The University of Reston Urban Planning and Design Graduate Center, Patrick Kane, Reston Urban Planner

Najeeb Halaby is a member of the Tytran advisory board of the UMTA-funded study; it was to create a vision of the future of Tysons Corner. He called to ask me if I had any big ideas under consideration. I replied, “Of course big ideas are the only ones that go somewhere.” There should be mass transit from, through, and to. The obvious from is DC; the obvious through is Tysons; the obvious to is Dulles Corridor. The second proposal is to add considerable amounts of housing within Tysons Corner. He replied, “Sounds good. Some of them might want to live in Tysons.” I challenged this comment by asking if “them” were people who are less important than he is. He agreed, and I asked him if he would like to live there; he said maybe it was time to reduce the size of his farm because his daughter, Queen Noor, had taken her horse to Jordan. I then asked where he might like to relocate; he quickly answered “Palo Alto, California.” “why Palo Alto? But not to worry I was accepted at Stanford.

My next question was if he would like to see a university at Tyson’s? He said that he could enjoy the culture, and it would support connectivity in Tysons.

The place called Reston is a very-well-balanced community that lacks the draw and vitality a university would provide. The following paper will advocate an approach towards the formation of the University of Reston. It could be a Notre Dame satellite.

Reviewing the need for a university, some suggested it would be appropriate to add a graduate center focusing on planning, architecture, and community design, and locate this center in Reston, a place that manifests so many innovations that are used to shape the future of suburbia and that will require reinvestment as they age. My former department head at UVA said “this may be of interest to new leadership arriving in Charlottesville”. [I like this because of my ten-year-commitment to UVA graduate planning when they were in Falls Church. Of course my personal loyalties are directed to South Bend, where a program was offered to a school of architecture by T Brooks Brademes. He offered a seminar on planning; from this pool of students, he established a consulting firm. It was on the front end of HUD programs. Several alumni moved on to other firms.]

Hokie Interest

The Alexandria VPI Center is a consortium of architecture and planning firms. Their current program is in need of new space. A key staff person met with me last week to hear some ideas. We talked about the ability to teach planning from an upper floor of the International Center; furthermore, if space could be found, he was ready to make a deal. The view rooms of the International Center were used to sell Reston by Reston Land Corp. Another time the members of the rail task force were guests of RLC. Kane students always had a window tour of Reston. Absolutely it cannot be beat. The broker has offered information forwarded to a Hokie. This idea was also presented to Father John Langan, the current rector of the Society of Jesus at Georgetown University. The Fairfax County staff person directing the Reston College wondered if window space could be used for the next class. [This space gives a 360 degree view of yesterday and places for tomorrow.]

Every project I carry out begins with the purchase of an air photo, usually from Reston’s first business, Air Survey Corp. A window view would equal a hard-copy sense of Reston.

[I did learn recently that Virginia Tech's Alexandria campus has more students than seats; they have begun talks with JGB for space in the International Center. This would allow from-the-window teaching and access to the hotels for luncheon programs. The real estate cost may be outside the allocated budget price- per-student. It may be outside the budget but with the president's commitment to education there should be a budget somewhere to cover the gap. The semester starts soon. So the time is now.]

Creating something to improve citizen effectiveness would tie into the people noise that’s catching the current news. This also ties into the County's current commitment to the land use college and the citizens' academy. Initiatives are growing in many places. If the educated residents of Northern Virginia are not prepared their efforts often go for naught.

There are initiatives underway to improve America, disguised as stimulus packages. An energized and informed populace would be the needed ingredient to make this stew edible. Other space worthy of consideration include both of the old Bowman houses and Lake Anne Village Center. In the early days of Reston, Virginia Tech operated from the old farmhouse on Sunrise Valley Drive.

Governor Kaine was intensely interested in the arrival of VW headquarters in Herndon; I pointed out the facility was in the Reston/Herndon area rather than in the corporate limits of Herndon. In my photo op I pointed out that we had many things in common but not eyes or " I’s". His remarks related to his hope that the new administration will expand learning opportunities for all ages in order to establish a pool of educated people that can fill jobs at places like VW. Communities should pursue education for all ages. I told him that the room was full of Reston leaders who had felt this way for years; I suggested he present the audience with the challenge to keep the ball rolling. We also talked about the connectivity between low vision and Downs syndrome. He directed me to the state school board member in the audience, who was surprised that this subject will be addressed on my webpage as soon as my high school support team reenters the field.

I have been circulating a document which sets forth a number of personal objectives which include: the formation of The University of Reston as a graduate center that uses this place as the basis of the syllabus. A colleague recommended I set forth an agenda with lower expectations and different implementation techniques. The subjects should be broken down and more wickets employed to keep the ball rolling as per the governor's exhortation. To that end objective one on my agenda could be restated as "to establish a lecture series related to patterns of human settlement", a subject addressed by Messrs Kane Simon and Ritchey during a tour for a VPI class. I have included Reston tours in all my classes at both UVA and Mason. The Dulles Corridor Task Force joined me and the Reston Land folks at the 8th floor windows of the county's tallest building to engage in a planning discussion. My personal agenda includes inviting citizens to join students for presentations which should meet the objectives of the Reston Citizens Academy if JGB would allow this to occur. I'm sure if it were followed by a luncheon at the Sheraton the idea would have traction. This will become wicket 1.1 to my opened agenda. I would add 1.2 to expand the focus of planned education to include future bankers, social scientists, media people, and future healthcare providers. A Reston resident who teaches community nursing will help me expand the curriculum to attract student nurses. Clearly law students should be introduced to planning issues in preparation for zoning work. Engineers should also be allowed access.

While at Charlottesville, hoping to get key people to join my group, I asked to meet with other schools, to no avail. All good programs there require a marketing element; a number of my contacts have stayed in the game, which helps seeking project approval. Expanding this curriculum would begin with the formulation of the philosophy of planning [another wicket to pass the ball through]. Improving cluster management is another agenda item. VPI should consider helping clusters utilize unused spaces for test gardens as seen along the highways for corn hybrids. This acreage is identified as VPI sign test sites. It would extend the VPI presence in Reston beyond the long=ago efforts of Joseph Intemago at the farmhouse, or the new communities institute with VPI and Reston which did prepare a letterhead and brochure which never got off the ground

I would like to reestablish contact with Mr. Blue, another man from that time, and keep this ball rolling. This paper should be reviewed together with the opened agenda prepared by Kane and the described need for the University of Reston. If a program begins, property at the Lake Anne plaza should be converted to student housing to establish an equivalent to The Green. That could carry the name of the bricks. This would clearly provide stimulus to the revitalization of the Lake Anne center.

©2009 Patrick Kane. All rights reserved. Draft.