Reston Developments Update

By Kevin Burke

A new property development has been proposed for the Sunrise Valley Drive corridor that may affect Lakeport residents. Campus Commons, which is the property on the southeast corner of Wiehle Avenue and the Dulles Toll Road, is proposing to redevelop the site by adding a mid-rise and a high-rise building that will include about 630 residential units. The owner also proposes a new office building with ground-floor retail. The two office buildings currently on the site would be retained. In addition, the developer has offered to donate land for an additional westbound lane on Sunrise Valley Drive. However, a vote for approval at the July 15 meeting of the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee failed, with several reasons cited, among them concern about the pedestrian connection to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station (currently planned as an at-grade crosswalk) and lack of conversation with neighbors on Upper Lake drive. The developer has promised to reach out to concerned neighbors prior to another vote at the August meeting of the Planning and Zoning Committee. If the committee approves the project then, Campus Commons heads to the Fairfax County Planning Commission in September.

The area near the Reston Town Center Metro Station will see some major redevelopment. On June 25, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave final approval to the proposed Reston Crossing development on the parcel north of the Dulles Toll Road and adjacent to the Reston Town Center Metro Station. Two current office buildings will be replaced with two new ones and five residential towers. The development will add approximately 1200 residential units, 16 percent of which (191 units) will be dedicated to affordable housing. The seven buildings will be various heights from 5 to 22 stories. The site will include 3.7 acres dedicated to parks, and a pedestrian bridge to the Metro station will be added.

One of the major considerations in the growing building that Reston is experiencing is the need for affordable housing for individuals and families of low to moderate income. Fairfax County Supervisor (Hunter Mill District) Cathy Hudgins has an article in her most recent newsletter that discusses the importance of affordable housing and the reasons that county government is committed to requiring new development to take it into account. Her July-August newsletter can be found at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/huntermill/



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