Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Petition to Save API Building in Reston From Demolition






At 48,000 sq ft, the API building is big enough to house Reston Regional Library which will be bulldozed to make way for residential high-rise buildings in Reston Town Center.

The county has said they want 39,000 sq ft on the ground floor of one of the residential towers for the new library; however, parking will be limited.   The middle of Reston Town Center is not an ideal location for a regional library.  Additionally, the community will have no library during construction and that could be 2 to 4 years.

There is $10 million available in library bond funds to pay for the new regional library. 

Here is the petition which has more information on Marcel Breuer and the API building.  Please sign the petition by June 13 so signatures can be sent to the Fairfax County Planning Commissioners. 

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/breuer




American Press Institute Building a New Home for Reston Regional Library?



Fairfax County's Architectural Review Board has asked that the county reconsider bulldozing the American Press Institute (API) building on Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston.  They believe the building, designed by Hungarian-born architect Marcel Breuer, has historic architectural significance and should not be taken down and replaced with townhouses.  API is the only building in Virginia designed by Breuer. 

This building at 48,000 sq feet is large enough to house a regional library.  It's in an excellent location.  The $10 million library bond approved by voters is enough to purchase and renovate the building.  Current development plans for the library parcel in Town Center North and for the API site on Sunrise Valley Drive need to be paused to consider an adaptive reuse of the API building as a public library.

Please write the Planning Commissioners and the Board of Supervisors as soon as possible to ask that this option be considered.

More information in RestonNow article here:   

https://www.restonnow.com/2016/05/31/planning-commission-will-tour-api-building-before-deciding-future/