The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval for 143 townhomes on three blocks at Isaac Newton Square, sending the 36-acre redevelopment project to its last major hurdle before construction can begin.
The approval was recommended on Wednesday, June 24. The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposal on Aug. 25.
Planning Commission Chair Phil Niedzielski-Eichner called the proposal "a first step" that "will be a catalyst," but noted concern about whether the site can ultimately achieve the density approved for a location so close to Metro. The tension frames the Aug. 25 hearing: townhomes are lower-density than what the 2019 master plan envisioned for blocks this near the Wiehle-Reston East station.
Developer Tri Pointe Homes D.C. Metro Inc. plans to build 58 townhomes on Block N1, 61 on Block W2, and 24 on Block N3. The three parcels sit on the northern portion of the former office park near the Metro station and are among the most distant blocks from it. Andrew Painter of Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh, the developer's land use attorney, told the Planning Commission that townhomes are a reasonable fit for those locations.
Block N3 was originally slated for a 180-unit multifamily building, but the developer determined the parcel's dimensions were too small and cited parking and infrastructure concerns.
The bigger picture
The three townhouse blocks flank Block N2, a 7-story, 345-unit apartment building approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2023. That building has not yet broken ground.
The broader Isaac Newton Square plan, first approved in 2019, calls for 2.8 million square feet of new construction replacing 1960s- and '70s-era office buildings. At full buildout, the site will hold 2,100 residential units plus retail, a hotel, an athletic field and open space. Peter Lawrence Company, a privately held commercial real estate firm, is overseeing the overall project.
Design concerns raised
The Reston Association Design Review Board reviewed the three blocks at its April meeting, chaired by Michael Wood. It was the DRB's first in-person session in roughly six years.
Board members flagged concerns about density, the adequacy of green space and architectural detailing. They noted that back-to-back garage units could read as rear elevations from the street and called for enhanced façade treatment. Members also raised questions about delivery vehicle access, internal circulation and whether parking was sufficient given the density.
The developer committed to preserving mature Willow Oak trees on the property as a centerpiece of the open space plan, designated "Willow Oak Park." As of May 18, stormwater vaults addressing runoff that had affected an RA-owned parcel and the Tall Oaks community were nearly complete, according to RA committee records.
Tri Pointe confirmed at the April meeting that fee-simple townhome owners would likely join Reston Association, while future multifamily residents would remain separate.
How to weigh in
The proposal had support from county planning staff and the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee before the June 24 hearing. The Board of Supervisors public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 25. Residents who wish to speak can sign up through the Fairfax County speakers list.
