The Greater Reston Living Podcast

Reston Town Center is about to grow in a direction it never has before. Just north of the core, a 48-acre plan called RTC North would reshape the land around the Reston Regional Library, the North County Government Center, and the Inova emergency room into a new district with housing, public facilities, and open space. In this episode, Graham and Kathy walk through the full RTC North proposal bloc...

There is a development taking shape on the south side of the Dulles Toll Road that has barely registered with most Reston residents, and it may end up being one of the largest projects in the area. In this episode, Graham and Kathy break down Comstock's proposal for the Commerce Metro Center, the roughly sixteen acres of aging office buildings and parking lots near Wiehle Avenue and Sunrise Valley...

Reston was founded on a promise that its buildings would be worth looking at. So what happened to that idea? In this episode we dig into the Lofts II proposal at Reston Station, a 158-home project on Samuel Morse Drive, and ask why so much of Reston's new construction is arriving flat, boxy, and forgettable. Kathy and Graham are just back from two weeks in London, where renting e-bikes to zip acro...

Old Reston Avenue has a story most people drive past without noticing. Tucked behind a wall of trees sits a 127-year-old stone manor house built in 1899, the old Bowman Manor, now used as office space and surrounded by two buildings slated for demolition. A joint development between the Armed Forces Mutual Association and EYA Townhomes would replace those buildings with 57 new townhomes, all desig...

Ground just broke on what could become the most significant development along the Silver Line since Reston Town Center started filling in. The project is called Rivana, and it sits on the Fairfax/Loudoun County line near Innovation Center Metro — a 9-million-square-foot development with 3,700 residential units, 3.5 million square feet of office space, an entertainment district, 16 acres of green s...

Lake Anne has been a cornerstone of Reston since the community was founded in the 1960s, but for years it has had a wayfinding problem. A significant number of Reston residents have never made it there, partly because the signage does not exactly announce itself. That may be changing. In this episode, Graham and Kathy break down the proposed new Lake Anne signage package that StreetSense recently...

Restonians have been paying a dedicated property tax surcharge since 2017 to fund intersection improvements across the area. The advisory board overseeing that money is now, nearly a decade later, pushing to actually allocate it. The catch: the original $44 million estimate for eight priority intersections has grown to $82 million, and the broader transportation plan could be approaching three or...

A lot of people probably scroll right past the Reston Association board election. This week, we break down why that may be a mistake. In this episode, we look at what is actually at stake in the 2026 Reston Association election, from rising dues and the $24 million RA budget to growth, open space, amenities, and the bigger question of what kind of Reston residents want going forward. We also talk...

Two of the biggest local conversations in Reston right now are about growth and mobility, and this week we dig into both. We break down the latest Reston Crossing redevelopment plans near Wegmans and Halley Rise, plus the surprising idea of bringing rail service back along the W&OD corridor without removing the trail. In this episode, Graham and Kathy talk through what the Reston Crossing prop...

The JW Marriott sign in Reston is so bright, some neighbors say it’s keeping them up at night. In this episode of the Greater Reston Living Podcast, we dive into the growing controversy around the JW Marriott sign at Reston Station, why Fairfax County says the permit was issued in error, and how Comstock has already started dimming and warming the light in response to complaints. We also get into...

In this episode of the Greater Reston Living podcast, hosts Graham and Kathy Tracey discuss the impact of new million-dollar townhomes on the affordability of housing in Reston. They explore a recent study that suggests high-end construction can create more affordable housing options by freeing up existing homes for others. The conversation also touches on local businesses, community gatherings, a...

Is a Fairfax County casino coming to Reston, and are the new Flock license plate cameras creating a surveillance net across our local neighborhoods? In this episode of the Greater Reston Living podcast, Graham and Kathy Tracey tackle these major community concerns, plus share a few other local bits and bites, including Herndon's highly anticipated Hawkley Brewing, the renaming of Western High Scho...

In this episode of the Greater Reston Living Podcast, hosts Graham and Kathy Tracey discuss the importance of community and friendship in Reston, highlighting local events and activities that foster connections. They also delve into significant developments in the area, including the transformation of Isaac Newton Square, the demolition of the old Fannie Mae building for new housing, and upcoming...

In this episode of the Greater Reston Living podcast, hosts Graham and Kathy Tracey discuss the architectural evolution of Reston, emphasizing the need to return to its unique roots. They explore the recent developments in the area, noting a trend towards uniformity in new constructions. The conversation shifts to Boston Properties' recent sale of a significant apartment building in Reston Town Ce...

In this episode, we break down the latest Fairfax County Public Schools boundary review and what it actually means for families in Reston and Herndon. The headline is simple: most high school boundaries stay the same, and the overall impact is limited, with roughly 1,700 students affected across the county. From there, we zoom out to the bigger picture in Northern Virginia’s economy. We talk about...

In this episode of the Greater Reston Living Podcast, hosts Graham and Kathy Tracey discuss several key topics affecting the Reston community, including the ongoing controversy surrounding a casino bill that continues to resurface despite local opposition. They also highlight the surprising news that the Reston Town Center is fully leased, showcasing the area's resilience and growth. Additionally,...

In this episode of the Greater Reston Living podcast, hosts Graham and Kathy Tracey discuss several pressing topics affecting Fairfax County, including the newly implemented 4% meal tax, a significant redevelopment proposal for the T-Mobile campus, and a housing market forecast for 2026. The conversation begins with a light-hearted discussion about local traffic issues before diving into the impli...