Susan England, LandDesign
The Reston Town Center North (RTC North) Community Update Presentation, held on June 23, 6:30 to 8 p.m. by Fairfax County, INOVA, and LandDesign, along with Urban, Ltd., and Galloway Architecture, Engineering & Survey, aimed to engage residents in the project's ongoing planning process.
The meeting presented the latest plans for the Reston Town Center North redevelopment, emphasizing the design of the central green, road layout, and integration of community feedback. Team members discussed project phasing, infrastructure, and unresolved issues around green space governance, maintenance costs, and funding for public facilities. The project team for the presentation consisted of a total of 12 members. Throughout the meeting, team members collaborated as needed to expand one another’s presentations, verify facts, and offer clarifications.
Fairfax County and Inova Health System are partnering to redevelop a roughly 47-acre site comprising eight irregularly shaped parcels owned by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (the county), the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA), and Inova Health Care Services (Inova), into the long-awaited RTC North project. A vibrant, urban mixed-use redevelopment would encompass the site, featuring a central green space and include public facilities.
Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D), representing the Hunter Mill District, opened the presentation, saying, “If you're looking for building designs, that kind of thing, that's not going to be available here tonight, really. Tonight is focusing on where the roads are going to go, and looking for feedback on that. And then the big thing, and this is a very positive thing, is what the central green could look like.”
Project team member Tim Sampson, a land-use attorney representing Inova, began the presentation with a slideshow. His remarks focused on the project’s background, the collaborative planning process, and the steps required to transition from planning to construction.
Partway through Sampson’s presentation, a commenter raised his hand and challenged the notion that design work cannot proceed without first obtaining zoning approval. He argued that the funds are now available, and the process of obtaining zoning and land transfer approvals can commence. The commenter urged the start of design work, saying, "We do design work for projects that have the zoning … approved all the time. … Tell us you don't want to do it if there are real obstacles."
A land swap is a critical part of the RTC North redevelopment process, according to Sampson’s comments. “It will set up the opportunity, as I said a minute ago, for Inova and the county to consolidate and resubdivide the property; exchange land. … ownership of the blocks that result, and then proceed to develop the blocks from there. It will require coming back for more applications on a block-to-block basis, or more than one at a time.”
The exchange or swap of land is necessary to consolidate ownership of specific blocks, allowing each party — the county and Inova — to proceed with their respective developments, such as the new library, the new Embry Rucker Shelter, and other public facilities.
As the slideshow presentation continued, Sampson reviewed the project's history, the county's first land acquisitions in the 1970s, and subsequent developments. According to Sampson, the current challenge is reconfiguring the site to move the library and other facilities. The land plan has been conceptually approved by the Reston Association and the Design Review Board, featuring a central green, 1,000 dwelling units, and up to 150,000 square feet of non-residential space.
The central green will include a large lawn, plaza, playground, and stormwater area. The project will also feature dedicated bike lanes and parking, with a focus on community input and governance for the central green's maintenance. The new Reston Regional Library is planned as a key component of the development, along with an expanded Embry Rucker Shelter, a new human services building, and other community amenities, as well as 1,000 housing units and a recreation center. The library and shelter are expected to be the first developments, with a timeline extending into 2030.
According to the county’s website. the new Reston Library, at $58 million, is primarily funded through Fairfax County bond issues and Economic Development Authority (EDA) bond sales. Financing for the expanded Embry Rucker Community Shelter, which features supportive housing, involves a combination of bonding and other funding sources. Block 5 of the Reston Town Center North, currently owned by Inova, is planned to house both the Embry Rucker Shelter and a new home for the Health and Human Services (HHS) Building, which will be relocated from Block 1. Additionally, plans are in place to integrate an oversized, structured parking facility in Block 5 to support future development and event parking needs.
Susan England, who identified herself as a land-based architect with Land Design, spoke about the central green design and the community survey. She explained the extensive process of changing the design to reflect input from the Reston Association Design Review Board (DRB) and the Comprehensive Plan update.
“We took all of that information, synthesized the results and then had a work session with county stakeholder members as well as representatives from the Reston Association, DRB, and held that work session in September. That was our opportunity to kind of test some of the design ideas for the central green that really informed the design that's in the package that was submitted in April,” England said.
England's key points about the central green detailed the community survey process, which had 383 respondents, with 88 percent living or working in Reston. She outlined four key takeaways from the survey: people wanted respite and access to the outdoors; participants prioritized trees and shade, showing an interest in social activities, with an emphasis on large-scale, organized events, as well as a desire for quiet spaces.
England described the central green design to include a large lawn area, plaza space, playground, bioretention facility, accessible walkways, potential for public art, restroom facilities, and electrical receptacles for events. She explained the design process involved community surveys, stakeholder work sessions, and careful consideration of community preferences. She also discussed pedestrian and bicycle networks, describing the street layouts and accessibility features.
DURING THE Q&A, commenters raised multiple concerns, including excessive parking and inadequate protection for bike lanes in the green space. One commenter emphasized the desire for a bikeable and walkable community.
“I'm starting to picture a lot of parking, which is not what I want. So I just wanted to make that point. If your vision is to have a bikeable and walkable area, if you put a lot of parking, then it's not fun to walk there. People will drive more because there's parking,” he said.
Other commenters questioned the infrastructure and logistics of land transfers. The lack of bond funding for projects outside of the existing library and shelter drew wide-eyed expressions and head-shaking from some in the audience. What the public didn't envision was that the decade-long RTC North project could take approximately 30 more years — until the mid-2050s — to fund and build the planned 1,000 residential units, retail spaces, and public school facilities. Those projects lack bonding.
"There is no bond money for the gym, the athletic field, or the elementary school, and the county's bond calendar already extends beyond 2050," a commenter said during the Q&A. With no bonds or other funds available, could three of the eight blocks in the project remain vacant for the next 30 to 50 years?
Moments of potential tension arose as community members voiced concerns about the green space's maintenance costs and governance, questioning who would be the responsible financial party, as well as the seemingly excessive number of parking spaces and streets with shared bike lanes.
“When you think about having this great, beautiful green space, pickup stations and beautiful landscaping, someone's going to have to pay for that on top of what they're paying Reston (Association) every year,” warned a commenter. The dialogue, however, remained professional and constructive as project team members responded thoughtfully and patiently, often handing the microphone over to one another for collaborative answers.
The existing RTC North site, with its eight blocks, is bounded by Baron Cameron Avenue to the north, with access to Inova Health Care Services Urgent Care and Fountain Drive to the east, with access to Inova's assisted living facility, Sunrise at Reston Town Center. Dominion Parkway to the south provides access to the Reston Regional Library and the Embry Rucker Shelter Community Shelter. The Town Center Parkway bounds the parcel to the west, with the rear of the North County Government Center facing it, which includes the county's Reston Police Station.
RTC North will be accessible from the Dulles Toll Road, Fairfax County Parkway, and Reston Parkway. Nearby public transportation options include the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail station (approximately two miles) and the Reston Town Center Metrorail station (approximately one mile).