<b>Nature House</b>
A seven-year effort to raise funds for construction of the Nature House at Walker Nature Center in Reston has reached its goal. Friends of Reston raised more than $1.5 million needed for construction of the educational center that was a part of Reston’s original plan. Close to 1,000 donors participated in the fundraising effort, from children collecting change to corporations providing funding. The Northern Virginia Stream Restoration Bank was key in providing funds for the Nature House in its latest push to reach the goal. It directly awarded the Nature House $350,000 and Reston Association awarded $108,000 of its funds from the Stream Restoration Bank toward the project. For more information on the Nature House, visit www.reston.org/Nature/n_nature_house.html.
For The Connection article on the announcement of funds raised for the Nature House, visit http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=316754&paper=71&cat=104.
<b>Stream Restoration Bank</b>
The Northern Virginia Stream Restoration Bank was established to offset the impact of water runoff created by development in the area. Developers pay money into the bank as credit for their projects’ environmental impact. For example, the fourth runway at the Dulles International Airport paid an estimated $12 million into the bank. Reston Association (RA) won the bid for the bank’s funds to be used on its property. Miles of stream restoration is being constructed at no cost to Reston residents. Approximately $70 million will be put into the bank for restoration work in Reston, which will improve the streams’ ecological standing and appearance. The construction of the project is expected to take five years and 10 years of monitoring work will follow. Phase I of the project includes restoration on Snakeden Branch Stream, Glade Run and Colvin Run. More information is available at www.reston.org/water.
<b>Town Center Farmers Market</b>
Reston Town Center is a site of a new farmers market since May 2008. The market opened under the management of Smart Markets Inc., a nonprofit organization, and support from the Reston Whole Foods store. In addition to offering fresh produce and other food products at the Reston Town Square park, the Thursday afternoon market, from 3:30 to 7 p.m., offers wine and wine tasting. For more information on the Thursday afternoon market at Reston Town Center, visit http://www.smartmarkets.org.
In the meantime, Reston’s Saturday morning farmers market at Lake Anne Village Center, operated through the Fairfax County Park Authority, has won regional awards for its offerings and management. To learn more about the Saturday morning, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., market at Lake Anne visit http://restonfarmersmarket.com.
<b>South of Market Completed</b>
Boston Properties, a developer active in the Reston community, completed its South of Market development in Reston Town Center, featuring three buildings for office and retail tenants. The developer is constructing another building across the street in Reston Town Center, on top of a garage, which will build out the center’s middle blocks, known as Phase II. The office tenants in the completed buildings will include Rolls Royce and Google. Among the new restaurants slated to open by the end of summer are Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant, and The Counter, a table service burger place. Retailers will include J. Crew and Anthropologie. For more information on the development visit http://www.restontowncenter.com/SoMa.html.
For The Connection article on what is coming to Reston Town Center, visit http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=315621&paper=71&cat=104.
<b>New Anchor at Tall Oaks Center</b>
Fresh World, an international supermarket, opened at Tall Oaks Village Center in May, establishing itself as the center’s new anchor. It replaced Giant, which closed its store in November, raising worries among residents and tenants of the center that visitors and sales in the area could plummet. Fresh World was an immediate hit with the customers for the variety of products it carries and its offerings of fresh seafood and low prices for milk, meat and other food. In their advocacy efforts to bring a new anchor to the center following the closing of the Giant store, community members vowed to support their new anchor. A Web site for the Tall Oaks Village Center is under construction and can be found at http://www.talloaksvillagecenter.com.
For The Connection article on the Fresh World opening, visit http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=315304&paper=71&cat=104.