There is an unexpected bonus tucked within the community of Pine Lake, just a few blocks from bustling Route 1 North of Fort Belvoir. Brian Palazzolo said that seeing the picturesque five acre lake changed his image of townhouse communities when he was shopping for his family's first House in 1987. In addition, "there was a lot of square footage for the money," said Lake's townhouses. Palazzolo had assumed that buying into a single community was the only way he would get an attractive environment and the room I needed.
A half-mile paved path circles the Lake, and residents can fish from the shore. Two small islands in the middle are inaccessible by foot and remain the domain of gulls, ducks and geese, with an occasional blue heron stopping by to feast. Nancy Razzino, President of the homeowners Association, moved to Lake Forest in 1982 and moved three times within the community. She lives in a House on the Lake. His grown daughter, Marianne, who was a child when the family moved into the neighborhood, fondly remembered "construction toy boats to sail on the Lake".
Federal-style townhouses of Pine Lake date to the late 1960s. Each House has a backyard expedition, separated from adjacent units by wooden privacy fences. A two-car parking pad faces each front door. For some, that the configuration appears cluttered from the street, but many residents rave about the view from inside their homes. Mary Martinez said that when her husband thought it would be nice to replace the solid fences with iron open those, raised objections. "I love my privacy," he said.
Small brass plaques attached to the fence posts denote residences that have been honored by the Association of home owners for their curb appeal. Well-maintained open space community, which comprises more than a third of the total area, draws praise. Many of the 542 units face wide expanses of heavily treed courtyards, some with playground equipment, some with paved winding paths and benches, each beckoning residents to get outdoors. Muddy Hole Farm Park, with sports fields and tennis courts, is bordered by the community, as does Huntley Meadows Park. "You have your privacy within," said Jack Kaufman, Treasurer of the Association, "but if you want a large area, it is precisely through the community."