This guide is geared towards "new" Lorton.  Lorton neighborhoods have been around a long time.  In fact the Lorton area has plenty of history that goes all the way back to our early famous neighbors, George Washington and George Mason.  There are older neighborhoods which are just as popular today as they were when they were built in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Over the last 10 years a "new" Lorton has emerged which has brought a renewal to southern Fairfax County.

Most of the "new" Lorton growth came about when the Lorton Prison Complex was ordered closed in 1998.  With just over 3200 acres the prison complex gave Fairfax County developers an opportunity to create an entire new vision for the land and its usage.  With a Virginia Rail Express Station already in place in Lorton (1994) the area was poised for growth.

On the west side of I-95 multiple neighborhoods were carved out of the prison grounds, along with parks, schools, golf course and arts center.  The largest of the neighborhoods, Laurel Hill has 700 homes built by Pulte or Centex Homes.  In addition to Laurel Hill, other neighborhoods that have grown out of the redevelopment of the old prison land include Laurel Crest, Laurel Highlands and the over 55 community of Spring Hill. 

To the east of I-95 a new town center Lorton Station has grown up around the VRE station.  Currently featuring multiple restaurants and a pharmacy more stores are slated to open next year.  Just down the road Lorton Market offers a large Shoppers Food Warehouse, UPS store, emergency medical center and banking.  All of shopping options make it easy for homeowners to stay in the neighborhood for just about everything they need. 

In 2006 the new South County Secondary School opened and the Laurel Hill Elementary School will be open in fall 2009.  The Laurel Hill Golf Course an 18 hole championship course operated by the Fairfax County Park opened in  2007 and with a 9000 square foot club house it has become a terrific place for Lorton residents to gather.  Bike paths and walking trials connect different sections of the community and also connect with the Fairfax County Cross County Trail

The jewel of the redevelopment is the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center.  Officially opened in September 2008 the site has retained the old brick Lorton Prison buildings and revamped them into a blend of artist's studios, classroom and performing arts center.   Proposed new stores and restaurants will round out the neighborhood making once was depressing area the newest "it" place in Northern Virginia.

With it's convenience to Fort Belvoir, easy access to I-95, community VRE station and community amenities it is easy to see why the "new" Lorton has become a re-development success in Fairfax County.  If you are interested in learning more about relocating to the Lorton area give me a call.  We can meet up for coffee in Lorton Station and talk about about whether this is the right time for you to make a move. No hassle, no pressure, just straight talk about the home buying process property in today's market.

A Tour of Lorton Homes and Amenities

 

©2008 Cindy Jones. "Welcome to Your Lorton Virginia On-Line Relocation Guide"

When my parents discovered having two fidigty children in the backseat of a car, one prone to car sickness, made travel to visit grandparents in Florida more of a chore than fun they turned to the train for a better way to go.  As we grew older and a car trip or even an airplane would have made more sense we insisted that a train ride would be more fun.  And they were.  Looking out the windows as the countryside passed by, falling asleep to the clack of the rails and listening to the whistle blow as we passed through small towns were all part of the adventure.

Fast forward to today and my brother who lives in Florida decided to retry our old family vacation with a twist.  He brought his family from Florida to Virginia on the Auto Train.  The train runs from Sanford Florida to Lorton Virginia and back again.  The train trip takes about 17 hours and his two children kept themselves occupied with video games when they weren't looking out the window watching the scenery.  Since they are "heavy" packers loading up the car with all of the required gear avoided extra baggage charges with the airline.  They boarded the train with just an overnight bag and enjoyed the ability to sit back and just as we did as kids watch the scenery go by. 

Americans often overlook the option to take the train, where our European and Asian counterparts use trains every day.  When we visit my daughter in the UK the train is the way to get around the countryside and when we lived and traveled in the Far East the train was our preferred method of getting around the various countries we visited. 

So the next time you are thinking about a trip from Virginia to Florida or vice versa, bi-pass all the signs for South of the Border,cheap cigarettes and illegal fireworks and spend a little time on the rails with your family.  You will arrive less stressed and with the knowledge that your luggage will actually arrive at the same time you do.

Check out the Amtrak Auto Train Schedule and Fares: www.amtrak.com

Active Duty Military and Military Families may qualify for 10-15% off fares on various Amtrak routes.  Make sure you check for fare discounts before you book your trip.

Just a few minutes from the main gate of Fort Belvoir is the quiet neighborhood of Harbor View.  If you are looking for a Lorton neighborhood with mature trees, large half acre (or more) lots and no cookie cutter homes then Harbor View is a neighborhood you want to check out.

The community offers something unique in Northern Virginia.  For boaters the neighborhood features a boat launch ramp and storage facility in the community.  With direct access to the Occoquan River from Massey Creek the boat launch is a popular place for residents to gather.  Harbor View Recreation Club works to keep the channel to the river open, which has required dredging on more than one occasion.  Recent improvements to the tot lot and addition of fire pit means residents will be drawn to the harbor even with the cool fall weather. 

Besides easy access to Fort Belvoir the neighborhood is also conveniently located to the Lorton VRE station and I-95 for access to DC and the Pentagon.  Enjoy an afternoon at the Accotink Wildlife Refugee or historic Mount Vernon.

If you are headed to Fort Belvoir consider Harbor View as one of the many great close by neighborhoods in the area to consider.

 

 

© 2008 Cindy Jones.  All Rights Reserved "Harbor View-A Home for You and Room For Your Boat"

 

 

 

One of the benefits of being actively involved in the Occoquan River Communities is the opportunity to get a "sneak peek" at one of the biggest success stories in redevelopment in Lorton.  The Lorton Workhouse Arts Center is getting ready for the grand opening the week of September 19^th -27^th with multiple events planned throughout the week.  The week starts with a classic concert concert-pianist Pedja Muzijevic and culminates with the grand opening gala featuring Tony Award winning singer Barbara Cook.

Artists who have studio space are just moving in and getting themselves settled.  The staff is putting in long hours to make sure that everything is ready for the crowds who will be coming to check out the new center and registrations are starting to come in for the upcoming classes being taught this fall. 

 

The history of the Lorton Prison and its connection to our area goes further back in time that many might imagine.  From the Women Suffragists imprisoned in 1917, Nike Missile Base in the 1950's and some famous prisoners including Norman Mailer, the prison has seen its share of changes.  The buildings on the site themselves tell the story from agricultural beginnings with the barn built in the 1920's to the maximum security cells added in the 1980's.  

Residents of Fairfax County are fortunate to live in an area where the vision of the reuse of the 3200 acres that made up the Lorton Prison site has become a reality.  Additional buildings on the are still to be refurbished but the area has come along way from the initial planning meetings and this "jewel" of Lorton will be one that we all can enjoy long after the grand opening events.

Previous Posts on the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center and Lorton Redevelopement

Artists Take Over the Jail Cells
Reminders of Prision Life in Lorton VA
Where Old Fences Meet New in Lorton
Nike Missiles and Prisoners-Not Your Usual Neighbors
A New Community Blossoms Where Prisoners Once Lived

 

 

©2008 Cindy Jones.  "Lorton Workhouse Arts Center-An Insiders View"

 

 

The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) team has continued to put in place the plan for moving over 21,000 military and civilian jobs to Fort Belvoir by 2011.  Popular neighborhoods close to Ft Belvoir including Kingstowne, Lorton and Springfield are already beginning to see some of the changes to the infrastructure that will help accommodate the huge influx of new personnel.

For buyers who are part of the relocation the opportunity to purchase homes in popular neighborhoods close to the base has never been better.  With lower prices and the VA home loan program being one of the few 100% financing programs available, military and eligible civilians are finding good buys throughout the area.

Recently one of my clients decided this was a great time to buy an investment property close to Fort Belvoir and found tenants who were relocating to the area as part of the BRAC program.  With the wide variety of homes available including foreclosures, new and resale homes there is a home to meet the needs of just about anyone. 

With plenty of shopping nearby, highly rated schools, wonderful parks, historical landmarks and easy access to DC the area is posed to take off when the new personnel arrive. 

If you have orders to Fort Belvoir as part of the BRAC program give me a call at 703-346-2213 to discuss your needs. 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2008 By Cindy Jones, All Rights Reserved. "Fort Belvoir Neighbors-Gearing Up for Big Changes"

My friends accuse me of making some of these little facts about Northern Virginia up.  Nope the stories are all real....well okay the one about the hook hanging on the car door at Lake Accotink....not so much.

However the story of the Lorton Prison being the site of the Army's premier showcase for the nationwide Nike program unveiled in 1954 is true.  One of the big issues that the government faced when it was trying to build defenses against the threat of a nuclear attack was acquiring the land necessary to develop the missile defense sites.  Most people think of the missiles being stored in remote destinations out west but not in Fairfax County VA. 

Since the Army was tasked with finding sites that we already government owned the Lorton Prison site on 3200 acres just 25 miles south of DC was a logical choice.  The Army carved out a 30 acre parcel on the prison grounds and began fortifying the site to protect it from intruders.  Up until this time the Lorton Prison had been considered an "open campus" prison and the addition of Nike Missiles caused officials to move prisoners to a more secure environment.

The Army added new guard towers to the prison, began patrols of the grounds with guard dogs and added intrusion alarms to the perimeter fences.  As the 1950's drew to a close and the threat of a nuclear war diminished the Army began to dismantle some of the other local sites.  The National Guard took control of the missile site at Lorton and kept it as a training site until 1973 when the Secretary of the Army James Schlesinger ordered the site closed and destroyed.

Today the only way you would know that the site existed is by the one historical marker that you find on Furnace Road.  As part of the master plan for the revitalization of the Lorton Prison site an area has been set aside for a National Cold War Museum.   Whether the museum will actually come to fruition is unknown at this time, as it would need to be built with private not public funds..

So there you have it.  Who would make this stuff up?  Prisoners and Nike Missiles in Lorton VA.  My how times have changed.

 

When the Virginia Rail Express (VRE) first began operations along the I-95 corridor in 1992 there were questions as to whether the lack of housing near the train stations would derail the long term plans for the commuter rail. Since that time a new supply of "whistle stop" towns has sprung up close to the tracks including Lorton Station and Belmont Bay. The train has also made the older community of the Town of Occoquan take on a new life as well.

Lorton Station was built around the Stream Valley Park a 100 acre site that is dedicated to the founder of Lorton, Joseph Plaskett. A biking and walking trail runs through the park adding a great touch of green space to the community. With a variety of condos, townhouses and detached homes within a mile of the train station buyers can find a new home in a wide range of price points. Add to the proximity of the VRE station the new town center featuring a variety of restaurants, coffee shop and FedEx store and you end up with a community that has gone from just a pass through town to one that buyers put high on their list.

Just one step further south on the VRE is Belmont Bay. The Woodbridge Station sits in the community and is within a mile of the marina that is the jewel of the community. Still growing Belmont Bay offers buyers the chance to live in a community that includes a marina, the public Osprey Golf Course, Osprey Restaurant and waterfront walking paths. Neighboring a 400 acre nature reserve residents have a chance to not only enjoy the community but watch Osprey's soar and fox run. The town center is in the planning stages with small "mom and pop" style shops planned for delivery in 2010.

Just a few miles west of the Woodbridge VRE station is the historic town of Occoquan. Best known for the twice yearly Occoquan Crafts Fair this town offers far more than many driving past realize. Recently named by the Washington Business Journal as one of the Top 13 places to watch, the town offers Wonderful small shops, waterfront eating establishments and both old and new housing.

If you are looking for communities that give you easy access to public transportation, places to eat and play then check out Lorton Station, Belmont Bay and the Town of Occoquan.

 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Cindy Jones. All Rights Reserved. "Grab a Ticket to Ride the Virginia Rail Express from Lorton & Belmont Bay"

 

To learn more about Lorton, Belmont Bay or Occoquan real estate give Cindy Jones a call at 703-346-2213. If you are interested in Northern Virginia real estate including Alexandria, Fairfax County, Loudoun County or Prince William County. Stop by VaRealEstateTalk, Cindy Jones Homes or Military Relocation News for more information. Search all homes available in the Northern Virginia area.

The latest edition of the Washington Business Journal (WBJ) has named Town of Occoquan and the Occoquan River Communities in the top 13 communities to watch in the DC Metro area in the future.

Having recently posted about New Urbanism in Northern Virginia it was interesting to see the WBJ cover some of the same thoughts expressed in my post.  Stating that Gen X and Gen Y buyers are looking to finding live, work and play neighborhoods with good transportation options to Washington DC.

Occoquan was selected due to its historic charm and it's location between Fort Belvoir and Quantico.  In addition to the Town of Occoquan itself the WBJ recognized Belmont Bay and Lorton as smart growth developments which are contributing to the success of the area.  With multiple Virginia Rail Express stations close by, the area is ready to grow with the new jobs (BRAC) slated to move to the area.

As a member of the Occoquan River Communities it is nice to see our vision for the area being recognized.  We are meeting with economic developers and community leaders to continue our mission of making Belmont Bay, Lorton and the Town of Occoquan  the next destination that residents of Northern Virginia will want to call home.

 

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To learn more about Occoquan real estate give Cindy Jones a call at 703-346-2213. If you are interested in Northern Virginia real estate including Alexandria, Fairfax County, Loudoun County or Prince William County. Stop by VaRealEstateTalk, Cindy Jones Homes or Military Relocation News for more information. Search all homes available in the Northern Virginia area.

It doesn't take an urban planner or city designer to be able to tell the difference between a Northern Virginia neighborhood built in the 1950's and 60's with a neighborhood built in the last 10 years.  In many areas closer to DC, infill communities have been built with a very different lifestyle in mind.

The new neighborhoods don't have large backyards that used to keep families in the rear of their house and spending hours mowing on the weekends.  In there place are front porches where neighbors interact with each other and smaller gardens that can be tended easily in just a few minutes. 

Neighborhood kids spend their time interacting with other kids at central tot lots instead of swinging alone in their backyards.  And lets face it walking the dog is better for both you and your dog!  This style of living isn't for everyone and the older neighborhoods if well maintained, will always attract families who want more green around them.

All anyone in Northern Virginia has to do is look at the changes in Shirlington Village over the last five years to see an example of a successful new urbanism project.  An area that had become a run down shopping center is now a thriving community center with not only new housing but a state of the art library, Signature Theater, restaurants and grocery shopping all within walking distance of home. 

Not all of the new urbanism neighborhoods in Northern Virginia have reached their goal of centralized play, shop and work spaces.  With the decline in the current real estate market some of them are half done and the houses are in but not the needed shopping and work spaces.  Many of them are already approved and it is a matter of a better market to make them a reality.  Some neighborhoods making their way towards completion include the Lorton Prison revitalization project and Belmont Bay in Woodbridge.  Yet other projects, such as in Tyson's Corner continue to wait for transportation funding to straighten out the mess that the sprawl of the 1960's and 70's brought to the area. 

No matter what type of neighborhood you prefer you will find it in Northern Virginia.  The choice is yours but the future is leading developers to build more compact neighborhoods with centralized community spaces.  With energy costs continuing to rise, more families are moving to these communities to enjoy the view from the front porch.

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If you are buying or selling a home in Northern Virginia including Alexandria, Fairfax County, Loudoun County or Prince William County give Cindy Jones  a call at 703-346-2213.  Stop by VaRealEstateTalk, Cindy Jones Homes or Military Relocation News for more information. Search all homes available in the Northern Virginia area.

Hop on the bus and come along for the ride.  We make stops along the way at historic mansions, churches and towns throughout Northern Virginia.  You can get off and stay awhile at any location.  We will circle back around to pick you up when you are done.  Your ticket is good forever.  If you can't see them all today, don't worry, they will be here tomorrow and for centuries to come.

We will start today with the Northern Virginia Historic Churches Tour.  These churches are small gems found throughout Fairfax Station, and Lorton.  They aren't the large and lavish cathedrals that you find in Europe but they have charm and loads of local history.

 

 

 

Our first stop on the tour is the "Mother Church of Northern Virginia" formally called Pohick Church.  This church is still an active Episcopal Church in Lorton Virginia.  First established in 1732 the church outgrew its original building and so three famous Virginian's, George Washington and his peers, George Mason and George William Fairfax (George was obviously the name of the time) supervised the construction of a new larger brick church.  Finished just before the start of the Revolutionary War the church was the first brick church constructed in the area and even though it survived the Revolutionary War the Civil War brought destruction to the interior of the church.  Thanks to the generosity of the parishioners the church under went restoration beginning in 1874 and today stands as a testament to the history of the area.

 

Take a few minutes and look around and then when you are ready jump back on the bus for a quick run down the road to Cranford Methodist Church.

The site where Cranford Methodist Church now stands is the site of the original Pohick Church.  See the connection to the first stop on the tour?  After the original church was abandoned it fell into disrepair and the Methodist Church acquired the land. In 1857 they built what was then called Lewis Chapel.  As the congregation grew they original chapel and in 1900 constructed the new white clapboard church on the same property.  However Lewis Chapel and Cranford Methodist Church were on the same property but not connected.  In 1953 the chapel was moved and the two were joined together into one church and education annex.  As you walk around the church grounds you will find a wide walkway of brick thought to be from bricks from the Pohick Church less than a mile up the road.

 

 

 

If you step back on the bus we will make one more stop today on our tour before we head for lunch at one of the bus drivers favorite "dives."  As we leave Cranford Methodist Church and head towards Fairfax Station you may want to take a moment and look through your tour book to read a little bit about Lorton and how the area has undergone a major change in the last 10 years.  Previously the site of a federal prison complex, Lorton is an area that thousands call home and where a Lorton Workhouse Arts Center will occupy old prison buildings. 

 

Now we are at our final stop for today the lovely St. Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax Station built between 1858-1860.  How many of you have heard of Clara Barton?  During the Civil War the church was used as a field hospital for casualties of the war and Clara Barton was one of the nurses working in the hospital.  It is said that while she served in the field hospital at St Mary of Sorrows she wrote the plan that would later become the Red Cross.  Except for the church bell the church is built entirely of lumber taken from the forests that used to surround the area.  Today the church is a popular place for weddings and masses and is a landmark in Fairfax Station.

 

 

Now who is hungry?  Great we are going to stop at one of our local popular "dives" Five Guys for some of the best hamburgers and fries you could ask for. 

Thanks for joining us today and don't forget to hold on to your ticket.  We will be continuing the tour after we all have a little rest.

 

 

 

More Details from the Historic Churches Tour Guide
Pohick Church
Cranford Methodist Church
St Mary of Sorrows
Wakefield Chapel
Washington Street
Sacred Heart Chapel

 

 

©2008 Cindy Jones. All rights reserved
Original Photos ©2008 Cindy Jones