herndon development is slated to attract larger employers — Fairfax County approved an increase to the density for part of the Center for Innovative Technology site that falls within the county for 3.8 million square feet of office space along with a hotel and retail. The campus, which is just off of the Dulles Toll Road, was once part of the county’s larger bid for Amazon’s second headquarters. [Washington Business Journal]
Ethnic grocer Lotte Plaza Market officially opened last Friday (Dec. 7) in Herndon Centre.
Located at 490 Elden Street, Lotte Plaza Market joins a growing number of grocery options in Herndon Centre.
The shopping plaza is also home to MOM’s Organic Market. Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store is expected to take over part of the former Kmart space.
Lotte Plaza Market describes itself as “the premier source for Asian groceries in Maryland and Virginia.” It has seven locations in Maryland, five in Virginia and one “coming soon” to Orlando, Fla. — with plans to open 50 locations by 2020, according to its site.
Reston Now previously reported that Lotte Plaza Market was set to open earlier this year.
Photo via Lotte Plaza Market/Facebook
Watch the ghosts from Christmas Past, Present and Future — Join the Reston Association on a chartered bus trip at 12:45 p.m. to see the performance of “A Christmas Carol” at Ford’s Theatre. RA members pay $60, while non-members pay $70. [Reston Association]
Town hall with Del. Ken Plum and Sen. Janet Howell — The two politicians will host a town hall from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne. [Del. Ken Plum]
Herndon real estate startup aims to be the “Credit Karma of homes” — UpsideDoor decided to trash the brokerage model it launched in 2015 and instead gather data about homeowners to help match them with companies providing home services. The company is also embarking on a new fundraising effort. [Washington Business Journal]
Reston Hospital Center acquires second Mazor X System — The Virginia Institute of Robotic Surgery at Reston Hospital Center is the first in the nation to have two of these robotic spine surgery systems at one hospital location. [Reston Hospital Center]
Reston and Herndon companies made up nearly half of Fairfax County’s list of top workplaces for commuters.
The county’s Board of Supervisors recognized 14 employers last Tuesday (Dec. 4) who have taken steps to become more commuter-friendly.
The Reston employers include:
KeyW Corporation and Northwest Federal Credit Union in Herndon also received the designation as “Best Workplaces for Commuters.”
The county’s Department of Transportation partnered with “Best Workplaces for Commuters,” a membership program managed by the National Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida.
The designation recognizes employers who have excelled in implementing green commuter programs, including ride-sharing, transit benefits, biking and walking, teleworking, alternate work schedules and other strategies. The program provides qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits.
Julie Bond, the program manager of “Best Workplaces for Commuters,” said that employers in Fairfax County supporting commuter options like taking the bus, biking, teleworking or carpooling can all reduce travel time and costs for employees.
“Employee-provided commuter benefits give them a competitive edge in employee recruitment, retention and brand recognition,” Bond said. “We also know that commute options can lead to an increase in productivity, employee retention, and put us on the map for attracting top talent in our sector.”
The county has some programs in place to help foster commuter-friendly workplaces. Fairfax County Commuter Services — a program of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation — works with employers, residential properties and commuters to encourage alternatives to driving alone to work.
With this year’s additions, Fairfax County totals 93 companies with the recognition since 2010.
Photo via Believe It, Reston/Facebook
Elden Street Tea Shop plans to celebrate its grand opening at a permanent spot in Herndon this weekend.
Rachel Eisenfeld, the tea shop’s owner, told Reston Now that the shop moved into its space at 714 Pine Street on Nov. 28 after one year as a pop-up open every Saturday at ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center Street).
The tea shop is named after the historic street in Herndon that it initially planned to move to. But after the tea shop decided to switch its permanent location to Pine Street, Eisenfeld decided to not change the name as a way to pay homage to the popular Elden Street.
Eisenfeld described the Pine Street location as a cute and charming house that is part of Herndon’s historic district. “It fits a tea shop,” she said.
More than 60 varieties of loose leaf tea from across the world and locally are available at Elden Street Tea Shop, along with processed tea and “tea-to-go.” Customers can also purchase snack food made by local bakeries.
“We really want to be involved in the community,” Eisenfeld said. Part of that involvement includes donations.
Every quarter, Elden Street Tea Shop picks a handful of new charities or organizations in the Herndon community.
Customers can choose which ones they would like to donate to when they check out at the shop or online, along with nominating a charity for consideration. At the end of the quarter, a portion of the profits goes to the selected places.
The grand opening will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 15) with all-day events, a ribbon-cutting at 2 p.m. and special offers.
Eisenfeld said the tea shop will start hosting afternoon tea events in February and will continue to offer board games — Scrabble, chess, checkers, Risk and more — from its pop-up days with weekend game time.
Photo via Elden Street Tea Shop/Facebook
(Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. to include more information about the selection process for “Tech 100.”)
More than a quarter of companies selected for the Northern Virginia Technology Council’s inaugural “Tech 100” call Reston or Herndon home.
The companies span a variety of categories — cyber, software, IT services, artificial intelligence, genomics, health IT — in order to represent growing sectors in the region’s technology corridor.
“The NVTC Tech 100 is composed of companies and individuals who are driving tech innovation, implementing new solutions for their customers and leading growth in the greater Washington region,” Eileen Filler-Corn, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing Fairfax County, tweeted today.
The nomination period ran from Sept. 19 to Oct. 19, with the requirement that nominees must have a location in the Northern Virginia region, according to Allison Gilmore, vice president of NVTC’s Communications and Strategic Initiatives. An independent panel of judges reviewed and selected the nominations.
Out of the 85 companies chosen, 17 have headquarters in Reston and six are based in Herndon.
The Reston-based companies are the following:
- Altum, Inc.
- Confident Governance
- Fractal Industries
- GoCanvas
- LookingGlass Cyber Solutions
- Octo
- Patrocinium Systems
- Qlarion
- Resonate
- SAIC
- ScienceLogic
- ScientiaMobile
- Simulyze
- SOC Telemed
- ThreatQuotient
- Transaction Network Services (TNS)
- Virid
Companies headquartered in Herndon include:
The roundup included companies that have locations in Reston, including ArdentMC, Decisiv and Digital Realty. Forcepoint, which has an office in Herndon, also made the list.
“Tech 100” also featured more than a dozen executives. Judy Bjornaas from Herndon-based ManTech, Matthew Calkins from Appian in Reston and Stu Shea from Peraton made the cut.
A party at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner at 6 p.m. tonight will celebrate the Tech 100.
Images via the Northern Virginia Technology Council
This story has been updated
Another local business is leaving Elden Street.
Herndon Auto Care, which offers auto and light truck repair and maintenance services, will move from its current location at 1131 Elden Street to its sister shop in Sterling, the Dulles Shell Service Center. The address of the new location is 45410 Holiday Drive.
A business representative told Reston Now that the move was prompted by lease expiration.
“In the new lease, the landlord was asking for a substantial increase in monthly rent, which we could not accommodate,” the representative said. “The property has been listed for rent with a real estate company for other use[s].”
Photo via Herndon Auto Care
