Moreland Estates? (on Belmont by the reservoir)

Anyone have info on pricing, square footage? Lot sizes? Carr builders? Never heard of them.

 

http://www.carrhomes.com/files/specials.htm

They have been a builder in the DC metro Area for many years. I moved to Mclean in 1979 and remember the name even as a 15 year old!

There is no current info about the development yet - in fact it seemed to be stealthy in it's appearance! I did read that these houses are supposed to have 3 car garages, and with that land, I imagine they will be quite expensive. There was never any sign up while the land was being cleared, and nothing in the local papers Or the Loudoun Sunday eition of "What's Going on in Loudoun" in the Washington Post.

It is going to make traffic much worse havingt more houses dumping out onto Belmont Ridge Road.

 

Here's the response I received:

Base prices Range from $739,990 to $809,990 with respective home sizes (in 5 floorplans) from 3376 to 3880 sq ft. Our first six homesites have been released for sale with no premiums, and for a limited time we are offering a free Morning Room or finished Basement Rec Room.

 

Average lot size is 7200 square feet. Just found out. Disgusting. I had high hopes...

 

Good Heavens. How are they going to fit such a large house on that?

 

It's ridiculous. 7200 square feet = .165 acres.

Hope you like your neighbors -- they're going to be in your bedroom with you!

 

It's another poster-child for all thats wrong with Loudoun: big houses for big families with lots of kids (of which I admittedly am) crammed on to small lots to sqeeze the most houses they can on land that is grandfathered into the deal where they don't have to pitch in a nickel toward schools or infrastructure. Never mind they turned a beautiful piece of land into a strip mine, leaving this big wasteland of dirt, so they could create as many buildable lots as possible.... That could have been a beautiful neighborhood of half acre lots done right, leaving some original topogrophy and trees. Now it will be an eyesore sitting there in an oasis of forest to the south. Man am I starting to hate what's happening around here....

 

It really makes Broadlands even more special. Developments which leave trees (and plant lots of new ones too) are becoming more and more rare in Loudoun County. I spend a lot of time in Fairfax County and the old chant of "don't Fairfax Loudoun" is a joke. We should be so lucky as to have some of the planning and developments in Fairfax County. Loudoun has turned into nothing more than "clear cut every last tree, jam as many, and largest possible houses into a site and then worry about the roads later." I can't think of one development around Ashburn where I would rather live.

(Rant mode off)

 

FWIW ... the smaller Van Metre models (on Marsh Creek & Cattail Meadows) are around 2600 to 3100 SF on about .19 to .23 acre lots.

We actually have about 10 to 15 feet between lot lines !!

 

with a yard on each side -- not 3.5 feet, just 1 yard....

you won't even have to go outside to borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor!

 

In order to get the increased density, I'm sure they had to contribute to the proffer system.

 

It always amazes me how developers (and homeowners) don't plant more and better trees for their lots. In Brambleton and the Broadlands the developers did a pretty good job with common area trees and landscaping. However look at so many of the Toll Brothers, NV, Centex, etc. developments that go in throughout this area and the lots have maybe a couple small trees in the front yard, but nothing at all in the backyards. When you spend $500k + for a house you'd think a few hundred dollars up to a thousand dollars for some nice trees around the yard would not seem like that much and can make such a difference.

 

Toll Bros ... spend extra money ?? Bwahahahahahahhahahaha

 

It is my understanding that because some of that piece of property was just unusuable due to topography and water that they carved it up so they did not have to proffer. I could be wrong, but that's my understanding.

 

That could be true. It was probably zoned R1, one house per acre. As long as the overall density does not exceed that, they could get by-right approval. It just doesn't look to me that the site is large enough to have that much undeveloped property.

 

When I was growing up in Mclean in the 70's a lot of what are now wooded neighborhoods were clear cut.

 

Softballchick said:

When I was growing up in Mclean in the 70's a lot of what are now wooded neighborhoods were clear cut.


wow. How old ARE you???

 

She's right, Zansu--I grew up in McLean too. Back then (and I am ancient), there were equestrian properties in the middle of McLean, which had one blinking stoplight. I used to ride on land that is now "The Commons" development, right next to Tyson's. There were cows, horses (and unpaved roads) within walking distance of my house.

Cliff is right too on the density. One factor with large homes on small lots is the commute factor: two wage earners, no time to keep up a big yard, or no desire to. Another factor, if by-right, is that land is very expensive here, and likely to get more so with the rural zoning. No business is going to put small (affordable) houses on land that costs a bundle.

Did you know Habitat for Humanity is going condo in Fairfax, because of the cost of land?

 

I grew up in Loudoun County in the 70's and most of "you" weren't here!

Rt 7, Rt 28 were 2 lanes and there were no more than 4-5 lights in the WHOLE county when I started driving in the mid 70's. And with the exception of a few houses, there was nothing between Sterling Park and Falls Church either.

 

Yeah - I remember coming out to Leesburg was like going to the boonies! Remember how route 7 was all lush and green? And how on the drive out to Dulles Airport there was hardly anything too see? <big sigh>.

Well progress and population, huh! I only have two kids myself as having one of each sex was all I needed. I have to say that we all talk about how green Broadlands is and that is largely true; however, when VM begins to build further down past Truro Parish, that will be a sad day indeed. That entrance off Belmont Ridge is absolutely beautiful and a big sign that Broadlands cares about preservation and certification of habitats. Why do we talk about kids getting fatter, etc. Well there are no more ares around our houses where they can truely run through, listen to the silence, and play games of imagination in the forest and examine the diversity of plant and animal life abounding in them.

We have a precious gem in the general landscape remaining in Loudoun County. I would love to see repsonsible development!

I remember when I first saw the area where Carr is building their homes, as well as where the new ball fields are. I thought to myself how lovely it would be to have a homes set in the wooded areas and with the view to the creek, but even back then I knew they would be expensive. To imagine them building on such small lots is unbelievable! How is anyone really going to move on Belmont Ridge Road with all these develpments letting out cars - no matter how much they widen the road?

Well, anyway, we do live in a nice area with good schools, hardly any crime, and convience to the hospital and stores - not to mention the Greenway.

What do I wish for? That the people I meet would actually say hi, want to get to know me better, and stop having thier dogs pee at the base of my mailbox! That people would drive more considerately and everyone could leave behind the "It's All About ME" syndrome. I often wonder if that exists anywhere anymore. Maybe in the real south?

What I do know is that in the 27 years I have been living in Nothern VA I have never seen the growth stop. This will always be a circular arguement.