A consultant is beginning a three-month-long process to determine the feasibility and buy-in required to implement a comprehensive revitalization of the Lake Anne area of Reston.

Consultant Street Sense has begun phase two of its economic visioning study of the Lake Anne Commercial Revitalization Area, which kicked off last year. The consultant will conduct a series of one-on-one meetings with individual property owners soon, according to Fairfax County.

“The findings of Phase Two will shape the scope of work for a potential third phase of the Economic Visioning Study, which would investigate the feasibility of implementing the various components contained in the vision plan,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said in his weekly newsletter yesterday (Wednesday).

The first phase of the study concluded this summer after a series of public engagement efforts with the community.

So far, the vision suggests a concentration of new apartment units on the Crescent property at 1527 Cameron Crescent Drive, added cultural attractions, a parking structure, a centralized green space, connections from the Crescent site to Lake Anne Plaza via a new park, and the restoration of a tunnel to the east side of the area.

The third phase of the study is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year. It could be funded via a carryover adjustment from the fiscal year 2023 budget. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will vote on that carryover package on Sept. 26.

The work comes as the county begins working with stakeholders over the next year to redevelop the Crescent Apartments property at the plaza.

Over the next year, a major redevelopment project involving the Crescent Apartments at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston may be on the horizon.

The Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development will work with county partners for the next year to develop a process for the redevelopment of the Crescent property, according to Tom Fleetwood, the department’s director.

The news comes as work on a visioning study to determine the future of Lake Anne continues. Consultant Street Sense is formalizing a vision for the village center area after working with residents and other stakeholders.

“The redevelopment is anticipated to reflect the guidance from the economic visioning study and comport to the board’s intent when it purchased the property in 2006: to preserve and expand the affordable housing opportunities on this site, and to contribute to the economic vitality of historic Lake Anne Village,” Fleetwood wrote in a statement to FFXnow.

Both pieces — the economic visioning study and the development plan — will work in tandem to explore ways to reshape the area.

“The goal is to merge the local market’s pulse with the aspirations of the Lake Anne community and shape a prosperous future for everyone,” said Elizabeth Hagg, director of the community revitalization section in the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development.

At a June 8 meeting on the economic visioning study, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn emphasized that he wants to ensure the vision for Lake Anne aligns with the redevelopment of the Crescent site.

“I wanted to make sure if at all possible what happens with the Crescent is consistent with what else is happening at Lake Anne,” Alcorn said at the meeting.

Yesterday, Alcorn requested an additional $200,000 from the county for the third phase of the economic visioning project.

The current land use plan for the site was approved in March 2015.

But that December, a long-awaited, 1.7-million-square-foot revitalization plan for the area was pulled. The application covered land unit D of the village center, which includes the Crescent parcel and the gas station. It called for 935 new development units, 15,800 square feet of retail, and 30,000 square feet of office space.

Per the county’s comprehensive plan, there are two options for the site: a redevelopment option and a full consolidation option.

The redevelopment option limits the area to 902,000 square feet of development, with a cap on residential uses of up to 750 apartment units and a non-residential component of up to 2,000 square feet, not including the gas station.

Under the option of full consolidation of the area, the number of residential units is capped at 1.1 million square feet or 935 units and up to 48,000 square feet of non-residential space. The gas station would be consolidated and redeveloped.

The county is currently reviewing an update of its comprehensive plan for Reston, but since the economic visioning study is still underway, the language related to Lake Anne is largely unchanged from the existing plan.

In 2015, the county’s private partner — Lake Anne Development Partners (LADP) — said the development plan was not feasible at the time. LADP had originally intended to break ground later that same year.

(Updated at 5 p.m.) The final phase of the economic visioning of the Lake Anne area is nearing.

At a meeting today (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors opened up a request for an additional $200,000 for the third phase of the project.

Consultant Street Sense is wrapping up the first phase of the Economic Visioning Study for the Lake Anne Commercial Revitalization Area. The study intended to build community consensus on a path forward for the area.

(Correction: This story previously said the study’s first phase wrapped up this spring, as indicated by a project timeline, but the Hunter Mill District office says it’s just now finishing.)

“We sought an economic vision that was aspirational, grounded in market realities, and able to strengthen the economic viability and sustainability of the area,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn wrote in his board matter. “There was extensive participation by the Lake Anne community to shape the economic vision through a combination of focus groups, an online survey, and several in-person workshops and meetings.”

So far, the plan suggests a concentration of new apartment units on the Crescent property at 1527 Cameron Crescent Drive, added cultural attractions, a parking structure, a centralized green space, connections from the Crescent site to Lake Anne Plaza via a new park, and the restoration of a tunnel to the east side of the area.

Street Sense kicked off the visioning study in mid-February with focus group sessions, followed by several community meetings and workshops. The study came at the request of Alcorn, who sought to build consensus on the economic vision for the area.

In the second phase of the project, Streetsense will work with individual property owners and determine their willingness to take part in implementing the economic vision.

During the final phase, Streetsense and sub-consultants will investigate options for implementation in a more comprehensive manner.

“This information will provide landowners and the county with a clear understanding of options and allow all stakeholders to construct an actionable plan for realizing the economic vision,” the board matter states.

The final phase is expected to kick off in the first quarter of next year. The funds could be allocated this fall via a carryover adjustment from the fiscal year 2023 budget.

In the future, Reston’s Lake Anne neighborhood should chase an economic vision where it will blossom into a local destination with a regional draw, according to a presentation by a Fairfax County-hired consultant.

At a community meeting on June 8, consultant Street Sense laid out the economic vision for the Lake Anne Commercial Revitalization Area following months of surveys, interviews and meetings with the community. The final report is expected to come out sometime this month, according to the county’s website.

The plan suggests concentrating new apartment units on the Crescent property at 1527 Cameron Crescent Drive, the addition of cultural attractions, a parking structure, a centralized green space, connections from the Crescent site to Lake Anne Plaza via a new park, and the restoration of a tunnel to the east side of the area.

The next phase of the project will include discussions with stakeholders — particularly the many property owners in the area — to determine if and when there is buy-in for the vision suggested by the Lake Anne Economic Visioning Study. That process could take between three to four months.

Street Sense kicked off the visioning study in mid-February with focus group sessions, followed by several community meetings and workshops. The study came at the request of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who sought to build consensus on the economic vision for the area.

Alcorn said redevelopment of the Crescent Apartments property — a prospect for years — is now on the horizon within “the next few years.”

“I didn’t want to move forward with the Crescent until this project moved forward,” Alcorn said, adding that the study was critical to ensuring that the Crescent project aligns with the community’s desire for the surrounding area.

Bruce Leonard, managing principal of Street Sense, said building consensus will be a key decision point.

“The vision isn”t from coming from the county. The vision is not coming from Street Sense. The vision is coming from you,” Leonard said.

Elizabeth Hagg, director of the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development’s community revitalization section, said buy-in from stakeholders will be necessary to determine if property owners want to participate.

Leonard emphasized that additional retail was impractical, noting that the retail market is especially saturated in Northern Virginia.

“You’re kind of at a sweet spot now,” he said.

Angela McGarvey, managing director of brand at Street Sense, repeatedly noted the uniqueness of the Lake Anne area.

“It’s supremely local, it’s supremely special and it’s supremely one of a kind,” she said.

County officials and the consultants said most community members agreed on the need for a cultural anchor, maker spaces, seasonal amphitheaters, more parking and a centralization of housing at the Crescent site.

But mixed feedback was received on other issues, including how to manage infrastructure improvement and maintenance, the permanent structure of the farmers’ market, the location of the cultural anchor and amphitheater, and the extent to which the local village center can and should become a regional draw.

Lake Anne’s plaza will once again spring to life this summer with concerts.

Lake Anne Live! — an event series that kicked off last year — brings Thursday evening concerts to the plaza from June 15 through July 27.

The free concerts will feature music and dance from local musicians and dance instructors. Attendees will also have the chance to dance along the instructors, according to a release by the Lake Anne and Washington Plaza Merchant Association (LAWPA).

In a statement to FFXnow, the LAWPA team said they decided to continue the series this year due to popular demand.

“Because of the great response, especially to our dance nights, and because of repeated requests from our community and neighbors, we decided to have them again this year,” LAWPA said. “Our aim is to bring our community together for dancing, music, and laughter through the Summer.”

The line-up includes the following:

• June 15 (6-9 p.m.): Salsa Instruction and Dance with David Norton
• June 22, (6-9 p.m.): Swing Instruction and Dance with Gottaswing; pet adoptions by Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
• June 29 (7-9 p.m.): Bruce Corsino concert
• July 6 (6-9 p.m.): Bachata Instruction and Dance with David Norton
• July 13 (7-9 p.m.): To be announced on Lake Anne Plaza’s social media pages
• July 20 (7-9 p.m.): Concert with the Reston Community Orchestra
• July 27 (6-9 p.m.): Salsa and Bachata Instruction and Dance with David Norton

The plaza is located at 1609 Washington Plaza North. All concerts are free.

The Lake Anne area could pursue two different directions going forward, a consultant says: adhere to its status as Reston’s original village or transform into a destination landmark.

At a May 18 meeting, consultant Street Sense pitched the two visions for the nearly 60-year-old center. A second community workshop is planned in June.

Overall, the consultant suggests additional residential density on the Crescent site, allowing buildings from three to seven stories in height. The residential project should be between Lake Anne’s current density of 35 units per acre and 65 units.

Other changes are also suggested as part of the balancing act of preserving Lake Anne’s status as a local destination while charting its future growth. While an earlier public survey found community support for a grocery store, that’s off the books for Lake Anne’s economic future due to the nature of the center.

Angela McGarvey, managing director of brand at Street Sense, emphasized that multiple stakeholders, property owners, and properties at different stages of deterioration complicate the visioning effort.

“There is a financial imperative to move forward quickly and expediently toward a solution,” McGarvey said.

The first proposal envisions a “curated community with neighborhood draw.” It focuses on introducing new art studio spaces for rent, improving infrastructure, and redesigning the entry of Lake Anne Plaza’s existing surface lot to prioritize aesthetics, efficiency and wayfinding.

New development could feature low-rise apartments and townhomes, along with several accessibility projects like safe crossings from Lake Anne House and the Crescent to the plaza.

McGarvey noted that the plan puts less strain on existing infrastructure, maintains current programmed activities, and resembles the scale of current housing in the center.

But the vision would provide no new revenue sources, do little to change retail demand and revenue, and likely place the cost of infrastructure upkeep on existing residents and merchants. More partnerships with the county and others would be needed to maintain infrastructure, likely requiring changes to the Lake Anne of Reston Condominium Association’s condominium agreement and responsibilities.

The second proposal positions Lake Anne as an “iconic destination with regional draw.” The addition of cultural attractions is proposed, along with consistent retail hours and a cohesive merchant’s organization.

The presented vision also includes a parking garage on the west public surface lot and new infrastructure for the farmers’ market.

A mid-rise, mostly multifamily residential development is proposed with a centralized green space and connections to the Crescent site and plaza. Also suggested is a connection of the current trail network to Lake Anne, restoration of the tunnel on the east side of the area, and a safer crossing from Lake Anne House and the Crescent to the plaza.

The second vision would create new revenue streams and potentially make Lake Anne a “year-round destination,” the consultant said. Using a more intense residential product would also free up more land for public amenities and cultural uses.

But the plan would require more upkeep, and new programming and venues could impact the amount of open space and the design of public areas around the commercial center.

Both plans simply state the need for a “solution-oriented approach” to clarify roles and responsibilities related to infrastructure, according to Streetsense. In recent years, infighting and local disputes have plagued the village center.

The consultant emphasized that “any movements forward will include a more targeted discussion with property owners.”

Streetsense conducted a visioning survey in February and March to court public opinions, along with in-person workshops and focus groups. A final report is slated for a June release.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn initiated the study last year to form a consensus around the economic vision for the Lake Anne Community Revitalization Area (LACRA).

A survey that will guide an economic visioning study for Reston’s Lake Anne area reveals community support for active public spaces and arts and culture focuses.

Consulting firm Streetsense hosted a public workshop on Monday (April 10) at Reston Community Center where roughly 50 attendees gathered to dive deeper into their hopes for the future of the area.

A public survey conducted by the firm found that most respondents prefer cultural and arts facilities, activated public spaces and a grocery store as options to anchor the community. Medical or institutional and office and technology uses were not desired.

“Respondents tend to agree that responsibility for public areas of Lake Anne should be borne by a wider set of parties than current management,” meeting materials said.

The survey closed in mid-March, with most respondents hailing from outside the Lake Anne area.

Respondents also generally agreed or were neutral about the possibility of adding structured parking.

The survey revealed mixed views on an “educational anchor” or school in the area. A little over 40% of respondents agreed with the need for new residential development — roughly 5 percentage points more than those who disagreed with the prospect.

Residents were also divided on whether economic sustainability was a priority at the expense of the neighborhood’s historic aspects. The survey found that “seasonality” and infrastructure were the two biggest challenges facing the area.

The largest portion of respondents — nearly 45% — was age 65 or older. Most also lived outside of the immediate Lake Anne area. Roughly 56% of respondents also reported a household income of $160,000 or more.

The firm also held four virtual focus groups with area stakeholders earlier this year, as it creates an economic vision for the future of the Lake Anne Commercial Revitalization Area.

The study was initiated by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.

After releasing the first draft of the vision on May 18, Streetsense hopes to firm up a formal vision by June 5.

Reston’s annual Founder’s Day celebration will return to Lake Anne Plaza on Saturday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The celebration, which marks Reston’s founding and founder Bob Simon, Jr., will feature community performances, cake, activities and music.

This year, the celebration kicks off with a community clean up.

“April is earth and volunteer month and what better way to give back to the environment than a community cleanup,” event organizers said.

Volunteers will gather at the Bronze Bob statue to clean up nearby Reston Association paths.

Residents can also contribute to Reston Museum‘s new Free Little Art Gallery by bringing artwork. Public Art Reston, a local nonprofit organization, will also have a free activity availability.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the gallery is slated for 12:30 p.m. at the steps of the Washington Plaza Baptist Church, after which the gallery will be permanently installed at the museum. It will be Reston’s second Free Little Art Gallery, following an installation outside the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate.

Performances include a show by the Foley Academy of Irish Dance, Adrenaline Dance Studio, South Lakes High School Theater, Reston Community Players and Langston Hughes Middle School’s choir.

Local food trucks will be on site at the event, which is presented by Reston Museum and Reston Community Center and cosponsored by Public Art Reston. Lake Anne Plaza hosts the event.

Cake will also be served at an event with local authors Rebecca Green, Shelley Mastran and Cheryl Terio-Simon at RCC’s Jo Ann Rose Gallery.

Work on establishing a new economic vision for the Lake Anne area is underway.

In collaboration with consulting firm Streetsense, the county is currently courting feedback via a public survey on economic visioning for the Lake Anne Commercial Revitation Area, an area that was designated as a possible hotspot for commercial revitalization in 1998.

The survey comes after Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn jumpstarted an effort to establish a vision for the area.

“The goal is to develop a market appropriate, aspirational economic vision that builds on the historic and unique characteristics of the Lake Anne area,” the survey says.

In a letter distributed to area residents and stakeholders, Alcorn stressed that the purpose is to build consensus around the vision for the area.

“Both the supervisor and county staff have no preconceived ideas about specific outcomes but hope that it is a vision that combines an understanding of the local market with the interest of the Lake Anne community,” the letter said.

The survey, which is open through March 10, is public and open to all.

Streetsense is working on a multi-month study as part of its work on the vision. It will include community engagement with residents an business owners, including virtual listening sessions by the media consulting firm.

A half-day, in-person workshop is also planned for April to develop a program of uses and experiences that define the Lake Anne story.

The consultant is expected to present findings from the public engagement phase in May, prior to publishing its final report, which is slated to come forward in early June.

The Fairway Drive underpass in Reston is slated for a facelift.

Public Art Reston is seeking artists to submit ideas for an art project at the underpass, which connects residential areas with a pool, community center and the Lake Anne Village Center.

The project is the third permanent public artwork commissioned by Public Art Reston. The organization partners with Reston Association.

Reston’s master plan for public art contemplates using the pedestrian tunnels for public art projects in an effort to “foster community engagement, enhance public safety and instill pride of place,” according to Public Art Reston.

The organization expects to involve the community in the project. The selected artist or artist team will work with Lake Anne Elementary School students and other neighborhood groups to create the work.

A similar workflow was adopted to add Ben Volta’s “Thoreau’s Ensemble” on the Colts Neck Road underpass in 2019 and Valeria Theberge’s “Emerge” at the Glade Drive underpass in 2010.

Here’s more from Public Art Reston on the importance of artwork in Reston’s history:

Public art is an important part of Reston’s history. Commissioned, site-specific play sculptures were integrated into the built environment of its first development at Lake Anne Village Center. Offering residents daily encounters with art was a unique feature for a 1960s suburban development, and one that distinguishes Reston for its visionary role in current placemaking initiatives. Among these commissions are Uruguayan modernist Gonzalo Fonseca’s whimsical sculptural environment for North Shore Drive Underpass (1965) and Baltimore-based potter, Olin Rossum’s abstract ceramic mosaic for Moorings Drive Underpass (1967).

The application deadline is Feb. 24. Materials are available online.