Born to Run on Kingstowne's Rolling Hills

Amberleigh's townhouses, above, offer features similar to other developments. What makes it unique are its open areas, where Ephie Belay, far left, can play with his friends Austin and Tyler Stanley. (Photos Ann Cameron Siegel For The Washington Post)

Amberleigh seems designed for children who need room to run.

Unlike many community clusters in the Kingstowne area of Fairfax County, large grassy knolls and broad expanses link Amberleigh's 487 townhouses. The gently rolling terrain was not accidental. McLean-based developer and builder Miller and Smith had to find a way to deal with unstable soil when Amberleigh was developed in the early 1980s.

"That whole area of the county has marine clay," said Spencer Stouffer, a marketing partner at Miller and Smith. "You can't build on it, so it must be removed." Rather than hauling the dirt away, it was mounded artfully throughout the community.

"We emphasized landscaping a bit more than was usual in that era," Stouffer said.

The resulting scenic layout provides multiple options for outdoor fun. Severin Laskowski, 12, recently played a pickup football game on one knoll while his younger sister, Veronica, joined friends in a race to roll down a nearby hill. When it snows, good sledding is just outside the door for many residents. When special star-gazing events occur, residents turn off outdoor security lights and gather on the knolls to take it all in, said Linda Taylor, a day-care provider who has lived in Amberleigh for nine years.

Mark Laskowski said he was drawn to the area four years ago because of the school district, but finding a house that backed to the woods clinched the deal in Amberleigh. The community's traffic-free, paved path to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station was an added perk. He has not driven to work since.

Gregory Knox moved to Amberleigh in 1991 because "it provided a nice escape down [Interstate] 95." Knox has several options for his commute to the Computer Sciences Corp. office in the District. "I walk or ride my bike to Metro, and in the winter I drive to the slug lines at Springfield Plaza," he said.

Linda Soulcheck, a resident for 16 years, said that there is still a glimmer of the area's rural past nearby, but it is fading fast. "In relation to the place I grew up in Pennsylvania, this was where I felt most comfortable," Soulcheck said. "It gives you the feeling of being near the city, but tucked away."

The 1,000-foot drive from Beulah Street into the community became a distinguishing feature of Amberleigh. "It set a mood not found in other neighborhoods," Stouffer said.

Stouffer came up with the ideal of having Amberleigh's streets also end in "leigh," such as Birchleigh, Crestleigh and Greenleigh, a technique similar to that used in several Miller and Smith communities. "It was an easy way to come up with names that hadn't been used," he said.

While there has been a marked increase in development and traffic to the area since Amberleigh was built, increased convenience has followed. Where there once was only one grocery store, now there is a wide selection of stores and restaurants in the nearby Manchester Lakes and Kingstowne Center shopping centers. The Kingstowne farmers market thrives in summer and fall.

Che Russell, a father of two, moved to Amberleigh in August. "There's a rich ethnic mix and many options for churches here," said Russell, whose own family is of Vietnamese-Japanese mix. Russell commutes to Bolling Air Force Base but said Amberleigh "is centrally located -- close to all military jobs in the area." Fort Belvoir, for example, is five miles away.

"This is not your cookie-cutter community," said Knox, adding that as a former submarine sailor he finds the townhouse floor plans efficient. "If you are going to have a family living in a confined space, you can't have any of it wasted." With two children younger than 9, Knox said his 1,800-square-foot, three-bedroom home is a good size.

The variations in style among Amberleigh's townhouses exist because of the mix-and-match option offered by the builders. Original buyers had considerable leeway in choosing floor plans. The townhouses are clustered in groups of two to eight houses, making end units plentiful. Varied rooflines, trim and colors give them individuality. Some have bay windows, some have decks. Some kitchens are located in the front of the house, others in the back.

Steve Stanley, a 10-year resident, said his family spends a lot of time in their basement recreation room with its wood-burning fireplace. An eat-in kitchen with a bay window overlooking the woods is also a favorite spot.

Amberleigh's homeowners association is low-key, with few residents claiming to be actively involved or even aware of who the officers are. "We might get 50 people at our annual meeting, less at the monthly ones," said Mike Jones, vice president of the association. For many residents, the community's extensive, well-designed Web site (www.amberleigh.org) is enough to keep them informed.

Quarterly dues are $168, which covers the expense of a management company and the maintenance of the private roads and common grounds throughout the community, including any lawns not enclosed by fences. "I don't even own a lawn mower," Jones said.

With homes now more than 20 years old, homeowners are upgrading with new windows, decks and more insulation. "We recently redid the regulations to include new technology materials," said Joellen Sandt, who heads the association's Architectural Review Committee. "We try to be flexible in giving people options while still maintaining the look of the community. Staying current keeps the neighborhood looking good."

The association has begun including children in its decision-making. The three playground areas are being upgraded, but before any equipment was bought, Sandt said they sought the opinions of the babysitting co-operative and neighborhood children.

And, at this year's community Halloween celebration, the responsibility of planning and operating the games was given to a Girl Scout working on one of her merit badges. "Many of us on the board have grown children," Sandt said. "We are encouraging our young people to get involved."