Robert E. Simon Jr.: An Appreciation

"It’s difficult to overcome the culture that we live in. It’s a culture where a state-of-the-art bathroom and kitchen are what one needs, plus enough square footage to show everyone that one could afford it. We’ve gone a couple centuries without understanding community. It’s too bad that it’s so hard to communicate what pleasure one gets from living with one’s fellow human being." Coverage: Reston Association | Reston Now | Washington Post | Washingtonian | Patch | New York Times

It seemed like he would always be here. A cliche, but one made believable by his remarkable longevity — and his constant presence in Reston. We had a conversation with Mr. Simon just weeks ago, walking the paths not far from the Heron House and the nucleus of the community he created, returned to, continued to advocate for, and loved for more than a half-century.

And what a half-century it's been. Simon lived long enough to see the fulfillment of several dreams -- the creation of a true downtown, the arrival of Metro -- and the seeds of others, including the grand plans for a revitalization of his beloved Lake Anne Plaza that, if done properly, will be worthy of his legacy. As we've said many times before, he was a model for aging in place -- and aging gracefully in a community that remains vibrant, multigenerational, and even more diverse than when it stood out among the segregated suburban neighborhoods of mid-1960s Northern Virginia. All in all, not a bad deal for Carnegie Hall in trade.

When we last saw Simon, he said what he's always said in recent years: "I'm healthy." He leaves behind a community that, while facing growing pains, is unmistakably that. Thank you, Mr. Simon, for creating a place worth caring about, now and for the next century to come.