Updated at 2:40 p.m. — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted shortly after 2:30 p.m. that the building has been partially re-occupied.

“Rest of building expected shortly,” the tweet said. “Several units are returning to service. No other reported injuries at this time.”

Earlier: Fairfax County firefighters have extinguished an apartment fire at The Cosmopolitan at Reston Town Center.

The fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m., according to a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue spokesperson.

The fire department first tweeted about the apartment fire in the 1800 block of Saint Francis Street around 1:20 p.m., saying crews were trying to determine the source of smoke that appeared from a window on the 14th floor.

One resident was brought to a nearby hospital for a routine checkup, according to the spokesperson, who added that other building residents should be able to return inside shorty.

Shortly before 2 p.m., the fire department tweeted that the “small apartment fire is out.”

“Crews working to remove smoke from 14th floor,” the tweet said.

UPDATE- apartment fire in the 1800 block of Saint Francis Street, Reston. Small apartment fire is out. Crews working to remove smoke from 14th floor. One building resident transported to area hospital for a check-up. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/nAKBR59r5d

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) January 3, 2020

Image via Google Maps and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter

True Food Kitchen, a restaurant chain, plans to open in Reston Town Center over the summer.

The restaurant, which fills space formerly occupied by M & S Grill (11901 Democracy Drive), is targeting an August 3 opening date, a company spokesperson told Reston Now.

The date could shift pending inspections and the county permitting processes. Located across the country, True Food Kitchen focuses on offering food based on Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet.

The chain currently has a location in Fairfax and plans to open in Arlington.

Photo via Google Maps

Extended Holiday Hours at Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion — Hours are extended through Jan. 3 at the Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion, which is located at 1818 Discovery Street. [Reston Town Center]

Nine Deaths in Five Days on State Highways — “Nine people lost their lives on Virginia’s highways from Saturday, Dec. 21 through midnight on Christmas Day. Year to date, 800 people have been killed in traffic crashes across Virginia, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Virginia State Police.” [Patch]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

More than two years after joining forces to buy Worldgate Metro Plaza in Herndon, two developers have once again partnered to buy a property in the area.

Newmark Knight Frank, a real estate advisory firm, sold the office building on 2100 Reston Parkway to Moore and Associates and Harbert Management Corporation, an Alabama-based investment management firm.

The seven-story, 178,667-square-foot building includes a fitness center, lounge, game room, and conference facilities with 562 parking spots in a two-level garage near the building.

Here’s more from Newmark Group, Inc. on the sale:

With 76 percent of the building already leased, the new owners have a great start on fostering a strong tenant base in a highly-desirable area of one of the country’s fastest growing markets.

“2100 Reston Parkway is located on the main north-south spine of the dynamic Reston submarket. It is easily accessible to the amenities located at Reston Town Center,” said NKF Executive Managing Director James Cassidy. “The property will benefit from all of the adjacent development south of the Toll Road including Brookfield’s transformational, Wegman’s-anchored 4.1 million-square-foot Halley Rise project and JBG Smith’s Reston Heights development.”

“The building is also proximate to the soon-to-open Silver Line Reston Town Center Metro station and will continue to perform well due to the buyer’s continued strategic improvements to the asset in the tightening Reston market,” added Cassidy. 

The details of the deal were not disclosed publicly.

Photo via Google Maps

(Updated) In the holiday spirit, the Reston Town Center Holiday Performances this weekend are among several events bringing together people from around the community.

The free event tomorrow (Saturday) will feature two performances. People can listen to the Northern VA Ukulele Ensemble. The last performance of the season will feature Rick Landers playing guitar from 3-3:45 p.m.

The performances are set to take place between Market Street and Democracy Drive.

Tomorrow (Saturday)

• 4th Annual Children’s Winter Wonderland (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) — The kids’ wonderland event will take place at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road). Families will be able to enjoy crafts, refreshments, face painting, games and a visit from Santa.
• SBC December Gala (1-3 p.m.) — This event features ballet and musical performances at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for kids.
• Cissa Paz Music (6:30-9:30 p.m.) — Artist Cissa Paz will perform Brazillian music at the Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar (1612 N. Washington Plaza).
• Christmas Party Ho-Ho-Hoedown (8 p.m.-midnight) — Sully’s Pour House (754 Elden Street) is hosting a holiday celebration with a white elephant gift exchange, raffle and an ugly sweater contest.

Sunday (Dec. 22)

• Christmas Orchestra (9-10 a.m.) — This free event at the Herndon United Methodist (701 Bennett Street) gives community members a chance to listen to live instrumental music from their fellow community members.
• Bootcamp, Brunch and Booze: Indoor Winter Series (9-11 a.m.) — This event features a workout from Fitness 2 Go along with brunch from LoKL Gourmet at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive. Tickets are $25.
• Storytime Social (11 a.m.) — Scrawl Books (11911 Freedom Drive) invites families to a reading of “Let the Children March.” This free event includes snacks and coffee for the adults.

Photo via Reston Community Center Facebook

Local Fairfax County transportations officials are considering changes to Fairfax Connector routes in the Reston and Herndon area to meet demands created by the expansion of the Silver Line next year.

Of three options presented for changes, the county is recommending the “transformation” option — Other options included increment changes to the development plan or streamlining existing routes.

The recommended model would offer new service options, all day local service, and more frequent service to Metrorail Station through feeder routes at peak times. New planned connections include Sterling Plaza, Centreville and George Mason University in Fairfax.

County officials say the transformation model covers a greater area and includes the future Innovation Station. The model was also endorsed by the Multimodal Transportation Advisory Committee for recommendation to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT).

A recent marketing survey found the following areas had the lowest rankings:

• Available when you need it
• Fast way to travel
• Goes places you need to go
• Offers real-time information
• Fits into your lifestyle

Users sought more frequent service, operation earlier or later in the day, and express bus service. Others said they were concerned about connections to Wiehle-Reston Metro East Station and Reston Town Center.

Reston Association’s Board of Directors will vote on a preferred service alternative on Thursday (Dec. 19).

Photo via FCDOT

A new “modern gastropub” will replace American Tap Room, which is set to close on Dec. 22 at 1811 Library Street, according to a news release.

Makers Union Pub for the People, a project by Reston-based company Thompson Hospitality, plans to begin construction on the new business early next year. An opening date has not been announced.

“It’s a place for you. It’s a place for us. It’s a pub for the people,” according to the company website.

TAA PR, a DC-based company that manages communications and public relations for Boston Properties, wrote the following about the opening:

Guests can look forward to a fun-casual restaurant, bar and gathering space that is designed with each of our special everyday occasions in mind. It’s a place to grab a crave-worthy bite on the fly or to hang awhile during game day. It’s a place to brunch with your besties or happy hour with your work crew. It’s a place to roll solo with your laptop and coffee or roll deep with your family and friends.

Photo via Makers Union Pub

The Capital Burger promises to bring a “luxe burger experience” to Reston Town Center early next year, according to a company statement.

An opening date is set for Jan. 27.

An extension of the restaurant The Capital Grille, the Reston location will offer wines, shakes, craft cocktails, local beers and “elevated burgers, according to the company.

This is the second location to opening the DC region, following the opening of a location in Mount Vernon Square in March last year.

The business is located at Hyatt Regency in the town center. It expects to hire 70 staff members.

Photo via Capital Burger/Facebook

American Tap Room in Reston is set to close on Dec. 22, according to a tipster and an employee at the restaurant, though the company has yet to confirm the closure.

The company’s corporate office did not return a request for comment to determine if the closure was permanent or temporary. Written requests for comment were also not returned.

Two other locations in the area closed within the last few years. The Arlington location shuttered in 2016, followed by the closure of the Bethesda location earlier this year.

This story will be updated.

A 29-year-old man was arrested in connection with a robbery at Wells Fargo Bank in Reston Town Center on Monday (Dec. 9).

Police believe Lawrence Purvis announced that he was robbing the bank at around 9:18 a.m. by passing a note to a teller.

Purvis escaped from the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, but was later arrested near the scene, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

A spokesperson for FCPD declined to release details about the incident until the department’s daily roundup was published this afternoon.

Photo via FCPD

Seeing Santa is a Christmas tradition, and there are lots of places in the Reston area where people can meet him and possibly snap a few photos.

Roe & Co. Portrait Studio is hosting a session with Santa from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 14) at their Reston studio (11985 Market Street). People are invited to come and take photos of their families with Santa. Picture packages start at $25.

For people over the age of 21, there will be a Santa-themed bar crawl on Saturday (Dec. 14) from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. beginning at the Reston Town Center (11900 Market Street). Coordinators ask that people bring gifts for Toys for Tots.

The Winter Wonderland at Worldgate Herndon (13037 Worldgate Drive) features a free meet and greet party with Santa on Saturday (Dec. 14). There will be hot cocoa, snacks, an igloo and games on-site. The event will run from 1 until 4 p.m. but attendees must arrive by 3 p.m. if they would like a photo with Santa.

People in Herndon have the chance to take a wagon ride with Santa at Frying Pan Farm Park (2709 West Ox Road) on Sunday (Dec. 15) from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and people can help themselves to hot cocoa and roast marshmallows after the half-hour ride.

The following Sunday (Dec. 22), Santa will make an appearance on Sunday at the Reston Farmers Market (10800 Baron Cameron Avenue) from 2-4 p.m. Admission is free and attendees are welcome to take photos.

If anyone doesn’t get the chance to see Santa in person, people are always welcome to track his whereabouts on Christmas Eve thanks to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook

After brief changes to parking over Thanksgiving break, free holiday garage parking will return to Reston Town Center this month.

Although garage parking is free on weekdays after 5 p.m. and on weekends, changes are planned for the holiday season. Typically, the first hour of parking is free on weekdays.

From Dec. 21 through New Year’s Day, garage parking will be free.

Parking was also free from Nov. 23 through Sunday (Dec. 1), in addition to the following holidays:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• President’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Columbus Day
• Veteran’s Day

File photo

The holiday tree in Reston Town Center is set to light up this Friday (Nov. 29).

This year’s celebration is set to begin at 5 p.m. with a performance from “The Nutcracker” by the Conservatory Ballet before the official tree lighting takes place at 6 p.m.

A half-hour-long holiday sing-along, in conjunction with the Reston Chorale and a brass quartet, will wrap up the evening after the tree is lit.

Attendees are encouraged to show up early and gather around Market Street near Fountain Square (11921 Freedom Drive).

Songbooks will be provided, and there will be a guest appearance from Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

Photo via Facebook