A townhome development is now under construction on Fannie Mae’s former office campus in Reston.
When setting the stage for construction, which began in August, developer Wheelock Communities enlisted the nonprofit Tanya’s Turtle Project to relocate turtles inhabiting the ponds in the area. The ponds were dewatered to manage water quality and remove invasive plants in and around the ponds.
Tanya Finch, who spearheaded the turtle project, worked with volunteers from local neighborhoods last month to rescue 115 turtles and one blue heron from the ponds at 11600 American Dream Way. The process of moving the animals out of construction zones began on Sept. 7 and took about five days.
“We are proud to have partnered with Tanya’s Turtle Project to assist us in protecting the turtles and wildlife in our ponds,” Wheelock Communities Mid-Atlantic Regional Partner Steve Coniglio said in a press release. “Tanya has built a great reputation in the area given her track record for success of protecting wildlife.”
Coniglio also thanked Fairfax County Wildlife Naturalist Dr. Katherine Edwards for connecting Wheelock with Tanya’s Turtle Project “to make sure that our resident wildlife would be safe during the dewatering and maintenance of our ponds.”
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved Wheelock’s redevelopment project in 2022 after Fannie Mae vacated the 28-acre property for new offices near the Reston Town Center Metro station. A portion of American Dream Way will be gated off to the public — a move that drew some concern from local elected officials and planners.
Expected to finish construction by December 2026, the American Dream Way project will deliver 74 townhomes and eight two-over-two units. It will also feature walking trails and a public playground.
Tanya’s Turtle Project is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the survival of the eastern woodland box turtle in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas.
The spelling of Tanya Finch’s name has been corrected.
