Perhaps one of the reasons why Falls Church City is so popular is because it’s familiar – perhaps like a small town your parents grew up in. When you get coffee in the morning chances are you will run into someone you know. It’s comfortable, intimate and fiercely independent. While still a small town, Falls Church City has a highly educated and civically engaged population, vibrant fine arts culture, world class farmers’ market, diverse local dining scene, breweries and even a distillery. It’s walkable and friendly. People of all ages can relate to it, grow with it and contribute to it. It’s a community. It’s home.
What are now sometimes referred to as pocket neighborhoods were historically a prominent part of the fabric of the US. However, since World War II, our zoning and city planning have led to more single family lots or dense, multi-story apartments. We have lost much of the medium density zoning and smaller scale homes with a sense of community and connection to local city centers that proximity offers. The Railroad Cottages are reinventing the age old idea of properly scaled homes in the heart of Falls Church City.
The Railroad Cottages offer a simple, beautiful, low-maintenance lifestyle through thoughtful design. Their front porches and orientation around the common area and Common House encourages conversation and neighborliness while still offering layers of privacy. With geothermal and solar, the community offers the highest efficiencies found in the National Capital Region, offering the residents freedom from some of the traditional costs and headaches of typical single family homes.
-10 cottage homes and one shared Common House
-2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, approx. 1,490 sq. ft.
-One resident of each home must be aged 55+ and no permanent resident 18 or younger
-The Association maintains home exteriors and landscaping, and provides snow removal
-Built to EarthCraft Gold standard w/ individual geothermal HVAC and solar on the carport
-Battery backup in the common house for a shelter-in-place space during power outages
-Accessible design elements and main level living
-Lush, mature planting around perimeter and common areas
-Encourages a sense of community through good design
-Starting at $750k
Testimony to Falls Church City Council re: Railroad Cottages (PDF)
Will Arlington Open its Doors to Smaller Homes?
Smart Growth Coalition Hails F.C. Approval of Novel Cottage Cluster
Emotional Well-Being is the Missing Key to Better Health
‘Pocket Neighborhoods’ For Sustainable Suburbs
Pocket Neighborhoods: Creating Small-Scale Community in a Large-Scale World
Your Neighborhood Affects How You Age
How to Break the Dangerous Cycle of Loneliness
To learn more or to join the community please contact
Theresa Sullivan Twiford