Reston, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Reston is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Fairfax County
, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census. An internationally-known planned community
, it was built with the goal of revolutionizing post-World War II
concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in American suburbia.
The Reston Town Center
is home to many businesses, with high-rise and low-rise commercial buildings that are home to shops, restaurants, offices, a cinema, and a hotel. It comprises over 1000000 square feet (92,903 m²) of office space.
Municipal, government-like services are provided by the nonprofit Reston Association, which is supported by a per-household fee for all residential properties in Reston.
The land on which Reston sits was initially owned by Lord Fairfax
during the 18th century. C.A. Wiehle (for whom Wiehle Avenue is named) bought the land later in the 1880s. He died after construction of several buildings. His sons did not share his vision, and sold the land to A. Smith Bowman, who built a bourbon distillery
on the site while maintaining a farm on most of the area, a 7300 acres (29.5 km²) tract. An office retail development and a road are named for him. In 1961, Robert E. Simon
bought most of the land, except for 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) on which the Bowman distillery continued to operate until 1987.
Reston was conceived as a planned community by Robert E. Simon. Founded on April 20, 1964 (Simon's 50th birthday) and named for his initials, it was the first modern, post-war
planned community
in America, sparking a revival of the planned community concept. Simon's family had recently sold Carnegie Hall, and Simon used the funds to create Reston. Simon hired Conklin Rossant Architects as master planners to incorporate higher density housing to conserve open space
, as well as mixed use areas for industry, business, recreation, education, and housing.
The first section of the community to be built, Lake Anne Plaza, was designed by James Rossant
(who studied under Walter Gropius
at Harvard University
's Graduate School of Design) to emulate the Italian coastal town of Portofino
. Lake Anne village was designed with modern architectural themes that extend to a nearby elementary school, a gasoline station, and two churches. Lake Anne also has an art gallery, several restaurants, the Reston Historic Trust Museum, shops, and a senior citizens' fellowship house. All are local businesses, as there are no chain stores or chain restaurants allowed in Lake Anne. Close by are the cubist townhouses at Hickory Cluster that were designed by the noted modernist architect, Charles M. Goodman
, in the international style
. Other sections of the town, such as Hunters Woods, South Lakes, and North Point, were developed later, each with a neighborhood shopping center and supermarket.
The careful planning and zoning within Reston allows for common grounds, several parks, large swaths of wooded areas with picturesque runs (streams), wildflower meadows, two golf courses, nearly 20 public swimming pools, bridle paths, a bike path, four lakes, tennis courts, and extensive foot pathways. These pathways, combined with bridges and tunnels, help to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic and increase safety at certain street crossings. Reston was built in wooded areas of oak
, maple
, sycamore
, and Virginia pine
.
The growth and development of Reston has been monitored by newspaper articles, national magazines, and scholarly journals on architecture and land use. In 1967 the First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, visited Reston to take a walking tour along its pathways as part of her interest in beautification projects
. Apollo 11
astronauts Neil Armstrong
and Buzz Aldrin
visited Reston elementary schools named for them. The Washington Post
featured a road trip to Reston in January 2006 and a relatively new website "Beyond DC" has a page devoted to Reston with almost 150 photos.
Reston is the location for a regional government center serving citizens in the northern part of Fairfax County. The Reston Regional Library, Reston Hospital Center, and The Embry Rucker Community Shelter are located nearby. The Reston police sub-station is also the office headquarters of the locally elected supervisor of the Hunter Mill District within the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Reston experienced increasing traffic congestion as it grew in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a time when Reston's population was growing but the Dulles Toll Road had not been built. Commuter traffic between Reston and Washington created serious traffic congestion on the roads that connected Reston to Washington DC. In 1984 the toll road opened and in 1986 the West Falls Church Washington Metro
station opened. Most recently the Fairfax County Parkway
, a major north-south artery, was opened.
Reston is one of just a handful of communities in the U.S. that has been designated a backyard wildlife habitat
community. Usually this designation is for single-family homes.
Reston has grown to a point where it now fits the definition of an edge city
. While Reston takes on the statistical properties of an edge city, its tightly controlled design averted several problems they typically face, such as hostile pedestrian situations and lack of mass transit. Many of the neighborhoods in Reston were designed to be medium density, which is atypical of an edge city. In other ways it is a textbook example, with a majority of medium rise office buildings, and some citizens opposed to the expansion of its high density core.
, at first suspected to be Ebola virus
(EBOV), was discovered among crab-eating macaques
(Macaca fascicularis) within the Covance
Primate Quarantine Unit in 1989. This attracted significant media attention, including the publication of The Hot Zone
. The filovirus was found to be distinct from EBOV and to be nonpathogenic for humans. It was named after the community, and is now known as Reston virus
(RESTV). Macaques found to be or suspected to be infected with RESTV were euthanized and the facility was sterilized. The facility was located in an office park off of Sunset Hills Road. It was eventually torn down and a daycare was built in its place.
movement, from the beginning Reston was designed to follow "guiding principles" in its development that would stress quality of life. Citizens would be able to live in the same community while going through different life cycles with different housing needs as they age. It was hoped that Restonians could live, work, and have recreation in their own community, with common grounds and scenic beauty shared equally regardless of income level.
Beyond the influence of the New Town movement, Reston was part of a back-to-the-land movement popular in the 1960s and early 1970s. The principles incorporated in the community can be seen as a reaction to the new suburban communities of the post-war era (e.g., Levittown
). Among the problems in these communities that Reston responded to included income segregation, a lack of natural preservation, suburbs that served only as bedroom communities for commuters, a lack of public space in new developments, and a lack of community ties in new developments. Many early residents settled in Reston because of the ideals of the community.
Reston was planned with the following principles, as stated by Robert E. Simon in 1962:
, a 1930s community built as part of a federal New Deal housing experiment, is another example of a New Town. Subsequent New Town movement communities include Roosevelt Island
in New York City and Columbia, Maryland
.
An important part of Reston's development is its five village centers and one town center. Each village center, all of which (save North Point) predate the Reston Town Center
, was designed to be a half-mile walk from most homes and incorporate the daily retail and community service needs of residents. Denser developments, such as apartments and clustered town homes are clustered around each village center. The first village center built was the critically acclaimed Lake Anne (see below), followed by (in chronological order) Hunters Woods, Tall Oaks, South Lakes, and North Point.
" entered into mainstream use, but it follows new urbanism guidelines in a number of ways. Reston was built with an extensive path system, and recently Fairfax County has constructed many sidewalks. It is possible to bike to downtown Reston in 15 minutes from most locations. The downtown and original areas also incorporate mixed-use development
. Further mixed-use development is planned for areas where future Metro stations will be located.
However, Reston differs from New Urbanism principles in several important ways. Almost all buildings are oriented away from main streets, and few major arteries have complete sidewalk networks, although pedestrian and bike travel is easily accomplished on the isolated nature paths referred to above. This is a result of Fairfax County controlling Reston's transportation planning—until recently, the Fairfax County zoning code only required sidewalks to be built by developers in certain cases. The inward orientation of buildings was a preference of the early developers of Reston, who wished to avoid the commercial strip look that dominates many suburban developments in favor of a more naturalistic look.
In addition, the Dulles Toll Road Corridor of office parks cuts a half-mile wide swath across the community, with only five north-south connections, making cross-town travel by car and foot difficult. The creation of a sixth connection at Soapstone Drive has been talked about in the past by planners and the creation of mixed-use developments around planned Metro Stations may help better-knit the community together.
In the summer free concerts are offered at Lake Anne Plaza on Thursday evenings and at the Reston Town Center on Saturday evenings. Various festivals take place at these locations also. Canoes, rowboats, kayaks, and paddle boats can be rented on Lake Anne during the summer. Residents can also enjoy low cost theatrical and choir performances presented by the local high school. The theatre department at South Lakes High School has received numerous awards over the years, including the honor of representing the Mid-Atlantic region in the 2000 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Four miles (6 km) from Reston there are year-round concerts at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
, where the National Symphony Orchestra has its summer home away from the Kennedy Center. This venue offers world class performances ranging from opera and ballet to symphonic and popular music. Visitors can purchase reserved seats inside the pavilion or picnic on sloping lawns while enjoying a concert. During the cooler months bluegrass music can be heard indoors at The Barns of Wolf Trap.
Two miles (3 km) from Reston on Leesburg Pike (Route 7) is the Colvin Run Mill
, operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority
. It is a working 1811 gristmill that won a first-place restoration award from the American Institute of Architects
in 1973. The miller's house, barn, and historic post office/gift shop provide visitors with a glimpse of nineteenth century rural Virginia life. Daily public tours are offered. A few miles to the west along the same road there is the historic 1820 Dranesville Tavern, also operated by the park authority and rented out for weddings, parties, and corporate functions.
Also in Reston is the 476 acres (1.9 km²) Lake Fairfax Park, operated by the county. It features boat rentals from a new marina, a large outdoor pool complex called "The Water Mine," overnight campground facilities, picnic areas, and fireworks on Independence Day
.
The Reston Zoo
is located on the northeast edge of the community. It has 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) dedicated to family-friendly animal interaction with wagon rides and feeding stations. The animals include zebras, antelope, bison, ostrich, alligators, camels, goats, a reptile house, and waterfowl.
Reston has an assortment of pools, which are dedicated for recreational use in the summer, located near man-made freshwater lakes. An indoor poor is open year-round in the Reston Community Center. The Reston Association Nature Center provides services such as nature walks, charity events, and conservation efforts.
Two golf courses are located in Reston, one public and one private. Each neighborhood has its own public swimming pool, a total of 15, and there are many tennis courts located near Lake Anne.
The Washington and Old Dominion trail
, a 45 miles (72.4 km) long pathway built solely for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, also runs through Reston.
Reston has 55 miles (88.5 km) of pathways that wind throughout the community. The centerpiece of Reston's focus on nature is the Vernon J. Walker Nature Education Center. Walker Nature Center's 72 acres (291,373.9 m²) of hardwood forest provide the setting for a picnic pavilion, campfire ring, and other facilities that support its outreach programs. On November 19, 2008, construction began on a new nature house on the north side of the center. When completed in 2009, it was LEED
gold-certified.
, the other at Lake Anne. The Lake Anne gallery has space where patrons can view the artists' studios and works.
Reston also has a museum about its history, called the Reston Historic Museum. It has maps, photos, and books that detail Reston in its current and past states.
and is home to the headquarters of two Fortune 500
corporations of 11 in the Washington, D.C. area: (NII
and Sallie Mae). Other Reston companies include ComScore
, Maximus
, NVR
and Learning Tree International
. It is also home to the United States Geological Survey
, the National Wildlife Federation
, and CNRI. Google
Federal Services operates an office in Reston. Gate Group
's North American division offices are in Reston. At one time Atlantic Coast Airlines
had its headquarters in Reston.
Of the 20 largest venture capital firms in the D.C. area, five are in Reston. The amount of capital under management of the Reston firms, $6.9 billion, represents 53% of those top 20 regional venture capital firms.
to the east, and Washington Dulles International Airport
to the west. Reston has four local exits on the Dulles Toll Road
. Direct access to and from the airport is free.
The Dulles Toll Road splits the community along a west-to-east axis, while several roads run north-south: Fairfax County Parkway
on the western side, Reston Parkway through the center of town, Wiehle Avenue through the northeastern residential section, and Hunter Mill Road on the eastern border.
Office space in Reston is primarily located along two roads running east-west on either side of the Dulles Toll Road, Sunrise Valley Drive to the south and Sunset Hills Road to the north.
When Metro
is extended to Dulles Airport along the right-of-way in the middle of the Dulles Toll Road, two stations will be located in Reston. The first will be near the Wiehle Avenue/Dulles Toll Road interchange (phase one) and the second will be at the Reston Parkway/Dulles Toll Road interchange (phase two). A third station will straddle the Herndon/Reston border at the existing Herndon Monroe transit hub. Fairfax County
provides several commuter express buses from free park-and-ride lots to the West Falls Church Metro
station.
The Reston Internal Bus System (RIBS) is a set of five routes that circulate within the community, using Reston Town Center
as a transfer point. The fare system is the same as that of Fairfax Connector
. RIBS has been operated for 20 years by Fairfax County
's Fairfax Connector bus service. Metrobus
service is available to Washington Dulles International Airport
from the Herndon Monroe Park and Ride (which is located in Reston), and it is also possible to take routes to the West Falls Church station, which then connects with Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
.
Twelve percent of Reston citizens use a method other than car to commute to work. Five percent work from home. Two percent take the bus.
Because it is a planned community, Reston has many walking trails throughout. Bicycles are also permitted on the trails. Motor vehicles, except maintenance and police vehicles, are prohibited from using the walking trails.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.0 km²), of which, 17.1 square miles (44.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (1.21%) is water. Reston contains four artificial lakes: Lake Anne, Lake Audubon, Lake Newport, and Lake Thoreau. Another artificial lake, Lake Fairfax, is only partially on Reston property, but is technically Fairfax County park land.
and a number of private schools. Reston has one high school within its boundaries, South Lakes High School
, which serves most of Reston. On the same lot as the high school is Reston's only junior high school, Langston Hughes Middle School. Students who live in the far northern part of Reston attend Herndon High School. Reston has a number of elementary schools including:
There are several private schools located in Reston, including:
), the University of Phoenix
– Northern Virginia campus, and Marymount University
– Reston Center.
operates the Reston Regional Library in the CDP.
Reston has a high proportion of college-educated adults, with 66.7% having completed at least some college,
and 62.8% of adults possessing a baccalaureate degree or higher.
There were 23,320 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $80,018, and the median income for a family was $94,061 (as of a 2007 estimate, these figures had risen to $93,417 and $130,221, respectively). Males had a median income of $70,192 versus $45,885 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $42,747. About 3.2% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. A portion of the housing is set aside for Section 8
low-income housing. Subsidized senior citizen housing is also available.
The home ownership rate (owner-occupied housing units to total units) was 66.7%.
It has been proposed to incorporate
Reston as a municipality. A referendum to incorporate Reston failed in 1980 by a 2–1 margin; however, the proposal was resurrected in 2005 by the Reston Citizens Association.
The covenants at Reston specify that the assessments paid to the association are to be in proportion to the assessed value of the property as determined by Fairfax County. The Voluntary City
notes that this may have been an attempt to imitate local governments. However, it argues that it would have been better to assess all property owners the same amount for three reasons. First, the public good
s that residents enjoy are not likely to be dependent on the value of the property they occupy. Second, the tax structure is factored into the price of the property; thus, an inexpensive home saddled with higher assessments would become even more inexpensive, because its value would be diminished by the tying of these payments to the property. Third, payments based on assessed value dampen the incentive to improve the value of the property.
Reston has a federal system of government in which cluster associations form around neighborhoods. These cluster associations are responsible for maintaining common areas and have the power to tax their residents to do so. Many of these clusters have their own websites.
The majority of Reston lies within Virginia's 8th congressional district
and is represented in Congress by longtime Democratic Representative James Moran
. A portion of Reston is in Virginia's 10th District and is represented by Congressman Frank Wolf. It is represented by Democrat Ken Plum in the Virginia House of Delegates
, and by Janet Howell
in the State Senate.
and The Washington Times
. Reston also has two local newspapers: the Fairfax County Times, and the Reston Connection. A third, the "Observer," which covered Reston and nearby Herndon, closed in 2010; the co-owner is moving to AOL's Patch service of local news sites, which launched a Reston site in August 2010. A web site called "Restonian" also provides local news coverage.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census. An internationally-known planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
, it was built with the goal of revolutionizing post-World War II
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in American suburbia.
The Reston Town Center
Reston Town Center
The Reston Town Center is a group of offices, stores, and restaurants in Reston, Virginia.-Layout:The Reston Town Center is designed with open avenues and with wide sidewalks. It is built around Fountain Square, a medium-sized open area between the surrounding shops. The main landmark in Fountain...
is home to many businesses, with high-rise and low-rise commercial buildings that are home to shops, restaurants, offices, a cinema, and a hotel. It comprises over 1000000 square feet (92,903 m²) of office space.
Municipal, government-like services are provided by the nonprofit Reston Association, which is supported by a per-household fee for all residential properties in Reston.
History
The land on which Reston sits was initially owned by Lord Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and of Catherine, daughter of Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway....
during the 18th century. C.A. Wiehle (for whom Wiehle Avenue is named) bought the land later in the 1880s. He died after construction of several buildings. His sons did not share his vision, and sold the land to A. Smith Bowman, who built a bourbon distillery
A. Smith Bowman Distillery
The A. Smith Bowman Distillery is a distillery that was originally based on the Bowman family's Sunset Hills Farm in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA, in what later became the planned community of Reston...
on the site while maintaining a farm on most of the area, a 7300 acres (29.5 km²) tract. An office retail development and a road are named for him. In 1961, Robert E. Simon
Robert E. Simon
Robert E. "Bob" Simon, Jr. is a real estate entrepreneur most known for founding the community of Reston, Virginia.- Reston :...
bought most of the land, except for 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) on which the Bowman distillery continued to operate until 1987.
Reston was conceived as a planned community by Robert E. Simon. Founded on April 20, 1964 (Simon's 50th birthday) and named for his initials, it was the first modern, post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
in America, sparking a revival of the planned community concept. Simon's family had recently sold Carnegie Hall, and Simon used the funds to create Reston. Simon hired Conklin Rossant Architects as master planners to incorporate higher density housing to conserve open space
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
, as well as mixed use areas for industry, business, recreation, education, and housing.
The first section of the community to be built, Lake Anne Plaza, was designed by James Rossant
James Rossant
James Stephan Rossant was an American architect, artist, and professor of architecture. A long-time Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, he is best known for his master plan of Reston, Virginia, the Lower Manhattan Plan, and the UN-sponsored master plan for Dodoma, Tanzania...
(who studied under Walter Gropius
Walter Gropius
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School who, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture....
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Graduate School of Design) to emulate the Italian coastal town of Portofino
Portofino
Portofino is a small Italian fishing village, comune and tourist resort located in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is crowded round its small harbour, is closely associated with Paraggi Beach, which is a few minutes up the coast...
. Lake Anne village was designed with modern architectural themes that extend to a nearby elementary school, a gasoline station, and two churches. Lake Anne also has an art gallery, several restaurants, the Reston Historic Trust Museum, shops, and a senior citizens' fellowship house. All are local businesses, as there are no chain stores or chain restaurants allowed in Lake Anne. Close by are the cubist townhouses at Hickory Cluster that were designed by the noted modernist architect, Charles M. Goodman
Charles M. Goodman
Charles M. Goodman was an American architect who made a name for his modern designs in suburban Washington, D.C. after World War II. While his work has a regional feel, he ignored the colonial revival look so popular in Virginia...
, in the international style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
. Other sections of the town, such as Hunters Woods, South Lakes, and North Point, were developed later, each with a neighborhood shopping center and supermarket.
The careful planning and zoning within Reston allows for common grounds, several parks, large swaths of wooded areas with picturesque runs (streams), wildflower meadows, two golf courses, nearly 20 public swimming pools, bridle paths, a bike path, four lakes, tennis courts, and extensive foot pathways. These pathways, combined with bridges and tunnels, help to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic and increase safety at certain street crossings. Reston was built in wooded areas of oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
, sycamore
Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
, and Virginia pine
Virginia Pine
Pinus virginiana is a medium-sized tree, often found on poorer soils from Long Island in southern New York south through the Appalachian Mountains to western Tennessee and Alabama. The usual size range for this pine is 9–18 m, but can grow taller under optimum conditions. The trunk can be...
.
The growth and development of Reston has been monitored by newspaper articles, national magazines, and scholarly journals on architecture and land use. In 1967 the First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, visited Reston to take a walking tour along its pathways as part of her interest in beautification projects
Beautification
Beautification is the process of making visual improvements to a person, place or thing. With regard to a town, city or to an urban area, this most often involves planting trees, shrubbery, and other greenery, but frequently also includes adding decorative or historic-style street lights and other...
. Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
astronauts Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
and Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin is an American mechanical engineer, retired United States Air Force pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history...
visited Reston elementary schools named for them. The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
featured a road trip to Reston in January 2006 and a relatively new website "Beyond DC" has a page devoted to Reston with almost 150 photos.
Reston is the location for a regional government center serving citizens in the northern part of Fairfax County. The Reston Regional Library, Reston Hospital Center, and The Embry Rucker Community Shelter are located nearby. The Reston police sub-station is also the office headquarters of the locally elected supervisor of the Hunter Mill District within the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Reston experienced increasing traffic congestion as it grew in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a time when Reston's population was growing but the Dulles Toll Road had not been built. Commuter traffic between Reston and Washington created serious traffic congestion on the roads that connected Reston to Washington DC. In 1984 the toll road opened and in 1986 the West Falls Church Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
station opened. Most recently the Fairfax County Parkway
Fairfax County Parkway
The Fairfax County Parkway, signed as State Route 7100, is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It provides a north–south arterial route in Fairfax County with a mix of interchanges and signalized and unsignalized intersections. Its alignment roughly corresponds to part of...
, a major north-south artery, was opened.
Reston is one of just a handful of communities in the U.S. that has been designated a backyard wildlife habitat
Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Backyard Wildlife Habitat is a program of the National Wildlife Federation that encourages homeowners in the United States to manage their gardens and yards as a wildlife garden, with the goal of maintaining healthy and diverse animal habitats and ecosystems...
community. Usually this designation is for single-family homes.
Reston has grown to a point where it now fits the definition of an edge city
Edge city
"Edge city" is an American term for a concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional urban area in what had recently been a residential suburb or semi-rural community...
. While Reston takes on the statistical properties of an edge city, its tightly controlled design averted several problems they typically face, such as hostile pedestrian situations and lack of mass transit. Many of the neighborhoods in Reston were designed to be medium density, which is atypical of an edge city. In other ways it is a textbook example, with a majority of medium rise office buildings, and some citizens opposed to the expansion of its high density core.
Ebola virus scare
A filovirusFiloviridae
The family Filoviridae is the taxonomic home of several related viruses that form filamentous virions. Two members of the family that are commonly known are Ebola virus and Marburg virus. Both viruses, and some of their lesser known relatives, cause severe disease in humans and nonhuman primates in...
, at first suspected to be Ebola virus
Ebola virus
Ebola virus causes severe disease in humans and in nonhuman primates in the form of viral hemorrhagic fever. EBOV is a Select Agent, World Health Organization Risk Group 4 Pathogen , National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Category A Priority Pathogen,...
(EBOV), was discovered among crab-eating macaques
Crab-eating Macaque
The Crab-eating macaque is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. It is also called the "long-tailed macaque", and is referred to as the "cynomolgus monkey" in laboratories.-Etymology:...
(Macaca fascicularis) within the Covance
Covance
Covance, Inc. , formerly Corning Incorporated, with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, is a contract research organization , providing drug development and animal testing services...
Primate Quarantine Unit in 1989. This attracted significant media attention, including the publication of The Hot Zone
The Hot Zone
The Hot Zone is a best-selling 1994 non-fiction bio-thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses...
. The filovirus was found to be distinct from EBOV and to be nonpathogenic for humans. It was named after the community, and is now known as Reston virus
Reston virus
- Introduction and Use of Term :Reston virus was first described in 1990 as a new "strain" of Ebola virus, a result of mutation from Ebola virus. It is the single member of the species Reston ebolavirus, which is included into the genus Ebolavirus, family Filoviridae, order Mononegavirales...
(RESTV). Macaques found to be or suspected to be infected with RESTV were euthanized and the facility was sterilized. The facility was located in an office park off of Sunset Hills Road. It was eventually torn down and a daycare was built in its place.
Guiding principles
Part of the New TownNew town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
movement, from the beginning Reston was designed to follow "guiding principles" in its development that would stress quality of life. Citizens would be able to live in the same community while going through different life cycles with different housing needs as they age. It was hoped that Restonians could live, work, and have recreation in their own community, with common grounds and scenic beauty shared equally regardless of income level.
Beyond the influence of the New Town movement, Reston was part of a back-to-the-land movement popular in the 1960s and early 1970s. The principles incorporated in the community can be seen as a reaction to the new suburban communities of the post-war era (e.g., Levittown
Levittown, New York
Levittown is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead located on Long Island in Nassau County, New York. Levittown is midway between the villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 51,881....
). Among the problems in these communities that Reston responded to included income segregation, a lack of natural preservation, suburbs that served only as bedroom communities for commuters, a lack of public space in new developments, and a lack of community ties in new developments. Many early residents settled in Reston because of the ideals of the community.
Reston was planned with the following principles, as stated by Robert E. Simon in 1962:
Related communities
Greenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
, a 1930s community built as part of a federal New Deal housing experiment, is another example of a New Town. Subsequent New Town movement communities include Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island, known as Welfare Island from 1921 to 1973, and before that Blackwell's Island, is a narrow island in the East River of New York City. It lies between the island of Manhattan to its west and the borough of Queens to its east...
in New York City and Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not...
.
Firsts
Reston was the first post-war community in the U.S. to use clustered townhouse development, a strategy that allows for the preservation of open space along with higher density. Reston was also the first 20th-century private community in the U.S. to incorporate natural preservation in its planning (Greenbelt was a publicly-supported community).Town and village centers
Reston Town Center
The Reston Town Center is a group of offices, stores, and restaurants in Reston, Virginia.-Layout:The Reston Town Center is designed with open avenues and with wide sidewalks. It is built around Fountain Square, a medium-sized open area between the surrounding shops. The main landmark in Fountain...
, was designed to be a half-mile walk from most homes and incorporate the daily retail and community service needs of residents. Denser developments, such as apartments and clustered town homes are clustered around each village center. The first village center built was the critically acclaimed Lake Anne (see below), followed by (in chronological order) Hunters Woods, Tall Oaks, South Lakes, and North Point.
New urbanism
Reston was planned before the term "new urbanismNew urbanism
New Urbanism is an urban design movement, which promotes walkable neighborhoods that contain a range of housing and job types. It arose in the United States in the early 1980s, and has gradually continued to reform many aspects of real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use...
" entered into mainstream use, but it follows new urbanism guidelines in a number of ways. Reston was built with an extensive path system, and recently Fairfax County has constructed many sidewalks. It is possible to bike to downtown Reston in 15 minutes from most locations. The downtown and original areas also incorporate mixed-use development
Mixed-use development
Mixed-use development is the use of a building, set of buildings, or neighborhood for more than one purpose. Since the 1920s, zoning in some countries has required uses to be separated. However, when jobs, housing, and commercial activities are located close together, a community's transportation...
. Further mixed-use development is planned for areas where future Metro stations will be located.
However, Reston differs from New Urbanism principles in several important ways. Almost all buildings are oriented away from main streets, and few major arteries have complete sidewalk networks, although pedestrian and bike travel is easily accomplished on the isolated nature paths referred to above. This is a result of Fairfax County controlling Reston's transportation planning—until recently, the Fairfax County zoning code only required sidewalks to be built by developers in certain cases. The inward orientation of buildings was a preference of the early developers of Reston, who wished to avoid the commercial strip look that dominates many suburban developments in favor of a more naturalistic look.
In addition, the Dulles Toll Road Corridor of office parks cuts a half-mile wide swath across the community, with only five north-south connections, making cross-town travel by car and foot difficult. The creation of a sixth connection at Soapstone Drive has been talked about in the past by planners and the creation of mixed-use developments around planned Metro Stations may help better-knit the community together.
Cultural and other activities
A special tax district within Fairfax County was created to fund the various educational, cultural, and recreational activities of the Reston Community Center. Its main building is located on the southern side of Reston at Hunters Woods Plaza. The center has a theater, indoor heated swimming pool with jacuzzi, ballroom, meeting rooms, and classroom space. A smaller branch of the Reston Community Center is located at Lake Anne Plaza.Theater and music
The local theater group, the award-winning Reston Community Players present four stage productions annually in the high-tech theater at the Reston Community Center in the Hunters Woods Plaza. The Reston Chorale and Reston Community Orchestra also have regular performances here and throughout the town.In the summer free concerts are offered at Lake Anne Plaza on Thursday evenings and at the Reston Town Center on Saturday evenings. Various festivals take place at these locations also. Canoes, rowboats, kayaks, and paddle boats can be rented on Lake Anne during the summer. Residents can also enjoy low cost theatrical and choir performances presented by the local high school. The theatre department at South Lakes High School has received numerous awards over the years, including the honor of representing the Mid-Atlantic region in the 2000 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Four miles (6 km) from Reston there are year-round concerts at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, known locally in the Washington, D.C. area as simply Wolf Trap, is a performing arts center located on 130 acres of national park land in Wolf Trap, Virginia...
, where the National Symphony Orchestra has its summer home away from the Kennedy Center. This venue offers world class performances ranging from opera and ballet to symphonic and popular music. Visitors can purchase reserved seats inside the pavilion or picnic on sloping lawns while enjoying a concert. During the cooler months bluegrass music can be heard indoors at The Barns of Wolf Trap.
Parks and recreation
Restonians can avail themselves of the many cultural activities in Washington, D.C., by driving 20 miles (32.2 km) into the city or taking buses to connect to a Metro train. Two upscale shopping centers are located nearby in Tysons Corner, as well as the shops located throughout Reston and nearby Herndon.Two miles (3 km) from Reston on Leesburg Pike (Route 7) is the Colvin Run Mill
Colvin Run Mill
Colvin Run Mill is in Great Falls, Virginia. Built c. 1811, Colvin Run Mill is the solesurviving operational 19th-century water-powered mill in the Washington, D.C...
, operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority
Fairfax County Park Authority
The Fairfax County Park Authority is a department of the Fairfax County, Virginia county government responsible for developing and maintaining the various parks, historical sites, and recreational areas owned or administered by Fairfax County...
. It is a working 1811 gristmill that won a first-place restoration award from the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
in 1973. The miller's house, barn, and historic post office/gift shop provide visitors with a glimpse of nineteenth century rural Virginia life. Daily public tours are offered. A few miles to the west along the same road there is the historic 1820 Dranesville Tavern, also operated by the park authority and rented out for weddings, parties, and corporate functions.
Also in Reston is the 476 acres (1.9 km²) Lake Fairfax Park, operated by the county. It features boat rentals from a new marina, a large outdoor pool complex called "The Water Mine," overnight campground facilities, picnic areas, and fireworks on Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
.
The Reston Zoo
Reston Zoo
Reston Zoo is a family zoo located at 1228 Hunter Mill Road, Reston, Virginia, United States. It covers an area of 30 acres and contains a petting barn and permits visitors to go on safari wagon rides around the park. It contains lambs, ostriches, camels, monkeys, zebras, bisons, ducks, goats,...
is located on the northeast edge of the community. It has 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) dedicated to family-friendly animal interaction with wagon rides and feeding stations. The animals include zebras, antelope, bison, ostrich, alligators, camels, goats, a reptile house, and waterfowl.
Reston has an assortment of pools, which are dedicated for recreational use in the summer, located near man-made freshwater lakes. An indoor poor is open year-round in the Reston Community Center. The Reston Association Nature Center provides services such as nature walks, charity events, and conservation efforts.
Two golf courses are located in Reston, one public and one private. Each neighborhood has its own public swimming pool, a total of 15, and there are many tennis courts located near Lake Anne.
The Washington and Old Dominion trail
Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a popular and unusually-shaped regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , an asphalt-surfaced paved rail trail that runs through densely populated urban and suburban...
, a 45 miles (72.4 km) long pathway built solely for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, also runs through Reston.
Reston has 55 miles (88.5 km) of pathways that wind throughout the community. The centerpiece of Reston's focus on nature is the Vernon J. Walker Nature Education Center. Walker Nature Center's 72 acres (291,373.9 m²) of hardwood forest provide the setting for a picnic pavilion, campfire ring, and other facilities that support its outreach programs. On November 19, 2008, construction began on a new nature house on the north side of the center. When completed in 2009, it was LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
gold-certified.
Museums and galleries
Reston is home to two dedicated art galleries, one in Reston Town CenterReston Town Center
The Reston Town Center is a group of offices, stores, and restaurants in Reston, Virginia.-Layout:The Reston Town Center is designed with open avenues and with wide sidewalks. It is built around Fountain Square, a medium-sized open area between the surrounding shops. The main landmark in Fountain...
, the other at Lake Anne. The Lake Anne gallery has space where patrons can view the artists' studios and works.
Reston also has a museum about its history, called the Reston Historic Museum. It has maps, photos, and books that detail Reston in its current and past states.
Libraries
Reston is served by the Reston Regional Library. The library contains over 215,000 volumes and houses an extensive collection on the history of Reston.Economy
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, "professional, scientific, and technical services" are by far the largest economic activity in Reston, consisting of 757 different companies employing 21,575 people in 2007. The Information sector follows second with 9876 employees working at 150 companies in Reston. Reston straddles the Dulles Technology CorridorDulles Technology Corridor
Located in Northern Virginia near Washington Dulles International Airport, the Dulles Technology Corridor, dubbed the "Netplex" in 1993 by Fortune magazine, contains the "vital electronic pathways that carry more than half of all traffic on the Internet...
and is home to the headquarters of two Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
corporations of 11 in the Washington, D.C. area: (NII
NII Holdings
NII Holdings Inc. , a publicly held company based in Reston, Va., provides mobile communications for business customers in Latin America. NII, which operates under the Nextel brand, has operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru and offers fully integrated wireless communications...
and Sallie Mae). Other Reston companies include ComScore
ComScore
comScore is a Internet marketing research company providing marketing data and services to many of the Internet's largest businesses. comScore tracks all internet data on its surveyed computers in order to study online behavior....
, Maximus
Maximus Inc.
Maximus Inc. , trademarked as MAXIMUS, is an American for-profit privatizing company which provides program management and consulting services to local and state governments across the United States, including each of the fifty states...
, NVR
NVR, Inc.
NVR, Inc. is a United States real estate development company. The homebuilding unit sells and constructs homes under the Ryan Homes, NVHomes, Rymarc Homes and Fox Ridge Homes trade names.-Homebuilding:Ryan Homes...
and Learning Tree International
Learning tree international
Learning Tree International, Inc. is a United States-based training company that provides over 235 instructor-led, classroom-based training courses to information technology and business professionals. In 2010, the company had revenue of $127.47 million...
. It is also home to the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
, the National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...
, and CNRI. Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
Federal Services operates an office in Reston. Gate Group
Gate Group
gategroup is the parent company for eleven brands that provide services to the travel industry, including catering, hospitality, provisioning and logistics. Its head office is at Zurich Airport....
's North American division offices are in Reston. At one time Atlantic Coast Airlines
Atlantic Coast Airlines
Atlantic Coast Airlines was an airline based in the United States owned by Atlantic Coast Holdings, Inc.. It operated as United Express for United Airlines and Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines. It was headquartered in the Dulles area of unincorporated Loudoun County, Virginia, United States....
had its headquarters in Reston.
Of the 20 largest venture capital firms in the D.C. area, five are in Reston. The amount of capital under management of the Reston firms, $6.9 billion, represents 53% of those top 20 regional venture capital firms.
Transportation
Reston is a 10-mile drive from Tysons Corner and the Capital BeltwayInterstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
to the east, and Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of...
to the west. Reston has four local exits on the Dulles Toll Road
Virginia State Route 267
State Route 267 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It consists of two end-to-end toll roads – the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway – as well as the Dulles Access Road,...
. Direct access to and from the airport is free.
The Dulles Toll Road splits the community along a west-to-east axis, while several roads run north-south: Fairfax County Parkway
Fairfax County Parkway
The Fairfax County Parkway, signed as State Route 7100, is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It provides a north–south arterial route in Fairfax County with a mix of interchanges and signalized and unsignalized intersections. Its alignment roughly corresponds to part of...
on the western side, Reston Parkway through the center of town, Wiehle Avenue through the northeastern residential section, and Hunter Mill Road on the eastern border.
Office space in Reston is primarily located along two roads running east-west on either side of the Dulles Toll Road, Sunrise Valley Drive to the south and Sunset Hills Road to the north.
When Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
is extended to Dulles Airport along the right-of-way in the middle of the Dulles Toll Road, two stations will be located in Reston. The first will be near the Wiehle Avenue/Dulles Toll Road interchange (phase one) and the second will be at the Reston Parkway/Dulles Toll Road interchange (phase two). A third station will straddle the Herndon/Reston border at the existing Herndon Monroe transit hub. Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
provides several commuter express buses from free park-and-ride lots to the West Falls Church Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
station.
The Reston Internal Bus System (RIBS) is a set of five routes that circulate within the community, using Reston Town Center
Reston Town Center
The Reston Town Center is a group of offices, stores, and restaurants in Reston, Virginia.-Layout:The Reston Town Center is designed with open avenues and with wide sidewalks. It is built around Fountain Square, a medium-sized open area between the surrounding shops. The main landmark in Fountain...
as a transfer point. The fare system is the same as that of Fairfax Connector
Fairfax Connector
Fairfax Connector is a public bus service provided by Fairfax County, Virginia, and operated under contract by MV Transportation. The first buses rolled out in September 1985 as a lower-cost alternative to the Metrobus service of the regional Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...
. RIBS has been operated for 20 years by Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
's Fairfax Connector bus service. Metrobus
Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)
Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are over 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009,...
service is available to Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of...
from the Herndon Monroe Park and Ride (which is located in Reston), and it is also possible to take routes to the West Falls Church station, which then connects with Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to...
.
Twelve percent of Reston citizens use a method other than car to commute to work. Five percent work from home. Two percent take the bus.
Because it is a planned community, Reston has many walking trails throughout. Bicycles are also permitted on the trails. Motor vehicles, except maintenance and police vehicles, are prohibited from using the walking trails.
Geography
Reston is located at 38°57′16"N 77°20′47"W (38.954577, −77.346357).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.0 km²), of which, 17.1 square miles (44.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (1.21%) is water. Reston contains four artificial lakes: Lake Anne, Lake Audubon, Lake Newport, and Lake Thoreau. Another artificial lake, Lake Fairfax, is only partially on Reston property, but is technically Fairfax County park land.
Primary and secondary schools
As a part of Fairfax County, Reston is served by Fairfax County Public SchoolsFairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax...
and a number of private schools. Reston has one high school within its boundaries, South Lakes High School
South Lakes High School
South Lakes High School is the primary high school for the community of Reston in Fairfax County, Virginia. The school, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, had 1,860 students in the 2009-2010 school year....
, which serves most of Reston. On the same lot as the high school is Reston's only junior high school, Langston Hughes Middle School. Students who live in the far northern part of Reston attend Herndon High School. Reston has a number of elementary schools including:
- Buzz AldrinBuzz AldrinBuzz Aldrin is an American mechanical engineer, retired United States Air Force pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history...
Elementary School - Neil ArmstrongNeil ArmstrongNeil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
Elementary School - A. Scott CrossfieldAlbert Scott CrossfieldAlbert Scott Crossfield was an American naval officer and test pilot.-Biography:Born in Berkeley, California, Crossfield grew up in California and Washington. He served with the U.S. Navy as a flight instructor and fighter pilot during World War II...
Elementary School - Dogwood Elementary School
- Forest Edge Elementary School for Communication & Technology
- Fox Mill Elementary School
- Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences
- Lake Anne Elementary School
- Sunrise Valley Elementary School
- Terraset Elementary School
There are several private schools located in Reston, including:
- Children's House Montessori School of Reston
- Academy of Christian Education (elementary)
- Edlin (elementary and middle school)
- Reston Montessori School
- United Christian Parish Preschool
- Lake Anne Nursery and Kindergarten (LANK)
Colleges and universities
Reston also has several higher education resources, including a satellite campus of NVCC (Northern Virginia Community CollegeNorthern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the...
), the University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
– Northern Virginia campus, and Marymount University
Marymount University
Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university that has its main campus located in Arlington, Virginia. Marymount offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a wide range of disciplines and has a diverse and welcoming academic community with approximately 3,600...
– Reston Center.
Public libraries
Fairfax County Public LibraryFairfax County Public Library
The Fairfax County Public Library is a public library system headquartered in Suite 324 in the Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States....
operates the Reston Regional Library in the CDP.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 58,404 people, 25,522 households, and 14,809 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,288.6 people per square mile (1,269.9/km²). There were 25,522 housing units at an average density of 1,411.5/sq mi (545.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 70.1% White, 9.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 10.9% Asian (4.2% Indian, 1.8% Chinese, 1.2% Korean, 1.0% Filipino, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.3% Japanese, 1.7% Other), 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 3.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.8% of the population.Reston has a high proportion of college-educated adults, with 66.7% having completed at least some college,
and 62.8% of adults possessing a baccalaureate degree or higher.
There were 23,320 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $80,018, and the median income for a family was $94,061 (as of a 2007 estimate, these figures had risen to $93,417 and $130,221, respectively). Males had a median income of $70,192 versus $45,885 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $42,747. About 3.2% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. A portion of the housing is set aside for Section 8
Section 8 (housing)
Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 , as repeatedly amended, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households...
low-income housing. Subsidized senior citizen housing is also available.
The home ownership rate (owner-occupied housing units to total units) was 66.7%.
Governance
As noted above, Reston is unincorporated; it receives "municipal" services either from the county or from the Reston Association, which operates recreational facilities across the town and maintains pathways and other common grounds.It has been proposed to incorporate
Incorporated town
-Canada:Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.-United States:...
Reston as a municipality. A referendum to incorporate Reston failed in 1980 by a 2–1 margin; however, the proposal was resurrected in 2005 by the Reston Citizens Association.
The covenants at Reston specify that the assessments paid to the association are to be in proportion to the assessed value of the property as determined by Fairfax County. The Voluntary City
The Voluntary City
The Voluntary City: Choice, Community, and Civil Society is an Independent Institute-published book, edited by David T. Beito, about communities with private provision of municipal services. Contributors include Stephen Davies, Daniel Klein, Robert C. Arne, Bruce L. Benson, David G. Green, James...
notes that this may have been an attempt to imitate local governments. However, it argues that it would have been better to assess all property owners the same amount for three reasons. First, the public good
Public good
In economics, a public good is a good that is non-rival and non-excludable. Non-rivalry means that consumption of the good by one individual does not reduce availability of the good for consumption by others; and non-excludability means that no one can be effectively excluded from using the good...
s that residents enjoy are not likely to be dependent on the value of the property they occupy. Second, the tax structure is factored into the price of the property; thus, an inexpensive home saddled with higher assessments would become even more inexpensive, because its value would be diminished by the tying of these payments to the property. Third, payments based on assessed value dampen the incentive to improve the value of the property.
Reston has a federal system of government in which cluster associations form around neighborhoods. These cluster associations are responsible for maintaining common areas and have the power to tax their residents to do so. Many of these clusters have their own websites.
The majority of Reston lies within Virginia's 8th congressional district
Virginia's 8th congressional district
Virginia's Eighth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The residents of the 8th District are currently represented by Democratic Congressman Jim Moran, first elected to the 8th's seat in the U.S...
and is represented in Congress by longtime Democratic Representative James Moran
Jim Moran
James Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was...
. A portion of Reston is in Virginia's 10th District and is represented by Congressman Frank Wolf. It is represented by Democrat Ken Plum in the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
, and by Janet Howell
Janet Howell
Janet Denison Howell is an American politician. A Democrat, she was elected to the Senate of Virginia in 1991. She still represented the 32nd district in Fairfax County .-Biography:...
in the State Senate.
Local media
Reston is served by the Washington, D.C. market, within the distribution area for The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
. Reston also has two local newspapers: the Fairfax County Times, and the Reston Connection. A third, the "Observer," which covered Reston and nearby Herndon, closed in 2010; the co-owner is moving to AOL's Patch service of local news sites, which launched a Reston site in August 2010. A web site called "Restonian" also provides local news coverage.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Reston include:- Donna AndrewsDonna Andrews (author)Donna Andrews is an American mystery fiction writer of two award-winning amateur sleuth series. Her first book, Murder with Peacocks , introduced Meg Langslow, a blacksmith from Yorktown, Virginia. It won the St...
, mystery fiction writer. - Roy BuchananRoy BuchananRoy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
, guitarist and blues musician. - Eddie TimanusEddie TimanusEddie Timanus is a Jeopardy! champion and USA Today sportswriter who grew up in Reston, Virginia, then graduated from Wake Forest University. He met his wife through a Yahoo! Groups discussion group on game shows; the couple now has a son...
(born 1968 in St. Joseph, Missouri), Jeopardy! champion and USA Today sportswriter who grew up in Reston, Virginia - George Taylor MorrisGeorge Taylor MorrisGeorge Taylor Morris was a United States disk jockey and radio personality who grew up with and on the radio. Initially working on AM Radio, then switching to the FM Radio format, Morris' career evolved to where he became a "founding father of satellite radio at Sirius XM", according to the station...
, radio host who popularized the "Dark Side of the RainbowDark Side of the RainbowDark Side of the Rainbow – also known as Dark Side of Oz or The Wizard of Floyd – refers to the pairing of the 1973 Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon with the visual portion of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. This produces moments where the film and the album appear to...
" phenomenon. - Benjamin LevinBenny BlancoBenjamin Levin , better known as Benny Blanco, is an American songwriter and producer from Reston, Virginia. He first came to the attention of Internet blogosphere producing a collaborative EP with Spank Rock. Working with producer Dr...
, better known as Benny BlancoBenny BlancoBenjamin Levin , better known as Benny Blanco, is an American songwriter and producer from Reston, Virginia. He first came to the attention of Internet blogosphere producing a collaborative EP with Spank Rock. Working with producer Dr...
, songwriter and producer who has worked with artists such as Katy PerryKaty PerryKaty Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
, Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, and 3OH!33OH!33OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...
. - Big Pooh, MC in the Hip Hop group Little Brother (attended South Lakes High SchoolSouth Lakes High SchoolSouth Lakes High School is the primary high school for the community of Reston in Fairfax County, Virginia. The school, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, had 1,860 students in the 2009-2010 school year....
) - Kenneth R. PlumKenneth R. PlumKenneth Ray "Ken" Plum is a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 36th District since 1982. He earlier served from 1978 through 1980. His district includes a large part of Fairfax County, including the entirety of the town of Reston.Plum was selected as chair of...
(D), Virginia House of DelegatesVirginia House of DelegatesThe Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
Democratic Caucus leader, represents Reston. - Grant HillGrant HillGrant Hill is the name of:* Grant Hill, American basketball player* Grant Hill , Canadian politician* Grant Hill, San Diego, California, an urban neighboorhood in central San Diego...
, player for the Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
(attended South Lakes High School). - Eddie RoyalEddie RoyalWilliam Edward "Eddie" Royal is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
, Wide Receiver for the NFL Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(played FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for one season at South Lakes High SchoolSouth Lakes High SchoolSouth Lakes High School is the primary high school for the community of Reston in Fairfax County, Virginia. The school, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, had 1,860 students in the 2009-2010 school year....
(. - Robert E. SimonRobert E. SimonRobert E. "Bob" Simon, Jr. is a real estate entrepreneur most known for founding the community of Reston, Virginia.- Reston :...
, the founder of Reston, has been living around the Lake Anne area since 1993. - Alan WebbAlan Webb (athlete)Alan Webb is an American athlete. He holds the American record in the mile, with a time of 3:46.91. He competes professionally for Nike.-High school:...
, professional track athlete and holder of the American record in the mile run, attended South Lakes High SchoolSouth Lakes High SchoolSouth Lakes High School is the primary high school for the community of Reston in Fairfax County, Virginia. The school, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, had 1,860 students in the 2009-2010 school year....
. - Lloyd R. WoodsonLloyd R. WoodsonLloyd R. Woodson is an American whose arrest in central New Jersey on January 25, 2010 received national attention in the United States. Woodson was armed with a semi-automatic assault rifle and was wearing a military-grade ballistic vest at the time of his arrest...
, arrested in 2010 with military-grade illegal weapons he intended to use in a violent crime, and a detailed map of the Fort DrumFort DrumFort Drum is a United States Army base in New York near the Canadian border.Fort Drum may also refer to:*Fort Drum, Florida, a nearly-uninhabited town in the United States*Fort Drum , Philippines...
military installation. - Matt Duke (musician)Matt Duke (musician)Matthew Thomas Duke is an American musician and singer-songwriter who was born in Reston, Virginia and raised in Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey. He released an independent album, Winter Child, through the student-run Mad Dragon Records at Drexel University in Philadelphia...
(born 1985), singer-songwriter/musician who is currently signed to the label Rykodisc and has released multiple albums. Born in Reston.
Gallery
External links
- Reston Community Center – The tax district which supports the activities of the Reston Community Center.
- Reston Association – The official association website.
- Reston Museum – The official website of the Reston Historic Trust and its Reston Museum.
- Reston Planned Community Archives – online images and articles from the Special Collections and Archives of George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
. - Reston on JamesRossant.com
- Reston Buildings Details many of Reston's highrises.
- 1981 Poster with aerial view of Reston
- Beyond DC Reston gallery
- Reston Community Orchestra
- Reston Citizens Association
- Wolf Von Eckardt, The Row House Revival is Going to Town–Not to Mention Country; Washington Post; July 24, 1966