THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 9, 1995 TAG: 9509070362
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LOUKIA LOUKA, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Sometimes, Kevin Lefcoe gets the feeling he's not in Virginia Beach anymore.
That's what happens when you're in Sylvan Lake, says Lefcoe, who lives in a lakefront home with his wife, Amy. Even though the Lefcoes live amid the busy Great Neck area, they don't notice the hullabaloo.
Instead, Lefcoe's conversation is about all the wildlife he sees everyday and the fishing and canoeing that can be done in the community's private lake.
``I could very well be in a mountain community and two minutes later I'm at Farm Fresh,'' said Lefcoe, who works in real estate development and acquisitions. ``I saw my next-door neighbor catch a bass that might have been 15 pounds. It's just so peaceful back there, especially toward the back of the lake.''
A drive through Sylvan Lake lets you in on Lefcoe's secret.
Lots of pine trees shade Sylvan Lake and residents take advantage of the stately trees by using pine needles to pad flowerbeds and cover front yards.
The tall, feathery plumes of pampas grass share space with crape myrtles and azaleas. The efforts result in eclectic landscaping, mixing country with a tropical flair.
Homes in Sylvan Lake are mostly contemporary, with occasional flashes of traditional colonial. Exteriors include cedar siding as well as brick. A random survey of 10 houses in Sylvan Lake showed 1996 property assessments averaging $206,077, according to city real estate assessment records.
As F.B. Wilhoit tells it, before Sylvan Lake was developed into the peaceful community it is today, the area was a small pond, a lot of dirt, trees and not much else. Wilhoit said a number of developers considered transforming the area before he took on the job in 1979.
All told, Sylvan Lake consists of 53 lots on two streets, Sandee Crescent and Egret Point. The community is not mentioned in ADC's Street Map Book, but it is bordered to the east by Mill Dam Road, across the street from First Colonial High School.
To the south is Thunderbird Drive, a street of ranch-style homes that appear to be part of Sylvan Lake but are not. Wilhoit said those homes were already there when he began developing Sylvan Lake, as was Woodhurst, a residential area north of Sylvan Lake.
In recent years, the area around First Colonial and Mill Dam roads has seen a true building boom; medical offices and high-end communities have filled vacant land. But residents of Sylvan Lake are unfettered.
``It hasn't really affected us. We're kind of a community on our own down here,'' said Nancy Gill, president of the Sylvan Lake Homeowners Association. The association's board of directors meets regularly and the community has special events during the year, including an annual Christmas party and a garage sale.
For the garage sale, everyone chips in stuff to sell and with their funds, residents were able to buy a stationary, floating raft for the middle of the lake. Funds also have been used for get-togethers and the community is saving up for landscaping plans, Gill said.
The entrance of Sylvan Lake recently was the scene of construction work as new curbs and gutters and other roadside improvements were made. Gill said the construction will make the entrance area safer - parking, standing and stopping there now is prohibited - plus it makes the community's entrance more attractive.
Lynn Carwell, a Realtor for The Prudential Decker Realty, has sold several homes in the community she calls her own. Carwell and her husband, Glenn, a plastic surgeon, like the community's convenience to Virginia Beach General Hospital and other aspects of the First Colonial Road corridor.
``We've loved it. It's not pretentious. The attractive part of those houses is on the lakeside. The pine trees are real pretty. It has a rural feeling. You don't have any through traffic and you have those old, established pine trees that keep it real quiet,'' Carwell said.
Every conversation about the neighborhood eventually turns to the lake, which is called Sandee Lake on ADC's map, but Sylvan Lake by residents. Wilhoit, the original developer, said the spring-fed lake is 9 feet in its deepest spot and covers roughly six acres.
Gill said each homeowner owns a portion of the lake and more than 20 lots are lakefront properties. She emphasizes the lake is only for Sylvan Lake residents. ``We really police that. We really keep track of who is on the lake and what they are doing, just for liability,'' Gill said.
Many residents take paddle boats and windsurfers into the lake, while others enjoy their decks and sandy beach area surrounding the water. Anything with a motor is not permitted on the lake, Gill said, and residents also keep the lake clean and environmentally safe.
Another reason Sylvan Lake has continued to thrive is because construction goes on today, more than 15 years after Wilhoit began his work. Earlier this year, Sifen, Inc. purchased the remaining lots and is offering building packages. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by Gary C. Knapp
Glenn and Lynn Carwell, daughter Elizabeth and son Bo.
Nancy Gill...
Graphic with map
About the Neighborhood
by CNB