November 2024 Update: At its public meeting on Tuesday, November 12, the Herndon Town Council voted to authorize the town’s pursuit of a financing plan related to its downtown redevelopment project that is designed to lower capital costs related to the project and ultimately increase its viability. Read the town’s news release here.

Project Status Briefing - Town Council Meeting, September 10, 2024. Begins at 1 hour 54 minute mark– link to video on CivicPlus. 

September 2024 Project Update: At its public meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Herndon Town Council approved an extension of the outside satisfaction date by which the Town of Herndon and Comstock Herndon Venture LC will finalize their Amended and Restated Comprehensive Agreement to Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

In presenting the agenda item to the council prior to their vote, Town Manager Bill Ashton indicated that the complexities of the agreement necessitated the extension. However, he emphasized that the extension does not impact the timing by which construction on the project will begin; in fact, he noted the new extension agreement puts in writing the agreed-upon project commencement date of April 2025.

Click on the above link to listen to Ashton's remarks in full, which also provide details on the project's trajectory over the past few weeks.

The Town of Herndon and Comstock Herndon Venture, LC entered into a Comprehensive Agreement to develop a mixed-use project in Herndon’s downtown in 2017.  Delays caused by a legal appeal by adjacent property owners, setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent economic impacts on both cost and availability of construction materials prompted Comstock in April 2022 to exercise its contractual right to pause commencement of construction for two years.

The town and Comstock have been working diligently since that time to restructure their contractual relationship in a manner that reflects the realities of project development in 2024.

About the Project

The Herndon Downtown Redevelopment Project is a Public Private Partnership agreement between the Town of Herndon and Comstock Herndon Venture, LC that includes the redevelopment of nearly 5 acres of land in downtown Herndon into a mixed-use project.

Timeline: 

• September 2024 - Comstock and the town agreed to an extension of the deadline to December 10, 2024.

• August 2024 -Comstock and the town agreed to an extension of the deadline to September 10, 2024.

• April 2022 - Comstock exercised its right in the amended comprehensive agreement to pause construction commencement for up to 24 months, until April 30, 2024, due to market conditions or other matters, including delays as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

• December 14, 2021 - Town Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County to accept a grant from the Fairfax County Economic Opportunity Fund (EOR) in the amount of $5 million for the project.

• December 15, 2020 - The town transferred the development site to Comstock. 

• November 17, 2020 - Town Council unanimously approved a resolution that amended the comprehensive agreement with Comstock.

• October 2020 - Town Council adopted a resolution amending the Herndon Arts District ordinance, which permits the town to refund an incremental portion of property taxes for property used for arts purposes. Once Comstock meets the qualifications, it may apply for the refund. 

• May 2019 - Comstock received Final Site Plan approval from the Town of Herndon. 

• October 24, 2017 - Town Council adopted the comprehensive agreement between the Town of Herndon and Comstock Herndon Venture, LC. 

Comprehensive Agreement Documents:

Fifth Amendment to Comprehensive Agreement (September 10, 2024)
Fourth Amendment to Comprehensive Agreement (August 14, 2024)
Third Amendment to Comprehensive Agreement (April 25, 2024)
Delay Notice (April 29, 2022)
Second Amendment to Comprehensive Agreement (December 21, 2021)
First Amendment to Comprehensive Agreement (December 3, 2020)
Comprehensive Agreement (November 1, 2017)

Other Project Documents
Comstock Presentation to Town Council August 13, 2024 (PDF of presentation)
Comstock’s Architectural Design Plans
Downtown Site Map
Downtown Master Plan
Downtown Pattern Book