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Hallcrest Heights offers townhouse living with elbow room in McLean Hallcrest Heights offers townhouse living with elbow room in McLean
(1 day later)
When Ben East and his wife, Deepa Ramesh, were looking for a home for their young family in 2013, they wanted a place inside the Beltway, preferably in Virginia, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms.When Ben East and his wife, Deepa Ramesh, were looking for a home for their young family in 2013, they wanted a place inside the Beltway, preferably in Virginia, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms.
“We weren’t looking for a townhouse,” said East, 43, a Foreign Service officer who has been posted in Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua, Ghana and Mexico. “We were looking for a stand-alone house.”“We weren’t looking for a townhouse,” said East, 43, a Foreign Service officer who has been posted in Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua, Ghana and Mexico. “We were looking for a stand-alone house.”
And yet it was a townhouse community that captured their attention during a week-long search in the Washington area. Hallcrest Heights in McLean attracted them with its “huge green space.” East recalls thinkin, “The kids are going to love this,” East recalls thinking. They were ages 5 and 3 at the time. And yet it was a townhouse community that captured their attention during a week-long search in the Washington area. Hallcrest Heights in McLean attracted them with its “huge green space.” East recalls thinking, “The kids are going to love this.” They were ages 5 and 3 at the time.
In addition, East said, the residents are “homeowners who care about what they are doing.” And most mornings, there are two or three dozen children waiting for the school bus.In addition, East said, the residents are “homeowners who care about what they are doing.” And most mornings, there are two or three dozen children waiting for the school bus.
Spacious lots and interiors: Set on 18 acres, Hallcrest Heights consists of 158 townhouses designed to resemble historic Colonial Williamsburg. The McLean station on Metro’s Silver Line is about a third of a mile away. There are only four streets in the neighborhood, all of which are owned and maintained by the Hallcrest Heights Association.Spacious lots and interiors: Set on 18 acres, Hallcrest Heights consists of 158 townhouses designed to resemble historic Colonial Williamsburg. The McLean station on Metro’s Silver Line is about a third of a mile away. There are only four streets in the neighborhood, all of which are owned and maintained by the Hallcrest Heights Association.
[The Hamlet is where fmaily ties mean a tight market][The Hamlet is where fmaily ties mean a tight market]
Units typically have three bedrooms and three or four bathrooms, with approximately 1,640 feet of living space plus a lower level with an additional 800 square feet. The townhouse fronts are staggered, allowing for more privacy.Units typically have three bedrooms and three or four bathrooms, with approximately 1,640 feet of living space plus a lower level with an additional 800 square feet. The townhouse fronts are staggered, allowing for more privacy.
“They’re not all stamped out of the same sheet of cookie dough,” said Clark Tyler, president of the association, who has lived in Hallcrest Heights for 30 years with his wife, Barbara. He has been president of the association for the past 16 years, seeing the community through changes, including the building of the Dulles Toll Road in 2010 and the Silver Line in 2014. “They’re not all stamped out of the same sheet of cookie dough,” said Clark Tyler, president of the association, who has lived in Hallcrest Heights for 30 years with his wife, Barbara. He has been president of the association for the past 16 years, seeing the community through changes, including the building of the Dulles Toll Road in 2010 and the Silver Line in 2014.
Homeowners pay dues of $300 per quarter for trash collection, grounds maintenance and snow removal.Homeowners pay dues of $300 per quarter for trash collection, grounds maintenance and snow removal.
Transit and shopping: Residents have several commuting options. For example, East and Ramesh, 44, have one car between them, and they rely on Metro and bicycling as well as their vehicle for commuting to their federal jobs downtown. Transit and shopping: Residents have several commuting options. For example, East and Ramesh, 44, have one car between them, and they rely on Metro and bicycling as well as their vehicle to get to and from their federal jobs downtown.
Some days, East rides his bike the 13 miles to work in about 45 minutes via the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Other days, he makes the 15-minute walk from his front door to the Silver Line platform. When the couple chose Hallcrest Heights, they “knew the Metro was coming,” East said. They traded living in a stand-alone house for “that feeling of community,” he added. The stand-alone homes they viewed were too far out, had too many steps and required too much work in order to get the place ready to move into them, he said. Some days, East rides his bike the 13 miles to work in about 45 minutes via the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Other days, he makes the 15-minute walk from his front door to the Silver Line platform. When the couple chose Hallcrest Heights, they “knew the Metro was coming,” East said. They traded living in a stand-alone house for “that feeling of community,” he added. The detached homes they viewed were too far out, had too many steps, and required too much work in order to get the place ready to move into them, he said.
For errands, Safeway and Giant supermarkets and a library are within a mile, and a Wegmans is expected soon.For errands, Safeway and Giant supermarkets and a library are within a mile, and a Wegmans is expected soon.
[Crestwood is where the city meets the park][Crestwood is where the city meets the park]
Metro, for all its convenience, has its downside — noise to those townhouses closest to the station. The Hallcrest Heights Association was concerned about potential noise from Metro as early as 2002, and ultimately it hired an acoustical engineer to make its case to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). With support from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and funding from the state, a 1,500-foot-long sound wall that separates the community from traffic on Route 123 and the Dulles Toll Road and the elevated section of the Silver Line was completed in 2010, said Tyler, a retired executive who spearheads many Hallcrest Heights projects.Metro, for all its convenience, has its downside — noise to those townhouses closest to the station. The Hallcrest Heights Association was concerned about potential noise from Metro as early as 2002, and ultimately it hired an acoustical engineer to make its case to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). With support from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and funding from the state, a 1,500-foot-long sound wall that separates the community from traffic on Route 123 and the Dulles Toll Road and the elevated section of the Silver Line was completed in 2010, said Tyler, a retired executive who spearheads many Hallcrest Heights projects.
“It didn’t silence everything,” Tyler said, but “it made a tremendous difference.”“It didn’t silence everything,” Tyler said, but “it made a tremendous difference.”
He said he continues to contact WMATA, asking it to implement other techniques to decrease the decibel level. He said he continues to contact ­WMATA, asking it to implement other techniques to decrease the decibel level.
Another project supported by county officials is the building of two sidewalks that will connect Hallcrest Heights to the Metro station, to be funded by Fairfax County. “We lobbied hard to get these and to put them in the right place. We are now pushing to have lights put under the bridge across Chain Bridge Road because it is so dark there,” Tyler said.Another project supported by county officials is the building of two sidewalks that will connect Hallcrest Heights to the Metro station, to be funded by Fairfax County. “We lobbied hard to get these and to put them in the right place. We are now pushing to have lights put under the bridge across Chain Bridge Road because it is so dark there,” Tyler said.
Living there: Hallcrest Heights is bordered by Chain Bridge Road to the northwest, the Dulles Access Road to the northeast, Dolley Madison Boulevard (Route 123) to the southeast and Great Falls Street to the southwest.Living there: Hallcrest Heights is bordered by Chain Bridge Road to the northwest, the Dulles Access Road to the northeast, Dolley Madison Boulevard (Route 123) to the southeast and Great Falls Street to the southwest.
In the past 12 months, three properties sold in Hallcrest Heights. They range from a three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse for $695,000 to a three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse for $653,000, according to Margaret Gilboa, an agent with Weichert Realtors in McLean. A three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse is under contract for $659,000, and a three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse is for sale at the same price. In the past 12 months, three properties sold in Hallcrest Heights. They range from a three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse for $695,000 to a three-bedroom, four-bath townhouse for $653,000, according to Margaret Gilboa, an agent with Weichert Realtors in McLean. A three-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse is under contract for $659,000, and a three-bedroom, four-bath townhouse is for sale at the same price.
Schools: Kent Gardens Elementary, Longfellow Middle and McLean High.Schools: Kent Gardens Elementary, Longfellow Middle and McLean High.
Transit: In addition to providing rail access, the nearby McLean Metro station is also a bus stop for several Fairfax Connector lines and Metro’s 23A and 23T routes.Transit: In addition to providing rail access, the nearby McLean Metro station is also a bus stop for several Fairfax Connector lines and Metro’s 23A and 23T routes.
Crime: In the past 12 months, one assault was reported in the neighborhood, according to the Fairfax County police.Crime: In the past 12 months, one assault was reported in the neighborhood, according to the Fairfax County police.
Harriet Edleson is a freelance writer.Harriet Edleson is a freelance writer.