Reston

Reston, an internationally known planned community founded in 1964, was built with the goal of revolutionizing post–World War II concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in suburban America. This vision has come to fruition, with Reston's Town Center becoming the hub of commerce and culture in the area. High-rise and low-rise commercial buildings in the center house shops, restaurants, offices, a cinema, and a hotel, comprising over 1,000,000 square feet of office space. This urban oasis is complemented by the nonprofit Reston Association, which provides municipal, government-like services supported by a per-household fee for all residential properties in Reston.

Reston's popularity is not limited to its local residents; in 2017, it was ranked 29th in the Best Places to Live in America by Money magazine. This comes as no surprise, given the community's rich history. The land on which Reston sits was initially owned by Lord Fairfax during the 18th century, and after changing hands multiple times, Robert E. Simon bought most of the land in 1961. Reston has even hosted distinguished visitors, such as the First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, who visited Reston in 1967 to take a walking tour along its pathways as part of her interest in beautification projects. Even Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have visited Reston's elementary schools named for them.

As Reston grew, traffic congestion became a concern. However, with the opening of the Dulles Toll Road in 1984 and the West Falls Church Washington Metro station in 1986, many of these issues were alleviated. Most recently, the Fairfax County Parkway, a major north-south artery, was opened. Despite its growth, Reston has managed to maintain its tightly controlled design, which has averted several problems that are typically faced by edge cities, such as hostile pedestrian situations and lack of mass transit. Many of the neighborhoods in Reston were designed to be medium density, which is atypical of an edge city. Although some citizens are opposed to the expansion of its high-density core, Reston remains a textbook example of an edge city with a majority of medium-rise office buildings.