Hollin Hills-Mid Century Modern in the Shadow of Mount Vernon

Hidden among all of the three level colonials in Fairfax County and just minutes from George Washington's home Mount Vernon you will find a few pockets of Mid Century Modern homes (MCM). One of those neighborhoods is Hollin Hills in Alexandria. Designed over 50 years ago by architect Charles Goodwin the neighborhood was considered avant-garde at the time as it broke the traditional bounds of building in the area.

With clean lines and walls of windows the homes were designed to obscure the lines between the inside and the outside. Originally the area was popular with Washington urbanite and now the second generation of fans of MCM are buying the homes almost as soon as they come on the market.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. The developer of the Hollin Hills property, Robert Davenport purchased the land at an auction for $550 and worked in conjunction with Goodwin to lay out the plan for the community. The 457 homes are spread out on the 225 acre wooded site and they were placed on the lots at various angles instead of lining them all facing the streets. The simple homes are designed based on four-foot modular units so the plans could be expanded easily and with relatively little cost. The community has maintained its original feel due in larger part to an active civic association which has applied for Historic Designation to continue to protect the area from over zealous development.

Homes in Hollin Hills currently are priced between $500,000-$600,000.  If you are a fan of mid-century modern then Hollin Hills is a neighborhood you don't want to miss.