Sunday, August 5, 2007
Commission Recommends Brambleton Approval
Approval of four in-fill projects in Brambleton would mean the completion of Loudoun County Parkway from Route 7 to Route 50, a project that senior transportation planner Art Smith calls "the most important existing road network gap in Loudoun County." That gap came one step closer to being filled Monday, July 30, when the Planning Commission recommended approval of Brambleton’s active adult community, town center's residential component, Brambleton Brandt and Brambleton Corner applications."We have already done the design of this road and it is sitting in building and development," Antonio Calabrese, attorney for the applicant, said. "I think that shows our commitment to get it done."While staff members had reservations about some aspects of the four projects, many commissioners said the biggest priority was completing the north-south connector, a project estimated to cost $28.5 million."The biggest issue to me is the transportation," Commissioner Barbara Munsey (Dulles) said. "It’s, how are we going to get the roads in there, and that’s with all four [applications] together. The whole reason to get all four together tonight was to get the roads in there."INCLUDED IN THE active adult community are up to 1,502 residential units and up to 140,000 square feet of nonresidential and retail uses. The plan also includes a 3.75-acre library site, which the applicant could give to the county or could work with the library board to create a facility similar to what is being developed at the Gum Spring Library in the Stone Ridge community."The library is trying to look at different options than us just giving them the site," Calabrese said. "We want to have the ability to talk to the library board in the future to make it a more mixed-use building."The application originally called for funding to be allotted for the library within 12 years, or the land would go back under the control of the applicant, but requested that the timeline be extended to 15 years."In reality, I just don’t think 12 years is long enough," Commissioner Teresa Whitmore (Potomac) said.THE BIGGEST PROBLEM county planners had with the town center residential proposal, which will be located across the street from the new Brambleton movie theater, is the proposed density. "The plan calls for a density of four units per acre," Michael Elabarger, the project’s manager, said. "The applicant is asking for 7.6 units per acre, which is almost double."Calabrese maintained that the community was needed to support the new town center."We spent a lot of money to make the town center attractive," he said, "and frankly we need the critical mass around it. Had this been integrated with the original Brambleton plan, nobody would have blinked at it."Calabrese said the feel would be similar to the Reston Town Center, not in density, but in its set up."There is a very nice synergy there and that’s what we’ve envisioned here," he said.The commission asked the applicant to take a look at the pedestrian walkways between the residential component and the town center and figure out how to streamline the design so it would be more conducive to walking. While Brambleton has proffered crosswalks at every traffic light, commissioners were concerned that people would continue to cross in the middle of the street."If this were a normal density, we would look for these crosswalks," Julie Pastor, director of planning, said. "So since there is the added density, we’re looking for more."Elabarger suggested a pedestrian bridge or underpass to move people across the roads, but commissioners said they would rather see more pedestrian trails or landscaping that flowed people toward the controlled intersections."We’ll look again at the trail system and trying to punch out something at those intersections," Calabrese told the commission. "We’ll take some time to look at in between here and when it comes before the Board of Supervisors."NO ISSUES WERE RAISED by the commission with the Brambleton Corner project, which would develop 49 town houses on 3.93 acres, but some commissioners questioned the phasing of the Brambleton Brandt application.The southern half of the application is planned for an approximately 26,000-square-foot retail center, which lies within the Dulles International Airport noise contours, and 109 single-family homes and 127 town houses in the northern portion."We want a commercial and retail center," Calabrese said. "We have a lot of interest down there and we’ve had some great support from the Brambleton community. Brambleton residents have had an interest in a service station there."Due to the need of Brambleton residents for services, commissioners asked for the commercial proponent of the application to be built earlier than the residential portion or for the applicant to guarantee the completion of both sections as they were laid out in the proposal."This is a true in-fill proposal and my concern is at some point the residential gets done and this little commercial piece somehow wants to get converted to residential," Commissioner Nancy Hsu (Blue Ridge) said. While Calabrese said the applicant could not commit to a completion agreement, he said they would look at starting the commercial component sooner rather than later. "We don’t think these uses are going to be fed just by this development," he said. "It is going to be serving the entire community. Our goal is to get the infrastructure in."
Thursday, August 2, 2007
New refrigerator magnet for zip code 20152 available!
Get your Magnet today..It is free!! and has all the right numbers for your community at your fingertips!
AND IT WILL INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE BY 10%
IT LOOKS THAT GOOD!!!!
EMAIL US AT keith@hillenbrandhomes.com and i will mail or bring it by your home in person! what a deal..!
Loudoun Growth: More people, more houses
The pace of growth in Loudoun County may be slowing somewhat right now, but as residents know from seeing continued construction as they follow their daily commutes, the county remains one of the fastest growing.The 2006 Annual Growth Summary produced by the county is being printed now, but the data is already online (go to www.loudoun.gov, choose “about Loudoun,” then “Growth Summaries,” then “2006”).The demographic numbers tend to quantify what we surmise, about what’s going on around us.For example, this year’s growth summary shows that the county’s Hispanic population has grown from 5.9 percent of the 2000 population, to 9.3 percent of the 2005 population.The new growth summary also indicates that the county will continue to have increasing numbers of students to educate in its public schools system. Residents aged 15-19 made up 6.5 percent of the county’s population in 2005; while residents aged 10-14 accounted for 7.2 percent, ages 5-9 made up 8.7 percent, and under 5-year-olds composed 8.9 percent. Note the larger percentages for younger children.In terms of all residents, the current summary estimates a 2007 population of 271,987 — a 60 percent jump since the 2000 decennial census, which counted 169,599 persons. Growth in population and households have increased at annual rates of 6.2 to 9.2 percent according to the new summary. More than half of the county’s housing units are single-family detached units. These units accounted for 57.8 percent of the county’s housing units in 2000; compared with 54 percent in the summary’s estimates for 2006 and 2007, indicating a bit more emphasis lately on building multiple family or single-family attached housing.
The summary confirms that the county’s growth has been predominantly here in the east. It provides population growth numbers between 2000 and 2006 for the county’s 10 planning sub-areas and for its seven incorporated towns.In those six years:— Ashburn has grown from 33,581 residents to an estimated 70,417 — an increase of 109.7 percent— Dulles, where South Riding is located, had just 7,795 residents in 2000, but grew to 27,374 by 2006 — a 251.2 percent increase.— The Potomac planning area, which includes CountrySide, Cascades and Sugarland Run, went from 39,115 residents in 2000 to 43,978 six years later, an increase of about 10 percent.— Sterling grew to an estimated 30,707 in 2006 from 27,450 in 2000, an 11.9 percent increase.Those four eastern planning sub-areas combined accounted for 58.9 percent of the county’s population growth during the period, with remaining growth spread over the other six planning sub-areas and in the seven towns.These numbers may be surprising to some because it indicates that more than 40 percent of the county’s population growth has been in the seven towns and in the Leesburg, Route 15 South and other sub-areas further west and north.
The summary confirms that the county’s growth has been predominantly here in the east. It provides population growth numbers between 2000 and 2006 for the county’s 10 planning sub-areas and for its seven incorporated towns.In those six years:— Ashburn has grown from 33,581 residents to an estimated 70,417 — an increase of 109.7 percent— Dulles, where South Riding is located, had just 7,795 residents in 2000, but grew to 27,374 by 2006 — a 251.2 percent increase.— The Potomac planning area, which includes CountrySide, Cascades and Sugarland Run, went from 39,115 residents in 2000 to 43,978 six years later, an increase of about 10 percent.— Sterling grew to an estimated 30,707 in 2006 from 27,450 in 2000, an 11.9 percent increase.Those four eastern planning sub-areas combined accounted for 58.9 percent of the county’s population growth during the period, with remaining growth spread over the other six planning sub-areas and in the seven towns.These numbers may be surprising to some because it indicates that more than 40 percent of the county’s population growth has been in the seven towns and in the Leesburg, Route 15 South and other sub-areas further west and north.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Feds raise questions about Dulles rail delays
Julia O'DonoghueAugust 1, 2007
Reston resident and real estate agent Rob Whitfield has been a fan of extending metro service out to Dulles for over 20 years but he cannot back the most recent incarnation of the project. "The things that makes me different from most people that are upset is that I was a big rail supporter but I cannot support this," said Whitfield in an interview Monday. Whitfield and his neighbors will be paying for the costs of the rail project through increased fees along the Dulles Toll Road but they won’t see most of the benefits, he said. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, who will take over a primary managers to the project this year, expects revenue from the Dulles Toll Road to cover over half the costs of the $2.7 billion, up to 75 percent of the project’s cost overruns and to pay back $200 million line of credit it hopes to get from the federal government.The toll road must also be used to maintain the road, according to project documents.According to the Reston resident, the Tysons Corner metro stations will be used mostly by people from Arlington, Maryland, D.C. and Tysons, not by people in western Fairfax and Loudoun who use the toll road. "If you are a resident of Tysons you won’t be paying a nickel for this rail. If you are a resident of D.C., Arlington or Maryland, you won’t be paying for this project," said Whitfield. "I think the residents of Reston are being treated unfairly." Whitfield and others like him are not alone in their concern about the rising costs of the Dulles Rail Project. A federal review of the rail project released last week cited several serious concerns about the management and financing of the metro extension, including the impact on the Dulles Toll Road. U.S. Reps. Tom Davis (R-11) and Jim Moran (D-8) both expressed their own concerns about the project after the report was released last week. The Northern Virginia congressional delegation has not been involved in discussions over rail management, which has been handled mostly by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Govs. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, they said. "[The report] raises the issue of whether we can justify this project at $2.7 billion. … We are hanging on by our finger tips," said Moran. The federal report’s author, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Surface and Maritime Programs Rebecca Batts, urged the Federal Transit Administrator to proceed with caution when making decisions about the Dulles rail’s federal funding allocation.The Federal Transit Administration is expected to make a decision on whether it will approve nearly $1 billion in federal funding for Dulles Rail during the next 30 days. At certain points, the report draws comparisons between the Dulles project and other public works fiascos, notably the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project, otherwise known as the Boston "Big Dig." It also focuses on concerns about the Dulles Rail’s financial management, citing that the cost of the project has grown over $1 billion while its schedule has slipped more than four years since 2004. "In past reviews of major projects, rapid cost growth and schedule slippages so early in the project were clear signs of risk. The reliability of the current cost estimate is unknown," stated the Inspector General’s report. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman Gerry Connolly said the report has brought nothing new to the table and many of its concerns have already been discussed. "The report itself is nothing but a rehash of old issues," he said in phone interview this week. "This is a solid project. It is big one. It is complex." Connolly added that the longer the federal government waits to approve the project for funding, the more expensive it will become. "If they don’t delay, we can make this work," he said. Due to rising expenses, officials also recommended that the local funding package be reworked since "even more local funding would be needed."The report states that Fairfax County — which has provided its funding through a special tax district along the propose metro corridor — may have come up with more revenue if the project’s price continues to go up. Like Whitfield, officials in the Inspector General’s office also believe the project relies too heavily on toll road revenue to fund the project. They were concerned that Virginia Department of Transportation did not put a cap on the amount the Airports Authority can raise the toll. "Users of the Dulles Toll Road could be subjected to large toll increases in the future if high project costs require more and more local funding," according to the report. Fairfax County would have preferred that the state government put it up its share of the money instead of using the toll road to cover its expenses. But the supervisors intend to monitor the rise in tolls closely, said Connolly. "We share the concern that we not be overly reliant on tolls," said Connolly. The report also raises questions as to whether the project is still cost effective. The project was nearing unacceptable levels earlier this year when the price was set at approximately $2 billion. It has now risen to $2.7 billion. The Inspector General’s report stated that the limited competition over control of the project — which was given to a joint venture of Bechtel Infrastructure and Washington Group International — may have contributed to the expensive growth. "Virginia entered into its first contractual agreement with the [Bechtel/Washington Group International] at the beginning of preliminary engineering, when there were still many unknowns about the project," said the report. Some supervisors have raised these concerns before. Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) and Linda Smyth (D-Providence) voted against allocating money to Dulles Rail last month partially because of the number of unknowns about the project. The other eight supervisors voted for the project. "The report bears many of the same concerns that Linda and I had raised," said Kauffman. "There is a means to do this."
Reston resident and real estate agent Rob Whitfield has been a fan of extending metro service out to Dulles for over 20 years but he cannot back the most recent incarnation of the project. "The things that makes me different from most people that are upset is that I was a big rail supporter but I cannot support this," said Whitfield in an interview Monday. Whitfield and his neighbors will be paying for the costs of the rail project through increased fees along the Dulles Toll Road but they won’t see most of the benefits, he said. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, who will take over a primary managers to the project this year, expects revenue from the Dulles Toll Road to cover over half the costs of the $2.7 billion, up to 75 percent of the project’s cost overruns and to pay back $200 million line of credit it hopes to get from the federal government.The toll road must also be used to maintain the road, according to project documents.According to the Reston resident, the Tysons Corner metro stations will be used mostly by people from Arlington, Maryland, D.C. and Tysons, not by people in western Fairfax and Loudoun who use the toll road. "If you are a resident of Tysons you won’t be paying a nickel for this rail. If you are a resident of D.C., Arlington or Maryland, you won’t be paying for this project," said Whitfield. "I think the residents of Reston are being treated unfairly." Whitfield and others like him are not alone in their concern about the rising costs of the Dulles Rail Project. A federal review of the rail project released last week cited several serious concerns about the management and financing of the metro extension, including the impact on the Dulles Toll Road. U.S. Reps. Tom Davis (R-11) and Jim Moran (D-8) both expressed their own concerns about the project after the report was released last week. The Northern Virginia congressional delegation has not been involved in discussions over rail management, which has been handled mostly by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Govs. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, they said. "[The report] raises the issue of whether we can justify this project at $2.7 billion. … We are hanging on by our finger tips," said Moran. The federal report’s author, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Surface and Maritime Programs Rebecca Batts, urged the Federal Transit Administrator to proceed with caution when making decisions about the Dulles rail’s federal funding allocation.The Federal Transit Administration is expected to make a decision on whether it will approve nearly $1 billion in federal funding for Dulles Rail during the next 30 days. At certain points, the report draws comparisons between the Dulles project and other public works fiascos, notably the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project, otherwise known as the Boston "Big Dig." It also focuses on concerns about the Dulles Rail’s financial management, citing that the cost of the project has grown over $1 billion while its schedule has slipped more than four years since 2004. "In past reviews of major projects, rapid cost growth and schedule slippages so early in the project were clear signs of risk. The reliability of the current cost estimate is unknown," stated the Inspector General’s report. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman Gerry Connolly said the report has brought nothing new to the table and many of its concerns have already been discussed. "The report itself is nothing but a rehash of old issues," he said in phone interview this week. "This is a solid project. It is big one. It is complex." Connolly added that the longer the federal government waits to approve the project for funding, the more expensive it will become. "If they don’t delay, we can make this work," he said. Due to rising expenses, officials also recommended that the local funding package be reworked since "even more local funding would be needed."The report states that Fairfax County — which has provided its funding through a special tax district along the propose metro corridor — may have come up with more revenue if the project’s price continues to go up. Like Whitfield, officials in the Inspector General’s office also believe the project relies too heavily on toll road revenue to fund the project. They were concerned that Virginia Department of Transportation did not put a cap on the amount the Airports Authority can raise the toll. "Users of the Dulles Toll Road could be subjected to large toll increases in the future if high project costs require more and more local funding," according to the report. Fairfax County would have preferred that the state government put it up its share of the money instead of using the toll road to cover its expenses. But the supervisors intend to monitor the rise in tolls closely, said Connolly. "We share the concern that we not be overly reliant on tolls," said Connolly. The report also raises questions as to whether the project is still cost effective. The project was nearing unacceptable levels earlier this year when the price was set at approximately $2 billion. It has now risen to $2.7 billion. The Inspector General’s report stated that the limited competition over control of the project — which was given to a joint venture of Bechtel Infrastructure and Washington Group International — may have contributed to the expensive growth. "Virginia entered into its first contractual agreement with the [Bechtel/Washington Group International] at the beginning of preliminary engineering, when there were still many unknowns about the project," said the report. Some supervisors have raised these concerns before. Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) and Linda Smyth (D-Providence) voted against allocating money to Dulles Rail last month partially because of the number of unknowns about the project. The other eight supervisors voted for the project. "The report bears many of the same concerns that Linda and I had raised," said Kauffman. "There is a means to do this."
Monday, July 30, 2007
Foreclosures rise 58% in the first half of 2007
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The number of homes facing foreclosure surged 58% in the first six months of the year from last year, the latest sign of growing problems in the mortgage industry, a data firm said Monday.
In all, 573,397 properties across the nation reported some sort of foreclosure activity in the first half of this year, including receiving notices of default, auction sale notices or being repossessed by lenders, Irvine-based RealtyTrac said.
That was 32% higher than the last six months of 2006.
"We could easily surpass 2 million foreclosure filings by the end of the year, which would represent a year-over-year increase of over 65%," said RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio.
California led the nation in foreclosure filings and the number of homes receiving notices.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Realtytrac
More than 100,000 properties in the state received notices of default or other foreclosure notices — more than double the year-ago total and an increase of 80% from the previous six months, the firm said.
RealtyTrac said that 925,986 foreclosure filings were sent to homeowners during the first half of the year. Some of those filings targeted the same property, in part because owners had more than one mortgage.
That figure was up 56% from the year-ago period and up 39% from the last six months of 2006, the firm said.
Notices of default, the first step in the foreclosure process, accounted for the largest slice of filings during the most recent period, a total of 416,937.
The national foreclosure rate through the end of June was one filing for every 134 U.S. households, the company said.
In the past, RealtyTrac released the total number of foreclosure notices issued and did not say if a single property received more than one notice. The company is now breaking out the exact property count.
In recent months, the mortgage industry has been rocked by defaults and foreclosures, primarily driven by borrowers with subprime loans and adjustable rate mortgages.
Last week, Countrywide Financial (CFC) one of the biggest mortgage lenders in the U.S., said even some of the most creditworthy borrowers were having trouble making their mortgage payments.
Lagging home sales and flat or decreasing home prices have made it more difficult for homeowners who fall behind on payments to sell their homes and clear the debt, spurring the rise in foreclosure activity.
In the report, Florida was the No. 2 state for homes in some stage of foreclosure, with a total of 64,250, an increase of 77% year-over-year and up 41% from the last six months of 2006.
Ohio ranked third with 44,594 homes, followed by Texas with 41,592 and Michigan's 40,175, the firm said.
Nevada, Colorado and California had the highest foreclosure rates, given the total number of households.
Among the states with the highest number of homes receiving foreclosure-related notices were California, Florida, Texas and Ohio, the firm said.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
In all, 573,397 properties across the nation reported some sort of foreclosure activity in the first half of this year, including receiving notices of default, auction sale notices or being repossessed by lenders, Irvine-based RealtyTrac said.
That was 32% higher than the last six months of 2006.
"We could easily surpass 2 million foreclosure filings by the end of the year, which would represent a year-over-year increase of over 65%," said RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio.
California led the nation in foreclosure filings and the number of homes receiving notices.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Realtytrac
More than 100,000 properties in the state received notices of default or other foreclosure notices — more than double the year-ago total and an increase of 80% from the previous six months, the firm said.
RealtyTrac said that 925,986 foreclosure filings were sent to homeowners during the first half of the year. Some of those filings targeted the same property, in part because owners had more than one mortgage.
That figure was up 56% from the year-ago period and up 39% from the last six months of 2006, the firm said.
Notices of default, the first step in the foreclosure process, accounted for the largest slice of filings during the most recent period, a total of 416,937.
The national foreclosure rate through the end of June was one filing for every 134 U.S. households, the company said.
In the past, RealtyTrac released the total number of foreclosure notices issued and did not say if a single property received more than one notice. The company is now breaking out the exact property count.
In recent months, the mortgage industry has been rocked by defaults and foreclosures, primarily driven by borrowers with subprime loans and adjustable rate mortgages.
Last week, Countrywide Financial (CFC) one of the biggest mortgage lenders in the U.S., said even some of the most creditworthy borrowers were having trouble making their mortgage payments.
Lagging home sales and flat or decreasing home prices have made it more difficult for homeowners who fall behind on payments to sell their homes and clear the debt, spurring the rise in foreclosure activity.
In the report, Florida was the No. 2 state for homes in some stage of foreclosure, with a total of 64,250, an increase of 77% year-over-year and up 41% from the last six months of 2006.
Ohio ranked third with 44,594 homes, followed by Texas with 41,592 and Michigan's 40,175, the firm said.
Nevada, Colorado and California had the highest foreclosure rates, given the total number of households.
Among the states with the highest number of homes receiving foreclosure-related notices were California, Florida, Texas and Ohio, the firm said.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Board Backs Retail Center On Route 50
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has approved Dulles Landing, the latest in a handful of development projects proposed along Route 50 that promise to remake the stretch west of South Riding into a major shopping destination.
The 800,000-square-foot retail center, which will go up in the northwest quadrant of the Route 50 and Loudoun County Parkway intersection, will be anchored by the county's third Wal-Mart.
It is the kind of suburban shopping center that county officials have shunned in recent years in favor of walkable, Main Street-style development. Boxy buildings housing Old Navy, Best Buy and Bed Bath and Beyond will rise up from a vast parking lot.
Critics of the project, which is being developed by McLean-based Beatty Cos., say it will overwhelm the intersection with traffic. They say county officials have approved too much retail in an area without enough residents to support it. And they say it's not the kind of shopping center they want in their neighborhood.
Sandra Chaloux, founder of the Gum Spring Regional Citizens Network, said she would prefer office buildings instead of big-box stores in that area.
"We'd prefer to see businesses with higher-paying jobs rather than a bunch of retail," Chaloux said. "Then maybe people who live in Loudoun County could actually work in Loudoun County, too."
But Supervisor Stephen J. Snow (R-Dulles), who represents the area, disagrees. He was in the majority that voted June 19 to rezone the property to make way for the project, despite misgivings among county staff members about the design and effect on traffic. Last week, the same five supervisors voted against reconsidering their action, rejecting a request by two supervisors who were absent from the earlier meeting.
Snow said Dulles Landing would fill a shopping void that is sending Dulles area residents to Fairfax and Prince William counties, costing Loudoun millions in tax revenue.
The increase in traffic would be offset by more than $3 million in road improvements the developer has promised, Snow said, and the design has been altered to give the project a "Loudoun look," with brick and stone paving and landscaping.
But in the end, Snow said, a Wal-Mart can't be disguised as a quaint, little shop.
"There is a difficulty in dressing up, so to speak, a larger retail center that tends to have larger square footage," he said. "It's a large building any way you look at it. But when all is said and done, I think you'll see a well laid-out, well landscaped, well thought-out shopping area."
Other stores that have signed on to the project are Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Borders, PetSmart, Michaels, Ross, Kohls and DSW. The developer hopes to open the shopping center by spring 2009.
More than a half-dozen development projects are planned for the Route 50 corridor, some of which have yet to gain approval from the Board of Supervisors.
At its meeting June 19, the board also approved the Shops at Arcola just west of Dulles Landing. It will be part of the Arcola Center, which will include shops, restaurants and homes. The Arcola Center requires a rezoning, which the board has not considered yet.
The 800,000-square-foot retail center, which will go up in the northwest quadrant of the Route 50 and Loudoun County Parkway intersection, will be anchored by the county's third Wal-Mart.
It is the kind of suburban shopping center that county officials have shunned in recent years in favor of walkable, Main Street-style development. Boxy buildings housing Old Navy, Best Buy and Bed Bath and Beyond will rise up from a vast parking lot.
Critics of the project, which is being developed by McLean-based Beatty Cos., say it will overwhelm the intersection with traffic. They say county officials have approved too much retail in an area without enough residents to support it. And they say it's not the kind of shopping center they want in their neighborhood.
Sandra Chaloux, founder of the Gum Spring Regional Citizens Network, said she would prefer office buildings instead of big-box stores in that area.
"We'd prefer to see businesses with higher-paying jobs rather than a bunch of retail," Chaloux said. "Then maybe people who live in Loudoun County could actually work in Loudoun County, too."
But Supervisor Stephen J. Snow (R-Dulles), who represents the area, disagrees. He was in the majority that voted June 19 to rezone the property to make way for the project, despite misgivings among county staff members about the design and effect on traffic. Last week, the same five supervisors voted against reconsidering their action, rejecting a request by two supervisors who were absent from the earlier meeting.
Snow said Dulles Landing would fill a shopping void that is sending Dulles area residents to Fairfax and Prince William counties, costing Loudoun millions in tax revenue.
The increase in traffic would be offset by more than $3 million in road improvements the developer has promised, Snow said, and the design has been altered to give the project a "Loudoun look," with brick and stone paving and landscaping.
But in the end, Snow said, a Wal-Mart can't be disguised as a quaint, little shop.
"There is a difficulty in dressing up, so to speak, a larger retail center that tends to have larger square footage," he said. "It's a large building any way you look at it. But when all is said and done, I think you'll see a well laid-out, well landscaped, well thought-out shopping area."
Other stores that have signed on to the project are Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Borders, PetSmart, Michaels, Ross, Kohls and DSW. The developer hopes to open the shopping center by spring 2009.
More than a half-dozen development projects are planned for the Route 50 corridor, some of which have yet to gain approval from the Board of Supervisors.
At its meeting June 19, the board also approved the Shops at Arcola just west of Dulles Landing. It will be part of the Arcola Center, which will include shops, restaurants and homes. The Arcola Center requires a rezoning, which the board has not considered yet.
The Transition Area CPAM
Based on developer proposals, the county is considering massive changes to the county growth plan that would add 33,821 new houses in Eastern Loudoun. The proposal was revised in August 2006 and the number of new houses increased from 28,000 to over 33,000.
The analysis on our website pertains to the previous CPAM, which would have allowed 27,977 new houses to be built.
More information on the Dulles South CPAMThe Route 50 TaskforceWhereIn the county's Transition Area, north and south of Route 50 between South Riding and Gilbert's Corner.
If approved28,000+ new houses means 77,541 new residents - essentially, a new city the size of Ashburn. The door will open for surburban densities to move west across the county and into an area with inadequate infrastructure and failing roads.
Why it's importantWhat will this massive growth proposal do to our commutes on Routes 50 and 7, the Greenway, and the Dulles Toll Road? How high will our taxes go? How many more times will our kids change schools?
Who decidesThe Board of Supervisors.
Latest actionIn August 2006, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the newly revised Transition Area CPAM.
In October 2005, the Board of Supervisors decided to delay their decision on the Dulles South CPAM, but it's still very much a looming threat. Other decisions are being made now that will make it easier to approve the CPAM in the future.
On November 1, 2005, the Board of Supervisors gave their okay to the CDA (Community Development Authority) proposal -- a developer idea for a special tax district and a fiscally dangerous and risky endeavour for the county.
As of January 2006, four developers who are part of the CPAM filed rezoning applications (ZMAPs) with the county (see map). ZMAPs change the zoning for a certain area, in this case parts of the Dulles South area. Although these applications propose residential densities which exceed the current densities called for by the Loudoun County Comprehensive Plan, these rezoning applications may be approved by the Board of Supervisors without changing the Comprehensive Plan with a CPAM. Read Supervisor Jim Burton's update on the ZMAPs
In July 2006, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the CPAM, but with changes. No build-out analysis was provided, so we can't tell you how many new houses could be built. We suspect that this version of the CPAM could yield even MORE than the 28,000 new houses we've been hearing about for more than a year.
Next stepFor the CPAM, the next step is a public hearing with the Board of Supervisors.
Update from Supervisor Jim BurtonExcerpt from his December 2005 Newsletter
Last month, the Board rearranged some of its land use priorities. While the Western zoning ordinances remain the Board’s first priority, the Dulles CPAM (a consolidation of the Dulles-area developer-initiated CPAM’s), which had been the Boards #2 priority, was superseded by the Route 50 Task Force, an initiative by Supervisor Snow for the eastern portion of the highway. In making this reprioritization the Board recognized that its decision would delay consideration of the Dulles CPAM by at least six months – a delay which did not bother me a bit.However, I have since confirmed that almost all of the developers whose individual CPAM’s were consolidated into the Dulles CPAM have filed rezoning (ZMAP) applications during the last few months. These actions indicate to me that a change in strategy is taking place. I believe that there is good news and bad news inherent in this change.The good news is two-fold. First, it demonstrates the power of public pressure. The Board and Planning Commission received hundreds of emails, letters, and phone calls from concerned citizens who opposed the Dulles CPAM. Over a hundred citizens attended the Planning Commission’s Public Hearing. Many of them staged a mini-demonstration when they were denied access to the Board room that night. I believe that the developers saw the public opposition to the CPAM as a public relations nightmare – a battle for public opinion which they were not winning.Second, because the density requests of their ZMAP’s will not match the density for the parcels recommended in the current County Comprehensive Plan, the Board (if a majority so chooses) can legally deny the rezonings.However, rezonings do have a legal time limit associated with them. This requirement may accelerate their timing. Further, each rezoning will move through the process separately rather than as a consolidated whole. Thus, citizens will need to be especially alert about tracking each rezoning through the public process and recognize that they may need to attend multiple public hearings over the next two years. During this time, citizens and the Board will also need to remember, that while one rezoning may not add significant density to an area, when all the rezonings are added up, the result will still likely be some 28,000 units in the Transition Area.
The analysis on our website pertains to the previous CPAM, which would have allowed 27,977 new houses to be built.
More information on the Dulles South CPAMThe Route 50 TaskforceWhereIn the county's Transition Area, north and south of Route 50 between South Riding and Gilbert's Corner.
If approved28,000+ new houses means 77,541 new residents - essentially, a new city the size of Ashburn. The door will open for surburban densities to move west across the county and into an area with inadequate infrastructure and failing roads.
Why it's importantWhat will this massive growth proposal do to our commutes on Routes 50 and 7, the Greenway, and the Dulles Toll Road? How high will our taxes go? How many more times will our kids change schools?
Who decidesThe Board of Supervisors.
Latest actionIn August 2006, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the newly revised Transition Area CPAM.
In October 2005, the Board of Supervisors decided to delay their decision on the Dulles South CPAM, but it's still very much a looming threat. Other decisions are being made now that will make it easier to approve the CPAM in the future.
On November 1, 2005, the Board of Supervisors gave their okay to the CDA (Community Development Authority) proposal -- a developer idea for a special tax district and a fiscally dangerous and risky endeavour for the county.
As of January 2006, four developers who are part of the CPAM filed rezoning applications (ZMAPs) with the county (see map). ZMAPs change the zoning for a certain area, in this case parts of the Dulles South area. Although these applications propose residential densities which exceed the current densities called for by the Loudoun County Comprehensive Plan, these rezoning applications may be approved by the Board of Supervisors without changing the Comprehensive Plan with a CPAM. Read Supervisor Jim Burton's update on the ZMAPs
In July 2006, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the CPAM, but with changes. No build-out analysis was provided, so we can't tell you how many new houses could be built. We suspect that this version of the CPAM could yield even MORE than the 28,000 new houses we've been hearing about for more than a year.
Next stepFor the CPAM, the next step is a public hearing with the Board of Supervisors.
Update from Supervisor Jim BurtonExcerpt from his December 2005 Newsletter
Last month, the Board rearranged some of its land use priorities. While the Western zoning ordinances remain the Board’s first priority, the Dulles CPAM (a consolidation of the Dulles-area developer-initiated CPAM’s), which had been the Boards #2 priority, was superseded by the Route 50 Task Force, an initiative by Supervisor Snow for the eastern portion of the highway. In making this reprioritization the Board recognized that its decision would delay consideration of the Dulles CPAM by at least six months – a delay which did not bother me a bit.However, I have since confirmed that almost all of the developers whose individual CPAM’s were consolidated into the Dulles CPAM have filed rezoning (ZMAP) applications during the last few months. These actions indicate to me that a change in strategy is taking place. I believe that there is good news and bad news inherent in this change.The good news is two-fold. First, it demonstrates the power of public pressure. The Board and Planning Commission received hundreds of emails, letters, and phone calls from concerned citizens who opposed the Dulles CPAM. Over a hundred citizens attended the Planning Commission’s Public Hearing. Many of them staged a mini-demonstration when they were denied access to the Board room that night. I believe that the developers saw the public opposition to the CPAM as a public relations nightmare – a battle for public opinion which they were not winning.Second, because the density requests of their ZMAP’s will not match the density for the parcels recommended in the current County Comprehensive Plan, the Board (if a majority so chooses) can legally deny the rezonings.However, rezonings do have a legal time limit associated with them. This requirement may accelerate their timing. Further, each rezoning will move through the process separately rather than as a consolidated whole. Thus, citizens will need to be especially alert about tracking each rezoning through the public process and recognize that they may need to attend multiple public hearings over the next two years. During this time, citizens and the Board will also need to remember, that while one rezoning may not add significant density to an area, when all the rezonings are added up, the result will still likely be some 28,000 units in the Transition Area.
The Ashburn Community
Ashburn, one of Loudoun County's oldest communities, is also one of the county's fastest growing and most desirable communities. At the beginning of 2006, Ashburn was only about halfway built out with thousands of new houses already zoned and in the pipeline to be built.
Ashburn is the quintessential example of a community where residential growth has far outpaced the county's ability to provide adequate infrastructure and amenities. With almost 18,000 new houses in the pipeline, it's time for the community and its residents to get what they were promised.
Sign up to join your neighbors in building a better AshburnMap of Proposed and Approved Developments in Ashburn (PDF file)What can I do?One Loudoun development proposal
How much more growth is in the pipeline for Ashburn?Only about half of the inventory of zoned houses has been built in Ashburn, meaning that thousands of new people will move to Ashburn soon, bringing thousands of more cars to our roads. The new growth includes over 12,000 houses along Loudoun County Parkway.
How will the new development impact my commute?Adding 12,000 new houses along Loudoun County Parkway will funnel traffic onto Waxpool and the Greenway. In addition to those 12,000+ new houses, County Supervisors continue to consider proposals to open up new land west of Belmont Ridge Road for massive new development. These plans could allow more than 60,000 new houses to the west of Ashburn. The new commuters will drive east for jobs in Fairfax and Washington, DC -- right through our community.
There are also new zoning plans for 4,000 more houses at One Loudoun Center and Brambleton.
What is the solution?We need to fix our roads before approving any more new houses. Our roads and commuting corridors can't take the current traffic, let alone what's coming. We need to:
Fix the bottleneck at Waxpool and Loudoun County Parkway.
Improve the dangerous 4-way stop intersections.
Build the missing segments of our east-west roads, including Gloucester Parkway, Riverside Parkway, Ryan Bypass, and Russell Branch Parkway.
Create a better jobs-housing balance.
Develop an Ashburn Community Plan to plan for schools, roads, fire and rescue, recreation, and other community needs.
What is the county's vision for Ashburn's future?Loudoun County’s vision for the Ashburn Community is a vibrant mix of houses, jobs, services, recreation, and amenities. Traffic congestion must be reduced, and schools need to be built on time. The same community spirit that brought us our library now needs to go to work on our Community Center with indoor facilities and significant open space and natural areas.In an effort to help Ashburn get what was promised by developers and county officials, the Campaign for Loudoun's Future is working with residents to develop community action plans to implement the county's vision.
Ashburn is the quintessential example of a community where residential growth has far outpaced the county's ability to provide adequate infrastructure and amenities. With almost 18,000 new houses in the pipeline, it's time for the community and its residents to get what they were promised.
Sign up to join your neighbors in building a better AshburnMap of Proposed and Approved Developments in Ashburn (PDF file)What can I do?One Loudoun development proposal
How much more growth is in the pipeline for Ashburn?Only about half of the inventory of zoned houses has been built in Ashburn, meaning that thousands of new people will move to Ashburn soon, bringing thousands of more cars to our roads. The new growth includes over 12,000 houses along Loudoun County Parkway.
How will the new development impact my commute?Adding 12,000 new houses along Loudoun County Parkway will funnel traffic onto Waxpool and the Greenway. In addition to those 12,000+ new houses, County Supervisors continue to consider proposals to open up new land west of Belmont Ridge Road for massive new development. These plans could allow more than 60,000 new houses to the west of Ashburn. The new commuters will drive east for jobs in Fairfax and Washington, DC -- right through our community.
There are also new zoning plans for 4,000 more houses at One Loudoun Center and Brambleton.
What is the solution?We need to fix our roads before approving any more new houses. Our roads and commuting corridors can't take the current traffic, let alone what's coming. We need to:
Fix the bottleneck at Waxpool and Loudoun County Parkway.
Improve the dangerous 4-way stop intersections.
Build the missing segments of our east-west roads, including Gloucester Parkway, Riverside Parkway, Ryan Bypass, and Russell Branch Parkway.
Create a better jobs-housing balance.
Develop an Ashburn Community Plan to plan for schools, roads, fire and rescue, recreation, and other community needs.
What is the county's vision for Ashburn's future?Loudoun County’s vision for the Ashburn Community is a vibrant mix of houses, jobs, services, recreation, and amenities. Traffic congestion must be reduced, and schools need to be built on time. The same community spirit that brought us our library now needs to go to work on our Community Center with indoor facilities and significant open space and natural areas.In an effort to help Ashburn get what was promised by developers and county officials, the Campaign for Loudoun's Future is working with residents to develop community action plans to implement the county's vision.
Outer Beltway Proposals
Officials are considering proposals to build new north-south highways to the west of our existing suburban communities. These highways would make traffic congestion worse, not better.
These proposals have been called many different names over the years, but they amount to the construction of an Outer Beltway through Loudoun - one piece at a time. These proposals go by many names - Western Transportation Corridor (WTC), Tri-County Parkway (TCP), Manassas Battlefield Byass, and the Techway - but don't be fooled. Officials are also talking about a new Potomac River crossing.
If approved An Outer Beltway would encourage new development, bring more traffic, and squander our taxpayer dollars. If built, the TCP would have major impacts on neighborhoods including Kirkpatrick Farms, Stone Ridge, Brambleton, and River Creek.
An excerpt from the Washington Airports Task Force's (WATF) November 2004 newsletter shows the connection between potential new development and Outer Beltway segments.
Why it's importantOur major traffic problems are east-west. We need traffic solutions that will work for the commuters of Loudoun County and upgrade our local road grid.
Who decidesVirginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Governor Kaine, county officials, the federal government in cases that involve federal funding
Latest action In April 2007, the Transportation Planning Board revised the region's long range plan and continued to support pieces of the Outer Beltway.
In November 2005, the Commonwealth Transportation Planning Board voted to support the western route for the TCP, which would run through southern Loudoun County. While the state has no funding for the project currently available, VDOT is seeking construction proposals from private developers.
The Loudoun County Planning Commission continues to consider the WTC.
Next stepThe federal government will release a final environmental impact statement (FEIS), most likely in late 2006.
More information on the Tri-County ParkwayMore information on the Western Transportation CorridorMore information on New Potomac River Crossings
Excerpt from the Washington Airports Task Force's (WATF) November 2004 newsletter:
"Communities equal in population to the City of Alexandria are being projected along Rt. 50 west of Dulles over the next 20 years... Collectively, the developments would fund reconstruction of Rt. 50 as a six-lane limited access highway to the Fairfax County border, as well as the construction of north-south at-grade expandable highways to connect with the proposed Rt. 234 Bypass extension at the Prince William County border. The WATF advised Supervisor Snow it could support increased housing density given adequate regional access beyond Loudoun County and developments compatible with flight operations."
The reference to "north-south at-grade expandable highways to connect with the proposed Rt 234 Bypass extension" implies that this project is linked to construction of the Outer Beltway proposals.
These proposals have been called many different names over the years, but they amount to the construction of an Outer Beltway through Loudoun - one piece at a time. These proposals go by many names - Western Transportation Corridor (WTC), Tri-County Parkway (TCP), Manassas Battlefield Byass, and the Techway - but don't be fooled. Officials are also talking about a new Potomac River crossing.
If approved An Outer Beltway would encourage new development, bring more traffic, and squander our taxpayer dollars. If built, the TCP would have major impacts on neighborhoods including Kirkpatrick Farms, Stone Ridge, Brambleton, and River Creek.
An excerpt from the Washington Airports Task Force's (WATF) November 2004 newsletter shows the connection between potential new development and Outer Beltway segments.
Why it's importantOur major traffic problems are east-west. We need traffic solutions that will work for the commuters of Loudoun County and upgrade our local road grid.
Who decidesVirginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Governor Kaine, county officials, the federal government in cases that involve federal funding
Latest action In April 2007, the Transportation Planning Board revised the region's long range plan and continued to support pieces of the Outer Beltway.
In November 2005, the Commonwealth Transportation Planning Board voted to support the western route for the TCP, which would run through southern Loudoun County. While the state has no funding for the project currently available, VDOT is seeking construction proposals from private developers.
The Loudoun County Planning Commission continues to consider the WTC.
Next stepThe federal government will release a final environmental impact statement (FEIS), most likely in late 2006.
More information on the Tri-County ParkwayMore information on the Western Transportation CorridorMore information on New Potomac River Crossings
Excerpt from the Washington Airports Task Force's (WATF) November 2004 newsletter:
"Communities equal in population to the City of Alexandria are being projected along Rt. 50 west of Dulles over the next 20 years... Collectively, the developments would fund reconstruction of Rt. 50 as a six-lane limited access highway to the Fairfax County border, as well as the construction of north-south at-grade expandable highways to connect with the proposed Rt. 234 Bypass extension at the Prince William County border. The WATF advised Supervisor Snow it could support increased housing density given adequate regional access beyond Loudoun County and developments compatible with flight operations."
The reference to "north-south at-grade expandable highways to connect with the proposed Rt 234 Bypass extension" implies that this project is linked to construction of the Outer Beltway proposals.
Developer Proposals along Route 50
Braddock Village -- 860 New Houses on Land Currently Zoned for 66 Houses
Status: In March 2007, the Planning Commission recommended denial of this proposal. It has now been sent to the Board of Supervisors for review and a public hearing.
Action: Tell the Board of Supervisors to reject this proposal. This development is in the same area as the Dulles South/Transition Area CPAM which Loudoun citizens defeated. The proposal does not meet the Loudoun's comprehensive plan and should be denied.
Proposal: Braddock Village Rezoning ApplicationCommunity: Dulles South, near South Riding and Stone Ridge New Houses: 860Developer: Nicholas/Farkas Joint Venture and John D.M. Crerar, Jr.
Kennedy -- 130 New Houses
Status: This proposal remains active in the county, but there has been no recent activity on it.
Action: Tell the Board of Supervisors to reject this proposal. This development is in the same area as the Dulles South/Transition Area CPAM which Loudoun citizens defeated. The proposal does not meet the Loudoun's comprehensive plan and should be denied.
Proposal: Kennedy Community: Dulles South, near South Riding and Stone Ridge New Houses:
Westport -- 2,858 New Houses
Status: Toll Brothers has filed a suit against the county regarding this proposal and their decision on the Dulles South/Transition Area CPAM, which would have allowed up to 33,800 new houses in an area with no jobs and little infrastructure.Proposal: Westport Rezoning ApplicationCommunity: Dulles SouthNew Houses: 2,858Developer: Toll Brothers
Greenfields -- 5,867 New Houses
Status: The developer has put this proposal on inactive status in the county. It can remain inactive for up to 3 years, or can be placed back to active status at any time. This proposal is in the area of the Transition Area CPAM, which would have allowed up to 33,800 new houses in an area with no jobs and little infrastructure. Proposal: Greenfields Rezoning ApplicationCommunity: Dulles SouthNew Houses: 5,867Developer: Greenvest
Status: In March 2007, the Planning Commission recommended denial of this proposal. It has now been sent to the Board of Supervisors for review and a public hearing.
Action: Tell the Board of Supervisors to reject this proposal. This development is in the same area as the Dulles South/Transition Area CPAM which Loudoun citizens defeated. The proposal does not meet the Loudoun's comprehensive plan and should be denied.
Proposal: Braddock Village Rezoning ApplicationCommunity: Dulles South, near South Riding and Stone Ridge New Houses: 860Developer: Nicholas/Farkas Joint Venture and John D.M. Crerar, Jr.
Kennedy -- 130 New Houses
Status: This proposal remains active in the county, but there has been no recent activity on it.
Action: Tell the Board of Supervisors to reject this proposal. This development is in the same area as the Dulles South/Transition Area CPAM which Loudoun citizens defeated. The proposal does not meet the Loudoun's comprehensive plan and should be denied.
Proposal: Kennedy Community: Dulles South, near South Riding and Stone Ridge New Houses:
Westport -- 2,858 New Houses
Status: Toll Brothers has filed a suit against the county regarding this proposal and their decision on the Dulles South/Transition Area CPAM, which would have allowed up to 33,800 new houses in an area with no jobs and little infrastructure.Proposal: Westport Rezoning ApplicationCommunity: Dulles SouthNew Houses: 2,858Developer: Toll Brothers
Greenfields -- 5,867 New Houses
Status: The developer has put this proposal on inactive status in the county. It can remain inactive for up to 3 years, or can be placed back to active status at any time. This proposal is in the area of the Transition Area CPAM, which would have allowed up to 33,800 new houses in an area with no jobs and little infrastructure. Proposal: Greenfields Rezoning ApplicationCommunity: Dulles SouthNew Houses: 5,867Developer: Greenvest
South Riding and Ashburn New Homes for Sale
TOLL BROTHERS HOMES
South Riding Station - The VillagesSouth Riding, Virginia
Loudoun
2555
Single Family
Upper$500,000s
South Riding Station - The HeritageSouth Riding, Virginia
Loudoun
2426
Townhome
Upper$400,000s
South Riding Station - The GreensSouth Riding, Virginia
Loudoun
1520
Townhome
Upper$300,000s
South Riding Station - The GlenSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3442
Single Family
Low$700,000s
South Riding Station - The FairwaysSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3322
Single Family
Upper$500,000s
South Riding Station - The CarriagesSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
2529
Carriage
Mid-$500,000s
South Riding - The EstatesSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4296
Single Family
Mid-$800,000s
South Riding - The AmberleaSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
1546
Townhome
Low$400,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The GlenAshburn, Virginia
Loudoun
2712
Single Family
Mid-$600,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The ExecutivesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3340
Single Family
Mid-$700,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The EstatesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3808
Single Family
Mid-$800,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The CarriagesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
2526
Carriage
Upper$500,000s
Loudoun Valley Estates - The OverlookDulles, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4318
Single Family
Mid-$700,000s
Hamilton RidgeHamilton, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4225
Single Family
Low$800,000s
Belmont Country Club - The RidgesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
1494
Condominium
Upper$200,000s
Belmont Country Club - The MeadowsAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
2378
Townhome
Low$500,000s
Belmont Country Club - The FairwaysAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3125
Single Family
Upper$600,000s
Belmont Country Club - The ChaseAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4475
Single Family
Low$900,000s
South Riding Station - The VillagesSouth Riding, Virginia
Loudoun
2555
Single Family
Upper$500,000s
South Riding Station - The HeritageSouth Riding, Virginia
Loudoun
2426
Townhome
Upper$400,000s
South Riding Station - The GreensSouth Riding, Virginia
Loudoun
1520
Townhome
Upper$300,000s
South Riding Station - The GlenSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3442
Single Family
Low$700,000s
South Riding Station - The FairwaysSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3322
Single Family
Upper$500,000s
South Riding Station - The CarriagesSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
2529
Carriage
Mid-$500,000s
South Riding - The EstatesSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4296
Single Family
Mid-$800,000s
South Riding - The AmberleaSouth Riding, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
1546
Townhome
Low$400,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The GlenAshburn, Virginia
Loudoun
2712
Single Family
Mid-$600,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The ExecutivesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3340
Single Family
Mid-$700,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The EstatesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3808
Single Family
Mid-$800,000s
Loudoun Valley Villages - The CarriagesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
2526
Carriage
Upper$500,000s
Loudoun Valley Estates - The OverlookDulles, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4318
Single Family
Mid-$700,000s
Hamilton RidgeHamilton, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4225
Single Family
Low$800,000s
Belmont Country Club - The RidgesAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
1494
Condominium
Upper$200,000s
Belmont Country Club - The MeadowsAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
2378
Townhome
Low$500,000s
Belmont Country Club - The FairwaysAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
3125
Single Family
Upper$600,000s
Belmont Country Club - The ChaseAshburn, Virginia Quick Delivery Homes Available!
Loudoun
4475
Single Family
Low$900,000s
McMansions: Good or Bad?
Mickey and Jane Finn put their five-bedroom, 6,200-square-foot home in Leesburg, Va., on the market in April, but already they've cut the price to $899,900 from $1.1 million. Now, they've decided to put it up for auction.
What's the hurry? Down the street in their leafy subdivision, two similar-sized houses are also on the market, and around the corner, five more have for-sale signs. The Finns, who paid $692,000 for the new house in 2002, recently retired and, with their two children grown, they're eager to move to a place half the size. "We don't need this big a house anymore -- if we ever did," says Mr. Finn, age 63.
The golden age of McMansions may be coming to an end. These oversized homes -- characterized by sprawling layouts on small lots, and built in cookie-cutter style by big developers -- fueled much of the housing boom. But thanks to rising energy and mortgage costs, shrinking families and a growing number of retirement-age baby boomers set on downsizing, there are signs of an emerging glut.
Interviews with dozens of real-estate agents, sellers, developers and housing economists turn up signs across the country. In an affluent Dallas ZIP Code, where half the houses have four bedrooms or more, home sales fell 31% in the first quarter compared with the previous quarter. But sales rose 23% in a nearby ZIP Code where 7% of houses have that many bedrooms. In Santa Fe, N.M., homes in the 2,000-square-foot range sell within weeks, while larger ones languish for months, says broker Pat French. In the Boston metro area, sales of homes with four or more bedrooms were flat in the first quarter from a year earlier; sales of homes with three bedrooms or fewer rose 14%. New Jersey appraiser Jeffrey Otteau says the inventory level statewide for large, $1 million-plus houses stands at 13 months, more than twice the state's overall average of six months.
There is no formal definition of what constitutes a McMansion. (Some would say it's any home bigger and showier than your own.) One broadly accepted definition, used for this article, is a house larger than 5,000 square feet -- about double the national average -- with four or more bedrooms that is built cheek by jowl with similar houses. Most have been erected since the mid-1980s, when major developers such as Toll Brothers and K. Hovnanian Homes began to chase couples who wanted more space -- and luxury -- than they had when they were kids. These houses often boast grand, two-story entryways, three-car garages, double-height family rooms and master-bedroom "suites" equipped with sitting areas and whirlpool tubs. Developers market the homes under names such as the Grand Michelangelo, Hemingway and Hibiscus -- while detractors have dubbed them "garage mahals," "faux chateaux" or "tract castles."
Big Fuel Bills
The 2003 American Housing Survey, the latest available, found nearly 3.2 million homes in this country with 4,000 square feet of space or more -- the largest category the group tracks -- up 11% since the previous survey in 2001. Part of the big-house mania was fueled by speculation as home prices surged, says housing economist and consultant Thomas Lawler in Vienna, Va. "Folks bought megasized houses well beyond their needs to increase their investment in real estate," he says.
Now, some boomers in their late 50s are counting on selling their huge houses to help fund retirement. Yet a number of factors are weighing down demand. With the rise in home heating and cooling costs, McMansions are increasingly expensive to maintain. Nationwide, electricity rates have risen 12% over the past three years, while the price of natural gas for heating has risen 43% in the same period, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That means it can cost $5,000 a year or more to heat and cool a 5,000-square-foot house in a city such as Farmington, Conn., according to Connecticut Light & Power Co.
The overall slump in the housing market also is crimping big-home sales. The volume of newly built homes sold fell 11.2% in the first four months of the year from a year ago, while sales of existing houses fell 5.7%, says the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors. Yesterday, one of the biggest home builders, KB Home, cut its earnings outlook for the year, citing declining demand. Bruce Karatz, chairman and chief executive, said demand has fallen "largely due to a sharp reduction of speculative purchases and an oversupply in new and resale inventory."
Meantime, the jump in interest rates has put the cost of a big house out of more people's reach. With 30-year mortgages at 6.2% yesterday, a $700,000 loan costs about $4,300 a month, up from $3,900 when rates were 5.28% in June 2003, according to Bankrate.com. "The young people coming up don't have the means to absorb these big houses," says Mr. Otteau, the New Jersey appraiser.
Since February, Kris and Ray Victory have been trying to sell their five-bedroom house in Brookville, N.Y., built in 1987 with a sunken living room and a fireplace in the master-suite wing. The couple raised three children in the 8,000-square-foot home, but they say younger families seem turned off by its $1,000-a-month utility bills and $25,000 annual taxes. "Buyers tell us it's too big," says Mrs. Victory, a 45-year-old electrical engineer. The couple recently shaved $200,000 off the $2.35 million price.
This dynamic could become more acute in coming years. As the nation's 78 million baby boomers, born from 1946 through 1964, become empty-nesters and hit retirement age, many are already selling their trophy homes and trading down to smaller models. There are roughly the same number of people in the next pool of potential buyers, but they're marrying later and often have smaller families: U.S. Census statistics show that the average household size in 2005 was 2.57 people -- down from 3.14 in 1970.
Already, the McMansion oversupply is acute in places like Loudoun County, Va. In the fast-growing area northwest of Washington, D.C., thousands of hulking, red-brick colonials sprouted over the past 10 years on quarter-acre lots that had been carved from farmland and woods. In May, 4,719 houses were for sale, more than three times the year-earlier level. The number of sales dropped 39% to 484 in the month, and the number of days a home remained on the market lengthened to 70 from 14. "Sellers are dying out there," says local real-estate broker Michele Stash.
In one Loudoun subdivision, Tom Green, a 47-year-old airline pilot, put his five-bedroom house on the market six months ago for $1 million so he and his wife could downsize to a $592,000 townhouse nearby. But his home had to compete with 38 others for sale in the neighborhood with four or more bedrooms. His 5,600-square-foot, five-bedroom house, which he bought new for $515,000 in 2000, didn't get a nibble for months. Finally, a relocating California family agreed to buy it if the Greens would leave behind their high-definition TV and a lifesize Spiderman statue that had been a gift from Mr. Green's sister -- plus slash the price to $820,000. (They also had to throw in a cookie jar with "Biscuit" -- coincidentally, the name of the buyers' dog -- written on the side).
The Greens complied. The buyers, John Zuccaro and Cindy Fonseca, say they were emboldened to make their demands when they saw how much the market had cooled since April 2005, when they sold their three-bedroom house in Torrance, Calif., for its full asking price of $759,000 in only five days.
Though huge houses continue to be built across the country, many architects and builders appear to be responding to shrinking demand for McMansions. In the latest quarterly survey by the American Institute of Architects, 68% of the 500 residential architects polled said home sizes are stable or declining, compared with 58% a year ago.
Focus on Smaller Homes
For anti-McMansion activists, who hate to see big homes supplant smaller "teardowns" in established neighborhoods, a decline in demand may be good news. Homeowners in some areas have successfully lobbied for laws designed to rein in the light-and-view-blocking monsters: Last year, Arlington County, Va., limited home footprints to no more than 30% of a lot, while Wood-Ridge, N.J., recently said homes could take up no more than 55% of a lot.
Faced with dwindling demand and a fall in their stock prices, many national builders are starting to focus more on smaller houses, which often feature separate dining and family rooms but just two bedrooms. K. Hovnanian Homes, long known for McMansions, is building such houses under its "Four Seasons" label in nine states. Toll Brothers is creating communities like Cranbury Brook Villas in Plainsboro, N.J., which has two-bedroom homes ranging from 1,656 to 1,958 square feet that can be equipped with lofts, sunrooms and dining-room accent columns (the "Bayberry" model starts at $389,975).
Yet some families have found it hard to downsize. In Phoenix, David and Mary Mumme, both 49, are selling their 4,938-square-foot house, partly because their oldest son is heading to college and partly because maintaining the house and yard -- with pool and waterfall -- takes about eight hours a week. They're asking $1.8 million, about three times what they paid for it six years ago, because they saw nearby houses sell quickly for about $2 million last year. But even though the house has 12-foot ceilings, marble countertops and skylights in the closets, no one has made an offer during the month it's been on the market.
John and Barbara Fiore, both 54, had to slice $50,000 off their $900,000 price to move their 5,500-square-foot house in Warwick, N.Y. Ms. Fiore, who has five grown children, says she worried that no one would want her six-bedroom home while it sat on the market all last year, because today's families are smaller. (The eventual buyer was a married doctor with three young children.) The delay in selling "was scary," says Mrs. Fiore. The Fiores, who built the house 14 years ago, now live in a three-bedroom house nearby that's less than half the size. Meanwhile, Mrs. Fiore's parents recently sold their Warwick house in a month -- but it's only 2,500 square feet.
And even some young couples who have tried the big-house life are getting out of it, trading space for higher-quality construction. Last October, Andrew and Sheri Leppert of Alpharetta, Ga., both 32, exchanged their four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home for a smaller one that has only three bedrooms and two baths -- yet, at $450,000, cost 50% more. Ms. Leppert, a homemaker who now has a young child, says she was attracted by the new house's details -- including beaded-glass windows, wide-plank flooring and 9-foot-tall doors made of solid wood -- which elevated it in her mind above the "Georgia sprawl" house she was leaving. She and her husband never used the fourth bedroom of their old house, she says, and she doesn't miss cleaning the extra space. "Taking care of it became a burden," she says.
What's the hurry? Down the street in their leafy subdivision, two similar-sized houses are also on the market, and around the corner, five more have for-sale signs. The Finns, who paid $692,000 for the new house in 2002, recently retired and, with their two children grown, they're eager to move to a place half the size. "We don't need this big a house anymore -- if we ever did," says Mr. Finn, age 63.
The golden age of McMansions may be coming to an end. These oversized homes -- characterized by sprawling layouts on small lots, and built in cookie-cutter style by big developers -- fueled much of the housing boom. But thanks to rising energy and mortgage costs, shrinking families and a growing number of retirement-age baby boomers set on downsizing, there are signs of an emerging glut.
Interviews with dozens of real-estate agents, sellers, developers and housing economists turn up signs across the country. In an affluent Dallas ZIP Code, where half the houses have four bedrooms or more, home sales fell 31% in the first quarter compared with the previous quarter. But sales rose 23% in a nearby ZIP Code where 7% of houses have that many bedrooms. In Santa Fe, N.M., homes in the 2,000-square-foot range sell within weeks, while larger ones languish for months, says broker Pat French. In the Boston metro area, sales of homes with four or more bedrooms were flat in the first quarter from a year earlier; sales of homes with three bedrooms or fewer rose 14%. New Jersey appraiser Jeffrey Otteau says the inventory level statewide for large, $1 million-plus houses stands at 13 months, more than twice the state's overall average of six months.
There is no formal definition of what constitutes a McMansion. (Some would say it's any home bigger and showier than your own.) One broadly accepted definition, used for this article, is a house larger than 5,000 square feet -- about double the national average -- with four or more bedrooms that is built cheek by jowl with similar houses. Most have been erected since the mid-1980s, when major developers such as Toll Brothers and K. Hovnanian Homes began to chase couples who wanted more space -- and luxury -- than they had when they were kids. These houses often boast grand, two-story entryways, three-car garages, double-height family rooms and master-bedroom "suites" equipped with sitting areas and whirlpool tubs. Developers market the homes under names such as the Grand Michelangelo, Hemingway and Hibiscus -- while detractors have dubbed them "garage mahals," "faux chateaux" or "tract castles."
Big Fuel Bills
The 2003 American Housing Survey, the latest available, found nearly 3.2 million homes in this country with 4,000 square feet of space or more -- the largest category the group tracks -- up 11% since the previous survey in 2001. Part of the big-house mania was fueled by speculation as home prices surged, says housing economist and consultant Thomas Lawler in Vienna, Va. "Folks bought megasized houses well beyond their needs to increase their investment in real estate," he says.
Now, some boomers in their late 50s are counting on selling their huge houses to help fund retirement. Yet a number of factors are weighing down demand. With the rise in home heating and cooling costs, McMansions are increasingly expensive to maintain. Nationwide, electricity rates have risen 12% over the past three years, while the price of natural gas for heating has risen 43% in the same period, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That means it can cost $5,000 a year or more to heat and cool a 5,000-square-foot house in a city such as Farmington, Conn., according to Connecticut Light & Power Co.
The overall slump in the housing market also is crimping big-home sales. The volume of newly built homes sold fell 11.2% in the first four months of the year from a year ago, while sales of existing houses fell 5.7%, says the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors. Yesterday, one of the biggest home builders, KB Home, cut its earnings outlook for the year, citing declining demand. Bruce Karatz, chairman and chief executive, said demand has fallen "largely due to a sharp reduction of speculative purchases and an oversupply in new and resale inventory."
Meantime, the jump in interest rates has put the cost of a big house out of more people's reach. With 30-year mortgages at 6.2% yesterday, a $700,000 loan costs about $4,300 a month, up from $3,900 when rates were 5.28% in June 2003, according to Bankrate.com. "The young people coming up don't have the means to absorb these big houses," says Mr. Otteau, the New Jersey appraiser.
Since February, Kris and Ray Victory have been trying to sell their five-bedroom house in Brookville, N.Y., built in 1987 with a sunken living room and a fireplace in the master-suite wing. The couple raised three children in the 8,000-square-foot home, but they say younger families seem turned off by its $1,000-a-month utility bills and $25,000 annual taxes. "Buyers tell us it's too big," says Mrs. Victory, a 45-year-old electrical engineer. The couple recently shaved $200,000 off the $2.35 million price.
This dynamic could become more acute in coming years. As the nation's 78 million baby boomers, born from 1946 through 1964, become empty-nesters and hit retirement age, many are already selling their trophy homes and trading down to smaller models. There are roughly the same number of people in the next pool of potential buyers, but they're marrying later and often have smaller families: U.S. Census statistics show that the average household size in 2005 was 2.57 people -- down from 3.14 in 1970.
Already, the McMansion oversupply is acute in places like Loudoun County, Va. In the fast-growing area northwest of Washington, D.C., thousands of hulking, red-brick colonials sprouted over the past 10 years on quarter-acre lots that had been carved from farmland and woods. In May, 4,719 houses were for sale, more than three times the year-earlier level. The number of sales dropped 39% to 484 in the month, and the number of days a home remained on the market lengthened to 70 from 14. "Sellers are dying out there," says local real-estate broker Michele Stash.
In one Loudoun subdivision, Tom Green, a 47-year-old airline pilot, put his five-bedroom house on the market six months ago for $1 million so he and his wife could downsize to a $592,000 townhouse nearby. But his home had to compete with 38 others for sale in the neighborhood with four or more bedrooms. His 5,600-square-foot, five-bedroom house, which he bought new for $515,000 in 2000, didn't get a nibble for months. Finally, a relocating California family agreed to buy it if the Greens would leave behind their high-definition TV and a lifesize Spiderman statue that had been a gift from Mr. Green's sister -- plus slash the price to $820,000. (They also had to throw in a cookie jar with "Biscuit" -- coincidentally, the name of the buyers' dog -- written on the side).
The Greens complied. The buyers, John Zuccaro and Cindy Fonseca, say they were emboldened to make their demands when they saw how much the market had cooled since April 2005, when they sold their three-bedroom house in Torrance, Calif., for its full asking price of $759,000 in only five days.
Though huge houses continue to be built across the country, many architects and builders appear to be responding to shrinking demand for McMansions. In the latest quarterly survey by the American Institute of Architects, 68% of the 500 residential architects polled said home sizes are stable or declining, compared with 58% a year ago.
Focus on Smaller Homes
For anti-McMansion activists, who hate to see big homes supplant smaller "teardowns" in established neighborhoods, a decline in demand may be good news. Homeowners in some areas have successfully lobbied for laws designed to rein in the light-and-view-blocking monsters: Last year, Arlington County, Va., limited home footprints to no more than 30% of a lot, while Wood-Ridge, N.J., recently said homes could take up no more than 55% of a lot.
Faced with dwindling demand and a fall in their stock prices, many national builders are starting to focus more on smaller houses, which often feature separate dining and family rooms but just two bedrooms. K. Hovnanian Homes, long known for McMansions, is building such houses under its "Four Seasons" label in nine states. Toll Brothers is creating communities like Cranbury Brook Villas in Plainsboro, N.J., which has two-bedroom homes ranging from 1,656 to 1,958 square feet that can be equipped with lofts, sunrooms and dining-room accent columns (the "Bayberry" model starts at $389,975).
Yet some families have found it hard to downsize. In Phoenix, David and Mary Mumme, both 49, are selling their 4,938-square-foot house, partly because their oldest son is heading to college and partly because maintaining the house and yard -- with pool and waterfall -- takes about eight hours a week. They're asking $1.8 million, about three times what they paid for it six years ago, because they saw nearby houses sell quickly for about $2 million last year. But even though the house has 12-foot ceilings, marble countertops and skylights in the closets, no one has made an offer during the month it's been on the market.
John and Barbara Fiore, both 54, had to slice $50,000 off their $900,000 price to move their 5,500-square-foot house in Warwick, N.Y. Ms. Fiore, who has five grown children, says she worried that no one would want her six-bedroom home while it sat on the market all last year, because today's families are smaller. (The eventual buyer was a married doctor with three young children.) The delay in selling "was scary," says Mrs. Fiore. The Fiores, who built the house 14 years ago, now live in a three-bedroom house nearby that's less than half the size. Meanwhile, Mrs. Fiore's parents recently sold their Warwick house in a month -- but it's only 2,500 square feet.
And even some young couples who have tried the big-house life are getting out of it, trading space for higher-quality construction. Last October, Andrew and Sheri Leppert of Alpharetta, Ga., both 32, exchanged their four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home for a smaller one that has only three bedrooms and two baths -- yet, at $450,000, cost 50% more. Ms. Leppert, a homemaker who now has a young child, says she was attracted by the new house's details -- including beaded-glass windows, wide-plank flooring and 9-foot-tall doors made of solid wood -- which elevated it in her mind above the "Georgia sprawl" house she was leaving. She and her husband never used the fourth bedroom of their old house, she says, and she doesn't miss cleaning the extra space. "Taking care of it became a burden," she says.
High End Homes Are Selling!
A tale of two markets -- or three
While the rest of the housing market is languishing, more expensive homes are performing comparatively well -- spending less time on the market and garnering better prices, says a New York Times article. In fact, in places like Manhattan, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver and Houston, some homes are actually selling for more than their asking price.
What's propelling the high-end market? Wealthy foreign investors and affluent U.S. families who are less affected by problems in the mortgage market and rising interest rates, the article says. "To some extent, the rich [are] getting richer," says an analyst from research firm DataQuick Information Systems, who is quoted in the story. But it's not all champagne and caviar for the luxury end of the market. Extremely high-priced residences aren't selling as well as those that are "merely expensive," with Miami homes priced between $1.2 million and $2.5 million faring better than those priced above $2.5 million, the Times says.
GREAT NEWS FOR AREAS LIKE GREAT FALLS, McLEAN AND CLIFTON VIRGINIA !
Best Places to Live
Where's the best place to live in the U.S.? Middleton, Wis., according to this year's Best Places to Live. The ranking of top 100 communities rates "smaller places" that have a good combination of schools, local economy and safety, among other features. Middleton, ranked as the top spot to live, is noted for its family life, parks, bike trails, beer garden and mix of good jobs and restaurants, the Web site says. This year's ranking also includes: the 15 top-earning towns (No. 1, Hillsborough, Calif.), the 25 most affordable towns (No. 1, Northbrook, Ohio) and where the most singles are (No. 1, State College, Pa.). http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2007/
My Favorite place to live is South Riding Virginia!
My Favorite place to live is South Riding Virginia!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
NEW REAL ESTATE TEAM IN SOUTH RIDING
The Hillenbrand Homes real estate team is announcing two new agents.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
SUMMER TIME SPECIAL
For a limited summer time special Hillenbrand Homes is guaranteeing that we can sell your home in 60 days or you pay us 0% in commission. -Hillenbrand Homes is different from most real estate teams and is built on results and we are confident that we can sell your home in 60 days. Hillenbrand Homes is a team of mega agents that have the experience and know-how to put a sold sign on your property.
We will commit to working with you individually and taking the time to understand the unique selling points of your home and neighborhood.
Most agents simply list homes. We sell them.
After you've had the chance to think about trying again to sell your home, please contact me. I'd like to prepare an in-depth analysis of your home, compare it to other homes in the market, and recommend a personalized marketing program and pricing strategy for you.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE! 60 DAYS GUARANTEE TO SELL OR 0% COMMISSION
Cell: 703-477-4470
Email: Keith@hillenbrandhomes.com
WWW.Hillenbrandhomes.com
We will commit to working with you individually and taking the time to understand the unique selling points of your home and neighborhood.
Most agents simply list homes. We sell them.
After you've had the chance to think about trying again to sell your home, please contact me. I'd like to prepare an in-depth analysis of your home, compare it to other homes in the market, and recommend a personalized marketing program and pricing strategy for you.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE! 60 DAYS GUARANTEE TO SELL OR 0% COMMISSION
Cell: 703-477-4470
Email: Keith@hillenbrandhomes.com
WWW.Hillenbrandhomes.com
Hot new rental property "South Riding, Va 20152
Just came on the market today In South Riding, Va 20152!!!!!!
$1,500 a month rent!!!
SPECTACULAR WATER FRONT VIEW!! GORGEOUS 3 BEDROOM/ 3.5 BATH TOWNHOME (OWNER RESERVES 1 BEDROOM W/ ATTACHED BATH FOR STORAGE)!SPACIOUS GOURMET KITCHEN W/42-INCH CABINETS & BUILT-IN MICROWAVE!! LARGE PATIO OFF OF KITCHEN!! FULLY FINISHED BASEMENT W/ BEDROOM!!!!!!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Northern Virginia: The Future is just a matter of time.
Let’s face it people….Unless D.C. gets attacked by a dirty bomb Northern Va. Real estate will continue to chart in the stratosphere.
But it's just a matter of time, just a matter of waiting out the market downturns, before:
a new regional airport is built in Stafford County
the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is extended to 12 lanes
the Springfield Interchange is improved to where it is easy-to-navigate
I-66 is widened to Haymarket and then Winchester
Metro rail is extended to Centreville, Dulles... and maybe Leesburg
the Western Transportation Corridor becomes the Outer Beltway from Fredericksburg to Dulles
a new bridge is built over the Potomac River between the Beltway and US Route 15, to connect the high-tech centers of Maryland and Northern Virginia
a new bridge is built over the Potomac River at Dumfries (they've already named the subdivision "Southbridge") and connects to Route 301 in Maryland
the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is extended to Remington on the Rappahannock River High speed rail is extended to Richmond...
GOD SAVE THE FED?
We all know why this region never feels the pinch like the rest of the country when times get tough!
Surviving Recessions:
The strength of the Washington metropolitan economy is founded on the presence of the federal government. Historically, the federal presence in the region has enabled the economy to minimize negative impacts in times of recessions. When there has been a national recession, the Washington region's economy has not been nearly as impacted as other metropolitan areas. This insulation has also meant – prior to the past decade – that the region has not expanded as rapidly as other metro areas when the national economy is doing well. With a large federal employment base in the past, these workers were not as susceptible to layoffs as other sectors of the economy. However, the proportion of area workers employed by the federal government has changed greatly in the past half century.
The difference in the past decade, and now, is that the Washington economy has been expanding even faster than other metro areas and in years that the national economy has been expanding. Clearly the Washington economy has benefited from federal procurement spending in the region; i.e., the purchase by the federal government of services from area companies. This outsourcing of federal functions has fueled the Washington economy in the past 10 years, creating faster job growth in this region than any other area of the country.
Not only has the area added more jobs than any other metropolitan area, but it has added more high paying jobs than any other area.
Washington is the fourth-largest economy in the U.S. behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Not only has the area added more jobs than any other metropolitan area, but it has added more high paying jobs than any other area.
Washington is the fourth-largest economy in the U.S. behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Northern Virginia Shines
Northern Virginia has been the 'gorilla' in the metropolitan area's strength in this important economic sector. During the past 10 years, Northern Virginia has added 136,000 jobs in Professional and Business Services sector, while the District of Columbia added 41,000 and Suburban Maryland added 50,000 – or, Northern Virginia added almost 50 percent more of these kinds of jobs than DC and Suburban Maryland combined.
Proximity to the Pentagon has been a factor in this, along with access to two major airports and more business-friendly state and local government policies in Virginia. Northern Virginia has also been the economic engine of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the past 10 years. From 1996 to 2006, Virginia had a total job growth of 595,000 jobs and 175,000 in the Professional and Business Services Sector. Northern Virginia had total job growth of 354,000 – 59% of total job growth in the state for the past 10 years. In the Professional and Business Services sector, Northern Virginia grew by 136,000 jobs while the state grew by 175,000 jobs. Northern Virginia accounted for 78 percent of job growth in this high-paying sector.
The outlook for the region's economy in 2007 is that growth will continue to be strong, although some moderating is likely given that federal procurement spending increases moderated last year. This decrease will be seen in job numbers in 2007, and overall job growth in 2007 is forecasted to be 56,600 for the metro area (compared to 65,500 in 2006) and is forecasted to be 33,500 in Northern Virginia (compared to 38,000 in 2006).
By John McClain, Senior Fellow, GMU Center for Regional Analysis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
