News and notes from Reston (tm).

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Photo Pfun: A Look at the Node-Filled Wonderland That Is JBG's Fairway Redevelopment

Screen shot 2010-01-07 at 12.10.01 PM.jpg

If you couldn't get enough of our hott air rights renderings, today's your lucky day! Here are schematics of the proposed redevelopment of the Fairway Apartments near Lake Anne, which includes a couple of significant changes since the project was first unveiled last spring. Instead of two 10-story buildings, the plans now call for one 20-story building -- let's call it a mauvescraper -- surrounded by a lot more green space. Look out, Heron House!

Screen shot 2010-01-07 at 12.15.01 PM.jpg
The tall building's on the bottom left, surrounded by two mid-rise buildings and a clump of townhomes. The upper right is the second half of the project, which has two more midrise buildings. The parking garages are thoughtfully placed inside the courtyards of the midrise buildings, which is great unless you have windows that look out that way. We're not entirely clear about this whole "node" thing, which sounds like something your ENT would warn you about, or what the two "scenic overlooks" might afford a view of, unless it's middle-aged businessmen playing hooky from work while zipping around on golf carts.

Apparently, the retail space initially proposed for the project is gone as well:
Initially, the builder had proposed a small amount of community-serving retail on the site, but that idea has been dropped due to concerns that new retail services there would compete with Lake Anne Village Center, half a mile away, where businesses are already struggling.
That's actually thoughtful, given recent events. It's also an argument why at least some level of redevelopment will be necessary to keep the parts of Reston we love viable.

Screen shot 2010-01-07 at 12.22.48 PM.jpg
We have no idea what these red lines mean. Maybe something about the nodes.

To their credit, JBG has responded to some of the concerns raised by its additional plans. Traffic is still an unknown -- the 940 units represent 594 additional households, once you account for units replaced from the existing Fairway apartments. Capacity at nearby Lake Anne Elementary is also a potential problem. The project goes before the DRB on Jan. 19, before returning to Reston's planning and zoning commission on March 1 and then the county's planning commission on March 18.

This whole process may well serve as a preview of the larger redevelopment projects that are certain to come with the awesome Silver Line. Hopefully other developers will make at least as much of an effort as JBG has to respond to concerns-- at least thus far.

Posted by Restonian at 12:31 PM

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85 comments:

  1. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 7, 2010 09:44 AM
    As a resident of nearby Archstone Charter Oak I must applaud what looks to be a welcome addition to our community. The parking garages will be tastefully hidden from external view. Retail will be non-existent, which means Lake Anne's businesses actually stand to benefit from the new residents coming to the neighborhood. It looks as if the developer was receptive to prior concerns residents had aired about the proposal and incorporated solutions or compromises. I'm sure my comments will be followed by a cacophony of NIMBYs whining about not wanting to see another high-rise in Reston, lest we become "Arlingtonized/Bethesdafied", but tough cookies. This new design actually INCREASES the amount of open space available for us all to enjoy, and I welcome my new neighbors in advance. My only concern would be the intersection of North Shore Drive & Temporary Road. At rush-hour this can become congested the way it is. When Temporary Road was caked in snow the Monday after the blizzard traffic backed up nearly onto Reston Parkway heading eastbound. May it be time for a 3-way stop sign or a traffic light to accommodate the additional traffic?
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  2. BiCO -- as a long time Lake Anne resident, I agree wholeheartedly with your comments and summary.

    I hope this will stimulate the long awaited Lake Anne Plaza Revitalization as well. I truly believe there is way to bring in the new while preserving the historic area we are so proud of.
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  3. Restonian -- this is fascinating -- where did you find this info...??? Or are you in need to protect your "deep throat" connection... ???

    :O)
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  4. The lines probably refer to cross section drawings, or "elevations." You're showing Cross section "A" above, I'm guessing, because it cuts across only the tower.
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  5. I was thinking about renting at Fairway in the next couple of months. I guess I'm not going to do that now.
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  6. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 7, 2010 11:15 AM
    Anonymous @ 2:05 PM: Rent instead at Parc Reston, The Sycamores, or Archstone Charter Oak. These three complexes all start at around $1,100/month for a 1-BR unit, and all are a reasonable walk to either Reston Town Center or Lake Anne. The Sycamores is right next to the W&OD Trail. Parc Reston has a tunnel beneath Reston Parkway to access the Spectrum Center. Archstone Charter Oak backs up to a country club. For as much as people think I'm "anti-Reston" I actually feel as if I chose the most convenient neighborhood that Reston has to offer and am surprised most people inquiring about Reston always want to move to South Reston.

    With the pending demise of Fairway Apartments I'll surely miss the nice Hispanic man who used to stand at the busy intersection of Temporary & North Shore spinning their sign around. I used to greet him on my runs, and he recognized me enough to wave to me as I drove by. This project looks to be an improvement to the community though. Before the "Devil's advocates" chime in to say "What if that was YOUR complex sitting in the way?" I'd say "No problem." I'd gladly displace myself in order to make room for a better project to benefit the community at-large. Our community is aging and in need of renovations anyways.
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  7. Bico, I don't think many people would complain about replacing an apartment building with another apartment building, and I think it's great tht they are planning so much green space. I think most Reston residents recognize that Lake Anne needs some kind of help.

    I am concerned, though, that no one has dealt with what this will mean for Lake Anne elementary, which does not have *anywhere near( enough space for this many additional students. Are they planning to build another school in the area? This is something that needs to be addressed.

    I would also be interested in seeing a traffic study, since presumably most of these new residents are going to have cars.
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  8. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 7, 2010 12:29 PM
    I may be a little confused, but in regards to the potential overcrowding at Lake Anne Elementary is a NEW school going to be built? Judging by the site plan I see the word "SCHOOL" right down to the lower-right of the project, directly across the golf course from my own apartment in Charter Oak. That's not where Lake Anne Elementary currently is. I know there's a building there now (staring at it out back patio door), but I never knew what it housed. Is this an existing parochial or private school of some sort, or is this going to be rejuvenated as some sort of "overflow" school for Lake Anne ES?

    North Shore Drive isn't too busy the way it is now, but as I said improvements will be necessary at the Temporary Road intersection. If it takes longer for vehicles to turn left from Temporary onto North Shore Drive at rush-hour due to the increased traffic in the neighborhood, then traffic on Temporary Road will back up THROUGH the Reston Parkway intersection, backing up traffic on Reston Parkway too in the process as people "block the box." It sounds like it will also be even more difficult to turn left out of Parc Reston's front entrance or to turn left out of Old Reston Avenue near Kindercare. What improvements are planned for Temporary Road, one of the busiest side streets in Reston?
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  9. Bring it on...
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  10. The only improvement mentioned is a light at Temporary Road, although I sort of understood that it would be paid for by whoever is redoing Parc Reston. Also a light at Fairway and Wiehle might also be necessary. None of that will solve the problem of the back up at Lake Anne ES when parents block one lane of the two lane road dropping off their kids.

    Of course, JBG doesn't have to build 940 units. Instead of 800 sq ft apartments they could build a smaller number of 1,200 or 1,500 sq ft units. And put the parking underground those apartment complexes so those people can have some light in their apartments. And fresh air.
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  11. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 7, 2010 02:30 PM
    I'm a single person and feel as if my current apartment, which is just over 900 square feet, is a tad too spacious for me. An 800-square-foot unit sounds ideal to me, and I just may consider leasing/purchasing one of these units when they hit the market. I wouldn't want a 1,200-1,500 square foot apartment unit as a single person (cleaning? furnishing? heating/cooling? pricing?) nor would most I know. Fewer units at a larger square footage might still result in a similar number of residents and vehicles, as most middle-class people wouldn't even be able to afford a 1,500-square-foot 2-BR/3-BR condo in Reston without roommates or a spouse. I earn a decent income myself and can barely afford my current apartment due to Reston's exorbitant rental market.

    940 1-BR units @ $1,100/month = 940+ Residents, with most units housing 1 person.
    600 2-BR/den units @ $1,400/month = 940+ Residents, guaranteed, as probably over half of these units will be rented by couples or roomies anyways.

    An abundance of 1-BR units will also discourage people with young children from moving in, which will ease the burden placed upon Lake Anne Elementary. 1-BR units will entice more elderly people to move in, and elderly people seem to be the demographic that really loves Lake Anne the most and can help it to thrive (since most of we young'ins find it to be dated). Yes, 940 1-BR units would mean 940 cars on the road, but very few, if any, couples in my current complex share a car anyways, as evidenced by our parking crunch and the overflow cars always parked along North Shore Drive.
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  12. The Convict in the GulagJan 7, 2010 03:00 PM
    Besides, if FCPS does away with the Spanish immersion program at LAES, then a lot of the private drop off/pick up traffic will just disappear. A significant number of kids at the school are out-of-boundary and must provide their own transportation to/from school. Most likely, they will return to their base schools when they no longer have a reason to attend LAES.
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  13. It looks like it has less green space than the current configuration. The green space they propose is shuttered in within the buildings. It provides no continuity to the wooded areas that are in adjacent parcels so as to create a green corridor for wildlife.
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  14. It looks like an abomination.
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  15. So much for reducing traffic impacts also.

    BTW, why did the taxpayers foot 1 million dollars for Island Walk in the federal stimulus? Note also that it resulted in no jobs created.

    http://www.recovery.gov/Transparency/RecipientReportedData/Pages/RecipientProjectSummary.aspx?AwardIDSUR=39597&PopId=26874
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  16. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 7, 2010 05:28 PM
    Abomination? Why, pray tell?
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  17. Because it is a 20 story apartment building with ugly squat parking structures which hulk over the tree-line. Clubhouse cluster and Sunderbriar will be loomed over by another uninspired apartment building.

    It is funny that you think these will be affordable. They are going to eliminate around 400 affordable apartments and replace them with 900+ expensive apartments. Do you think the rent on those (that is if they don't go condo) will be anywhere near what Fairway is now or Charter Oak is?

    Besides the units at Fairway are nice as is.
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  18. That is a day care center next to Fairway Apts.

    The current vacancy rate is quite high (8%). If they build it now, they will surely need spinners. Maybe they can hire the two that spin over in Herndon for the new apartments.
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  19. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 8, 2010 04:41 AM
    I suppose I just want to keep an open mind. I agree that there is nothing inherently "wrong" with the existing Fairway Apartments, but if a developer not only wants to improve upon the property but also has shown openness and willingness to adapt its plans in accordance with feedback from neighboring residents, then I think we truly can't ask for much more. I think it will be cool to have a few more 20-story high-rises throughout Reston, jutting up from our dense tree canopy. Granted my opinion isn't the be all or end all, but if your opposition to the project is mostly due to aesthetics, then you and other neighbors really don't have much of a leg to stand on. Concerns over traffic and school overcrowding ARE valid, but "it looks tacky" isn't. We don't even have a rendering yet of the facade, do we? That top image looks like a crudely-drawn side elevation of the structure. For all we know the facade could be very visually appealing.

    My only personal concern, as I said, is Temporary Road. Making it longer for cars to turn left from Temporary onto North Shore at rush-hour due to an increase of traffic on North Shore could very well back up traffic all the way up Temporary onto Reston Parkway, which would then snarl traffic there, too, as vehicles inadvertently block the box, and it would make it much more difficult for people trying to turn left from Old Reston Avenue or the main entrance of Parc Reston onto Temporary.

    I'm sure the new units might be slightly more expensive than what you'd find in Charter Oak or Parc Reston, but I doubt it would be much more. If I can have my current 960-square-foot apartment on a golf course for $1,135/month, then how could they justify charging $1,400/month for an 800-square foot unit fronting a parking garage? Reston isn't Arlington. Contrary to popular belief from the Baby Boomers who probably dominate this blog we don't have the same desirability of areas inside the Beltway for young professionals like myself, and that's unlikely to change until Metro gets here. You can't charge Arlington prices in Reston and expect to make a killing on a project. Would you charge Manhattan prices in emerging exurbs like Scranton or Danbury? No. If I could pay $1,400/month for an 800-square-foot 1-BR in Reston or the same price for a comparable unit in Arlington, which one do you think I and most others would pick? It's a no-brainer. I couldn't afford more than what I'm paying now, hence why I sort of got "stuck" out in Reston.
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  20. Hickory Cluster Knuckle DusterJan 8, 2010 06:00 AM
    BiCO,

    I'll be hoping for your next raise and bonus! ;-)'

    Seriously, the community actually does have a say when it comes to aesthetics. The is Reston afterall, not Fairfax.

    Have you checked the prices across the parkway? Condo 1 br in RTC are going for $300K+.

    This new development will hardly be less.
    What is the motivation of the developers? Profit.
    If they aren't going to be charging more money then they are crazy.

    I leve near to Sunderbriar and Clubhouse cluster. I can only imagine what those homeowners must be thinking with their housed overlooked by 20 story building.

    I have yet to see a highrise built in Reston that looks good. Most are incredibly ugly. But one can hope that a real architect will design the building and it will look decent. Though I cannot imagine how the midrise parking structure/apartment buildings are going to look like anything other than garbage.

    Before the place gets built I'll wager that you will wise up and move to a community that is more suited for a 20-something single, like say.... Arlington.
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  21. Speaking of ugly apartment buildings, the ugliest of all has got to be the monstrosity on the corner of Sunset Hills and Reston Parkway. Eek.
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  22. It's not a good fit for the neighborhood, right across the school and displacing many who have kids that walk to the school. A lot of the 1br occupants will be out and about on the road, not wanting to be cooped up in a small efficiency. The Spectrum would be a great fit for this kind of singles apartment with Harris Teeter and other services on and near the premises.
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  23. If you have strong opinions about this development, come to the full DRB board panel on January 19th at RA at 7 pm and speak your mind.

    Or write your county supervisor, Cathy Hudgins.

    The Fairway Apts development is covered under the deed of Reston and we have something to say about it since we all own our community through that deed.
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  24. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 8, 2010 07:24 AM
    Knuckle Duster, I know this may come as a shock to your system, but after mulling some things over in my mind I just might be seeking to settle long-term in Reston after all. No, it may not be as dense, non-auto-centric, or "fun" as I'd prefer for someone my age, but all in all there are much worse places to live, and once Metro DOES get here we'll only be one step below Arlington. I just began blogging on another community site myself, and the more I reflect upon my first 8 months in Reston, the more I'm realizing I've had more positive experiences than negative ones. Relocating would cause me to lose easy access to a good grocery store, great library, wonderful church, and many new friends. With that being said though my opinion on this project remains unchanged. My apartment will have a direct view of this building directly across the golf course, and I walk/run by the site often in fair weather en route to Lake Anne, so while I'm not as major of a stakeholder as someone in the Country Club Cluster, I, too, WILL still be impacted by this. I just may go to that DRB meeting on 1/19 and express support for the project, barring any booing and hissing coming at me from the audience, whom I assume will be largely "anti". The developer has shown a willingness to cooperate with neighbors instead of steamrolling over them. Why not give them a chance to prove themselves?
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  25. MUCH, much better than that wasteland and cesspool known as "Lake Anne."

    Can they take the demo debris and fill in that open sewer?
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  26. Said:

    I leve near to Sunderbriar and Clubhouse cluster. I can only imagine what those homeowners must be thinking with their housed overlooked by 20 story building.

    You can thank the blond bimbo, smyers, who "runs" RA for that -- she lives right there too and will be suffering the consequences of her self-serving abominable history of "governance" in this place.
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  27. How many more section 8 units are matthews and hudgins going to cram down our throats with this new place?
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  28. Bico,

    I don't think you will find much booing. This plan is a significant improvement over the original plan which covered up almost every square inch of land with buildings.

    All this project needs is a reduction in density.

    Traffic is the major issue. It cannot be ignored.
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  29. I would move the green space next to the stream that runs between Fairway and Clubhouse Cluster. I thought the setbacks for these creeks had to be 100 feet now, or are they grandfathered because its an existing development?
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  30. Anon 11:59

    I hear there is an all you can eat special at Macaroni Grill. you should go there and eat until you get sick, then eat some more.
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  31. Hey Anon 11:59 AM ...

    Good to see you put a lot of thought into your message...
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  32. I'm in general agreement with this new plan at Fairway... and note, the elevation portrayed above is just a dimensional drawing -- not architectural... It is not intended to portray the actual design elements...
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  33. Man.. someone has a hair up their butt over Lake Anne... must have been scolded by Bob Simon about riding one's skateboard on the plaza...
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  34. Fairway will be our Winterthur.
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  35. What?!

    The new construction or the current development?
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  36. Anon 1:08

    Does the stream you refer to have water in it all the time or only occasionally?

    That might be worth looking into. I wonder if the requirement for a 100 foot buffer is a federal regulation.
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  37. Fake Anne is nothing more than a dammed-up stream surrounded by concrete. Good riddance.
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  38. I think the stream runs through the country club and eventually feeds into Colvin Run. It doesn't always have water running but it may be used for stormwater management. The 100 ft buffer pertains to the protection of watersheds in Fairfax County per the Chesapeake Bay Ordinance and designated watershed protection areas. You can view watersheds on the Fairfax County GIS system. Lake Anne is located on the map grid 17-2.
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  39. I heard that the condo fees at Heron House are 800. Ouch. Most of those units must be rentals, but even then, I think it would be hard to charge enough rent for those units to be profitable.
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  40. Since Fairway is considered de facto affordable housing, the set aside for section 8 housing may be much higher than the 12 percent target.
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  41. They should go ahead a put retail spots back into the plan since almost all of the businesses at Lake Anne they were trying to protect are leaving the plaza anyway. Without Body by Geoff and the Drugstore, there won't be any foot traffic through that place. I guess an empty shopping center with buildings that are falling apart is much better than anything that may change the center from the 40 year old design that was never that attractive to begin with. Good job Simon
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  42. Hickory Cluster Knuckle DusterJan 10, 2010 09:07 AM
    Because 40 years ago everyone knew that strip malls would come along in 20 years and ruin main streets? And then 10 years after that Big box stores would ruin strip malls and that 10 years after that the internet would ruin big box stores...

    Wow I guess since Simon was a precog. He really screwed up by designing a community based oured village centers where people could walk to thier shops...

    Only in the past 15 years did LAke Anne Shopping center start its sad decline. What else happened 15 years ago? Oh year the fucking RTC. I'd say the blame for the failing smaller centers rests squarely on the developers and RA when they allowed RTC to be built, and then the additional tmereity to have RTC not be a part of Reston and not pay RA assessments, and have them drive local businesses out of business.

    RTC can go to Macaroini Grill and stuff their face , and so can you anon 8:38
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  43. BTW an edit function would be nice to correct spelling errors: around, temerity, their...
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  44. HCKD- I've been in Reston since '83, and Lake Anne has (unfortunately) been in decline longer than 15 years. There was something of a mini-revival there around 10 or 15 years ago, but alas, it didn't hold up.

    The main problem seems to be getting businesses into those spaces that people actually want to use. There is a cute coffee shop there that I would love to go to, but it is hardly ever open! I used to have lunch at the pharmacy lunchcounter about once a week, but suddenly it closed down (this was about 2 years ago) and didn't reopen for like 6 months, and by that time I'm sure a lot of people had forgotten about it. There have been tons of other restaurants there, but frankly, none has been exactly great. Even the little Latino market there is not very good. I am always looking for excuses to go there for lunch or errands (I like to take the kids for a walk around the lake afterwards), but once the post office is closed there really won't be much left I can do there.
    I used to live on Lake Anne and hope to do so again someday, but it is in sad need of help, and I don't think you can blame RTC for its problems. Lots of people would love to eat lunch at the Lake, or go shopping there. It would also be nice if you could rent paddleboats or kayaks there during the week in the summer.


    What can be done about this? I have no idea. I think the real question is *why* businesses don't want to open there- are the fees to the association there too high? Are the buildings falling apart as much as is rumored? One would think there would be enough foot traffic generated by the weekend farmer's markets and various festivals to help a new place get established, but whenever I'm there on a Saturday morning most of the businesses are closed. I don't know what the answer is.
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  45. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 10, 2010 10:23 AM
    While I like Lake Anne, can we please remove that stupid "historic district" sign from along Baron Cameron Avenue? A 1960s-era multi-story strip mall is NOT "historic." Fredericksburg is historic. Winchester is historic. Old Town Alexandria is historic. Georgetown is historic. Reston is NOT historic. It's very misleading. Are the clusters of South Reston also going to be called "historic" because they were built in the 1970s? Can my own Charter Oak be "historic?" It doesn't make much sense to me. I came from a Pennsylvania city where 100-year-old buildings were the norm---not the exception---and yet we didn't call a lot of things "historic."
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  46. It is historic because Reston was the first planned community.

    It has been designated an historic place, and therefore enjoys protections against things like tearing it down to build a giant parking lot a-la Hunter's woods.
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  47. BiCO, we've discussed this before. Not sure why that sign is so offensive to you, but it basically protects Lake Anne from becoming another RTC. The question is, does it also prevent it from crumbling to the ground? I don't think so, since there are plenty of restored historic districts around the area and country. I grew up in NYC where there are plenty of 100+ year-old buildings still standing, and I went to School in Boston where there are plenty of 200, and even some 300-year-old buildings still standing. If you've ever been to Europe, though, you see that these are all laughably recent compared to a lot of what's still around there. Thing is, everything is relative. "Historic" just means of historical significance. It has nothing to do with age. Obama's election as the first African American president in the US's history is historic even though it just happened last year. Reston was the first planned community, and Lake Anne was the central hub of that original blue print, thus it is historic. It doesn't matter what it's condition is now on its own or in relation to its surrounding, it carries historical significance.
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  48. Just because a politician or community leader puts up a sign saying Fake Anne is historic doesn't make it so. It is less than 50 y.o. and Simon is a megalomaniac. --hugs and kisses -Fred Mertz
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  49. Fred,
    I hear that Macaroni Grill has an all you can stuff your face special for trolls like you.

    Enjoy!
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  50. HCKD,
    The Macaroni Grill seems to be all you think about, too bad there's not one at Lake Anne you could walk to. Oh, that's right there's NOTHING at Lake Anne.
    ReplyDelete
  51. It's okay, HCKD, some of us have perspective. Don't let them get your goat, or they'll just grill it and eat it with macaroni.
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  52. BICO correctly notes that there is nothing historic in Lake Anne. Lake Anne is finito. Condemn it, eminent domain it, and re-cycle the concrete. The concrete can be used for the Silver Line and the Wiehle Ave Station. Lake Anne can be a stream again...and Simon can go back to NYC and sell popcorn at Carnegie Hall. FYI I used some of the cleared Snakeden stream trees for my landscaping business and sold the mulch back to the county! It is January 2010 so out with the old and in with the new - I mean to say recycled.
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  53. Please let me know where I can procure white landscaping stones and red rubber mulch for our cluster? Do you sell by the cubic yard David? Tks - Hickory Cluster Pole Smoker!
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  54. Troll the pole smokerJan 10, 2010 05:28 PM
    Troll,

    You win! What with awesome posts like the above. You must be right! I give up, Lake Anne is over. I'll just line up with your fat stupid family several times a week and stuff my face at the macaroni grill, that is if there is anything left after you and your fat family shove your fat faces with mountains of macaroni.

    mmmm macaroni grill!
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  55. Hey I live in the Mantua neighborhood, and I'd give my left nut (not a hickory nut) or my cheap dentures for a decrepit fake lake, a used bookstore, or a Mercado where illegals can send their un-taxed earnings back to the home country. Wait a minute -- I am very busy and am on an extended trip to the Maldives and will be back in March to spend more of your taxes! Thanks and what is the proper pronunciation of Wielhe? -the 11th district absentee rep.
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  56. Once the Virginia Lottery pulled out of that little mini mart next to the church, it was all she wrote for Lake Anne. On Fridays, they used to get crowds of little Latino men cashing their checks, wiring their money home, and littering the sidewalk with their scrach cards. Ah, the good ole days.
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  57. BiCO

    We waited a long time for that "stupid" historic district sign. Lake Anne was made a historic district by a vote of the Fx Co Board of Supervisors many years ago.

    You see Lake Anne with very cold analytical eyes. Lake Anne is the heart of Reston. It's the first place we take visitors to see our town.

    Lake Anne is not a strip mall. It's an early example of mixed-use. You could mosey over to the Museum and read up on its history.

    It's a jewel.
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  58. In a way, everyone makes a good point regarding Lake Anne... although I believe knee-jerk reactions like "tear it all down" have little value.

    Having lived here when RTC was just open land owned by Gulf Oil, I can tell you Lake Anne was THE CENTER of Reston (sorry Southsiders). Lake Anne Plaza was filmed, documented, shown to the world as a new way to perform land development.

    The answer to the decline at Lake Anne Plaza is simple: more density at the Plaza. All the studies, over the years, come to the same conclusion.

    At the same time, Lake Anne Plaza deserves it's historic protection -- while having new eyes and ears attempt to transform it. The FFX County Redevelopment Plan for Lake Anne Plaza, that recently passed, goes a long way to bring in the new, while protecting the old.

    As a long time resident on Lake Anne -- I take it personally when someone diminsihes my home. I'd rather harness that energy in the direction of making the FFX CTY Redevelopment Plan a reality....
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  59. Lake Anne is the very heart of Reston???? It's more like the appendix. It may have served a useful purpose a long time ago, but now it's just another worthless organ that get's infected and needs to be cut out and pickled for posterity.
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  60. Lake Anne, Lake Anne Plaza specifically, was the Heart of Reston. I remember visting it when it opened in the mid '60's... schools sent feild trips from all over the DC area (and other states as well). Politicians wowed about it, news media (TV and Print) produced cover stories.

    That heritage should be protected ... and adding the necessary density around it will allow the developer bring the core back to life...

    Yes, the new heart of Reston is now RTC... nothing wrong with that (although I wish we could get assessments from it)... I just believe Lake Anne Plaza can be brought back to life as a the Village Center it once was...
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  61. RTC does not pay RA...???
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  62. Apparently, Macaroni Grill should have a warning label on its food that states something to the effect that eating it may cause reading problems. For those who have already eaten there, and may therefore have become readingly challenged, the text should be accompanied by pictures.
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  63. Some great links to Lake Anne of the past...

    http://www.aladin.wrlc.org/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=d-01000-00---off-0pcar--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-home---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-0-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=pcar&cl=CL2.2.24&d=HASH0176a0803a1281befdc62ef6

    http://www.aladin.wrlc.org/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=q-01000-00---off-0pcar--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10-KEY%2cTI%2cSU%2cPE--4--magazine%2c%2c%2c-----0-1l--11-en-50---20-home-%5bmagazine%5d%3aKEY+--01-3-1-00-0-0-11-0-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=pcar&srp=0&srn=0&cl=search&d=HASH38298afba4592bfa8968e3
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  64. Anon 3:03

    The answer is no. RTC pays RA and therefore the community nothing. (Not sure what tax braks the county gave them.) The vast majority of the businesses are corporate owned, so the money spent there leaves the community and goes to corporate HQ coffers.
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  65. To HCKD...

    Figures...
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  66. Look at the plan and see all the undeveloped land -- Lake Anne Village was the heart at one time...

    http://www.aladin.wrlc.org/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=d-01000-00---off-0pcar--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-home---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-0-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=pcar&cl=CL2.4.28&d=HASHcdad899f43d112253627a2
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  67. One wonders how Reston Town Center was separated from Reston Association. It was originally part of the deed of Reston. Anybody know? They should be part of RA and paying dues to RA.
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  68. Grind up the Lake Anne concrete and build a great Silver Line station on Wiehle Ave. Historic Reston includes the hunt club, an old "Wiehle" building, what's left of the Virginia Gentleman distillery on Sunset Hills, and Bob Simon himself if he is around in 2014. 100 years old = historic. Nothing less. Lake Anne ain't historic nor are any of the buildings deserving of any such designation. Bob Simon can go back to NYC...he has only lived in Fairfax County since 1993. Out with the old and in with the new. -I mean to say recycled. -Dave
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  69. Macaroni GrillJan 11, 2010 06:02 PM
    Troll,

    You are too funny. After you are done tearing up Lake Anne, what better place to celebrate than Macaroni Grill where you can stuff you stupid fat face full of neverending bowls of pasta.

    Then you can retire to your particleboard shithole and wallow in your own sick while dreaming of landing a cougar at Jackson's.

    RTC is the place to be for trolls.
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  71. Hey I forgot to promo Macaroni Grill! Please enjoy the link!
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  72. David,

    With all due respect, there are reasons why things are preserved. Here are the links to FFX County efforts... BTW, your business looks impressive...

    http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/DPZ/HISTORIC/

    the Overlay Districts (incl. Lake Anne:

    http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/historic/overlaydistricts.htm
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  73. David,

    This is the way to bring in the new while preserving the old...

    http://home.comcast.net/~rcrc_board/images/lavc_sketches.htm
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  74. Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)Jan 12, 2010 10:21 AM
    Wow! I'm out-of-town currently on business and can't believe how rapidly this thread has grown in popularity; methinks Mr. Restonian ought to bring us MORE blog updates regarding long-range urban planning in our Mauve Wonderland since such topics seem to conjure up so much controversy.

    I'll stand by my commentary about Lake Anne. It DOES deserve to be protected and to thrive valiantly once again. It IS a critical part of Reston. However, even if we take the other "historic" connotation beyond age---something of monumental importance---I still don't quite understand how Lake Anne's arrival was a "historic" moment for anyone. Right now I do like to saunter around the place from time to time and think it has wondrous potential to be revitalized, but to imply that Lake Anne is Reston's most important or prized asset just seems sort of "off" to me. Like it or not the soulless corporate environment known as Reston Town Center is NOW the "epicenter" of Reston life and is what most out-of-towners (even from the Land of Dragons we know as Loudoun County) think of when they think of Reston. Without an increase in density or retail amenities Lake Anne will continue to fail as it has been for so many years. I don't see what's so harmful about renovating the place, adding a few floors of additional condos atop Washington Plaza, etc. Methinks if some of you dislike the notion of anything taller than 3 stories then you don't really belong in the largest suburb of DC outside the Beltway---Ashburn, with its hideous tract homes, may be more of your cup of tea.
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  75. BiCO,

    I believe most agree with you... I live on Lake Anne, and welcome its revitalization. I agree, it needs more density, and what I've seen in the Comprehensive Plan makes total sense -- new development around the preserved core -- everyone wins.

    No need to level everything and start over...
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  76. Yes, RTC is the center of the universe... it's ashame they are not RA members... the potential revenue windfall for RA would be nice...
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  77. wow... what a thread...
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  78. RTC is its own Association separate from RA...

    http://restontc.org/
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  79. Lake Anne was only the core of Reston at one time because there was nothing else. And it was only for a brief time. Once the Tysons Corner Mall was built, that became the destination for shopping and for teens to hang out for much of the 70's.

    The Lake Anne district completely lacks the depth of a lot of other historic districts, such as Old Town Alexandria.
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  80. Well, like it or not, the Comprehensive Plan preserves the core Plaza ... it would be a part of any future development effort (yes, developer will likely clean it up, as it will be a part of the developer's effort).
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  81. Clean it up as in painting over the facade. It's all very superficial.
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  82. I would think it would be more than a coat of paint... the Comprehensive Plan points out the Developer(s) will take respsonibility for maintaining and managing the existing Plaza infrastructure... yes quite a mess with all the present associations involved. But, if a Developer is building a lot of new while taking care of the old -- I suspect more than paint...
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  83. Enough already! I'm off to the Macaroni Grill and Jackson's for some body shots w/BICO and HCKD. When I get back to the server farm, I want you liberal nanny-state busy-bodies to have a comprehensive plan to green-up Snakeden with quick-growing Kudzu vine, implement sidewalks for Soapstone Drive ivo the 7-11, mitigate the concrete issues at Heron House, install a "Gunshot Locator System" at Hunter Woods Shopping Center, and remediate Charter Oak with 20-storey high rise buildings. Pronto! Ricky-tick! BTW, I have enough natural landscaping material to mulch Reston from Rt. 7 to Fox Mill Rd. --- of course it is all DRB-approved! The End.
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  84. Hey for help with your gunshot locating requirements, please see the link! Thanks - Erin Lopez. (no relation to comedian George Lopez)
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  85. wow ... 84 comments... perhaps we've hashed this one out ... take a break, on to the next one, as they say...
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