Will Parc Reston Become PARK Reston? Only the DRB Knows For Sure

This hott mess represents the latest design concept for the Parc Reston apartment/condo complex at Reston Parkway and Temporary Road. Much like Fairway Apartments, the property's owner has wanted to convert the low-rise apartments into some sort of mauvescrapers for some time, and on Monday, Athena Renaissance Reston presented to the DRB a new proposal to build two 14-story residential towers on the part of the property Athena owns (which is three of the existing garden apartment buildings containing 82 units that never got converted to condos because of, you know, the utter and total collapse of the housing market market conditions).

Sadly, the revised proposal shows how expectations of champagne wishes and caviar dreams continue to be downsized long into the New Normal:

What was originally two condo towers with underground parking in 2005 became in 2010 two smaller-scale buildings with a 72-foot-high glass elevator atrium connecting them. The current plan calls for two separate towers (no glass atrium) of what likely will be rental units built on top of three levels of parking garage.

So we're guessing the gilded fountain of gold-plated silver bullion is out as well. Bummer.

The county and DRB both approved the broad strokes of the 360-unit project some time ago, meaning that the DRB is now in its wheelhouse, addressing the look and character of the proposed design.

The DRB expressed concern about how to make the garages look less garage-like.

Sounds like a Zen riddle!

Some suggestions: public art and creative lighting design.

You mean that the lovely layer of trees partially obstructing the view of parked cars isn't Zen enough?

"With parking at the base, it can become this mass of buildings marching along Reston Parkway," said DRB member Neal Roseberry. "This is a primo site across from Town Center, so we've got to get it right."

As much as it pains us to write this, good on the DRB for focusing on a design issue that will have a big impact on the streetscape of our ever-expanding downtown.