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There’s something brewing in Reston, Va.

The plucky town of about 65,000 people, 23 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., has become one of the biggest development hubs in the DMV. BXP, Comstock, EYA and others control sweeping mixed-use projects that have attracted the likes of Google, Oracle, General Dynamics, and Booz Allen Hamilton, not to mention thousands of residents escaping the District. Bernstein Management wants in on the action.

Affiliates of the Bethesda, Md.-based investment and management firm have proposed a sprawling, 24-acre project just south of the Reston Town Center Metro station, dubbed Reston Crossing. The development aims to construct 1,650 residential units across 1.6 million square feet, nearly 1.5 million square feet of office and 31,000 square feet of retail space, according to a rezoning application the firm filed last week. The Business Journals first reported the news.

Bernstein assembled the parcels for Reston Crossing via two deals. The firm paid Tishman Speyer just over $37 million for half of the property in late 2024, and paid $53 million to Brookfield for the other half last April, PropertyShark records show. Both parcels have two office properties, currently leased by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, Noblis and software company Ellucian. Bernstein plans to raze those buildings to make way for the new development.

Tishman had previously aimed to redevelop the property into a 2 million-square-foot, mixed-use community. Yet that project never materialized due to “evolving market conditions, significant infrastructure requirements, and phasing complexities,” according to Bernstein’s application.

Bernstein’s plans call for seven individual construction blocks, currently dubbed Blocks A through E, along with nearly 5 acres of green park space. About 260 units, roughly 16 percent of the total, are expected to be earmarked as affordable housing. MV+A will serve as lead architect, and LandDesign will be the project’s landscape architect.

A spokesperson for Bernstein did not immediately respond to a request for comment or more information.

Other development firms are active in Reston. Reston-based Comstock, for example, own a 90-acre, mixed-use district adjacent to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station dubbed Reston Station. In February, advanced engineering and technology firm Amentum inked a 45,000-square-foot relocation lease for its headquarters at Reston Station, despite having just relocated to nearby Chantilly three years ago.

And then there’s (RTC), BXP’s 85-acre development featuring some 2 million square feet of office space and 1,500 residential units. BXP isn’t done expanding RTC either; in September, the Fairfax County Planning Commission approved the real estate investment trust’s 4 million-square-foot second phase, which it dubs RTC Next.

Nick Trombola can be reached at .

The milestone event will take place Sept. 19, at Reston Town Center and feature music, dance, and art from around the world.

RESTON, VA — The Reston Community Center is preparing for the 25th anniversary of its Multicultural Festival, a signature event that draws thousands to Reston each fall. Applications are currently open for performers, artisans, culturally inspired businesses, and community organizations interested in participating in this milestone celebration. The festival is designed to showcase music, dance, art, and traditions from various cultures.

The 25th anniversary festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will take place at Reston Town Center. The event will feature more than 20 performances spread across three stages, alongside interactive street-level programming. The Market Street Stroll will highlight traditional crafts, handmade goods, and local community organizations.

"What makes this festival extraordinary is the sense of belonging it creates," said BeBe Nguyen, RCC’s executive director, adding that for many, it is a moment to see their heritage celebrated and shared.

Nguyen also noted that for others, it is a chance to experience something new.

"Marking 25 years of those moments is incredibly meaningful, and we are excited to welcome the artists and organizations who will help define this anniversary year," she said.

The Reston Multicultural Festival aims to provide a vibrant, inclusive, and family-friendly celebration that unites the community across different cultures and generations. The festival has previously featured artists of national significance, including National Heritage Fellows recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Space for participants in each category is limited and tends to fill quickly. Interested performers, artisans, and community groups are encouraged to apply by Friday, April 10, to secure their spot. Click on an application below:

The Reston Multicultural Festival is presented by the Reston Community Center in partnership with the Reston Town Center Association and co-hosted by BXP. Volunteer coordination for the event is provided by the Reston Association.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help maintain assisted living arrangements for a Reston man with advanced post-polio syndrome.

RESTON, VA — Jennifer Gamboa and Robert More recently launched a GoFundMe campaign, seeking community support to help a friend with advanced post-polio syndrome maintain his current assisted living arrangements.

Ken Fredgren, 86, requires full-time assisted living in a licensed, accessible facility. Gamboa reported that his financial resources are nearly exhausted. She added that without community support, he risks losing the safe and dignified housing he currently depends on while longer-term solutions are pursued.

Gamboa described Fredgren as someone who has spent years serving the community to support accessibility, peace, and justice initiatives. She said her appeal is about responding to his present need in the same spirit in which he served his communities.

Fredgren spent 17 years leading the Reston Accessibility Committee. During that time, he worked with businesses, the Reston Association, and the committee's Accessibility Assessment Team across Reston. His efforts aimed to remove barriers and promote dignity and independence for all, according Gamboa.

In addition, Fredgren dedicated 11 years to supporting the Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County. He formerly served as the Student Peace Awards representative to Herndon High School and continues to serve as the sponsor outreach representative, according to Gamboa. Additionally, Fredgren spent 12 years co-coordinating the monthly Prayer Vigil for Peace, Life, and Justice at St. John Neumann parish in Reston.

As of 10 a.m. on Monday, the GoFundMe campaign has raise $25,209. Although the campaign is close to reaching its initial goal of raising $26,000, Gamboa and More are hoping to raise a total $75,000 to provide a financial runway to find medically-suitable, long-term housing for Fredgren.

Community members who wish to donate to the Help Ken Fredgren Stay In Accessible Housing campaign can do so via GoFundMe.

RICHMOND, VA — Legislation that would allow a casino to be built in Fairfax County is on its way to the Virginia House of Delegates for a full vote, with a new substitute that cancels some of the recent amendments to the bill.

On Friday, the House Appropriations Committee voted 18-4 to recommend Senate Bill 756 move forward with a change that "complies with current law, regarding application fees and revenues."

On Wednesday, the General Laws Committee voted 12 to 7 to advance the legislation to the Appropriations Committee with a substitute amendment that, among other things, raised the casino licensure fee from $50 million to $150 million and set the casino tax rate at 40 percent of adjusted gross revenue, with 50 percent allocated to the locality.

The primary differences between the two substitutes lie in the licensing fees, tax revenue distribution, and labor requirements for casino operations.

On Friday afternoon, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors received an update on SB756 during its regular Legislative Committee meeting. In December, the board voted 5-4 to add language to its 2026 Legislative Program expressing opposition to any legislation allowing a casino to be built in Fairfax County.

“The people who don't represent Northern Virginia supported the bill, and largely the people who do represent Northern Virginia oppose the bill,” Board Chair Jeff McKay (D-At-Large) said, of the two committee votes in the House of Delegates. “One of the big concerns about this bill, from the beginning, for a lot of us is that this decision can be made in large part by people who represent none of the same people that we do and none of the people who are affected by this legislation.”

Supervisor Jimmy Bierman (D-Dranesville), who has been the most vocal critic of the casino bill on the board, agreed with McKay's assessment.

"You do not want to set a precedent of people from outside your area dictating what you do," he said. "And yet, that is what is trying to happen with this bill. It won't pass a referendum, and it really makes no sense. I hope that it fails on the House floor on Monday."

Jennifer Van Ee, Fairfax County's legislative director, told the supervisors that if the House passes the casino bill as amended, the Senate would need to vote again on those changes.

"My guess is that the Senate will reject those," she said. "The House will reject the Senate, and they will go to conference. So, that will take place in the final week of session, and we'll see what comes out of that."

The bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon), introduced similar legislation during the 2025 legislative session. Although that bill passed the Senate, it was left in the House Gaming Subcommittee, effectively killing it.

On Feb. 12, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations recommended SB756 with a substitute to the full Senate for consideration. The substitute removed the requirement that a casino would be built in Tysons, which made all of Fairfax County as a possible location for any casino proposal.

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Umbra, a U.S. space technology company specializing in remote sensing and satellite systems, plans to invest $6.75 million in a Northern Virginia expansion, creating more than 100 jobs in Fairfax County, Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Thursday.

Umbra plans to add a 20,000-square-foot office in Reston to go with its existing Arlington County headquarters.

“Umbra’s expansion in Fairfax County underscores Virginia’s growing role as a hub for the nation’s space and defense industries,” Spanberger said in a statement. “By adding new space in Reston to support more than 100 new Virginia jobs, Umbra is deepening its commitment to the commonwealth and to the mission‑critical work that keeps our nation secure.”

Founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 2015, Umbra makes advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, to provide high-resolution radar data from space to its commercial and military customers, according to a news release.

“As demand increases for high-performance, U.S.-built space systems, Umbra is proud to expand our operations in Northern Virginia,” Umbra CEO David Langan said in a statement. “A decade ago, we set out to transform how remote sensing data is delivered, and we have consistently raised the bar for speed, quality and reliability. …

“This expansion strengthens our ability to grow our team, hire top talent across the region and build on our track record of delivering resilient systems faster and more cost-effectively,” he continued.

Umbra did not immediately respond to a question about the location of its new office.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia. Spanberger approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Fairfax County with the expansion. VEDP will provide funding and consulting services to support the company’s employee training activities through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Fairfax County has quietly become home to one of the nation’s most concentrated space ecosystems, with more than 150 companies supporting space-related missions, and over half of them choosing to expand or relocate here in just the past few years,” Jeffrey C. McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said in Thursday’s news release.

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