ICYMI: Is Reston's Tall Oaks Village Center Doomed?

Editor's note: This article was originally posted July 6.

Reston is putting together a plan to save one of its dying village centers: Tall Oaks Village Center.

The retail center at 12000 North Shore Drive has struggled with a vacancy rate of 86 percent, and has been unable to fill the huge supermarket void left by Giant years ago, according to a Washington Business Journal report and the Reston Association website.

But Jefferson Apartment Group, which purchased the property in December 2014, may be coming to the rescue, pitching a plan to redevelop almost half the village center's 18 acres, which would include just the shopping center portion. The project would retain one existing retail building and one office building, according to the report.

The rest of Reston has been thriving, but Tall Oaks has not. It has faced stiff competition from other village centers in Reston, including four competing grocery stores within four miles. Additionally, the center suffers from poor visibility off Wiehle Avenue.

Jefferson Apartment Group hopes that its plan to redevelop the space with 156 residential units, 8,584 square feet of retail and 5,809 square feet of office will make the shopping center relevant in the region once again.

Image via Reston Association