Fairfax County is requesting input from community members passionate about the development of Reston as county officials work on the first-ever county-wide strategic plan.
An upcoming event, “Community Conversation: Shaping the Future of Fairfax County Together,” will be an opportunity for people to discuss what they want the area to look like in 10 to 20 years.
Topics of discussion at this public forum will include transportation, public facilities like libraries and community centers, recreation, educational opportunities, safety and security, economic development, health and even government.
“Whether you are new to Fairfax County, have lived here all your life or are somewhere in between, we’re interested in your vision for the future of the county and your community,” said the event’s webpage.
The event will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, at South Lakes High School (11400 Seahawks Drive). It is free and open to the public.
Anyone who needs special assistance with childcare, transportation assistance, interpretation services and reasonable ADA accommodations can contact Angela Jones.
Photo via Fairfax County Government
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]
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors approved changes to several developments at its Tuesday (Dec. 4) meeting.
The board approved modifications to the Tall Oaks Village Center redevelopment.
Stanley Martin’s redevelopment plans to transform the Tall Oaks Village Center (12022 North Shore Drive) into a mostly residential neighborhood. The redevelopment is set to create 156 residential units, which include 42 two-over-two multi-family units, 44 single units and 70 multi-family units in two residential buildings.
It also plans to add nearly 8,500 square feet of retail and 5,800 square feet of office space.
The board approved the following waivers and changes:
- a 200-square foot privacy yard requirement for single-family units
- tandem parking for the two-over-two dwelling units to count towards the off-street parking requirement for multi-family dwelling units
- a modification for the required number of loading spaces
- a modification for the transitional screening and barrier requirements
At the time of the Board of Supervisors approval in July 2016 of the owner’s plan to redevelop the retail center into a mixed-use project, the county was planning to continue Fairfax Connector bus service through the development. The Fairfax Connector has since decided to no longer provide bus service through the development.
The board greenlighted the Midline, a mixed-use project near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, that would bring 1.8 million square feet of development across 17.5 acres east of Wiehle Avenue and south of Sunset Hills Road.Â
The development plan will add eight buildings across four blocks, including:
- an eight-story, independent living facility with 127 units
- an eight-story, 325-unit apartment building
- a 14-story office building
- an eight-story, 225-unit apartment building
- a seven-story, 218-unit apartment building
- a six-story, 39-unit apartment building
- a six-story, 70-unit apartment building
- 56 townhomes
The project will set aside 14 percent of the residential units for affordable housing.
The entire development also includes ground-floor retail in every building except the office and townhomes.
The county’s approval allows JBG and EYA to pursue two alternative development plans, based on how many retailers want to move into the new spaces.
The county also ok’d rezoning of a property by Sunrise Valley Drive and Reston Pkwy for a residential development of 145 multi-family dwelling units and office space on 4.31 acres of land.
Images and renderings via Fairfax County and Fairfax County Planning Commission
This story has been updated
(Editor’s note: This story was updated Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 1 p.m. to correct information from a Fairfax County press release that incorrectly said the Board of Supervisors approved the project on Nov. 20. The board held a public hearing and decided to defer a decision on the redevelopment until their Dec. 4 meeting.)
Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on yesterday on Woodfield Acquisitions’ redevelopment of Roland Clarke Place.
The hearing came days after the Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved a series of proffers for the redevelopment last Thursday (Nov. 15). The county’s board is set to make a decision on the redevelopment at their meeting on Dec. 4.
The development would replace a vacant, two-story office building at 1941 Roland Clarke Place with a 308-unit residential complex just south of the Dulles Toll Road.
The seven-story apartment building would be about a mile between the Wiehle-Reston East and Reston Town Center Metro stations. Plans for the building include two interior courtyards, an outdoor pool, seating on a third-floor patio and a 409-space, eight-level parking garage behind the building. About one-third of the new development is slated to remain as open space.
The existing office buildings on the site were constructed in the early 1980s. In 2008, the redevelopment of the buildings was planned into three new office buildings, but the plan was never implemented.
Nearby, two other residential developments are happening along Sunrise Valley Drive. On the east side of Roland Clarke Place, Sekas Homes is building a townhouse community. On the west side, Toll Brothers is adding 54 townhouses in its Valley and Park development.
Photos via Fairfax County Government
This story has been updated
Two major projects near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station are up for discussion at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow.
The proposed Lincoln apartment complex at Commerce Park Drive and the Lofts townhomes at Reston Station are on the agenda for about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Wiehle Station Ventures LLC is seeking to redevelop a surface level parking lot across the street from the Sunrise Valley convenience center and, beyond that, Reston National Golf Course, into a 260-unit Lincoln apartment building at Commerce Park, Association and Sunrise Valley drives. The property is also close to Soapstone Drive, where a future toll road crossing is planned.
The Board of Supervisors also is set to consider the design concept for the Lofts, in which Pulte Homes would redevelop a one-story industrial building at 1825 Michael Faraday Court into 44 residences.
The parcel is about one-third of a mile from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. The development and the Metro stop eventually will connect through interior streets, including an extension of Reston Station Boulevard, plans show.
Though the Planning Commission has recommended approval to the Board of Supervisors, the concept has not been without issues.
Hunter Mill planning commissioner Frank de le Fe said he feels the project attempts to jam too many residences into too little land, as the plan calls for fitting 12, two-by-two townhouses into less than two acres.
Other issues brought up had to do with the configuration of open space, the amount of surface parking, the design of a pocket park and the lack of landscaping connecting to public space.
Images via Lincoln At Commerce Park, Lofts at Reston Station, Fairfax County.
The plan to have an urban-style food and retail market at Reston Station has been put on hold, at least for now.
Comstock, which is developing the mixed-use neighborhood at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, says it has parted ways with entertainment lawyer and restauranteur Michael Holstein.
When The Stock Market project for the 11,000-square-foot retail center at Reston Station was announced last December, Comstock and Holstein said they planned to have 10-25 vendors selling a variety of food, drink and other goods in the space by summer 2015.
“I still think it is a great spot,” Comstock spokeswoman Maggie Parker said on Tuesday. “The best service to our residents is to have local marketplace.”
Both Holstein and Comstock said the parting was friendly and mutual.
Parker said the market concept could still happen in the future under different leadership. She also said there have been several restaurants that have looked at taking over the entire space.
Eventually, the space above the retail center will be built out as a hotel.
The 448-unit BLVD Apartments at Reston Station will begin leasing this fall, with the first residents moving in in February, said Parker.
Parker also said the project’s first office building will begin construction this fall. The 16-story building will have 350,000 square feet of space.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission did not vote on the future of Reston development on Wednesday, but heard from many residents and other interested parties who are concerned about what that future will look like.
After four years of work, the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force’s comprehensive plan amendment — a massive document outlining everything from density around three Metro Silver Line station’s to street patterns to recreational facilities — has been presented to the planning commission, which will now further review it before making a recommendation to move it on to the county Board of Supervisors or tell the task force to make changes. Task Force Chair Patty Nicoson says the group will also create its own staff report.
The planning commission says it will vote on the plan on Dec. 5.
One of the main points of the plan: where to put the people. The plan calls for ratios of 50 percent commercial/residential within one-quarter mile of the Metro stations at Wiehle-Reston East, Reston Parkway and Herndon-Monroe. In the half-mile range, the ratio should be 75 percent residential, 25 commercial.
“We focused on total amounts of residential/commercial that can be within a district,” Nicoson told the planning commission. “We want to see new recreation center, a performing arts center. We are committed to the environment. We want to see the principles of Reston maintained as we look to the future. This will help us build on Reston as a planned community that was built with nature in mind.
“Some are concerned we have not focused on implementation,” she added. “First have to concentrate on the vision, then implementation. Read More
