A search for an operator to run an independent living facility planned for Reston Station’s upcoming Midline district has apparently come up empty so far.
With demolition of the vacant office building currently on the site at 1831 Wiehle Avenue expected to begin this year, developer Comstock Companies is exploring the possibility of delivering age-restricted housing for seniors instead, according to an application submitted to Fairfax County last Thursday (Jan. 23).
The change would require an amendment to the Midline development plan that the county’s Board of Supervisors approved in 2018.
“Comstock respectfully seeks approval to include an option for age-restricted dwelling units (in addition to the approved independent living units) for residential ‘Building A1’ on the Property in order to remain nimble and be able to entertain a broader range of senior housing developers to serve the County’s aging population,” land use attorney Jill Parks wrote in a Jan. 10 statement of justification for the application.
No change to the size of the building is being proposed, with Comstock stating that it will construct 127 units for people 55 and older in both scenarios.
However, the conditions, or proffers, approved with the original Midline development plan specified that Block A will include “an independent living facility consisting of up to 160,000 square feet of gross floor area and up to 127 independent living units, an assisted living facility consisting of up to 25,000 square feet of gross floor area and 33 assisted living beds/units.”
In its zoning ordinance, Fairfax County defines independent living facilities as ones with dwelling units that have “complete” kitchens and on-site supportive services and staff, along with design features like wider hallways and accessible bathrooms that accommodate older residents. It explicitly excludes developments that have age-restricted housing but no on-site support services.
Comstock says in its application that its proposed age-restricted units would have many of the same elements as independent living units, including kitchens, the design features, and communal amenities and services, such as a fitness center and community rooms, health counseling and financial literacy assistance.
With the developer “unable to identify an independent living facility partner” for the building, having age-restricted housing as an alternative to an independent living facility will give Comstock more flexibility when looking for more potential operators, the application argues.
“Comstock is not suggesting that the age-restricted housing units proposed for Building A1 are the same as independent living units,” Parks wrote. “Rather, it is alleging that the two are substantially the same or similar enough so as to permit Comstock to construct the [former] in accordance with the intent of the [proffers].”
Put forward by developers JBG Smith and EYA, the Reston Midline project envisions 1.8 million square feet of mixed-use development in eight buildings on 17.5 acres of land east of Wiehle Avenue and south of Sunset Hills Road near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station.
EYA remains involved with the project, completing the 113-unit Townhomes at Reston Station last summer with plans to start construction on an apartment building sometime this year. Another developer, Elm Street Communities, also hopes to start work on a condominium building in 2025.
Comstock got involved when it bought the two office buildings at 1831 and 1861 Wiehle Avenue — labeled in the development plan as “Block A” and “Block B,” respectively — from JBG Smith in 2022.
In addition to a senior or independent living facility, Block A was approved for a multi-family residential building. Comstock submitted a site plan for the block to the county in 2023 that’s still under review.
Per the site plan, the senior living facility will be five stories tall with 32,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, anchored by a grocery store that has been leased by Fresh Market.
A Comstock spokesperson confirmed to FFXnow earlier this month that both of the existing Wiehle Avenue office buildings are slated for demolition this year, but the company is still working to determine a timeline for construction.
