Interior demolition work is underway in the former Matchbox suite at Reston Station, but the new occupant won’t be the community-serving retail local residents likely hoped to see.
The approximately 5,500-square-foot space on the ground floor of the office building at 1900 Reston Metro Plaza is being incorporated into the future headquarters of engineering and technology contractor Amentum, a spokesperson for property owner and developer Comstock Companies says.
The spokesperson told FFXnow that the currently vacant space is being reconfigured as “an expansion of an existing tenant, Amentum.” As a result, the 1900 Reston Metro Plaza building will no longer have any public retail space.
“The restaurant isn’t necessary, as Google has its own dining option within their space and the project is served by the existing food offerings on the plaza and Reston Row,” the spokesperson said.
Retail tenants currently operating on the original Metro Plaza at Reston Station include CVS, Founding Farmers, Starbucks, Big Buns, Sweet Leaf, Scissors & Scotch, and Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, which opened a bar on May 7 in the outdoor patio that previously belonged to Matchbox.
Ebbitt House, a new restaurant from the team behind the now-closed Clyde’s of Reston, is expected to open “soon” in Reston Row, joining Noku Sushi, Tous les Jours and Vida Fitness in the new district. Clyde’s Restaurant Group told WTOP in April that the “contemporary twist” on D.C.’s Old Ebbitt Grill plans to open in August, but a firm date hasn’t been announced yet.
Comstock announced in February that Amentum had signed a lease for 45,000 square feet in 1900 Reston Metro Plaza, joining Google, Comstock itself and other companies in the Helmut Jahn-designed, 16-story tower.
Slated to open in early 2027, the office will serve as a Northern Virginia headquarters for the contractor, apparently replacing a hub in Chantilly announced just three years ago.
“This modern headquarters, featuring a next-generation Technology Showcase, will bring our teams together and serve as a destination for customers to experience our advanced engineering and technology solutions firsthand,” Amentum Chief Operating Officer Steve Arnette said in a press release when the Reston Station lease was announced. “Ultimately, the new headquarters strengthens our ability to deliver integrated, critical mission solutions aligned with global demand and government priorities.”
The addition of the former Matchbox space will bring Amentum’s lease up to 47,000 square feet, the Comstock spokesperson confirmed.
The signing continued a strong couple of quarters for office leasing at Reston Station, which has also recently poached Booz Allen Hamilton from Tysons and the tech-focused venture capital firm Razor’s Edge from Reston Town Center for its Reston Row expansion.
According to Comstock’s investor report for the first quarter of 2026, released on May 14, it has leased or reserved 96% of the 1.3 million square feet of office space contained in its five office buildings at Reston Station. The developer touted its office properties outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station as “among the most sought-after” in the region.
Demand for office space at Reston Station has been so strong, in fact, that Comstock was unable to find room for a long-planned retail tenant. A lease for the mini golf venue Puttshack, announced in 2022, was ultimately nixed after Booz Allen Hamilton leased the entire building at 1870 Reston Row Plaza.
Comstock now hopes to offer a different kind of golf-related experience, signing the simulator company Back Nine Golf to a 4,500-square-foot lease at 1860 Reston Row Plaza last month.
In addition to losing Matchbox and Puttshack, the retail side of Reston Station hit a bump when CVS Pharmacy indicated that it would close its store outside the Wiehle Metro station in April. A couple days later, the chain retracted that announcement, stating that the location would remain open after it reevaluated its “upcoming store closure plans.”
Area residents will have to wait for an indeterminate amount of time for a major grocery store, with Comstock reportedly handing control of two planned residential buildings in the Midline District east of Wiehle Avenue back to JBG Smith. One of those buildings is expected to house a Fresh Market.
Developer EYA anticipates starting construction on a different apartment building in the Midline neighborhood with 5,000 square feet of retail later this year.
Hat tip to Adam Rubinstein
