Sugarland Run: Trails, trees and much more in a pocket near the Potomac

Jimmy O’Connor and his family were living in a townhouse in Sterling, Va., 10 years ago when they felt the urge to move west.

“We had a growing family and were looking for more space — not only more space within the house, but more space outdoors — more trails and more trees,” he said.

Instead, they found what they were looking for just a couple of miles north in Sugarland Run, a compact community of 2,062 homes in eastern Loudoun County.

The Washington Post, December 30, 2020

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Near the Potomac, community has three names and two qualities: Peace and quiet

Village Green at Elysian Heights goes by many names.

Nestled among farms, wineries and breweries in the gentle hills of northeastern Loudoun County, the community is commonly associated with the village of Lucketts, about two miles away. The mailing address is Leesburg. The neighborhood’s entrance signs say Village Green, but real estate listings fall under Elysian Heights. And, according to the community manager, the official name is Potomia.

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The Washington Post, September 16, 2020

For young families yearning to own, Fairfax’s London Towne beckons

When Anita Ramos was growing up near Falls Church in the 1960s, her father would occasionally drive into the country to watch the construction of London Towne, a community of 665 townhouses west of Centreville in Fairfax County.

“My relatives would ask, ‘Why are people building rowhouses out in the middle of nowhere?’ ” Ramos said.

The answer became evident by 1985…

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The Washington Post, Aug. 5, 2020

In Loudoun County, ‘village of Oz’ turns into an amenity-rich, family-friendly neighborhood

When Shirley Barber moved with her young family to Ashburn Farm in 1989, “it was like the village of Oz dropped down into this country area — one road coming in and out, no buildings,” she said. “There was nothing here.”

Barber and her husband, David Tabor, were the original owners of a house in the eastern Loudoun County community of 3,863 homes, most of which were built between 1988 and 1993. A few smaller neighborhoods were annexed into Ashburn Farm during the ensuing decade.

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The Washington Post, July 8, 2020

In eastern Loudoun, CountrySide lives up to its bucolic name

Pat Bour described it as “scary” in 1983 when she and her young family moved from suburban Maryland to CountrySide in eastern Loudoun County.

“There was nothing when we moved out here — no malls, no other HOAs, nothing. But once I got here, I loved it,” Bour said. “We’re retired now. We have no plans to move. I’m going to stay here until I’m taken out feet first.”

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The Washington Post, June 10, 2020

In the swim, on the field and at the lake in Loudoun’s Ashburn Village

“Sports and recreation are the heartbeat of Ashburn Village, a 5,500-unit planned community in eastern Loudoun County, Va., about 30 miles from Washington.

With 16 miles of trails, three community centers with outdoor pools, eight playgrounds and a multitude of courts and fields for tennis, basketball, baseball and soccer, Ashburn Village is built for outdoor activity.”

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The Washington Post, Jan. 30, 2020

In Lake Ridge, Va., a planned community comes into its leafy glory

When developer Ken Thompson conceived the Lake Ridge community in the 1960s, he envisioned a place where suburban homes would coexist with nature, where active individuals and families would enjoy spending time outdoors.

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The Washington Post, November 14, 2019

Residents oppose development of golf course

Leesburg residents who live near Westpark Golf Course are pushing back against a developer’s plans to acquire the property and build homes on it.

Town officials announced late last year that the course is under contract to CalAtlantic, a land- development company that plans to build 27 homes there and donate most of the remaining property to the town. Since the sale’s announcement, scores of residents have shown up at town council meetings and other community gatherings to object to the plan.

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The Washington Post, Jan. 5, 2018

Leesburg considers acquiring golf course

The Leesburg Town Council is considering acquiring the Westpark Golf Course, which has been a mainstay of the rapidly growing town for almost a half-century.

A standing-room-only crowd packed the council chambers as residents who live near the golf course implored the council to acquire it and keep it as open space. More than 100 people filled the room after learning that the property is for sale, and that it is zoned for commercial and residential development.

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The Washington Post, Nov. 4, 2017