Lorton - Loose Space and Common Areas in my Neighborhood

Looking through my neighborhood of Lorton, Virginia, I realized there are so many open spaces that are considered common areas and loose space.  I took pictures all along my route from my home to the GMU campus.

Lorton, Virginia Neighborhood

Starting at hwy 638 on Pohick Road, I drove north to Lorton Station Road then south until I reached Lorton Road (hwy 642). I took a right turn and I drove west until I reached Furnace Road then north on Ox Road (hwy 123) to GMU campus in Fairfax.  Along the way I took these photos of my neighborhood to show the open, loose and common areas.

Heading south on Lorton Station road between apartment complex is a dead end street.

The 3 pictures above is the area in my neighborhood which doubles as the parking lot for the VRE Commuter train but on the weekends in the spring to fall is the local Farmer's Market.  All the cars are gone and the vendors take over here.

On Lorton Station Rd. the area from the fences to the road is all loose space.

A common area located at the entrance of The Metropolitan, luxury apartments in my neighborhood.  During the spring you can see many families just sitting here and talking.

At the intersection of I-95 and Lorton Road, you can see the popular clock tower.  The area surrounding the clock tower is open, loose space.  

This picture is the entrance to Laurel Hill park which is a common area that used to be the location of the Lorton Correctional Facility since 1910 but has now been acquired by Fairfax County and turned into a local park with bike trails, fishing pond, Frisbee Golf Course, Playground and entrance to the CCT trails.

Across the street from the Laurel Park is the remains of the Lorton Correctional Facility that is behind a chain link fence.  The following picture shows the prison.

Watch Tower at the corner of the Lorton Correctional Facility.

Old Barracks on the Lorton Correctional Facility grounds

Photo of the open area as I traveled west on Lorton Rd heading to Furnace Road.

Barrett House is an old abandoned house on the edge of the Lorton Correctional Facility grounds.  This area is a common area as people can come and park in the adjacent parking to the house overlooking the grounds of the prison.

Driving towards the Nike Missile site on the right.

The entire area on the right is the location of the site where the Nike Missile were set up during the Cold War.

Entire location of the Lorton Nike Missile Site.

The following 4 pictures show the old abandoned buildings from the now closed Lorton Correctional Facility.  These buildings stand on the corner of Furnace and Hooes Road just a block away from Ox Road.  They are not in use.

These are a few of the many loose, open and common areas in my neighborhood.  As my neighborhood is in transition after the closing of the Lorton Correctional Facility, many changes occur rapidly.  Since the land from the correctional facility are being redistributed into common areas, I believe these old building will be utilized for something in the near future.