Fort Belvoir is a community with a powerful presence — in the most literal sense. This is a Northern Virginia military installation that ranks as the largest employer in Fairfax County, home to dozens of units and agencies, covering the Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard and more. Fort Belvoir is also home to some 7,600 people, thanks to its varied selection of on-base housing options. Off-base suburbs like Mount Vernon provide many more housing options, that still place Fort Belvoir employees relatively close to work.
Fort Belvoir personnel have plenty to enjoy in their free time, both on- and off-base. On-base grocery shopping is available at the well-liked Fort Belvoir Commissary, and outdoor fun can be had at the Fort Belvoir Golf Club, which includes two 18-hole courses. Shopping and dining havens like Springfield Town Center lie just outside Fort Belvoir. The community is near Washington, D.C., too. “It’s a good location,” says local Realtor Victoria Bali of V Star Real Estate. “You’re close to the airports. It has four seasons. There’s everything in Virginia — skiing, there’s mountains. You also have Virginia Beach. So, easy access to a lot of stuff.”
Belvoir has a long history
Fort Belvoir’s formal military roots date back to 1915, when a rifle range and training hub dubbed Camp Belvoir was established here. Among the operations based at present-day Fort Belvoir are 19 Department of the Army agencies and another 26 Department of Defense agencies.
Living on base is a convenient but also sought-after option. On-base homes are concentrated as part of the Villages at Belvoir development, which is broken up into 15 different neighborhoods with different types of houses in each. Some of the options include stout brick colonials, Cape Cods and craftsman-style homes. Build years vary. “It’s from community to community,” says Bali, who has more than a decade of real estate experience. “You have communities that are six years old, communities that are 20 years old.”
Options in the Villages at Belvoir range from three- to five-bedroom floor plans. Homes stand along sidewalk-lined streets and some come with relatively sizable lawns. The type of housing military personnel can pick from in the Villages of Belvoir is based on their rank. The challenge is that it can take a while to secure a home on base because of the demand. “If you can’t get the housing on base, or you have to be in line for too long, then your options are getting housing off the base,” Bali says.
Outdoor opportunities near and far
Those who work on base, live on base or both don’t have to leave the base for outdoor recreation. The Fort Belvoir Golf Club is a sprawling, 36-hole expanse on the northwest end of the base that offers a variety of annual membership plans based on rank. There’s also a general public membership option. The Woodlawn course here stretches 6,838 yards and the Gunston course is 6,854.
Fort Belvoir is dotted with multiple playgrounds as well, from Park Village to Hippo Park to George Washington Village. There are a couple of trails in Fort Belvoir, too, including the Basin Trail and the Pohick Loop Trail. People here can even drop a line in the water to go fishing in Gunston Cove, an off-shoot of the Potomac River — the base has multiple fishing piers.
Also, Virginia’s varied topography provides the chance to find mountain hiking just about 60 miles west, courtesy of the Appalachians. And a full-blown beach day can be had by trekking roughly 200 miles south, to Virginia Beach.
Collect essentials at the commissary
The retail nerve center on base is the Fort Belvoir Commissary, beloved for its fresh produce, meat selection and well-stocked shelves. People can also grab a quick bite to eat next door, where there’s a Popeyes, Panda Express, Qdoba and more.
Locals can scratch their retail itch just 6 miles outside of Fort Belvoir at the 1.3-million-square-foot Springfield Town Center, a two-story mall with more than 150 stores, ranging from Aerie to Zumiez. There are more than 30 eateries here, too, including the locally owned 54 Restaurant, whose sushi is popular.
Transportation connections all around
Multiple bus stops in the Fairfax Connector and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority networks are sprinkled around Fort Belvoir, making it easier to get around the base and beyond. Also, drivers in the area can use arteries like U.S. Route 1 to travel back and forth from home if they live off base in places like Mount Vernon and Woodbridge. Interstate 95 is nearby as well, which people in Fort Belvoir can hop on for commutes toward Washington, D.C., just over 20 miles away. The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is about the same distance away.
Schools come close by and are well-regarded
Fort Belvoir has two public schools on base, part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system: Fort Belvoir Primary School and Fort Belvoir Upper School, both rated B-plus on Niche. The primary school includes kindergarten to second grade; the upper school enrolls third through sixth grade. Students can then move on to the B-minus-rated Whitman Middle off the base, whose extracurricular opportunities include intramural basketball, soccer and football teams. Mount Vernon High, also rated B-minus, is next.
Fairfax County crime rates
Fort Belvoir is part of Fairfax County, which, according to FBI data, reports property and violent crime rates generally lower than state and national figures.
Upgraded facilities on the way
The Fort Belvoir North Area Development Plan was approved in 2022 and is helping to guide continued evolution in the area. Among the planned projects are a 525,000-square-foot Department of the Army distribution center and an intelligence campus with a Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters.
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