Blueberry Hill in Fairfax County VA is a cohousing community of likeminded homeowners.
Off Route 7 near Great Falls, the community is built on a hillside with only walking paths to access each detached home.
Cars park uphill in a common parking lot.
The collection of 19 houses and one common house is approaching its 10 year anniversary.
Common House
Part of the original vision was construction of a common house, a sort of high localized community center where upon resident consensus, everything from community dinners to the bonding effects of collective action on various tasks on-- whatever the group decides.
Potomac Vegetable Farm
Most Route 7/Leesburg Pike commuters from Tysons will instantly recognize the Potomac Vegetable stand on the approach to the Toll Road junction.
The vegetables are grown organically on the farm which lies behind the trees.
This is also the location of Blueberry Hill.
The steep hill was unable to be farmed and owners came together with like minded participants in creating the Northern Virginia's first cohousing residential project at Blueberry Hill.
Cohousing Defined
The community website defines cohousing as a concept:
- Clustering of houses along a path or courtyard facilitating neighborly interaction.
- Creating community by breaking bread or eating together in a common house.
- Group participation in planning, organizing and caretaking of the neighborhood.
Surrounded by large lot McMansions, the enclave resisted selling out its agricultural land to development, a badge of honor for the community.
Residents aim to live in an environment of free expression and tolerance for ecclectic personalities.
Life Built Around Community
Each homeowner and their family has an online profile; foot forward in a friendly welcoming stance to the world at large.
Loudoun's EcoVillage
Blueberry Hill is similar in concept to the much larger Loudoun EcoVillage near Lovettsville VA.
EcoVillage still has lots available for homes.
That community incorporates many of the area's immigrant German building techniques such as building into a hill for energy efficency and using various recycled and natural materials in home construction.
Farms As Amenities
Creating subdivisions surrounding organic farms has become an amenity that builders build from scratch.
The appeal of agriculture influences home buyers to purchase lots and homes near where food can be grown.
It remains to be seen how popular this trend will be in the 2010s.
Meantime, communities like Blueberry Hill are leading the way.
"What's a win for you?"
2 comments:
Is this next to Maymont? I drove through it a few days ago, and the houses have gotta be the tackiest looking "euro" style stuff I've seen for a while.
Everyone has a different idea of paradise.
Blueberry Hill folks seem pretty happy.
Post a Comment