Space Tech Company Launching New Reston Office: The D.C. Deal Sheet

Santa Barbara, California-based space technology company Umbra is expanding in Northern Virginia. 

The decade-old company, which already has a headquarters in Arlington, announced it is opening a 20K SF office in Reston.

Umbra committed to invest $6.75M into the expansion, which is expected to create 100 “high-tech” jobs. The address of the office was not disclosed. 

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger approved a $500K grant from the commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the county with the project, according to a press release, while the Virginia Jobs Investment Program will provide funding and services for employee recruitment and training.

“This investment reinforces Northern Virginia’s reputation as a cluster for advanced satellite systems, resilient space technologies, and the world‑class talent that drives them,” Spanberger said in the release. 

LEASES

JBG Smith signed Paris Baguette onto the ground floor of Valen, a 335-unit apartment building in the National Landing neighborhood, the REIT announced. The location will include an outdoor patio, a bakery viewing station and seating for at least 50 guests.

Rice Retail Advisors’ Amy Rice represented JBG Smith, and KLNB’s Amanda DeVinney and Brian Finkelstein represented Paris Baguette. The location is expected to open in Q3. 

Valen, and its twin tower, Zoe, were built on the site of a former office building. Valen began leasing in July, while Zoe began leasing in the fall of 2024. 

MILESTONES

Comstock Cos. has tapped a Newmark team to lease its 3.2M SF existing and planned office portfolio along the Dulles Corridor. The brokerage announced that Newmark’s Andy Klaff, Steve Hoffeditz, Dominic Orcino and Debbie Cross will market the properties across Comstock’s Reston and Loudoun Station developments. The team will receive support from Newmark’s Doug Mueller and Wes Evans. 

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Monument Realty this week celebrated the topping-off on a 72-unit apartment building in the Chinatown neighborhood. The Gallery is expected to deliver by the end of the year. The project at 615 H St. is a redevelopment of a commercial row home and surface parking lot and was one of the first to receive a tax abatement from the city’s Housing in Downtown program. It’s the first phase of a larger redevelopment effort between Sixth and Seventh streets northwest that is planned to include three apartment towers and restored townhomes interwoven with pedestrian alleys and courtyards.

PERSONNEL 

Urban Atlantic has elevated a new C-Suite to take over for the three co-founders who are stepping back from day-to-day operations. The Bethesda-based company announced this week it has promoted Brant Snyder to CEO, Kelli Brooks to chief investment officer and Alan Lederman to chief development officer. They join Chief Financial Officer Jill Boyd at the top of the new corporate structure. Co-founders Vicki Davis, Lois Fried and Scott Nordheimer will remain managing partners of the 28-year-old firm.

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A top tenant rep team led by industry veteran Lou Christopher has left CBRE to join Stream Realty Partners. Christopher, who was a CBRE vice chairman, along with Jordan Brainard and Asher Inman, will work with Stream Executive Managing Director and partner Kyle Luby, who oversees the brokerage’s D.C. office. Christopher is coming to Stream as an executive vice chairman and partner, Brainard as a managing director and vice chairman, and Inman as a vice president. The team specializes in law firm and corporate headquarters leasing.