$25K Donation Dedicated To Addressing Lake Anne Plaza's Decaying Infrastructure

RESTON, VA — A local foundation has kicked in $25,000 in seed money for a new project aimed at repairing the aging infrastructure at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, according to a post on the Neighbor app by Margaret Gupta.

On Thursday, the Reston Museum and the Gupta Family Foundation hosted a meeting at the Lake Anne Reston Community Center to discuss a new beautification project for the plaza. Dubbed "Lake Anne Rising," the new project received a $25,000 donation from the foundation as a way to get the ball rolling on cleaning up the plaza.

The deteriorating condition of Lake Anne Plaza has been the subject of many community meetings and news stories in recent years.

Members of the Lake Anne of Reston Condominium Association (LARCA) board asked Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn's assistance early this year after several significant infrastructure issues within the community came to light. The most notable of these was when the Quayside condominiums went without hot water for several months last winter.

At LACRA's request, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (FCDPWES) and architectural firm Samaha Associates conducted a survey of LARCA-owned property in June and July. The HOA represents 131 unit owners, both residential and commercial, in the village center complex, which was built from 1963 to 1967.

Related: $37M In Repairs Needed To Lake Anne's Aging Infrastructure

In September, Samaha and FCDPWES reported that the buildings and parking lots in the Lake Anne Plaza complex showed signs of aging that would require significant repairs. These included damage and distress to concrete surfaces and brick exteriors, as well as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that dated to the mid-1960s. The total cost of repairs was estimated to be at least $37 million.

In her opening remarks at last Thursday night's presentation, Gupta, who is the foundation's president, called the plaza the heart and soul of Reston.

"While it is privately-owned by LARCA, it is also a treasured community asset for all of Reston to enjoy," she said. "The plaza has been deteriorating and is in a state of disrepair. As Restonians, we felt we should do something about it. Our thinking is that since the plaza is a public asset, the entire community should pitch in to help, preserving this precious, historic asset that Bob Simon envisioned."

Gupta described Lake Anne Rising as a narrow-scope project focusing on beautifying and cleaning up the plaza.

"The goal is to enhance the experience at Lake Anne, make it more enjoyable, and make it a bustling community gathering place," she said.