Dominion Valley Hunt

If you are planning to relocate here either from a local or distant location - please be aware of the following.  Just because the neighborhoods may be close or the town small, don't be fooled - the distance and quality of schools can vary greatly.

For example:  Lorton Station is within 3 miles of Laurel Hill Elementary and South County High School.  The elementary school is BRAND NEW, and most teachers there came from Silverbrook (another excellent elementary school in Lorton area).  However, in spite of this closeness Laurel Highlands and Laurel Hill and the neighborhoods DIRECTLY ADJACENT (i.e.: connected) utilized these schools.  Lorton Station residents may be surprised to find that Lorton Station elementary is not nearly as good, and the high school in this area is over 45 minutes away (instead of about 3 miles).  It is an excellent high school but most certainly not convenient.  Ideas to "force your child into the closer elementary or high school - guess again.  These schools are ALREADY filled to capacity.   This has to do with rapid growth in the Lorton area, and the need to redistrict schools, in some cases neighborhood by neighborhood. 

Also, it should also be noted that crime (street, vandalism, car jackings, and assaults is MUCH higher in the part of Lorton to the EAST of I-95.  Most all neighborhoods in Fairfax county have some sort of minor crime issues, but a quick look at police reports and arrest sheets (both publicly available on fairfaxcounty.gov) will show the concentrations in the Lorton area.  This of course affects neighborhoods, and their associated schools.  Just remember this rule:  IN MOST CASES (with the exception of Lorton Valley neighborhood):  EAST of I-95 - Lorton Station elementary and Halley Jr/High School (very far).  West of I-95 Laurel Hill or Silverbrook Elementary and South County - both within about 3-5 miles of all students attending. 

I share this here because I know of somebody relocating here from Texas, and instead of choosing the neighborhood near the schools (Laurel Hill, Laurel Highlands, etc.) they chose to move to the Lorton Station area.  I wish I had the opportunity to tell them that their jr. high school age child would have to be driven 45 minutes to the jr. high school! 

Oh my goodness, public readers please don't fall for such foolishness.  I've been hearing this kind of drivel from various homeowners in the Laurel Hill and Silverbrook Road area for over 10 years.  It's a transparant attempt to elevate home prices in Laurel Hill and depress them at Lorton Station.  Let me explain.

When the Washington DC prison closed and the land was taken by Fairfax County to develop, the plot was divided into halves (if you will):  half on the East of I-95 and half on the West of I-95.  The land was provided (sold) to developers who competed against each other for sales...their competition initiated the "we are better than them" perspective.

The East of I-95 was supposed to get the elementary school:  Lorton Station Elementary School.  Meanwhile, the West was supposed to get the secondary school (middle and high).  All was well until the West side builders (and some residents) decided to expand the West side boundaries to inflate the size of the secondary school.  Hence, they triggered all sorts of public hearings to create a new elementary school and redistrict the brand new secondary school (South County) so exclude the East side of I-95.  The Lorton Station residents felt cheated because their home purchases helped fund the builder's construction of South County High School.  Lorton Station residents attended the public hearings in mass (we all wore matching shirts saying, "Lorton Station an Engaged Community").  We successfully defeated the attempt to redistrict Lorton Station out of South County.  But then a year or two later an initiative was pushed through quickly and our voices weren't heard; Laurel Hill and Silverbrook residents got their way and carved Lorton Station out.  Their home prices went up vs. Lorton Station.  Why is this important?  What did East side homeowners have that caused consternation over housing prices:  the VRE.

Lorton Station is a walking community, it has lovely shops, it has a beautiful community pool and clubhouse, and it has the VRE.  Residents can walk there to public transportation at a lovely station.  Laurel Hill (and the other communities off of Silverbrook Road) are Balkanized into resident pockets and don't have public transportation.  Lorton Station has woods nearby which masks any I-95 noise, but on the other side of I-95 they had to build a massive concrete wall to block noise.  Naturally, home buyers might prefer Lorton Station vs. any community off of Silverbrook Road.  Thus, the impetus to cast Lorton Station in the shadow of Laurel Hill and Silverbrook communities by developers and some subsequent homeowers.  

Is there some amount of crime in or around Lorton Station, sure, but welcome to a Metropolitan area.  It's beyond ridiculous to suggest that crime rates and such magically disappear once you cross under I-95.  In fact, if there was an area one would think twice about walking through at night it's the area just as you leave Lorton Road and turn onto Silverbrook; it's a depressed area with folks "hanging out" at night.

Anyway, it's an absolute fiction for folks to intentionally or negligently cast Lorton Station in the shadow of the Silverbrook Road communities.  The effort to cast Lorton Station as "the other side of the tracks" is a banal 15 year effort that's tiring and untrue.

It's not our fault that we have brick sidewalks, have a pool, have playgrounds, have beautiful shops, and have the VRE in walking distance from our houses.  But we paid for the privilege.  So please readers, don't fall for the claim that Lorton Station and it's school are some sort of scary, crime-ridden, place to avoid. 

Make your own choice of where you want to live readers; home are a lot of money and you need to make wise, educated decisions.  But, please don't fall for folks who preach inaccuracies simply to elevate their own home prices.  It's not our fault we got the VRE, I wish folks would quit trying to punish us for it.

Summary - read all, and decide for yourself.  There was no personal affront in this comment, just a retelling of reality, based on many facts (cited below both from anecdotal accounts, and data from websites). 

My responsese enclosed in << xxxx>> below:

Oh my goodness, public readers please don't fall for such foolishness.  I've been hearing this kind of drivel from various homeowners in the Laurel Hill and Silverbrook Road area for over 10 years.  It's a transparant attempt to elevate home prices in Laurel Hill and depress them at Lorton Station.  Let me explain.

<< This is laughable.  Yes Lorton Station has nice shops, and yes there are many redeeming qualities about Lorton Station - there is no question about that.  But look at home prices, and decide.  Then go to http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/crime/arrest.txt, or  http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/crime/incident-reports/2013dailydefault.htm

and search on 22079.  Then look for street addresses in Laurel Highlands, and compare and contrast them with street addresses in the parts of Lorton Station associated with Lorton Station Elementary.  Judge for yourself why the home values are higher Laurel Hill area.  Or better yet, just spend some time in Gunston Plaza at any of the "lovely shops" there.  I know of several people who live in Lorton Station who have after years of frustration decided to send their children to private schools, b/c of their experiences at the Lorton Station Elementary.>>

When the Washington DC prison closed and the land was taken by Fairfax County to develop, the plot was divided into halves (if you will):  half on the East of I-95 and half on the West of I-95.  The land was provided (sold) to developers who competed against each other for sales...their competition initiated the "we are better than them" perspective.

<< It seemed to have worked, and is in full-force today.>>

The East of I-95 was supposed to get the elementary school:  Lorton Station Elementary School.  Meanwhile, the West was supposed to get the secondary school (middle and high).  All was well until the West side builders (and some residents) decided to expand the West side boundaries to inflate the size of the secondary school.  Hence, they triggered all sorts of public hearings to create a new elementary school and redistrict the brand new secondary school (South County) so exclude the East side of I-95.  The Lorton Station residents felt cheated because their home purchases helped fund the builder's construction of South County High School.  Lorton Station residents attended the public hearings in mass (we all wore matching shirts saying, "Lorton Station an Engaged Community").  We successfully defeated the attempt to redistrict Lorton Station out of South County.  But then a year or two later an initiative was pushed through quickly and our voices weren't heard; Laurel Hill and Silverbrook residents got their way and carved Lorton Station out.  Their home prices went up vs. Lorton Station.  Why is this important?  What did East side homeowners have that caused consternation over housing prices:  the VRE.

 <<Also, closeness of homes, using areas zoned "commercial" to develop private residences (look at the space (or lack thereof) in neighborhoods like Lorton Station.>>

Lorton Station is a walking community, it has lovely shops, it has a beautiful community pool and clubhouse, and it has the VRE.  Residents can walk there to public transportation at a lovely station.  Laurel Hill (and the other communities off of Silverbrook Road) are Balkanized into resident pockets and don't have public transportation.  Lorton Station has woods nearby which masks any I-95 noise, but on the other side of I-95 they had to build a massive concrete wall to block noise.  Naturally, home buyers might prefer Lorton Station vs. any community off of Silverbrook Road.  Thus, the impetus to cast Lorton Station in the shadow of Laurel Hill and Silverbrook communities by developers and some subsequent homeowers. 

<<Go to Laurel Hill or better yet anything in 22039 if you want a reasonable comparison.  I guess it depends on what you are looking for and your demographic, perhaps.  I think families tend to be happier where there are large yards, and green areas.  Lorton Station has neither.  LS does have a great farmer's market, and a nice station for the VRE - completely agree with that sentiment.>>

Is there some amount of crime in or around Lorton Station, sure, but welcome to a Metropolitan area.  It's beyond ridiculous to suggest that crime rates and such magically disappear once you cross under I-95.  In fact, if there was an area one would think twice about walking through at night it's the area just as you leave Lorton Road and turn onto Silverbrook; it's a depressed area with folks "hanging out" at night.

 <<See the links I posted above.  There are always more incidents in the Lorton Station area (as well as the areas directly surrounding it).  This is no judgement, it is simply data.  Judge it as you  will. >>

Anyway, it's an absolute fiction for folks to intentionally or negligently cast Lorton Station in the shadow of the Silverbrook Road communities.  The effort to cast Lorton Station as "the other side of the tracks" is a banal 15 year effort that's tiring and untrue.

<<This quote you have shared above comes from several respectable realtors who work in both areas.  No judgement here, you decide when you come to town looking for homes.>>

It's not our fault that we have brick sidewalks, have a pool, have playgrounds, have beautiful shops, and have the VRE in walking distance from our houses.  But we paid for the privilege.  So please readers, don't fall for the claim that Lorton Station and it's school are some sort of scary, crime-ridden, place to avoid.

<<The train is loud.  The sidewalks are in every neighborhood (mostly) in NoVa.  There are lovely shops in other towns as well.  Yes, I use the shops in Lorton, but would NEVER live there.  It is a useful place to have around for convenience, but quality of life is subjective.  Simple as that.>>

Make your own choice of where you want to live readers; home are a lot of money and you need to make wise, educated decisions.  But, please don't fall for folks who preach inaccuracies simply to elevate their own home prices.  It's not our fault we got the VRE, I wish folks would quit trying to punish us for it.

<<I am not preaching, or even judging.  I have stated many facts about the communities on the East side, vs. those on the West side.  Yes, some of them were laced with normative judgements, however I leave it to you - to decide  As far as blame goes for the VRE - yes, that is true. No blame should b e cast on that fact. 100% agreed.  And this dear reader loves his/her community, and that is truly rare and respectable here in NoVa.  However, builders like K Hovnanian, and city planners who allowed such developments to be constructed SHOULD BE BLAMED.  There is no need to hav build Lorton Station.  It smacks of "lets jam as many houses as closely together as we possibly can, to make the most profit.  Find about turnover in the LS neighborhood, and then look at crime there and in the surrounding areas.  Caveat Emptor!! >>