tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post3576947280077381584..comments2024-02-29T14:00:40.184-05:00Comments on Restonian: News blog from Reston, Virginia, the mauve-colored New Town (tm): Wiehle Metro Development: Standing Room Only Crowd Listens to P&Z Consider ARBs, TIAs, and DRBsRestonianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15519884797760354007noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-78006407722739000682010-03-08T02:21:43.098-05:002010-03-08T02:21:43.098-05:00'Think about the nice baby shop that closed to...'Think about the nice baby shop that closed to make room for a freakin' Chipotle. Or the cigar shop whose owner I can't stand. If we support local business, they have a much better shot at making a run at it.'<br /><br />So basically you are encouraging the masses to have more sex and (obviously) smoke a stogie afterward.... ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-54441128380633654912010-03-08T02:18:38.090-05:002010-03-08T02:18:38.090-05:00Living within the sacred .5 mile radius of the pro...Living within the sacred .5 mile radius of the proposed Wiehle station, I just want to know...are all these tower dwellers going to show up at MY pool????? I mean, lines at Safeway are one thing, but battling for prime spots on a sunny day is already like a water buffalo migration on the Savannah, never mind throwing another herd of antelope in.... put some pools on those roofs!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-28076237641970151892010-03-04T10:37:29.879-05:002010-03-04T10:37:29.879-05:00Anonymous 9:55am - why would only large chains be ...Anonymous 9:55am - why would only large chains be able to afford the rent? I think it's actually more likely that the public wouldn't trust a new place that doesn't have the backing and support of a national chain. It's the biggest issue I have with Reston aside from lack of lighting. I would much prefer a local owned set of shops. At least Jackson's is a local chain (I think Great American Res. are anyway.) Think about the nice baby shop that closed to make room for a freakin' Chipotle. Or the cigar shop whose owner I can't stand. At least they are trying to or tried to maintain local businesses. If we support local business, they have a much better shot at making a run at it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-89415882925229521742010-03-04T09:55:35.939-05:002010-03-04T09:55:35.939-05:00BiCO--Advertize for a roommate and go live in Arli...BiCO--Advertize for a roommate and go live in Arlington. Maybe two roommates so you'll have more money to spend going out to the nice little restaurants there. We are a little short on nice little reataurants here in Reston. And it is very unlikely anything but national chain restaurants will be able to afford rents in the new high-rises. Even with 50,000 extra people and 25 million sq ft of additional development Reston is not going to be turned into Arlington.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-30294813018011830172010-03-04T08:31:03.903-05:002010-03-04T08:31:03.903-05:00As far as why I am here is concerned there are dua...As far as why I am here is concerned there are dual reasons. First, while I currently work in the Tysons Corner "neighborhood" (if you can call it that) of McLean, when I originally moved here I was working in Herndon. I was warned by everyone to try to live as close to work as possible because the traffic in Northern Virginia was so awful (and it is), so I thought Reston was the closest thing to "urban" and "cosmopolitan" as I could find with a relatively painless commute to Herndon. Unfortunately while the commute was short I was stupid to think "tall buildings = city", and when I was transferred weeks after moving here to work in Tysons Corner I found myself going to a bloated office park for work and coming home to a community with a strong identity crisis. This is why I've become so depressed. Now that my rent is rising to nearly $1,400/month for a 1-BR in Reston I just don't see what is keeping me here. I've found a 1-BR cottage in McLean for $1,200/month that I'm seriously considering renting that is near bus lines, not far from the West Falls Church Metro, and not far from my office while still offering some nearby conveniences and a smattering of vegetation. For fresh college graduates who work in one of the numerous employers in Herndon/Reston, where are we supposed to live that's "urban", has a reasonable commute, AND isn't cost-prohibitive? I'm one of many in my age group very unhappy living in Reston because it has attracted the employment concentration of a city while its residents are staunchly suburban. It's a terrible mix. What good is a good job if you hate where you live?Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-7635130424582569812010-03-04T07:16:27.844-05:002010-03-04T07:16:27.844-05:00"Why would anyone who craves high-density liv..."Why would anyone who craves high-density living move out here?"<br /><br />There are a lot of reasons why someone who favors new urbanist communities, with mixed-use zoning and higher densities near transit would move to a place like Bethesda or Reston, rather than living in a city. As noted by dvdmon, proximity to the high concentration of jobs is one reason. Another is to be close to Dulles airport. If you work as a consultant and have to travel several times per month, a condo right off the Silver Line, close to Dulles would be very attractive. Another reason is good schools. I would think there are some people who have school-age children but do not want to live on a McMansion on a 1/2 acre of property or do not want to live an auto-dependent lifestyle at the end of a cul-de-sac. Yet another reason why someone would choose to live here, is environmental responsibility. There are probably many people who like the amenities and quality of life of Reston who want to save $5K - $10K per year by using transit and do not want to contribute to sprawl.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-2238116938719320032010-03-04T02:59:28.021-05:002010-03-04T02:59:28.021-05:00There is never going to be a hotel at the Wiehle C...There is never going to be a hotel at the Wiehle Comstock site. The presenter alluded to that when they changed the designation of that building from hotel to residential or hotel. Then, he said, there is only a 7 year option requiring it to be a hotel and it's exempt if someone else builds one next door. <br /><br />We want light in the plaza - Down from the HOLY Sun. But we don't want light shining up from the parking lots after it leaves the light fixture - Down from Hell? Really, the best suggestion was planting on the sides of buildings. <br /><br />Let's also remember that Comstock said they don't foresee the sight being done for 20 years. <br /><br />Oh, and it's 5723 parking spaces for cars and 150 for bikes and bike lockers. (Well blow me down!) I think I'm going to look for a body shop in Reston to buy out. The design of the multiple garages (Multi-rage?) is going to create more fender benders than rush hour on ice. Did they use that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNeWDw4XtiU>BMW Z4 with paint on the tires</a> to plan those routes?<br /><br />Count on the back up of rush hour traffic coming down Wiehle from the Great North to go well past North Shore instead of just to the bottom of the hill below it. Oh, and we've still got the rest of the ground around the metro to be built up by other developers. Sheer genius. <br /><br />Hoverpack technology, I'm telling you, the wave of the future for your commute from 'revitalized' (and grossly expanded) Lake Anne to the Metro. <br /><br />Hey RAC and Planning Committee, how about revealing your plans to get Restonians to the metro from their houses after Fairfax cuts off bus service in 2011. Here's an off the wall idea, put in our very own light rail in Reston's plan now so we don't need to worry about the great non-crossover the toll road.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-27014907105682877762010-03-03T23:24:47.604-05:002010-03-03T23:24:47.604-05:00Does even taller buildings mean even more mall cop...Does even taller buildings mean even more mall cops to patrol the place? Will the mall cops from RTC get first consideration when the Wiehle development opens up? Also, will there be turf wars between the teeny boppers with fake IDs hanging out in front of Pizzeria Uno's, and the teeny boppers with fake IDs hanging out in the Wiehle development? And what kinds of generic names will these bars have?Davidhttp://technologyandthecity.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-43722248321775602312010-03-03T23:12:09.235-05:002010-03-03T23:12:09.235-05:00I'm sure everyone has their reason for being h...I'm sure everyone has their reason for being here, but I don't think "an urban lifestyle" would be one of them.<br /><br />In my humble opinion, change and growth are inevitable, and often painful. Therefore, two things seem most important to me: One, change in smart and elegant ways, and two, find a way as individuals to adapt gracefully.Le Pigeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160205266478196242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-10071911229416744502010-03-03T22:23:38.058-05:002010-03-03T22:23:38.058-05:00Convict, I think some people come out here simply ...Convict, I think some people come out here simply because the Dulles Toll Road is lined with tons of businesses that even in this down economy are offering jobs. These people aren't necessarily looking for suburban living, but they also don't want to commute a hour from wherever, and prices are still cheaper here than they are even in Vienna next door, let alone closer in to DC. This is why we moved here last year. We would have liked to stay in Vienna, but we would have had to pay considerably more (more than we could afford) to get anything close to what we were able to here. <br /><br />But your point is well taken. Most people who move out here aren't doing so to live an urban lifestyle, although I'm sure there are plenty (especially the 20-somethings) that prefer that type of environment and opt to live in the high-rises around RTC rather than much pricier Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, and DC (and save additional money on shorter commutes if they happen to work out here too).dvdmonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07826983459613642052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-79642532553851208002010-03-03T21:43:03.453-05:002010-03-03T21:43:03.453-05:00As I reread the thread, one thing becomes painfull...As I reread the thread, one thing becomes painfully clear. There is already high-density development in the area. The very fact that people are moving out here in droves is that they want to escape high-density life. Putting more high density out here would have the net effect of driving many of us who are trying to escape this phenomena even farther out.<br /><br />It also begs the question. Why would anyone who craves high-density living move out here? Well, there's the BiCO solution: the existing high-density, culture-rich communities are too expensive. Well, when Reston takes on these trappings, don't you think that we'll become too expensive as well? But fleeing a high-cost of living is a legitimate excuse, except that Reston is one of the higher cost communities.<br /><br />No, I think that most people who would move out here really are coming for the much the same reason that I'm still here: because there open spaces, fresh air, community (even if I seem to live in Thug Central) and not a crush of people. There's easy access to points to the west to escape the blandness of life in the concrete and asphalt jungles to the east.<br /><br />Projections maybe for 2 million more people in the DC Metro area, but that doesn't mean that they all have to live in Reston. As far as I'm concerned, Zero Growth is Smart Growth.The Convict in the Gulaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02530536432165645618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-23546726959662141102010-03-03T17:27:15.987-05:002010-03-03T17:27:15.987-05:00I moved from Old Town Alex where we had metro to R...I moved from Old Town Alex where we had metro to Reston. The traffic in Old Town and all of Alex. for that matter is gridlock during rush hour. It used to take me 1 hour to drive from one side of town to the other at rush hour (about 10 blocks). I couldn't take metro because I worked in Fairfax. Don't make the mistake of assuming that metro will ease traffic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-87723187924408158772010-03-03T17:19:45.843-05:002010-03-03T17:19:45.843-05:00Reston is not a city like Arlington or DC. People...Reston is not a city like Arlington or DC. People who choose to live in Arlington usually do so in part because they work in either DC or Arlington (likely near metro stops). Most of the housing is higher density in a city-like environment. In Reston you are likely to have people whose offices are not within walking distance of Metro, whose homes are not within walking distance, etc. You're not going to walk to metro if you live in North Point or off Lawyers Road for example.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-89552409140595741572010-03-03T16:17:27.028-05:002010-03-03T16:17:27.028-05:00"Yep, the towers on the weekends will look li..."Yep, the towers on the weekends will look like Mordor belching forth its Orc hordes and they'll mostly moving onto our already crowded roads."<br /><br />For BiCO!HCKDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-7320119430506212262010-03-03T15:54:30.209-05:002010-03-03T15:54:30.209-05:001996 is not pre-Metro.
I wonder if they count t...1996 is not pre-Metro. <br /><br />I wonder if they count the traffic on I-66 and other interstates since they are always backed up during commutes and on Saturday nights.<br /><br />Employment in Arlington was almost unchanged during that time. That would account for the lack of growth in Arlington at the same time Eastern Loudoun County, Herndon/Reston, and Springfield areas were booming.<br /><br />http://www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/statistics/_26.pdf<br /><br />When the 2nd phase completes, I expect much of the traffic that feeds into the Metro at Wiehle and RTC will distribute over the Herndon and Route 28 stations as well and alleviate some of the added traffic congestion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-71861662286156094472010-03-03T14:38:20.924-05:002010-03-03T14:38:20.924-05:00Regarding a study of Arlington pre/post Metro, che...Regarding a study of Arlington pre/post Metro, check out this presentation:<br /><br />http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/CPHD/planning/powerpoint/rbpresentation/rbpresentation_060107.pdf<br /><br />*Nearly a 16% reduction in traffic in Clarendon between 1996 - 2006<br />*7% reduction in the number of people who drive alone to/from work between 2000-2006 (this was before the increase in gas to $4 per gallon in 2008).<br />*More than 3 times as many people in Arlington compared to FFX Co use transit to get to work and more than 5 times as many people walk to work in Arlington Co as FFX Co.<br />*89% of county planned low residential, garden<br />apartment/town home or retailAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-32110981767048617282010-03-03T14:05:41.061-05:002010-03-03T14:05:41.061-05:00dvdmon-
If you want to discourage auto use, there...dvdmon-<br /><br />If you want to discourage auto use, there are several steps you can take. First, build new residential within walking distance (1/4 to 1/2 mile) of transit. Second, address parking. Create parking maximums with zoning, rather than minimums. The people on this blog should read Donald Shoup to find out how cheap parking leads to greater vehicle miles traveled, fuel consumption, and congestion: http://shoup.bol.ucla.edu/People,Parking,CitiesJUPD.pdf . A greater supply of parking raises housing costs and encourages driving by both separating potential destinations (discouraging walking/biking) and making parking cheap. If the cost of driving (which parking is a part of) is more expensive, more people will shift to other modes of transportation. Third, increased accessibility will help decrease driving. Including a mix of uses, with ground-floor retail, will enable people to walk to destinations to meet their daily shopping and recreational needs. If you have multiple destinations within walking distance, auto trips can be eliminated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-9403114859028840132010-03-03T14:03:45.553-05:002010-03-03T14:03:45.553-05:00Marion Stillson, President of Reston Citizens Asso...Marion Stillson, President of Reston Citizens Association, who has been unable to post directly for technical reasons still unknown, has asked that I post this comment here for her:<br /><br />"As RCA President, I can say that one of RCA's goals in participating in the Task Force is to protect stable residential areas, as they were successfully protected in Arlington. This means that people who don't want an urban lifestyle can retain the suburban style they enjoy currently, no need to leave Reston. At the same time, new Reston residents who come to live in the Dulles corridor urban developments can enjoy more urban amenities. It isn't an 'either/or' proposition: done right, we get 'and/and'. <br /><br />Marion Stillson"<br /><br />Terry Maynard<br />RCA Board<br />Reston 2020 CommitteeReston 2020https://www.blogger.com/profile/10584018211304039232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-67875925164576366582010-03-03T13:59:14.673-05:002010-03-03T13:59:14.673-05:00Anon 1:45:
Interestingly enough, if I recall corr...Anon 1:45:<br /><br />Interestingly enough, if I recall correctly, some years back the residents of Cleveland Park vehemently (and successfully) opposed a plan to redevelop into higher density their three-block long, low-rise shopping strip that stretches along Connecticut Avenue from Macomb to Porter Street.<br /><br />NIMBYism in progressive Northwest DC? Who'd have thunk it?<br /><br />You're right that Cleveland Park hasn't changed much since Metro came there in 1982, but far and away the main reason why is that there simply was no vacant land on which to build anything.Peasant From Less Sought After South Restonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-33923096709917181452010-03-03T13:56:10.705-05:002010-03-03T13:56:10.705-05:00I think there'll be far less retail components...I think there'll be far less retail components in these development plans. The local business community will probably oppose them. Several village centers are failures. They see high-rise development along the Metro and elsewhere in Reston as an opportunity to bring in more customers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-37765517136882642222010-03-03T13:45:59.217-05:002010-03-03T13:45:59.217-05:00Cleveland Park hasn't changed much since they ...Cleveland Park hasn't changed much since they built the Metro station there. There are two strip shopping centers and the properties are mostly detached single-family homes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-4321314926751368422010-03-03T13:38:23.913-05:002010-03-03T13:38:23.913-05:00BiCo, you sure love that word, NiMBY, don't yo...BiCo, you sure love that word, NiMBY, don't you? Look, as many have pointed out, Reston already has traffic issues. The lack of north-south roads make any additional stressor magnified in its effect. Traffic is not something that is just contained in one spot. If you have a backup on Whiele, that will start effecting all adjascent roads. It's like an infection. When one road becomes very slow, people will naturally try to find alternate routes, and they will become heavier too. You may think you are immune up North, but Reston is one traffic entity, and putting a huge sync in the middle of it will not leave the rest of it unscathed. As I mentioned in my previous post, the only way around this is to do something fairly radical with both retail options as well as with incentives for residents to give up their cars...dvdmonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07826983459613642052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-67074624516093110652010-03-03T13:32:56.598-05:002010-03-03T13:32:56.598-05:00I don't disagree with you Convict, I think the...I don't disagree with you Convict, I think there's a definite danger of super gridlock. Not sure what the solution is except to make sure that there's adequate retail/recreation for people to stay in the new high-density complexes and only venture out via mentro (or toll road) to other areas. Well, I suppose they're still going to go to other places in Reston, but that would have to be minimized and the only way is to offer a very good mix of retail options for them right there, and it doesn't look like that's happening. Yeah, you're talking about a major grocer at the least. I'm guessing that these places will have gyms in their buildings but if not that would be a big draw. A haircutting place? Really people don't get their hair cut weekly do they? But the things people do on a weekly or more frequent basis you want to provide right there.<br /><br />As far as the demographic, I'm not sure who they are looking to attract - maybe folks like BiCO but with a few more bucks? Or simply people who like more urban environs and are willing to pay. They might get a different range of people if they make these places green and promote it as a place where you don't actually NEED a care. That might be the best potential solution to the traffic issue. Maybe those who reside at the new place would be limited to one car per household and who knows maybe you could get discounts for having a hybrid/electric or just having no car at all?dvdmonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07826983459613642052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-17360769974774036612010-03-03T12:57:55.420-05:002010-03-03T12:57:55.420-05:00But it doesn't matter, DVD. Once we get 50K m...But it doesn't matter, DVD. Once we get 50K more people living in these towers, do you think they're going to remain confined to those areas? No. Do you think they will forego car ownership? Considering that the current plans are putting aside parking spots for residents, I would assume that some of these folks in not most intend to drive as well.<br /><br />And you know as well as I do that none of these towers are going to be sporting basic retail. Do you think any of them will have a reasonably priced grocery store? Or a place to get a cheap haircut? Will they have their own gas station? No, in order to get basic services, I imagine that most of these folks are going to wander out from their concrete and steel cages and into our communities.<br /><br />So just imagine what a trip to the local grocery store is going to be like. When you're standing in line, imagine that line being twice as long, because that's what we're talking about. We're effectively doubling the population of Reston. If you think the line is long now to get a table at the Macaroni Grill on a Friday night, wait until you have twice as many people vying for the same seat. If you're having a hard time finding a parking spot at the YMCA between the hours of 5 pm and 7 pm on weeknights, just imagine what it's going to be like with 50,000 more people all wanting to use the treadmills or to swim laps.<br /><br />Have you seen what traffic on Reston Ave is like on Saturday and Sunday? Now imagine all of those people in the towers doing their weekend errands and trying to avail themselves of the local recreational facilities and opportunities which, btw, won't be in their neighborhoods. Yep, the towers on the weekends will look like Mordor belching forth its Orc hordes and they'll mostly moving onto our already crowded roads.<br /><br />And on top of all of that, Fairfax County is scaling BACK it's bus service. So, unless you expect these new denizens to be unlike your typical Restonian and more prone to using their feet to get to Tall Oaks or HWSC, you're going to have more a lot more cars, which equates to more traffic and pollution. <br /><br />You know, the more I think about this, the less I like it.The Convict in the Gulaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02530536432165645618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6412900754136064810.post-70993903249246313712010-03-03T12:50:40.326-05:002010-03-03T12:50:40.326-05:00Preserving existing neighborhoods in Reston is fin...Preserving existing neighborhoods in Reston is fine and dandy, but what reasons are there to oppose transit-oriented development adjacent to and above the toll road, where the Silver Line will be running, other than pure NIMBYism?Broke in Charter Oak (BiCO)noreply@blogger.com