Reston, Virginia

Image:Oldbowmanwinedistill.jpg once operated by the Bowman family]]

In the early days of Colonial America, the land that is present-day Reston was part of the Northern Neck Proprietary, a vast grant by King Charles II to Lord Thomas Fairfax that extended from the Potomac to the Rappahannock rivers. The property remained in the Fairfax family until they sold it in 1852."A Brief History of Reston, Virginia," Gulf Reston, January 1970, George Mason Archival Repository Service, retrieved April 2018, http://mars.gmu.edu/handle/1920/1268?show=full {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508190519/http://mars.gmu.edu/handle/1920/1268?show=full |date=May 8, 2018 }}

Carl A. Wiehle and William Dunn bought 6,449 acres in northern Fairfax County along the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad line in 1886, later dividing the land between them, with Wiehle retaining the acreage north of the railroad line. Wiehle envisioned founding a town on the property, including a hotel, parks, and community center, but completed only a handful of homes before his death in 1901.

Wiehle's heirs eventually sold the land, which changed hands several times before being purchased by the A. Smith Bowman family, who built a bourbon distillery on the site.

Image:202007 reston skyline panorama herndon metro.jpg

By 1947, the Bowmans had acquired the former Dunn tract south of the railroad, for total holdings of over {{convert|7,000|acres|ha}}. In 1961, Robert E. Simon used funds from his family's recent sale of Carnegie Hall to buy most of the land, except for 60 acres (240,000 m²) on which the Bowman distillery continued to operate until 1987.{{cite web|url=http://www.fxva.com/fxva/itin_reston.html|title=Itinerary Reston, Virginia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061127053130/http://www.fxva.com/fxva/itin_reston.html|archive-date=November 27, 2006|access-date=October 12, 2007}}

Simon officially launched Reston on April 10, 1964 (his 50th birthday) and named the community using his initials.^[7] He laid out seven "guiding principles" that would stress quality of life and serve as the foundation for its future development. His goal was for Restonians to live, work, and play in their own community, with common grounds and scenic beauty shared equally regardless of income level, thereby building a stronger sense of community ties. The initial motto of the community, as articulated by Simon, was "Work, Play, Live"{{Cite web|url=http://www.veritycommercial.com/category/blog/blog/learning-from-restons-50-years-of-work-play-live|title=Learning from Reston's 50 years of "Work, Play, Live"|last=Verity|website=www.veritycommercial.com|date=July 22, 2016|language=en-us|access-date=2018-12-12|archive-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422215741/https://www.veritycommercial.com/category/blog/blog/learning-from-restons-50-years-of-work-play-live|url-status=live}} or often was memorialized onto Reston merchandise as, "Live, Work, Play."

Simon envisioned Reston as a model for clustered residential development,{{cite web|url=http://www.planning.org/smartgrowthcodes/pdf/section47.pdf|title=Model Residential Cluster Development Ordinance|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000825/http://www.planning.org/smartgrowthcodes/pdf/section47.pdf|archive-date=September 27, 2007|access-date=October 12, 2007}} also known as conservation development, which puts a premium on the preservation of open space, landscapes, and wildlife habitats. Reston was the first 20th-century private community in the U.S. to explicitly incorporate natural preservation in its planning.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/columns/roadtrip/maps/trip01292006.pdf|title=The Nature of Reston|last=Sloan|first=Willona|date=January 29, 2006|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=March 20, 2007|page=M08|archive-date=April 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414143234/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/columns/roadtrip/maps/trip01292006.pdf|url-status=live}}

Simon hired the architectural firm of Whittlesey, Conklin, & Rossant to design his new community."Robert E. Simon, Jr./Reston, Virginia," Historical Marker Database, marker provided by the American Institute of Certified Planners, https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=89538 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103541/https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=89538 |date=May 16, 2018 }}, accessed 15 May 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/23/obituaries/julian-whittlesey-archeologist-and-architect-89.html|title=Julian Whittlesey, Archeologist and architect|last=Elliott|first=J. Michael|date=23 May 1995|work=The New York Times|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=May 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103722/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/23/obituaries/julian-whittlesey-archeologist-and-architect-89.html|url-status=live}} The plans for Reston were designed by architect James Rossant, who studied under Walter Gropius at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and his partner William J. Conklin. From the outset, Rossant and Conklin's planning conceptualized the new community as a unified, cohesive, and balanced whole, including landscapes, recreational, cultural, and commercial facilities, and housing for what was envisioned to be a town of 75,000.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/arts/design/19rossant.html|title=James Rossant, Architect and Planner, Dies at 81|last=Grimes|first=William|date=18 Dec 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=May 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509013603/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/arts/design/19rossant.html|url-status=live}} For Lake Anne Plaza, the first of Reston's village centers, the architects combined a small shopping area with a mix of single-family houses, townhouses, and apartments next to a manmade lake featuring a large jet fountain. Close by were the cubist townhouses at Hickory Cluster, designed by modernist architect Charles M. Goodman in the International Style. Lake Anne also included an elementary school, a gasoline station, two churches, an art gallery, and several restaurants. The first section of a senior citizens' residence facility, the Lake Anne Fellowship House, was completed several years later.

Reston welcomed its first residents in late 1964. During the community's first year, its continued development was covered in such major media publications as Newsweek, Time, Life, and The New York Times, which featured the new town in a front-page article extolling it as "one of the most striking communities" in the United States.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/12/05/archives/fully-planned-town-opens-in-virginia-the-totally-planned-community.html|title=Fully Planned Town Opens Virginia; The Totally Planned Community of Reston, Va., Is Dedicated With 'Salute to Arts'|last=Huxtable|first=Ada Louise|date=5 Dec 1965|work=The New York Times|access-date=14 May 2018|archive-date=May 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103256/https://www.nytimes.com/1965/12/05/archives/fully-planned-town-opens-in-virginia-the-totally-planned-community.html|url-status=live}} Nikki Hornsby performed an hour-long paid concert, singing with her guitar outside for this new Reston Community.

Simon ran into financial difficulties as sales in the new community flagged. To keep his project going, he accepted a loan of $15 million from Gulf Oil that allowed him to pay off his creditors.{{Cite web|url=http://reston50.gmu.edu/exhibits/show/reston50_gulfandmobil/gulfandmobil|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516110719/http://reston50.gmu.edu/exhibits/show/reston50_gulfandmobil/gulfandmobil|title=Reston@50: Gulf and Mobil|website=George Mason University archives|archive-date=May 16, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=15 May 2018}} Even so, sales were sluggish as Simon's reluctance to compromise on his high standards for building designs and materials meant that a townhouse in Reston could cost as much as a single-family house elsewhere in Fairfax County.

By 1967, Gulf Oil forced Simon out and formed Gulf Reston, Inc., to manage the community. Gulf retained many of Simon's employees and continued to adhere largely to the spirit of the original Reston master plan as envisioned by Simon. During the 1970s, Gulf built the Reston International Center near the intersection of Sunrise Valley and Reston Parkway and added low- to moderate-income housing to the community's residential mix, including the Cedar Ridge, Laurel Glade, and Fox Mill apartment developments. Gulf also constructed housing for employees of the U.S. Geological Survey headquarters, located on Sunrise Valley Drive.

Gulf Reston put a premium on protecting Reston's open spaces and pedestrian-friendly landscape throughout its ownership. The corporation also transferred title for many Reston recreational facilities, including land, parks, lakes, and facilities, to the Reston Homeowners Association, thereby preserving them from overdevelopment.

Within ten years of buying Simon out, Gulf opted to begin pulling out of the real estate business to focus exclusively on energy. It sold Reston's developed portions, including three completed village centers (Lake Anne, Tall Oaks, and Hunters Woods), the Reston International Center, and Isaac Newton Square, to an investment firm.

In 1978, the company finalized the sale of Reston's remaining 3,700 undeveloped acres to Mobil, which pledged to continue respecting the ideals of Robert Simon. Mobil formed the Reston Land Corporation as a subsidiary to manage its holdings and began developing the remaining residential areas in what would become the South Lakes and North Point villages. Reston Land introduced a wider mix of housing choices, including more townhouses and smaller “starter” homes, and completed the North County Government Center, which houses the Reston District police station, Fairfax County government offices, and a regional library and homeless shelter.

Reston Land also broke ground on the 460-acre Reston Town Center which formed part of Simon's original master plan for Reston. The first four-block development of this multi-phase mixed-use project were opened in 1996 and included a hotel, several restaurants, a cinema, and office buildings.

By 1996, Mobil had decided to follow Gulf Oil's steps and pull out of the land management business. It sold its entire Mobil Land Development subsidiary, including its Reston holdings, to Westbrook Partners, LLC, for $324 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/MOBIL+SELLS+LAND+DEVELOPMENT+BUSINESS+TO+WESTBROOK.-a018371341|title=Mobil Sells Land Development Business to Westbrook|date=10 Jun 1996|website=The Free Library|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=May 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103910/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/MOBIL+SELLS+LAND+DEVELOPMENT+BUSINESS+TO+WESTBROOK.-a018371341|url-status=dead}} As Reston Town Center continued to develop, Boston Properties emerged as a leading player. The company became the sole owner of the core mixed-use tracts in Reston Town Center when it completed the purchase of the Fountain Square office/retail complex in 2012.{{Cite news|url=https://www.restonnow.com/2015/10/30/boston-properties-makes-deal-to-be-reston-town-centers-sole-owners/|title=Boston Properties Makes Deal to be Reston Town Center's Sole Owner|last=Goff|first=Karen|date=30 Oct 2015|work=Reston Now|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=May 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516104016/https://www.restonnow.com/2015/10/30/boston-properties-makes-deal-to-be-reston-town-centers-sole-owners/|url-status=live}}

Image:RestonCDPmap.gif]]

Reston is located in northern Fairfax County at {{Coord|38|57|16|N|77|20|47|W|type:city}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990|archive-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824085937/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|url-status=live}} Neighboring communities are Great Falls to the north, Wolf Trap to the east, Franklin Farm, Floris, and McNair to the southwest, the town of Herndon to the west, and Dranesville to the northwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Reston has a total area of {{convert|40.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{Convert|39.7|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.9|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 2.10%, is water.{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US5166672|title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Reston CDP, Virginia|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder|access-date=October 14, 2016}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Reston has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.{{Cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=309844&cityname=Reston-Virginia-United-States-of-America&units= |title=Climate Summary for Reston, Virginia |access-date=April 8, 2020 |archive-date=April 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422112632/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=309844&cityname=Reston-Virginia-United-States-of-America&units= |url-status=live }}

{{Weather box

|location = Reston, Virginia

|single line = Y

|Jan high F = 41.4

|Feb high F = 44.6

|Mar high F = 54.9

|Apr high F = 66

|May high F = 74.6

|Jun high F = 83

|Jul high F = 87.2

|Aug high F = 86.0

|Sep high F = 79

|Oct high F = 67.6

|Nov high F = 56.8

|Dec high F = 45.3

|year high F =65.5

|Jan low F = 22.8

|Feb low F = 24.3

|Mar low F = 32.4

|Apr low F = 41.3

|May low F = 50.7

|Jun low F = 60

|Jul low F = 64.9

|Aug low F = 63.6

|Sep low F = 56

|Oct low F = 43.1

|Nov low F = 34.7

|Dec low F = 26.5

|year low F =43.4

|Jan record high F = 75

|Feb record high F = 80

|Mar record high F = 89

|Apr record high F = 93

|May record high F = 97

|Jun record high F = 102

|Jul record high F = 105

|Aug record high F = 104

|Sep record high F = 99

|Oct record high F = 96

|Nov record high F = 84

|Dec record high F = 79

|Jan record low F = −18

|Feb record low F = −14

|Mar record low F = −1

|Apr record low F = 17

|May record low F = 28

|Jun record low F = 36

|Jul record low F = 41

|Aug record low F = 38

|Sep record low F = 30

|Oct record low F = 15

|Nov record low F = 9

|Dec record low F = −4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.8

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.7

|Mar precipitation inch = 3.4

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.2

|May precipitation inch = 4.2

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.2

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.6

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.7

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.8

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.2

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.3

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.2

|Jan snow inch = 7.1

|Feb snow inch = 7.5

|Mar snow inch = 3.1

|Apr snow inch = 0.3

|May snow inch = 0

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = trace

|Nov snow inch = 0.8

|Dec snow inch = 4

|Jan precipitation days = 10

|Feb precipitation days = 9

|Mar precipitation days = 10

|Apr precipitation days = 10

|May precipitation days = 12

|Jun precipitation days = 11

|Jul precipitation days = 11

|Aug precipitation days = 9

|Sep precipitation days = 9

|Oct precipitation days = 8

|Nov precipitation days = 9

|Dec precipitation days = 10

|year precipitation days=117

|Jan snow days = 4

|Feb snow days = 3

|Mar snow days = 2

|Apr snow days = 0

|May snow days = 0

|Jun snow days = 0

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 0

|Nov snow days = 0

|Dec snow days = 2

|year snow days= 11

|source 1 = Weatherbase{{cite web |url = http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=309844&cityname=Reston%2C+Virginia%2C+United+States+of+America&units= |title = WeatherBase |publisher = WeatherBase |access-date = 2020-04-08 |archive-date = April 23, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200423005908/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=309844&cityname=Reston%2C%20Virginia%2C%20United%20States%20of%20America&units= |url-status = live }}

}}

Image:Reston,_Virginia_-_Lake_Anne_plaza.jpg

File:Reston Town Center (6781037952).jpg]]

Image:Usgs-headquarters.jpeg (USGS) headquarters]]

Reston is divided into three separate planning areas: the original Planned Residential Community (PRC) area that governs the majority of residential areas in the community; the Reston Town Center (RTC) District, which includes all of the high-density, high-rise portions of Town Center; and the Transit Station Area (TSA) on either side of the Dulles Toll Road.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-zoning/sites/planning-zoning/files/assets/compplan/area3/reston-restontsas.pdf|title=Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, 2017 Edition, Area III (Reston)|website=Fairfax County Government|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525073806/https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-zoning/sites/planning-zoning/files/assets/compplan/area3/reston-restontsas.pdf|url-status=live}}

From Reston's inception, planning and zoning in the PRC area has emphasized the inclusion and integration of common grounds, parks, large swaths of wooded areas with picturesque runs (streams), wildflower meadows, golf courses, public swimming pools, bridle paths, a bike path, four lakes, tennis courts, and extensive foot pathways.{{cite web| url=http://www.restonpaths.com/| title=Reston Paths| access-date=March 20, 2007| archive-date=February 8, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208065744/http://www.restonpaths.com/| url-status=live}} Reston was built in wooded areas of oak, maple, sycamore, and Virginia pine, and remains heavily wooded. Extensive canopy guidance protects tree cover throughout the PRC, and homeowners are prohibited from removing trees larger than 4 inches in diameter without written permission from Reston's Design Review Board.{{Cite web|url=https://www.restonnow.com/2015/06/18/proposed-ra-rules-will-make-it-tougher-to-remove-a-tree/|title=Proposed Rules Will Make It Tougher to Remove a Tree|date=18 Jun 2015|website=Reston Now|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=August 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823073925/https://www.restonnow.com/2015/06/18/proposed-ra-rules-will-make-it-tougher-to-remove-a-tree/|url-status=live}} Total zoning density throughout the overall PRC area is currently capped at 13 persons per acre. This figure, however, does not include residents in Fairfax County workforce and affordable units (WDUs/ADUs), as well as the "bonus" units developers are allowed to add to their projects in compensation for having included ADUs in their proposals,

Reston's five village centers are included in the PRC area. Simon envisioned a total of seven village centers, but only five were developed.Reston Village Centers, Reston Association, https://www.reston.org/AroundReston/RestonVillageCenters/tabid/155/Default.aspx {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509013657/https://www.reston.org/AroundReston/RestonVillageCenters/tabid/155/Default.aspx |date=May 9, 2018 }}, accessed 8 May 2018. The village centers and the town center are an important part of Reston. Each village center, all of which (save North Point) predate the Reston Town Center, was intended to be a short walk from most homes and incorporate the daily retail and community service needs of residents. Moderately denser developments, such as apartments and townhouse clusters, as well as some single-family homes, encircle each center. The first to be built was the critically acclaimed Lake Anne, followed by (in chronological order) Hunters Woods, Tall Oaks, South Lakes, and North Point. By 2015, however, Tall Oaks had become defunct as a village center and was purchased by a local development firm, Tall Oaks Development Company, with the intent of rezoning the 7.6-acre parcel and converting it to residential housing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.restonnow.com/2015/01/08/sold-tall-oaks-village-center/|title=Sold: Tall Oaks Village Center|date=8 Jan 2015|website=Reston Now|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=September 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909053427/https://www.restonnow.com/2015/01/08/sold-tall-oaks-village-center/|url-status=live}}

During Mobil's ownership period, the corporation worked with Fairfax County to create a new Town Center District to govern planning and design for existing and new development in the core Town Center area and to remove it from the oversight of Reston Association's Design Review Board.{{Cite web|url=http://restontc.org/wp-content/uploads/drb.commercial-optim.pdf|title=Reston Town Center Design Guidelines and Review Process|date=Dec 2005|website=Reston Town Center Association|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=August 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813111253/http://restontc.org/wp-content/uploads/drb.commercial-optim.pdf|url-status=live}} Review and comment of all RTCD development proposals is limited to members of the RTC District Association, which is overseen by the 9-member Board of Directors, 7 of whom represent commercial property owners.{{Cite web|url=http://restontc.org/all-about-rtc/|title=About Reston Town Center Association|website=Reston Town Center Association|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=June 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602011248/http://restontc.org/all-about-rtc/|url-status=live}}

The core portion of the Transit Station Area (TSA), consisting of the 12-lane Dulles Toll Road, Metro's heavy rail line, and the office parks on either side—cuts a half-mile wide swath through the community, with four north–south connections. A fifth crossover at Soapstone Drive has been proposed by Fairfax County transportation planners, though funding has not yet been identified.{{Cite web|url=http://thenovaauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/PDF-Fairfax-Soapstone-Drive-Extension.pdf|title=Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, 2018 Project List|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517230630/http://thenovaauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/PDF-Fairfax-Soapstone-Drive-Extension.pdf|url-status=live}} Zoning and planning for TSA development is governed by Fairfax County; as with the RTC District, no direct oversight from Reston Association is included, while input from and notification to PRC residents is limited. TSA zoning guidance explicitly calls for this area to be designed as an urban center, with 30 million square feet of new and existing office development and 44,000 residential units.

{{US Census population

| 1970=5722

| 1980=36407

| 1990=48556

| 2000=56407

| 2010=58404

| 2020=63226

| estyear=2023

|estimate=66070

|footnote=2020 Census Data

}}

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."http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GQRTable?_bm=y&-ds_name=EC0700A1&-geo_id=E6000US5105966672&-_lang=en {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703082517/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GQRTable?_bm=y |date=July 3, 2011 }}. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 21, 2011. The Information sector"http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MetadataBrowserServlet?type=codeRef&id=51&dsspName=ECN_2007&ibtype=NAICS2007&back=update&_lang=en{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 21, 2011. follows second with 9,876 employees working at 150 companies in Reston. Reston is part of the Dulles Technology Corridor and is home to the following companies:

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Bechtel
• CACI
• Caliburn International
• Carahsoft
• Comscore
• ICF International
• Leidos
• Maximus
• Rolls-Royce North America
• Science Applications International Corporation
• NII
• NVR
• Noblis
• Revature
• Verisign
• Learning Tree International
• United States Geological Survey
• National Wildlife Federation
• American College of Radiology
• CNRI
• Google Federal Services"[https://www.google.com/corporate/address.html Google Offices] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220212545/https://www.google.com/corporate/address.html |date=December 20, 2010 }}." Google. Retrieved on July 12, 2009.
• Gate Group's North American division"[http://gategourmet.gategroupmember.com/index.php/contact-us Contact Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303095807/http://gategourmet.gategroupmember.com/index.php/contact-us |date=March 3, 2012 }}." Gate Group. Retrieved on September 17, 2011. "North America Regional Office11710 Plaza America Drive, Suite 800 Reston, VA 20190 USA"
• General Dynamics{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-defense/2019/09/09/air-force-probes-how-it-chooses-accommodations-after-scotland-flap-475643|title=Air Force probes how it chooses accommodations after Scotland flap|last=Brown|first=David|date=9 September 2019|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=8 January 2020|archive-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422154120/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-defense/2019/09/09/air-force-probes-how-it-chooses-accommodations-after-scotland-flap-475643|url-status=live}}
• Siteworx
• Volkswagen Group of America

{{div col end}}

Of the 20 largest venture capital firms in the Washington, 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.greaterwashington.org/business/venture_captial/largest_vc.htm|title=Doing Business in Greater Washington Largest Venture Capital Funds|publisher=Greater Washington Initiative|access-date=October 12, 2007|year=2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070816070609/http://greaterwashington.org/business/venture_captial/largest_vc.htm |archive-date = August 16, 2007}}

Reston also serves as the headquarters for the North American command of the German armed forces which oversees upwards up 1,500 troops deployed in the United States at any given time.{{cite web|url=http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2007/apr/10/hiding-in-reston-since-1991/|title='Hiding' in Reston Since 1991: German armed forces command for North America is on Sunrise Valley Drive|date=10 April 2007|website=connectionnewspapers.com|language=en|access-date=6 March 2017|archive-date=July 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705035211/http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2007/apr/10/hiding-in-reston-since-1991/|url-status=live}}

File:Washington DC 005.JPG]]

A special tax district within Fairfax County was created to fund various recreational, educational, and cultural activities in Reston. The Reston Community Center (RCC) is a core element,{{cite web| url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/huntermill/columns/smalldistrict5mar06.html| title=Small District 5| access-date=October 12, 2007| archive-date=June 22, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622233753/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/huntermill/columns/smalldistrict5mar06.html}} with its main building in south Reston at Hunters Woods Plaza and featuring a theater, indoor heated swimming pool with jacuzzi, ballroom, meeting rooms, and classroom space. A smaller RCC branch is at Lake Anne Plaza.{{cite web| url=http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com/aboutus.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902090600/http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com/aboutus.html| archive-date=September 2, 2007| title=About Us| publisher=Reston Community Center| access-date=October 12, 2007}}

Reston is home to several performing arts groups. The Reston Community Players (originally known as Reston Players) has been in operation since 1966 and performs at Reston Community Center's Center Stage in Hunters Woods Plaza.{{Cite web|url=https://restonplayers.org/|title=Reston Community Players|website=Reston Community Players|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=April 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413194554/https://restonplayers.org/|url-status=live}} The Reston Chorale was founded in the late 1960s as a mixed-voice chorus comprising both professional and amateur singers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.restonchorale.org/|title=Reston Chorale|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223636/http://www.restonchorale.org/|url-status=live}} The Reston Community Orchestra, launched in 1988, also offers regular performances throughout the year, generally at the Reston Community Center.{{Cite web|url=http://restoncommunityorchestra.org/|title=Reston Community Orchestra|access-date=May 17, 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223811/http://restoncommunityorchestra.org/|url-status=live}} In the summer, free public concerts are offered at both Reston Town Center{{Cite news|url=https://www.restonnow.com/2017/05/18/reston-town-center-summer-concert-series-includes-jazz-rock-more/|title=Reston Town Center Summer Concert Series Includes Jazz, Rock, More|date=18 May 2017|work=Reston Now|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223812/https://www.restonnow.com/2017/05/18/reston-town-center-summer-concert-series-includes-jazz-rock-more/|url-status=live}} and at Lake Anne Plaza.{{Cite web|url=http://lakeanneplaza.com/experience/concerts/|title=Lake Anne Living/Concerts|website=Lake Anne Plaza|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223632/http://lakeanneplaza.com/experience/concerts/|url-status=live}}

The Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE), founded by local artists, is home-based at Reston Town Center and sponsors the annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival.{{Cite web|url=http://restonarts.org/|title=Greater Reston Arts Center|website=Reston Arts|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=June 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622192953/http://restonarts.org/|url-status=live}} The privately owned Reston Art Gallery at Lake Anne Plaza includes both regular art exhibits and artist studio spaces.{{Cite web|url=http://restonartgallery.com/|title=Reston Art Gallery & Studios|website=Reston Art Gallery|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529005711/http://www.restonartgallery.com/|url-status=live}}

Reston's sole museum, the Reston Historic Trust & Museum, is also located in Lake Anne Plaza. It has maps, photos, and books that provide a detailed look at Reston from the 1960s on.{{cite web|url=http://www.restonmuseum.org/|title=Reston Museum|access-date=April 7, 2009|archive-date=May 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501130408/http://www.restonmuseum.org/|url-status=live}}

The Washington West Film Festival is an autumn event in Reston center. The festival, co-founded by Mark Maxey and Brad Russell, offers a juried array of feature films, shorts and documentaries.{{cite news |last1=Valverde |first1=Rochelle |title=Lawrence native wins Emmy for excellence in TV production |newspaper=Lawrence Journal-World |date=6 July 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Merry |first1=Stephanie |title=A dash of Cannes in Middleburg and Reston film festivals |newspaper=Washington Post |date=22 October 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Fraley |first1=Jason |title=Washington West returns to Reston as Virginia's most charitable film festival |url=https://wtop.com/entertainment/2018/10/washington-west-returns-to-reston-as-virginias-most-charitable-film-festival/ |access-date=13 May 2019 |publisher=WTOP-FM |date=23 October 2018 |archive-date=May 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513132519/https://wtop.com/entertainment/2018/10/washington-west-returns-to-reston-as-virginias-most-charitable-film-festival/ |url-status=live }}

• Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival (Reston Town Center) (May)
• Taste of Reston Food Festival (Reston Town Center) (June)
• Reston Triathlon (September)
• Reston Multicultural Festival (Lake Anne Plaza) (late September)
• Flavors of Fall (Reston Town Center) (October)
• Reston Holiday Parade (Reston Town Center) (November)

File:Lake Thoreau shoreline at sunset.jpg

Building on Robert Simon's emphasis on preserving green space and providing recreational opportunities, Reston features over 55 miles of walking and hiking paths for residents, with currently about 250 acres of woodlands and open space. Reston is noted for its tree canopy, which currently covers about half of Reston's total area. It is one of only eight localities in the U.S. to be a member of the worldwide Biophilic Cities Organization, which promotes the importance of protecting and promoting nature within urban areas.{{Cite web|url=http://biophiliccities.org/partner-cities/reston-va/|title=Biophilic Cities Organization|date=2017|website=Biophilic Cities|access-date=15 May 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reston.org/ParksRecreationEvents/Pathways/GeneralInformation/Default.aspx?qenc=HzT9ACzZbNs%3d&fqenc=37HLsUBBweffG%2bbTD7Xllw%3d%3d|title=Reston Association Pathways|access-date=November 19, 2008|archive-date=February 9, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209050402/http://reston.org/ParksRecreationEvents/Pathways/GeneralInformation/Default.aspx?qenc=HzT9ACzZbNs%3D&fqenc=37HLsUBBweffG%2BbTD7Xllw%3D%3D|url-status=dead}}

The centerpiece of Reston's focus on nature is the Vernon J. Walker Nature Education Center. The Nature Center's {{convert|72|acre|m2}} of hardwood forest include a picnic pavilion, campfire ring, and other facilities that support its outreach programs. Its LEED gold-certified Nature House offers exhibits, an on-site naturalist, and various programs for children; it may also be rented for community or private meetings.{{Cite web|url=http://reston.org/Parks,RecreationEvents/Facilities,MapsRentals/NatureHouse/tabid/949/Default.aspx|title=The Nature House|website=Reston Association|publisher=The Reston Association|access-date=17 May 2017}}

Two golf courses are located in Reston. The 166-acre Reston National Golf Course in south Reston is certified by Audubon International as a Cooperative Sanctuary on the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Hidden Creek Country Club was purchased in 2017 by Wheelock Communities, a real estate development company.{{cite web|url=http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/city.asp?dest=Reston+VA|title=Reston, Virginia Golf Courses|access-date=October 12, 2007|archive-date=September 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927202754/http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/city.asp?dest=Reston+VA|url-status=live}}

The Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) trail, which runs through Reston, is a {{convert|45|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} pathway built solely for pedestrian and bicycle traffic along the former W&OD train line.

Reston contains four manmade lakes: Lake Anne, Lake Audubon, Lake Newport, and Lake Thoreau. Also within Reston's area is the {{convert|476|acre|km2|1|adj=on}} Lake Fairfax Park, operated by Fairfax County and which features boat rentals, a large outdoor pool complex called "The Water Mine", overnight campground facilities, and picnic areas.{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lakefairfax/|title=Lake Fairfax Park|publisher=Fairfax County Government|access-date=October 12, 2007|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525073750/https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lakefairfax/|url-status=live}}

A 30-acre (120,000 m2) zoo, NOVA Wild, is located on the northeast edge of the community."[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US5166672&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on Reston CDP]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on April 4, 2009.[http://www.restonzoo.com/ Home page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407021441/http://www.restonzoo.com/ |date=April 7, 2009 }}. Reston Zoo. Retrieved on April 4, 2009. It is dedicated to family-friendly animal interaction with bus rides and feeding stations. Animals include lambs, camels, zebras, antelope, bison, cheetah, emu, camels, goats, reptiles, horses, buffalo, and waterfowl.{{cite web|url=http://dc.about.com/od/zoos/a/RestonZoo.htm|title=Reston Zoo – A Petting Zoo in Vienna, Virginia|publisher=About.com|access-date=October 12, 2007|archive-date=September 6, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906070327/http://dc.about.com/od/zoos/a/RestonZoo.htm|url-status=dead}}

Reston has an assortment of pools, including a year-round indoor pool at the Reston Community Center.{{Cite web |url=http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com/ |title=Reston Community Center |access-date=May 13, 2006 |archive-date=May 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527080333/http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com/ |url-status=live }} Ice skating is available year-round at SkateQuest, a privately run indoor rink, and during the winter on an outdoor rink at Reston Town Center's Pavilion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.skatequest.com/|title=SkateQuest|website=SkateQuest Ice Rink|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518002400/https://www.skatequest.com/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.restontowncenter.com/amenities/ice-skating/|title=Reston Town Center Amenities|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223613/https://www.restontowncenter.com/amenities/ice-skating/|url-status=live}}

Reston is an unincorporated area in Fairfax County, and its schools, roads, and law enforcement services are provided by Fairfax County.{{cite web|url=http://www.reston.org/Reston_Resident_FAQ/images/PDF/FAQ_General.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190813/http://www.reston.org/Reston_Resident_FAQ/images/PDF/FAQ_General.pdf|archive-date=September 30, 2007|publisher=Reston Association|access-date=October 12, 2007|title=General Information: A Quick Reference}}

Parks, recreation facilities, and common grounds, as well as the extensive trail system, are overseen by the Reston Association under the provisions of the Reston Deed, the community's basic governing document. A standard assessment is levied on each apartment or lot (for townhouses and houses). The Deed also allows for reduced assessments for those who "qualify for real estate tax reduction by Fairfax County Ordinance; (ii) their units are subsidized by the federal or state government; or (iii) their units are designed and used primarily for elderly congregate care or assisted living facilities and occupied by low or moderate income residents."{{cite web|title=The First Amendment to the Deed of Amendment to the Deeds of Dedication of Reston|url=https://www.reston.org/Portals/3/Inside%20RA/Reston%20Association%20Governance/Governing%20Documents/RADeed.pdf|website=Reston Association|access-date=8 September 2017|location=Section V.7. Basis for Assessments|page=23|archive-date=June 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616181853/https://www.reston.org/Portals/3/Inside%20RA/Reston%20Association%20Governance/Governing%20Documents/RADeed.pdf|url-status=live}}

Reston's individual clusters or neighborhoods have their own neighborhood associations which also levy assessments to cover grounds upkeep, snow removal, trash pick-up, and other maintenance. Each cluster has its own elected board of directors who report to the residents of that cluster.

The majority of Reston lies within Virginia's 11th congressional district and is currently represented in Congress by Representative Gerry Connolly (D).[http://connolly.house.gov/11th-district/ Virginia's 8th District | Congressman Gerry Connolly: 11th District] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022194916/http://connolly.house.gov/11th-district |date=October 22, 2015 }} Retrieved October 9, 2015. It is represented by Karen Keys-Gamarra (D) in the Virginia House of Delegates, and by Jennifer Boysko (D) in the State Senate.

While Reston has, from its inception, been an unincorporated area, several efforts have been made to achieve town status, primarily to gain more control over zoning and development decisions, which now are the purview of Fairfax County elected officials and staff. Robert Simon initially explored the option of incorporation as a town but was blocked by Fairfax County. Simon asserted to an interviewer that Fairfax officials informed him they would deny Reston access to Fairfax's water and sewer lines if he sought incorporation for his new community. In 1980, a group of Reston residents were successful in pushing for a referendum to incorporate Reston as a town, but the referendum failed in 1980 by a 2–1 margin.{{cite web|url=http://mars.gmu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1920/1867/1/534_02_01a.pdf|title=THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE INCORPORATION OF RESTON AS A TOWN|date=September 1, 1978|publisher=Reston Community Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414143242/http://mars.gmu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1920/1867/1/534_02_01a.pdf|archive-date=April 14, 2008|access-date=October 12, 2007}} A similar initiative in 2005, which was publicly supported by Robert Simon, also failed.

{{Further|Fairfax County Public Schools|South Lakes High School}}

As a part of Fairfax County, Reston is served by Fairfax County Public Schools and a number of private schools. Reston has one high school within its boundaries, South Lakes High School, which serves most of Reston.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcps.edu/images/boundarymaps/southlakeshs.pdf|title=South Lakes High School attendance map|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-date=August 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807044513/http://www.fcps.edu/images/boundarymaps/southlakeshs.pdf|url-status=live}} Adjacent to South Lakes High School is Reston's only middle school, Langston Hughes Middle School. Students who live in the far northern part of Reston attend Herndon High School.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcps.edu/images/boundarymaps/herndonhs.pdf|title=Herndon High School attendance map|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-date=September 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090920051233/http://www.fcps.edu/images/boundarymaps/herndonhs.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Public elementary schools:

• Buzz Aldrin Elementary School
• Neil Armstrong Elementary School
• A. Scott Crossfield Elementary School
• Dogwood Elementary School
• Forest Edge Elementary School
• Fox Mill Elementary School
• Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences
• Lake Anne Elementary School
• Sunrise Valley Elementary School
• Terraset Elementary School

Private schools:

• Children's House Montessori School of Reston
• Community Montessori School
• Reston Montessori School
• Academy of Christian Education (elementary)
• Edlin (elementary and middle school){{Cite web |url=http://www.edlinschool.com/ |title=Edlin School |access-date=April 9, 2010 |archive-date=March 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315134524/http://www.edlinschool.com/ |url-status=live }}
• United Christian Parish Preschool
• Lake Anne Nursery and Kindergarten (LANK)
• Ideaventions Academy for Math and Science (4th - 12th)
• Reston Children's Center (RCC)

Reston has several higher education resources, including a satellite campus of NVCC (Northern Virginia Community College), the University of Phoenix – Northern Virginia campus, and Marymount University – Reston Center.

Fairfax County Public Library operates the Reston Regional Library."[http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches/ Library Branches] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414054430/https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches |date=April 14, 2022 }}." Fairfax County Public Library. Retrieved on October 21, 2009."[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US5166672&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on Reston CDP, Virginia]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 21, 2009. Also located in Reston is the United States Geological Survey Library, a federal research library that is open to the public with over 3 million items, ranging from books and journals to maps and photographs, as well as field record notebooks.

Reston is served primarily by the Washington, D.C. media market. The community lies within the local newspaper distribution area for The Washington Post and The Washington Times,{{Cite news|url=https://subscribe.washingtonpost.com/acq/#/offers/promo/o8|title=Print subscriptions for the Washington Post|newspaper=Washington post|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=June 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618163847/https://subscribe.washingtonpost.com/acq/#/offers/promo/o8|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimessubscription.com/?source=microb|title=Subscription options for the Washington Times|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422222741/https://www.washingtontimessubscription.com/?source=microb|url-status=dead}} as well as two local publications, the Fairfax Times and the Reston Connection.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/site/about.html|title=About the Fairfax Times|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=August 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826171828/http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/site/about.html|url-status=live}} All four also offer digital subscriptions. A third local paper, the "Observer," which covered Reston and nearby Herndon, closed in 2010 and transferred coverage to AOL's Patch service of local digital news sites, which launched a Reston site in August 2010.{{cite news|url=http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/06/07/daily37.html|title=Herndon's Observer newspaper shuts down|last=Neibauer|first=Michael|date=June 9, 2010|work=Washington Business Journal|access-date=August 9, 2010|archive-date=June 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613162240/http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/06/07/daily37.html|url-status=live}} Website Reston Now provides daily local news coverage.{{Cite web |url=http://www.restonnow.com/ |title=Reston Now |access-date=July 17, 2017 |archive-date=July 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704035738/https://www.restonnow.com/ |url-status=live }} In addition, multiple television and radio stations in the Washington metropolitan area provide coverage of local developments.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/washington_dc.aspx|title=Radio stations in the Washington, D.C., metro area|access-date=19 Jun 2018|archive-date=March 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304122144/http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/washington_dc.aspx|url-status=dead}}

File:2018-10-29 13 59 27 View east along Virginia State Route 267 (Dulles Toll and Access Roads) and the Silver Line of the Washington Metro from the overpass for Virginia State Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) in Reston, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg of the Washington Metro in Reston]]

Reston sits astride the Dulles Toll Road, {{convert|9|mi|km}} from Tysons and the Capital Beltway to the east, and {{convert|5|mi|km}} from Washington Dulles International Airport to the west. Four roads cross the community from north to 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.{{cite web| url=http://www.washingtontechnology.com/print/9_7/9062-1.html?topic=news| title=Defining the Netplex| date=July 14, 1994| access-date=October 12, 2007| publisher=Washington Technology Magazine| first1=Randy| last1=Barrett| first2=Andrew| last2=Jenks| archive-date=September 28, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042644/http://www.washingtontechnology.com/print/9_7/9062-1.html?topic=news| url-status=dead}}

The Metro's Silver Line, which runs along the Dulles Toll Road, opened its first Reston station, Wiehle-Reston East, on July 26, 2014. Two additional stations, Reston Town Center and Herndon, opened on November 15, 2022 and serve the western half of Reston as part of an expansion towards Dulles International Airport.{{Cite web|url=http://dullesmetro.com/silver-line-stations/|title=Dulles Metro/Silver Line Stations|website=Dulles Metro|access-date=17 May 2018|archive-date=May 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223403/http://dullesmetro.com/silver-line-stations/|url-status=dead}}

The Reston Internal Bus System (RIBS) provides five regularly circulating routes connecting Reston's village centers, using Reston Town Center as a hub.{{cite web| url=http://www.linkinfo.org/reston.cfm| title=RIBS| access-date=October 12, 2007| publisher=LINK| archive-date=October 15, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015072920/http://linkinfo.org/reston.cfm| url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fairfaxfocus/2005/11/fairfax_connector_celebrates_2.html|title=Fairfax Connector Celebrates 20 Years|date=November 7, 2005|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=October 12, 2007|archive-date=October 10, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010160546/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fairfaxfocus/2005/11/fairfax_connector_celebrates_2.html|url-status=live}} Fairfax County's Fairfax Connector and Metrobus service both link commuters in Reston to Metro stations as well as points throughout Fairfax County.

{{Main|Reston virus}}

In December 1989, a filovirus, at first suspected to be Ebola virus (EBOV), was discovered among crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) within a facility operated by Covance (now Fortrea). This attracted significant media attention, including the publication of the popular 1994 book The Hot Zone and the subsequent development of the National Geographic Channel TV Series The Hot Zone (television series). 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.http://virus.stanford.edu/filo/ebor.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019121228/http://virus.stanford.edu/filo/ebor.html |date=October 19, 2008 }} "Ebola Reston Outbreaks". Department of Human Virology, Stanford University The facility was located in an office park near Sunset Hills Road and Wiehle Avenue. It was eventually torn down, and a daycare was built in its place.

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, Lady Bird 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 the website "Beyond DC" has a page devoted to Reston with almost 150 photos.

Reston and Robert Simon were recognized by the American Institute of Certified Planners for their significant contributions to town planning. The AICP further recognized Reston as a National Planning Landmark, praising Simon's vision for ensuring that fields and trees would be threaded throughout the residential and commercial portions of the community, and recognized it as "one of the finest examples of American 20th century conceptual new town planning."{{Cite web|url=https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=89538|title=Robert E. Simon, Jr.,/Reston, Virginia|date=2002|website=Historical Marker Database|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=May 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103541/https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=89538|url-status=live}}

In 2017, the Lake Anne Village Center's historic district was named to the U.S. Park Service's National Register of Historic Places, which serves as the official list of historic places worthy of preservation and protection.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/|title=National Register of Historic Places|date=2017|website=National Park Service|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=July 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706162334/https://www.nps.gov/nr/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2017/080917/Reston.pdf|title=Lake Anne Village Center Named Historic District|date=9 Aug 2017|work=Reston Connection|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=May 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103910/http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2017/080917/Reston.pdf|url-status=live}}

Reston is one of just a handful of communities in the U.S. that has been designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat community.

Reston generally follows "new urbanism" guidelines.{{cite web| url=http://www.beyonddc.com/profiles/reston.shtml| title=Reston, VA – New Town meets New Urbanism| access-date=March 20, 2007| archive-date=March 3, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070303014220/http://www.beyonddc.com/profiles/reston.shtml| url-status=dead}} The residential portion of the town was built with an extensive path system, and Fairfax County has constructed many sidewalks over the past decades.{{Cite journal| url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/comprehensiveplan/policyplan/transportation.pdf| title=Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, 2003 Edition – Transportation, amended through 7-10-2006| publisher=Fairfax County, VA| date=July 10, 2006| access-date=March 20, 2007| archive-date=September 27, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927173918/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/comprehensiveplan/policyplan/transportation.pdf| url-status=live}} The downtown and original areas also incorporate mixed-use development, with more mixed-use development planned near Washington Metro stations.{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021501094.html| title=County Picks Project for Wiehle Avenue Site| first=Alec| last=MacGillis| newspaper=Washington Post| date=February 16, 2006| page=VA03| access-date=March 20, 2007| archive-date=November 9, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109063056/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021501094.html| url-status=live}}

However, Reston differs from New Urbanism principles in several important ways. Many buildings in the PRC area are oriented away from main streets, and several major arteries lack complete sidewalk networks as a result of Fairfax County's control over Reston's transportation planning: until recently{{when|date=October 2020}}, the Fairfax County zoning code only required developers to build sidewalks in certain limited cases. The original inward orientation of the village centers was an intentional design element by Reston's early planners, who wished to avoid the commercial strip look that dominates many suburban developments.

{{main|List of people from Reston, Virginia}}

• Donna Andrews, fiction author, Murder with Peacocks
• Maame Biney, former speed skater, 2018 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics
• Benny Blanco, producer and songwriter
• Roy Buchanan, blues musician and guitarist{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Roy Buchanan, 48, a Guitarist | work = The New York Times | date = August 17, 1988 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/17/obituaries/roy-buchanan-48-a-guitarist.html | access-date = April 30, 2009 | archive-date = September 25, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170925005910/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/17/obituaries/roy-buchanan-48-a-guitarist.html | url-status = live }}
• Grant Hill, former professional basketball player, Detroit Piston, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, and Phoenix Suns{{cite news|url=http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=308787&paper=66&cat=105|title=Grant Hill, South Lakes Basketball|last=Koubaroulis|first=BJ|date=August 15, 2006|publisher=Connection Newspapers|access-date=March 22, 2010|archive-date=December 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218015102/http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=308787&paper=66&cat=105|url-status=live}}
• Lubomir Kavalek, chess grandmaster
• Jacob Sartorius, pop singer
• Alan Webb, track and field athlete, former U.S. record-holder for mile run

• Northern Virginia
• Reston Station

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Commons category}}

{{wikivoyage|Reston}}

• [http://www.reston.org/ Reston Association] – The official association website
• [http://www.restonmuseum.org/ Reston Museum] – The official website of the Reston Historic Trust and its Reston Museum.
• [https://archive.today/20130416064527/http://www.aladin.wrlc.org/dl/collection/hdr?pcar Reston Planned Community Archives] – online images and articles from the Special Collections and Archives of George Mason University
• [http://moderncapital.googlepages.com/1966PostArticleonTownhouses.pdf Wolf Von Eckardt, The Row House Revival is Going to Town–Not to Mention Country; Washington Post; July 24, 1966]{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• [https://jamesrossant.com/reston.html James Rossant - Reston]

{{Fairfax County, Virginia topics}}

{{Fairfax County, Virginia}}

{{DCMetroArea}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1964 establishments in Virginia

Category:Census-designated places in Fairfax County, Virginia

Category:Washington metropolitan area

Category:Census-designated places in Virginia

Category:Planned communities in the United States

Category:Populated places established in 1964