Springfield Real Estate

Lakewood Hills/Lake Forest

Lake Forest, also referred to as Lakewood Hills, is a large subdivision of 1,023 single-family homes with two entrances off the Fairfax County Parkway in Springfield. It is situated between Hooes Road and Huntsman Boulevard. Constructed in the 1970s, there are several styles and floor plans to choose from. There are colonials, ramblers, split-foyers and split-levels available. The homeowner’s association maintains a website with useful points on it for residents including a map of the walking/jogging trails in the neighborhood, community newsletters and contact information for the Board of Directors. Children living in Lake Forest attend Orange Hunt Elementary, Irving Middle and West Springfield High Schools. A unique feature of Orange Hunt Elementary is its German language immersion program; this is especially popular with kids of military personnel who have been stationed in Germany. All three schools are highly rated by GreatSchools.org.

A great feature of Lake Forest is its close proximity to many methods of transportation. Many homes are within walking distance to a bus stop with service to the Pentagon. The Fairfax County Parkway provides access to the HOV lanes of I-95, Route 29 and Interstate 66, making travel to Washington D.C., Fairfax, Arlington and more an easy journey. It’s also painless to hop on the Beltway for a commute to Tyson’s Corner or over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland. The Franconia-Springfield Metro station is just a short distance away; riders can also get on VRE. There is a Park & Ride lot on Gambrill Road at which Metro and Fairfax Connector buses can transport riders to the Metro. Many military and civilian personnel stationed at area bases like Lake Forest because of the ease in commuting. Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon, Fort Myer, the Navy Yard, Andrews and Bolling Air Force Bases and 2 Coast Guard stations are very convenient.

The nearest recreation center is South Run; it was remodeled a few years ago to include a 2-level fitness center with floor-to-ceiling windows. Highlights include a Pilates studio, spin bikes, new strength training equipment, a state of the art entertainment system with video simulators and individual screens on many pieces of cardio equipment, a sizeable stretching area and a wide array of class choices. There is plenty to do outside as well; there is a 24,000 square foot field house with a synthetic turf field, athletic fields, trails leading to Burke Lake Park, an off-leash dog area and playgrounds. Huntsman Square Shopping Center provides for many daily needs of residents.