Preservationists will survey Reston this fall and winter as part of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources’ Survey. To begin the survey process, Fairfax County and VDHR are holding a joint public information meeting at Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center Lake Anne on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
Fairfax County was selected to participate in the state’s Survey and Planning Cost Share Program earlier this year. This program assists local governments in surveying their community to identify cultural and historic resources. In addition to identifying traditional historic landmarks, the survey includes looking at planned communities.
Specifically, the survey will look at buildings constructed between 1961 and 1978, which were prime development years in Reston’s history. It will identify potential buildings or neighborhoods to be evaluated for architectural or historic significance. These districts or buildings, if significant, can then be nominated to be included in Fairfax County’s Inventory of Historic Sites, the Virginia Landmarks Register or the National Register of Historic Places.
As part of the survey process, properties will be mapped and building exteriors will be photographed. This information will be used to determine each building’s construction date, develop an architectural description and perform a preliminary evaluation of the property’s historic significance.
The survey will cover all of Reston except the land within the existing Lake Anne Historic Overlay District. Lake Anne Village Center was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in 2017 and has been thoroughly documented.
The state hired Hanbury Preservation Consulting to complete the survey work from the public right of way. VDHR will monitor the project through its field office in Stephens City.
The community will be briefed on the survey’s findings when it is completed early next year.
For more information, contact Denice Dressel, Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-324-1383, TTY 711.