They’re not working today, however Gressel mentioned he and his spouse used slug strains as drivers and riders, explaining that individuals organized on-the-spot or advance carpools by vacation spot.
“They would get two riders, and then they could drive in on the HOV lane. It was free transportation for the people, because the driver wouldn’t ask for money for gas. The driver would save 15 to 20 minutes of commute, and everybody was better off,” he mentioned. “And there were all these rules for slugs: [Passengers] cannot talk to the driver. … They don’t control the radio or the AC or whatever. They’re just there as passengers. It was a great symbiotic relationship.”
There are many elements of Wooded Glen that residents nonetheless take pleasure in, together with camaraderie and colleges, however most agree that it’s the location that makes the distinction.
Wooded Glen is true off Lee Chapel Road and minutes from buying and leisure in Burke and Springfield. The group consists of 56 single-household houses and 80 townhouses.
The neighborhood has one house house owners affiliation for the only-household houses and one for the townhouses. The townhouses again as much as Rolling Valley West Park, and a few of the single-household homes again as much as a wooded space.
“We do an annual hazard survey with an arborist of the six acres of forest land we have behind us to make sure we don’t have any dead trees back there that might fall on somebody’s house or something like that,” Gressel mentioned.
Gressel mentioned the neighborhood has endurance. Margarita Miller agreed. She’s one of many unique house owners in Wooded Glen, having moved to the only-household home part in 1986.
She lived in two different locations in Burke earlier than then, and he or she has seen many modifications over roughly 4 many years within the space, together with when Lee Chapel Road was a quiet two-lane street. Like Gressel, she enjoys the comfort of the neighborhood and appreciates the friendships which have developed there.
“Many of us have friendships in the expanded community. Everyone keeps their yards very nice and takes pride in their community and in the homes. … The townhouse community was [built] almost simultaneous to our construction, so they’ve all been there a while. And, of course, [the area] faces change and all of that, but I think the spirit is always there,” Miller mentioned.
Gressel mentioned one downside is that drivers typically pace by way of the neighborhood, utilizing Wooded Glen Avenue to entry Lee Chapel Road. Aside from that, he finds nice pleasure within the neighborhood. For now, he intends to remain.
“My wife’s still working. We like the area. The house is, in some ways, a little big for our needs, but part of it is that I’ve collected all these things — you know, 30-plus-year Foreign Service career — so we need space to display it, so that works out okay that way,” Gressel mentioned. “We’re comfortable. The house is generally nice for entertaining and stuff, so I think we’ll be here at least for the foreseeable future.”
Living there: There are three homes available on the market in Wooded Glen, together with one beneath contract, in response to actual property agent Jo Ann Kennel with Re/Max Allegiance. A 5-bed room, 4-lavatory townhouse with about 1,500 sq. toes is listed at $599,900. A 5-bed room, 4-bathtub single-household home, with about 3,800 sq. toes, is listed at $1.05 million.
During the previous 12 months, the very best-priced house in Wooded Glen offered for $955,000. It was greater than 3,000 sq. toes, with 4 bedrooms and three baths. The lowest-priced house, a greater than 1,500-sq.-foot, three-mattress, three-bathtub townhouse, offered for $600,000.
The single-household houses in Wooded Glen belong to the Wooded Glen I HOA, which has an annual price of $775. Townhouses belong to the Wooded Glen II HOA, which has a $295 annual price.
Transit: Wooded Glen is lower than a ten-minute drive to the Virginia Railway Express Rolling Road Station and is a few 15-minute drive to the Franconia-Springfield Metro on the Blue Line. Residents can catch a Metrobus close by that goes to the Pentagon.
Schools: White Oaks Elementary School (pre-Ok to sixth), Lake Braddock Middle School (seventh and eighth), Lake Braddock High School (ninth to twelfth).