Historical Foundations: From Wartime Housing to Cooperative Ownership
Hillwood Square’s story begins in the early 1940s, a period marked by rapid industrialization and mobilization as the United States entered World War II. The federal government, recognizing the urgent need to house workers supporting the war effort, initiated a series of defense housing projects across the country. In Northern Virginia, Hillwood Square emerged as one such development, designed to accommodate employees of the nearby torpedo factory in Alexandria (now a cultural hub featuring art galleries). Located on Cherry Street between Route 50 and Hillwood Avenue, the community was strategically positioned to serve the growing workforce in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Architect Arthur B. Heaton, known for his work in the region, designed Hillwood Square with an eye toward permanence rather than the temporary nature of many wartime projects. Completed in 1942, the community originally comprised 160 residential units—mostly two-bedroom homes—arranged in a tidy, uniform layout that reflected the utilitarian aesthetic of the era. The homes featured neat front yards and a cohesive design, later painted in distinctive aqua and chocolate hues, giving the neighborhood a unique visual identity. Unlike many wartime developments that were demolished or repurposed after the conflict, Hillwood Square was envisioned as a lasting addition to Fairfax County’s residential fabric.
In 1950, five years after the war’s end, the Hillwood Square Mutual Association was established, purchasing the property from the federal government on July 15 for an undisclosed sum. This transition marked its transformation into a non-profit housing cooperative—a model where residents collectively own and manage the property, each holding an equal stake in its governance. The cooperative structure offered affordability and autonomy, appealing to moderate-income families in a region where post-war suburbanization was beginning to accelerate. Over the ensuing decades, Hillwood Square became a stable, tight-knit community, its residents ranging from blue-collar workers to retirees, many of whom stayed for decades.
The community’s historical significance was formally recognized in 2009 when it was added to the Fairfax County History Commission’s inventory of historic sites. Though this designation was honorary and offered no legal protection against redevelopment, it underscored Hillwood Square’s role as a rare surviving example of defense-era housing in Northern Virginia. By the late 20th century, it stood as the last of its kind in Fairfax County, a relic of a bygone era amid the region’s rapid transformation into a wealthy, urbanized suburb of Washington, D.C.
Demographics: A Snapshot of Stability and Change
While specific demographic data for Hillwood Square is scarce—owing to its small size and cooperative structure—broader trends in Fairfax County and anecdotal evidence provide a picture of its resident profile over time. Fairfax County, with a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 census, is the most populous jurisdiction in Virginia and a key component of the Washington metropolitan area. Its demographic makeup is diverse, with 37.8% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 30.7% born outside the United States by 2020. The median age countywide was 39.4, and the median household income has consistently ranked among the highest in the nation, reaching $133,974 in the 2023 Demographic Reports published by Fairfax County.
Hillwood Square, however, likely diverged from these countywide averages due to its origins as affordable housing and its cooperative model. In its early decades, the community would have attracted working-class families tied to wartime industries or post-war government employment in nearby D.C. Residents like David Knapp (a 14-year resident by 2013) and Tran Son (a 23-year resident by the same year) exemplify the long-term tenancy that characterized the neighborhood. The cooperative’s affordability—maintained through shared ownership and modest maintenance fees—made it a haven for moderate-income households in an increasingly expensive region.
By the early 21st century, Hillwood Square’s demographic stability faced pressure from aging infrastructure and shifting economic realities. The community remained a mix of older residents who had lived there for decades and newer arrivals seeking affordable housing close to urban amenities. Its proximity to Seven Corners and major routes like Route 50 ensured accessibility, but the lack of significant upgrades (e.g., to its 70-year-old steel water and sewer pipes) hinted at financial constraints among its cooperative members. Unlike Fairfax County’s broader trend toward wealthier, more diverse, and younger populations, Hillwood Square retained a more static, aging profile, reflective of its historical roots and resistance to gentrification—until external forces intervened.
Real Estate Trends: From Preservation to Redevelopment
The real estate narrative of Hillwood Square mirrors broader trends in Fairfax County, where suburban growth, rising property values, and development pressures have reshaped communities over decades. Fairfax County’s housing market has long been one of the most competitive in the United States, driven by its proximity to Washington, D.C., a robust job market, and top-tier schools. By December 2024, Rocket Homes reported a median home price of $722,210 in the county, up 7.0% from the previous year, with 2,536 homes for sale. The market remained a seller’s market, with 37.6% of homes selling above asking price and an average of 29 days on the market, per Realtor.com data from October 2023.
Hillwood Square’s cooperative status insulated it from these trends for much of its existence. Residents owned shares in the association rather than individual properties, limiting speculation and maintaining affordability. However, by the 2000s, the community faced mounting challenges. A series of water-main breaks in 2007 exposed the fragility of its aging infrastructure, prompting the co-op board to commission a study of the utility system’s lifespan. The findings likely underscored the need for costly repairs—estimated to be substantial—posing a dilemma for residents: invest heavily in preservation or consider alternative options.
This crossroads coincided with Fairfax County’s intensifying real estate boom. Hillwood Square’s nearly 20-acre site, located inside the Capital Beltway and zoned R-20 (allowing 20 units per acre), became increasingly attractive to developers. In 2011, The Washington Post reported that the co-op board, led by president Jane Ryall (a 31-year resident), began exploring a sale or redevelopment. The board hired Fraser Forbes Real Estate Services, which marketed the property to over 200 potential buyers nationwide. After reviewing more than a dozen offers, the board selected a proposal from Archstone Enterprises, deemed the most lucrative for residents.
The sale process was contentious. While the cooperative model empowered residents to vote on the decision, it also required a two-thirds majority to approve a sale—a threshold met when 119 of 160 voting members requested to review Archstone’s contract. Opposition came from preservationists like historian Susan Yothers, who had championed its historic status, and residents dismayed by the loss of affordable housing. Critics also pointed to Archstone’s ties to Lehman Brothers—a symbol of the 2008 financial crisis—as an ironic twist, given the community’s moderate-income roots.
In June 2013, the sale closed for $38 million to AvalonBay Communities Inc., which had acquired a 40% stake in Archstone earlier that year. Residents received payouts ranging from $178,000 to $278,000, depending on unit size—significant sums, yet insufficient to purchase comparable homes in Fairfax County’s inflated market. AvalonBay planned to demolish the existing structures and build 461 garden-style apartments targeting a wealthier demographic, though a percentage of affordable units was promised (details of which remain unclear). By August 23, 2013, all residents were required to vacate, ending Hillwood Square’s 71-year run as a cooperative.
Legacy and Implications
The demise of Hillwood Square reflects a broader tension in Fairfax County between preserving historical and affordable housing and accommodating growth-driven redevelopment. Its transformation into a higher-density, market-rate development aligns with Northern Virginia’s trajectory, where the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors reported an 18.1% increase in average home prices (to $859,778) and a 10.8% rise in median prices (to $720,000) in Fairfax County by September 2024. The region’s residential real estate market, per a 2023 NVAR report, contributes $17 billion annually to economic activity, underscoring its dominance as a driver of change.
For former residents, the sale brought mixed outcomes. Some, like Tran Son, relocated to less expensive areas like Bailey’s Crossroads, while others, like David Knapp, downsized to condos. The loss of Hillwood Square as an affordable cooperative left a gap in Fairfax County’s housing ecosystem, exacerbating concerns about affordability—a topic highlighted by local commissions as a looming crisis by 2024.
In conclusion, Hillwood Square Mutual Association encapsulates a microcosm of American suburban history: born of wartime pragmatism, sustained by cooperative ideals, and ultimately overtaken by modern economic forces. Its story invites reflection on how communities balance heritage and progress in an era of relentless real estate transformation, particularly in a region as dynamic as Fairfax County, Virginia.
