Reston Town Center: A Downtown for the 21st Century

Did you know that there is a book about Reston Town Center?

"Reston Town Center: A Downtown for the 21st Century" (Academy Press Ltd., Washington, D.C., $45)

Hard to believe that a place barely 15 years old and still under construction would rate being memoralized in hard cover but in the case of Reston Town Center it is well deserved. The book is geared more toward industry professionals (developers, architects, urban designers) but will make a good coffee table book for local residents.

Christmas, Redskins & Reston Condos For Sale

Before we get too far past Holiday Season thought I better include this photo of the Christmas Tree at Reston Town Center with the Ice Skating Pavilion in the background. All the photos on this blog and those on my real estate websites and all my listing photos are taken by yours truly. I've taken over 50,000 photographs with the three digital cameras I have owned the past 10 years. One photographic technique I have not really attempted is night photography and I hope to get a chance to experiment with some Reston Town Center at night photography soon. RTC is a beautiful place at night and a good shot of the lighted Christmas Tree would be a nice addition to the Reston Town Center Blog.

So today was Redskins vs. Cowboys Game Day, the culmination of Dallas Week. I had planned all week to have no business for Sunday so that I could concentrate on the "GAME" and the Skins advancing to the playoffs. I held out some hope for a ticket but no such luck. So this morning I did do a little catching up on the real estate needs of a couple clients and then about 11:30 I get a call from a buyer client wanting to preview some Condos For Sale at Reston Town Center. Any other Sunday this would be welcomed news ... but this is Dallas Week with the Playoffs hanging in the balance.

As things turned out all was well in the end. My buyers were understanding and agreed to a quick trip and a drop dead time of 2:45PM an hour and a half before Kick-Off time. We were able to see a half dozen Condos including a few in the 21 story Midtown both the East and West Wings. Great westward views from the West Wing facing Washington-Dulles International Airport and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the horizon. Too bad it was a cold and rainy overcast day or I could have taken a few shots worth posting here of the panoramic views. Maybe next time!

Most importantly, the Redskins beat the Cowboys ... and "beat" is the right word ... 27-6! Skins travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks in a Saturday Round 1 Game.

JT

Reston VA Foreclosures

Dining at Town Center - Big Bowl

Generally I prefer to patronize Family-Owned dining establishments although the days of Mom & Pop Restaurants have been numbered by all the regional and national chains. Going out for a meal is often more about ambiance and atmosphere than just the meal itself ... and I'm really pleased with the dining choices offered at Reston Town Center.

While I have a fond appreciation for the art deco exterior architecture and the interior design and decor of the Town Center restaurants, I've also been pleased by the quality of the food and the fair pricing. Big Bowl at Town Center has become one of my family favorites for dining out. We have probably averaged 10-12 dining visits per year since it opened. The Chinese & Thai cuisine is very good, the portions are man-sized and the cost is moderate. As long as your entourage likes Asian-style food their will be something on the menu to satify everyone! I've had good luck with requesting adjustments to the spice level to suit my "some like it hot" taste.

Somehow driving down a highway and pulling into a strip shopping center to patronize a restaurant stuck between a grocery store and a gas station just does not provide me with much of an experience other than the meal itself. There is no romance, no memories and no personal experience to add extra value. Dining at Town Center is more like an occaision or an event!

JT

Fairfax VA Real Estate - Loudoun VA Real Estate

A Lot of People Appreciate the Urban Core Lifestyle

Some people like living the Urban Core lifestyle and this style of mixed-use development has long been accepted for the workplace.

I don't actually live in Reston Town Center but I do live very close by. I would move to Town Center in a heartbeat and would not rule out the possibility for myself in the future. I love just about everything about Reston Town Center! It is not perfect, but it sure has a lot that appeals greatly to me ... and obviously many others too.

My family spends a significant portion of our entertainment dollar at Town Center and it is not unusual for us to make a brief detour through Town Center just to drive through and take a quick look. Town Center is just an interesting place with a lot going on either in terms of social activities and entertainment or just simple appreciation for the architecture, sites and sounds. Town Center is one of those places that can be very interesting when the streets are crowded with night-life activities or just as interesting on a late night or early morning when the streets are deserted. You see and hear different things from the opposite perspectives.

JT

Why a Reston Town Center Blog?

Credit should be given ... when credit is due!

Nobody ever jumps on the negative bandwagon when you look at rural land, open space and postcard images of the classic working farm. Politicians and special interest groups rally behind the campus style R&D commercial developments or the same old tired tract subdivisions.

In my opinion, some how and some way ... the powers that be got a lot more right with Reston Town Center than maybe anyone could have imagined. If you are one of those that does not appreciate the density and mixed uses of Reston Town Center ... then good for you and I hope you enjoy your time at strip shopping centers and regional malls and a clear separation and segregation of commercial from residential uses.

Reston Town Center is a true model of getting it RIGHT and I'm confident that I will make that case succinctly over time through The Reston Town Center Blog.

John Thompson
Samson Realty

Reston Town Center Blog - Reston Town Center Information (Unofficial)

Briefly - About Reston Town Center

Begun in 1990 and planned as the downtown core, Reston Town Center has finally reached and far surpassed the designers vision. The highly regarded and awarded urban core has come of age as a place of business, a place to live and the local entertainment hot spot.

Weekday, weekend ... morning, noon and night, Town Center is bustling with activity. The centerpiece is a sprawling civic plaza with the Mercury Fountain and the open-air Pavilion. Town Center is home to unique and upscale shops and boutiques, numerous fine dining options and the 13-screen Multiplex Cinema. In addition to Fountain Square #1 and #2, The Hyatt Regency is one of the anchors of the civic core. The Town Center lifestyle has made some of the adjacent Townhome and Condo communities among the most desired Real Estate in Northern Virginia.