A $190 million project consisting of 352 residential units called Liberty is being built in Lorton on 80 acres at the former Lorton Reformatory. The prison’s 40-45 original buildings still remain but they have been completely renovated with new utilities, air conditioning, heating, and plumbing. It’s a public-private partnership between Elm Street Development, The Alexander Company, and Fairfax County.

Elm Street Development of McLean has been working with Supervisor Dan Storck and before him, Gerry Hyland since 2011 on the project. It took about seven years to get the rezoning and site plan approved for the renovation of the buildings, grading, roads, and utilities, in order for the construction to begin.

“We are trying to create a vibrant, new urban village – a place where people can live, work, and play in an historic setting,” said Jack Perkins, Vice President of Elm Street Development, who lives in Old Town Alexandria. This development on the National Register of Historic Places offers a mix of housing types for everybody – young families, singles, empty-nesters, as well as move-up buyers, said Perkins.

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This article was originally published in Fairfax Station Connection by Steve Hibbard.