Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!
Now this is what high density in the Virginia countryside should look like! An early promotional brochure for our earth-toned community touted this fancy cluster for horse enthusiasts, a semicircle of townhouses "centered around a strikingly designed community stable" and a riding area, surrounded by
What was News to Us here at Restonian World Headquarters is that something like this actually wound up being built in South Reston:
What was considered one of the selling points for the Hunters Woods section of Reston in its early days? Answer: An elaborate vaulted ceiling horse stable. Later the stable collapsed and was razed.It's no homicidal nudist colony, but it's still something we didn't know about the murky past of our beloved community. Apparently the RA opted not to rebuild the stable, but
The story at the time was the treated lumber corroded the nails/bolts that held the thing together.
ReplyDeleteUsed to pass it on the way to the Hunters Woods Gardens I--it was located across the driveway from the Reston Animal Hospital.
ReplyDeleteAs I remember its architect might have also done the original Hunters Woods shopping center, same sort of wood shingled sloping roof construction.
After the collapse there was discussion whether to rebuild or to make some other use of the land. I think there was some money from insurance. I've the impression there were a handful of people who stabled their horses there and riding lessons were available. There was enough controversy that nothing was done for some time. I guess finally the horse people lost interest or found other stables and RA went ahead with the ball courts/soccer field they have now.
The rendering is beautiful. With today's materials, it would likely last a lot longer. I wish the JBGs and the Comstocks and the Lerners would take a little more time to be as creative.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, and if you notice the street names south of the HW shopping center they are all equestrian--Paddock Lane, Trotter Lane, Old Trace, Stirrup Road, Triple Crown Road, and of course, Colts Neck Way.
ReplyDelete