Boston Properties is betting on office for the next phase of its Reston Town Center expansion.
The developer submitted plans to Fairfax County on Saturday (June 29) that would increase the amount of office space allowed in the mixed-use neighborhood dubbed RTC or Reston Next that’s now under construction near the Reston Town Center Metro station, while decreasing retail, hotel and residential uses.
The proposal for 930,000 square feet of office space — a significant jump up from the 643,000 square feet previously approved — is unusual at a time when many employers are downsizing and developers, including in Reston, are pushing to convert or replace office space with housing.
However, the application contends that the property’s direct access to a Metro station makes it suited to office development, which “has a lower threshold for walking distance” to and from transit than residential development.
“The Application achieves a vibrant and integrated mixed-use community as an extension of and a premier gateway into Reston Town Center, fully utilizing the investment of the Metrorail Silver Line extension,” Cooley partner Mark Looney, who’s representing the developer, said in a June 28 statement of justification.
Originally approved by Fairfax County in 2018, RTC Next sought to bridge the gap between the existing town center and the Metro station with more than 4.4 million square feet of mixed-use development, including 1.9 million square feet of housing, 1.85 million square feet of office, 162,600 square feet of retail, and 509,000 square feet of hotel space.
The first phase of the redevelopment is nearing completion, the application says. Two office buildings occupied by Fannie Mae and Volkswagen opened in 2021, and a Marriott hotel and residential tower known as Skymark are both expected to finish within the next year.
A second phase will consist of five blocks across 33.1 acres at 12030 Sunset Hills Road, 12012 Sunset Hills Road, 11985 Inspiration Street, 12050 Inspiration Street and 1946 Opportunity Way.
With its new application, Boston Properties is seeking to drop 84,000 square feet of office from the first phase and add 287,000 square feet of office space to the second phase. It has also proposed reducing residential, retail and hotel development across both phases by 373,700 square feet, including by eliminating a hotel from the second phase.
A land bay previously envisioned as one block will be divided into two pieces: Block G1, a 398-foot-tall, 529,000-square-foot office building, and Block G2, which appears in the plan as 60,000 square feet of possible commercial or civic uses. Extending Opportunity Way to split the blocks “will improve walkability and connectivity,” the application says.
Block J will expand to 409,000 square feet of office space, while Block E will be downsized to 408,300 square feet, including 355 residential units and 8,300 square feet of retail. Phase 2 also includes Block F, two residential buildings totaling 707 housing units and 3,900 square feet of commercial uses.
The overall mix will be 55% non-residential development and 45% residential, which Looney argues is “close” to the 50-50 split recommended in the county’s recently updated Reston Comprehensive Plan.
“While the Application proposes to adjust the amount of retail provided, the variety of uses within the community will offer a vibrant, 18-hour environment that is both a destination, home, and gateway to Reston,” Looney wrote.
In addition to revising the mix of uses, Boston Properties says it will build a pedestrian bridge over Sunset Hills Road, providing a direct connection to the Reston Town Center Metro station. A bridge to Reston Town Center over the Washington & Old Dominion Trail is currently under construction.
The new plan also shows more detailed green spaces in the development, including a linear central park that will serve as a “spine” from the Metro station entrance to the W&OD Trail. Proposed amenities include a community pavilion, a retail pavilion, event space, a dog and fitness park, a recreation lawn, a bocce court, sport courts, and an outdoor WiFi or power station.
The developer says its proposed plan will establish RTC Next as “a dynamic live-work-play community” right outside the Metro station.
“The Property has the ability to be a major hub of regional connectivity and can be a significant destination for Reston and greater Fairfax County,” Looney wrote. “The Applicant contends the Application, based upon market demand and in sync with the County’s planning goals, will transform the Property to its utmost potential, strengthening the economic and cultural vitality Reston Town Center holds as a regional destination that consistently receives national accolades.”
The application hasn’t been accepted for review yet by Fairfax County planners.
