(Updated at 12:35 p.m.) Reston-based company ScienceLogic is relocating its headquarters.

It’s looking to move into the 13th floor office space at 11955 Democracy Drive. That’s the corner building anchored by Fidelity Investments.

“We’re very excited about the new space,” said Kirk Winkler, senior vice president, Global Enterprise Systems & Operations for the company. “It’s a beautiful panoramic view around the area.”

It’s been located for over a decade by Hunter Mill Road at 10700 Parkridge Boulevard.

ScienceLogic has been transitioning since the start of Oct. 1 and plans to be fully ready for occupancy by Jan. 1, Winkler said. It has a three-year lease and an option to extend for another three years, he said.

“We’re going to be doing a hybrid work environment, and so we don’t expect as many people to come back full time, meaning five days a week, but we expect probably about 120 people to be in the office starting in the new year,” he said, noting that depends on what happens with COVID-19 and federal health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even before the pandemic, 50% of the company’s workforce was remote, and it was fully remote during the first six months of the pandemic, Winkler noted. Roughly 5% of its Reston headquarters employees who were there before the pandemic have been using the office regularly. That 50% telecommuting ratio is expected to return next year.

Real estate company Avison Young previously listed the Reston Town Center space as having over 27,000 square feet (about half the size of a football field). It noted it can accommodate 17 offices, 152 workstations, multiple conference rooms as well as other spaces and a kitchen/café.

ScienceLogic is an information technology operations management company that provides a range of services, including artificial intelligence for IT operations, and has employees around the world.

Winkler recently visited the office with the company’s executive team. He noted the open-space environments, almost entirely an open office, bring a lot of light into the space, allowing people to see downtown Bethesda, the National Cathedral, the Blue Ridge Mountains and more.

In addition to closed conference space, open conference areas and standing desks will help deliver a collaborative environment, he says.

Photo via Google Maps

Renaissance Park, a 60-acre property near Dulles International Airport, could be transformed into a series of data centers.

RP Industrial Owner LLC is seeking the county’s permission to replace warehouse buildings in the industrial park with roughly 2.3 million gross square feet of data centers and an electric substation. The park is located east of Park Center Road and north of Towerview Drive.

The application, which was submitted to the county on Sept 3, calls for four data center buildings. Two loading docks for each data center are proposed and roughly 685 parking spaces are planned on the property. Roughly 27 percent of the park will remain as open space.

The first phase of construction will begin with one building, a guardhouse and an electric substation. Later phases will begin in response to market conditions, according to the application. The first building, which is 91 feet in height, will be constructed with what the applicants describe as a “contemporary style” with a mix of pre-cast concrete panels, metal, and glass.

RP Industrial Owner LLC bought the site in June 2019 for $134 million, according to county land records. The LLC is linked to Starwood Property Trust, which is based in Connecticut.

A growing number of data centers have established their hold in Northern Virginia, notably in Loudoun and Prince William counties. According to a 2020 report by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the region is the largest data center market in the world. As of last year, there are 166 data centers in Northern Virginia, including 27 in Fairfax County.

No public hearings have been scheduled for the proposal yet, which was only accepted for review earlier this month.

 

Tech company Cloudpermit has set up its North American headquarters in Reston.

The Finland-based electronic permitting company that works with local governments to simplify their building permit process has set up shop at 11911 Freedom Drive in Reston Town Center.

“[Reston] is a very good atmosphere for high tech companies,” Cloudpermit’s Chief Executive Officer Jan Pawli tells Reston Now. He also cited Reston’s location near D.C, Arlington, and points west as a huge selling point for the move here. “There’s easy access to a lot of modern facilities.”

In the press release, he also notes that “Virginia has the highest concentration of tech talent in the U.S. and thousands of tech companies have made Fairfax County home.”

Cloudpermit takes the often-complicated building permit process and digitizes it, putting all the paperwork, payment, and scheduling of inspections online. They currently count nearly 500 local governments across Europe and North America as clients, according to the release.

“Earlier, it could take six months to get a building permit because you need to shake so many hands,” says Pawli. “Today, you can do it overnight.”

Pawli notes that the company made the decision to relocate here without first visiting. This was due, in large part, to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and a delegation meeting with them in Germany this past spring. T

his went a long way, he says, in convincing them to move to the Commonwealth since it provided a personal connection, good discussion, and a shared frustration in how long the building permit process can take.

While only about twenty employees will be working out of their Reston office by the end of year, the impact of the move goes beyond the number of employees.

“A company like Cloudpermit has many options for a North American base,” wrote Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, in the press release. “Choosing Fairfax County is an important vote of confidence in our business climate, our assets for company success and the kind of talent it can find here – whether the company is from the U.S. or another country.”

In a follow-up statement to Reston Now, Hoskins added that “the company’s decision to expand its European-based operations here during the ongoing pandemic reflects well not only on the optimism for the post-COVID return to working at offices, but also for the robust business climate in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia.”

The company also has offices in Helsinki, Vancouver, Toronto, San Diego, and Chicago.

Cloudpermit isn’t the only tech company in recent months to move to Reston. Government defense and intelligence contractor CACI debuted their new international headquarters across the street from the (hopefully) soon-to-be-opened Reston Town Center Metro station in June.

Pawli only moved to Northern Virginia in mid-August, but is already enjoying himself. He says, compared to Finland, the weather is much milder and has found the people here very friendly so far.

“I think we made a very good decision on this,” Pawli says on moving Cloudpermit to Reston. “We’re very happy to be here.”

TransUnion to Buy Reston-based Company — TransUnion will acquire most of Neustar Inc., an information services and technology company based in Reston. The company has agreed to sell its marketing, fraud and communications businesses for $3.1 billion in cash. But the deal excludes the its cybersecurity business. [Washington Business Journal]

Local Apartment Community Has New Owner — J Harbor Park at North Point, a 190-unit apartment community in Reston, was acquired by Jefferson Apartment Group, a multifamily developer and operator.The development is expected to undergo renovations in the coming months. [Commercial Observer]

Local Vaccine Clinic Today at Wiehle-Reston East — The county’s health department is hosting a vaccine clinic at the Wiehle-Reston Metro Station for most of the day today. Can’t make it today? Another clinic is planned for Thursday. Walk-ins and appointments are available. [Reston Association]

Deer Management Program Underway — The county’s annual deer management archery program is underway through Feb. 19. It’s part of a longstanding effort to reduce the white-tailed deer population in the county. The county notes that only approved members of the its program can hunt in designated parks. [Fairfax County Government]

Fairfax County Kids Return to School — “We are back, ready to experience all the great things that come with learning together, five days a week in person. We can’t wait to see our students arrive at school…Show off that first-day excitement by posting photos to your favorite social media site and tagging them with #FirstDayFairfax and #FCPSReturningStrong.” [FCPS]

MWAA Proposes New Tech on Dulles Toll Road — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority wants to add digital signs and closed-circuit monitoring technology along the Dulles Toll Road. The airports authority is looking for a contractor to build the infrastructure and install an intelligent transportation system — which would include six dynamic message signs and 15 closed-circuit television installations — along the widely-used commuter route.” [Washington Business Journal]

W&OD Trail Near Wiehle Reopens After Utility Work — The Washington & Old Dominion Trail has reopened east of Wiehle Avenue in Reston after closing earlier this summer so Dominion Energy could relocate overhead electric transmission lines. The utility work was necessary to prepare the site for construction on a pedestrian bridge over Wiehle that’s expected to begin next summer. [The W&OD Trail/Twitter]

Virginia Leads in Rent Relief Funding After Past Stumbles — “From January through May, Virginia distributed more dollars than any other state from the first round of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, according to U.S. Treasury figures. By the end of June, Virginia ranked second only to Texas…As of late July, Virginia has spent more than $335 million in rental relief funds and assisted more than 51,000 households, according to state figures.” [Associated Press/WTOP]

Flash Flood Watch in Effect — The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area through 10 p.m. today (Wednesday). Multiple rounds of heavy showers and thunderstorms could drop up to one to two inches of rain per hour, leading to rapid rises in streams, creeks, and poor drainage areas. [NWS]

Transportation Mask Mandate Extended to Next Year — “The Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday that it will extend a federal mask mandate for airline, bus and train passengers into next year, requiring the face coverings until Jan. 18, 2022…While a CDC order imposing the transportation requirement has no end date, TSA enforcement rules had been set to expire Sept. 13.” [The Washington Post]

Fairfax County Sends Out Jury Questionnaires — Approximately 60,000 Fairfax County or City of Fairfax residents might soon receive a jury duty questionnaire in the mail. The survey is the start of a screening process to determine an individual’s eligibility, which could lead to a summons and a call to report for service. The Fairfax County Courthouse has started hosting more in-person proceedings but renewed its mask requirement earlier this month. [Fairfax County Government]

NOVA Partners with AT&T on IT Training — “AT&T has created an IT apprenticeship program with Northern Virginia Community College and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, the company announced Tuesday. The two-year program will offer students information technology training and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training in technical, soft skills, lab work and related skills…Those selected will work as part-time AT&T employees and train at NOVA’s Reston complex and AT&T’s Oakton facility.” [Virginia Business]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

The online metrics firm Similarweb is expanding into Reston.

The company, which has its global headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, announced yesterday (Monday) that it is opening an office at the coworking site Spaces that launched in Reston Station (1900 Reston Metro Plaza) in December 2018.

Similarweb is adding around 10 employees and expects to keep hiring more here.

“Our office in Reston, VA is now open,” the company said on Twitter. “A big welcome to our amazing team members who will collaborate there.”

Despite the announcement, the office is scheduled to open Sept. 1, the company said in a statement to Reston Now.

Similarweb provides marketing and research data to businesses looking to measure the effectiveness of their websites and other digital platforms.

With economic development leaders seeking to make sure companies have the talent they need in the area, Similarweb’s hiring between local candidates and those outside the area will serve as yet another example for whether an employee pipeline is meeting needs.

The Reston office is the company’s fourth in the U.S. and its first opening since going public earlier this year. Donna Dror, Similarweb’s general manager for North America, says the technology industry’s growing presence in Reston made it an attractive location for expansion.

“We see the Dulles Tech Corridor as a great opportunity to bring in new talent, especially for our Marketing and Sales teams,” Dror said in the statement. “We’re excited to join the many great companies already based in Reston and surrounding areas.”

Dror told Technical.ly that the company has 200 open positions that are remote, and half of those will be based in the U.S. She said the company is still reviewing its return-to-work strategy and would like to see at least 25 roles filled locally, but the openings aren’t tied to the Reston area specifically.

“We are actively hiring and planning to add a number of new employees before the end of the year and beyond,” she told Reston Now. “In the U.S. alone, we have nearly 100 open roles today, and we hope that many of those can be based in Reston.”

The new office will be home for the company’s chief marketing officer, Kevin Spurway, along with other employees in the sales and marketing departments.

Similarweb launched its initial public offering in May and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Its clients have included DHL, Lego, and Lending Tree.

Photo via Web Summit/Flickr

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority gave nearly $29,000 to 10 social media influencers over the past year to highlight its jobs portal and virtual career fairs.

The campaign primarily involved Instagram users posting about events with hashtags and links to drive traffic. Economic development officials said the effort was intended to develop its brand as well as the region’s job market and engage target audiences, specifically with millennials in mind.

“We felt like we needed to do some experimentation,” FCEDA President and CEO Victor Hoskins said.

The campaign drew 536 clicks to the authority’s Work in Northern Virginia jobs board and generated 276 views in online registration page traffic for technology and entry-level career fairs.

While Instagram advertising can average around $1.25 per click, the FCEDA said influencer marketing helps reach a highly targeted audience through sources that users trust. The campaign required the influencers to note that their social media posts were sponsored content.

The social media influencer contracts cost a total of $28,800 with individual agreements ranging from $800 to $7,000 and mainly required users to make Instagram posts and stories, according to agreements obtained by Reston Now. One agreement included an Instagram video, and some included blog post requirements.

The authority says third-party consultant New York City-based Development Counsellors International and each influencer negotiated rates.

“[What we’re] really ultimately trying to do is build awareness of northern Virginia as this location that has thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’s a great place to live,” said Alan Fogg, the authority’s vice president of communications.

Economic development officials say the campaign delivered $205,000 in earned media value, reached more than 332,000 Instagram users, and generated nearly 25,000 likes, comments, and shares.

The FCEDA is not unique in using social media personalities to reach potential audiences. Other governmental bodies have turned to social media influencers for tourism marketing as well as running COVID-19 messaging.

Fairfax County funds the economic development authority with around $9 million each year currently, and social media advertising is just one way economic development leaders are trying to market the region to help improve the jobs pipeline.

“The message we deliver to all the recruiters and chief human resources officers from all the companies here in Fairfax County is: You sell your organization, your company, and why [to] come work there, and we’re going to help complement you with selling the region,” Mike Batt, the director of the authority’s talent initiative program, said.

The FCEDA used Development Counsellors International to identify and vet the influencers, set goals for the number of posts, and ensure posting requirements were met, Fogg said in a statement. FCEDA staff selected the influencers presented to them.

Batt said Development Counsellors International received a competitively awarded contract from the EDA. The consultant also developed the jobs hub, which the authority recently lauded.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority spearheaded the jobs posting site, but it’s connected to nine other economic development groups and localities in Northern Virginia.

“Economic development is not the business it was five years ago,” Hoskins said. “It really takes a lot of innovation.”

Photo via Solen Feyissa/Unsplash

Some Fairfax County student athletes won’t be headed to courts or fields this winter, but instead, to computer labs, as the 10th largest school district in the country prepares to launch an esports program.

The Fairfax County Public Schools athletic director detailed the new initiative to Tysons Reporter, saying the new program will connect students in high schools through a popular, soccer-like game — in which players drive futuristic cars — called Rocket League.

“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for our students,” said Bill Curran, director of the FCPS Office of Student Activities and Athletics, noting how students will have another way to fit in. “I think we’re going to have 25 highly competitive schools in the esports realm.”

While concerns about students’ screen time have persisted, even as the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to adopt virtual learning, competitive online gaming has become increasingly popular, with both high schools and colleges getting in on the esports action.

The market research firm Newzoo reported in March that esports viewership increased from nearly 398 million people globally in 2019 to nearly 436 million in 2020 and could potentially reach 474 million this year.

The NCAA governing board voted in April 2019 against bringing esports under its purview, even as the association noted the rapid growth of esports on NCAA campuses.

“You’re going to see this ball roll faster and faster,” Curran said.

ESPN launched a new initiative to cover esports in 2016, though it shut the division down last year. In 2018, it became the first TV network to air a professional gaming contest in prime time for the cartoon-style multiplayer online battle game League of Legends.

YouTube and Twitch have also streamed content that’s worth billions of dollars and expected to grow annually, though that’s just a small slice of the video game industry.

The Virginia High School League, which governs sports, activities, and competitions in public schools throughout the Commonwealth, introduced esports as a pilot program in 2019 before approving it as an “emerging activity” for the 2020-2021 school year that could become sanctioned as an official VHSL activity.

Fairfax County Public Schools is currently looking for coaches to participate in its esports program, which has been in the works for more than two years and will operate under its Activities and Athletics office. Some teachers have already shown interest in helping, according to Curran.

Students will have to pay a $64 fee each season through a startup company PlayVS, which provides computer games and requires students to maintain eligibility through grades and attendance. FCPS is looking at ways to prevent the fee from becoming a barrier to participation.

With schools expected to open for in-person learning five days a week this fall, FCPS plans to have students participate in existing computer labs, rather than remotely. Like a traditional sports team, Curran says Fairfax County’s esports teams will likely have jerseys.

“Our kids, you know, they’re already playing the games,” Curran said. “They’re ready to go, and they’re eager for us to start this.”

Photo via Alex Haney/Unsplash

Man Faces Additional Charge in Herndon Sexual Battery Case — After receiving more reports from victims, the Herndon Police Department has filed an additional charge of aggravated sexual battery in a case involving a local massage therapist. Zachary Nelson Guzman Orellana of Leesburg was arrested on June 30 and is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond. [Herndon Police Department/Twitter]

Dulles Airport to Get UV Disinfecting Tech — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority wants to install ultraviolet disinfection technology at Reagan National and Dulles International airports to disinfect the air in high-traffic areas…The agency is currently searching for a contractor to design and build the project, scheduled to be mostly complete by Nov. 15.” [Washington Business Journal]

Upper Lakes Tennis Courts Closed Today — “The Upper Lakes tennis courts will be closed for cleaning tomorrow, Wednesday, July 7, and will reopen on Thursday, July 8.” [Reston Association/Twitter]

Route 7 Access to Reopen in Great Falls Next Week — As part of the ongoing Route 7 widening project, drivers on westbound Leesburg Pike will encounter a line shift to the north between Baron Cameron Avenue and Great Passage Boulevard in Great Falls. Riva Ridge Drive will also regain access to Route 7. The changes will take effect on or around next Tuesday (July 13). [VDOT]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Reston Association leadership agreed Thursday (June 24) to let its board continue to meet virtually and permit meetings to be recorded.

The virtual option allows RA to continue having entire meetings on Zoom or another video-conferencing platform, a setup that board members say has enabled more participation.

Previously, an emergency order from Gov. Ralph Northam provided more flexibility for virtual meetings amid COVID-19. While the governor is expected to let the order expire on June 30, he signed legislation in March giving property owners’ associations the ability to continue holding meetings electronically.

“This spring, 2021, the General Assembly made permanent the option of having all virtual meetings, whether or not it’s an emergency period,” association vice president John Mooney said, noting that the RA board still needed to make changes to its own policies to accommodate that.

The approved resolution also introduced language saying that RA will provide login information, such as a password, so members and other authorized persons can access meetings.

RA attorney Anthony Champ said the new law describes such language, which is why it was added, but board members cited concerns about Zoom bombers.

During the pandemic, though, RA has been providing meeting links and passwords through its website and encouraging people to attend the meetings. Director Sarah Selvaraj-D’Souza noted that they wouldn’t ask people to display identification at in-person meetings and act as a security bouncer.

“For all practical purposes, as we’ve been operating virtually, who has been authorized to attend?” Director Timothy Dowling said. “It’s basically been the public.”

Under the new rules, RA will be required to provide an alternative for people who don’t have the desire or capability to attend a meeting virtually.

The board also discussed whether meetings could be conducted in virtual and in-person hybrid formats — and also talked about possibly recording all committee meetings — but expressed concerns over technology, costs, and the legal implications.

Director Jennifer Jushchuk made a motion to allow the board conduct hybrid meetings with recordings without any budgetary cost increase.

But the motion failed 3-5, with Jushchuk, Selvaraj-D’Souza, and Director Bob Petrine voting in favor of it. Director Mike Collins was not present.

Mooney said he liked the idea but noted the concerns raised. He added that the proposal could be raised again later.

Reston Man Among Suspects in Maryland Murder — Reston resident William Rivera-Martinez, 20, is among five people who have been arrested and face charges in the April murder of a 15-year-old Nelson Ramos. As of Thursday morning (June 24), Rivera-Martinez was in Fairfax County custody and awaiting extradition to Prince George’s County. [The Washington Post]

Threat of Mass Evictions Looms with Moratorium Set to End — Fairfax County officials say there’s “plenty of emergency rental assistance” to help residents at risk of eviction, but with Virginia expected to let its eviction moratorium expire when the COVID-19 state of emergency ends on June 30, they worry it will take too long to get the money to landlords to stave off evictions. [Inside NoVA]

Herndon Startup Chosen for Amazon Program — The data analytics company HawkEye 360 has been chosen by Amazon Web Services for a four-week business accelerator focused on the space industry. The 10 companies selected for the program will get business advice and support in their efforts to collect data from satellites for cloud computing. [Axios]

Reston Trucking Software Company Acquired — “Trucker Tools LLC, a Reston outfit that offers a digital freight management platform, has been acquired by ASG, a California company backed by private equity firm Alpine Investors that specializes in purchasing and building software-as-a-service companies.” [Washington Business Journal]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

With federal money that gives low-income households a discount on internet service set to run out this year, Fairfax County leaders and staff are looking at ways to ensure people get access to broadband internet, which they’ve likened to a utility like electricity or water.

A staff report presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ information technology committee on Tuesday (June 15) found that there are significant disparities in internet access among homes in the county due to infrastructure and affordability.

While different county representatives — from the school system to the Department of Family Services — were collaborating prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they started looking more intently at equity issues during the pandemic, as technology needs hit a crescendo between students attending school from home and job seekers looking for work.

“Many of us saw at the outset how difficult it was for community members to work from home or for their children to be educated from home — whether or not they had the technology available, if they had strong enough internet connectivity, if they had space in their own homes to do this, or if they were trying to locate wireless within the community and do all of this from their own cars,” Fairfax County Public Library Director Jessica Hudson said.

Some zip codes are more affected by this lack of connectivity than others.

According to an analysis presented by the county, an estimated 4.2% of households in the county have no broadband internet access, but that number jumps up to 20.8% in the zip code 22044 and 18.8% in zip code 22041, both neighborhoods in the Seven Corners area of Falls Church.

The county estimates that 10.7% of households in north Reston (zip code 20190) are without broadband internet, along with 6.2% of Herndon residents (zip code 20170).

The gaps in connectivity are concentrated in areas with many people of color and lower-income households, Fairfax County Chief Equity Officer Karla Bruce said on Tuesday.

The Federal Communications Commission internet discount, known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit or EBB, helps lower-income households get a $50 discount each month for broadband service, among other benefits.

Officials are continuing to share information about the program, providing outreach in multiple languages and partnering with nonprofits and other community organizations.

You can still get the discount even if you have another benefit called Lifeline, which provides a $9.25 monthly discount indefinitely, Hudson said.

But the $3.2 billion fund set up to provide the EBB benefits nationwide is expected to run out this year, possibly around Thanksgiving, according to Hudson.

Among the county’s efforts to improve access, the library system offers Chromebooks that people can check out for two weeks at a time, along with extended exterior WiFi access outside buildings (except in parking garages) from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

In addition, Neighborhood and Community Services is conducting a countywide analysis of Wi-Fi access, and the Department of Housing and Community Development and Redevelopment and Housing Authority are conducting a site analysis to address connectivity barriers, according to the county presentation.

“All of these community agencies are trying their hardest to find ways to connect with residents and make sure that they have appropriate technology, digital literacy skills, and access points,” Hudson said.

County supervisors asked for more information to target areas in need as part of the county’s efforts to help overcome access issues.

Photo via Corinne Kutz/Unsplash