THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 27, 1996 TAG: 9604250310
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LOUKIA LOUKA, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Long : 121 lines
It has been said that you can't go home again. That you can't live in a world you used to know. But childhood memories of Larrymore Lawns were a big reason Lea Goodman decided to live in the neighborhood where she grew up.
She remembers ``tons of kids'' living in Larrymore Lawns, an established Norfolk community of modest homes not far from the intersection of North Military Highway and Little Creek Road.
Larrymore Lawns is ``a lot of good memories. I went to Lake Taylor. It seems like everyone from high school stays in the area,'' said Goodman, who lives in Larrymore Lawns with her husband, Jim, and is expecting their first child.
Her mother, Ruth Bradberry, still lives in the neighborhood, which also appeals to the Goodmans for its central location. ``It's close to everything. It seems like it's 15 minutes from everywhere,'' Goodman said.
Interstate 64, Norfolk International Airport, military bases at Little Creek and Norfolk, and various churches all are easily accessible to residents.
Bradberry discovered Larrymore Lawns in the early 1960s, when the community was being filled by young families who could afford the prices. A military transfer meant the family had to move, but they returned in a few years.
``We wouldn't even attempt to go to Virginia Beach because of the traffic,'' Bradberry said. ``Even then we knew it was going to grow.''
Larrymore Lawns is one of several communities situated east of North Military Highway and south of Little Creek Road. The community's central location is why Laura Doherty thinks she received so much response on a house she was selling there.
Doherty, a Realtor and sales manager for Century 21 First Colony in Chesapeake, said the affordability factor is a plus, too. ``I was very surprised at how many calls I got for that area,'' she said.
A random survey of 15 homes in Larrymore Lawns shows an average assessment of $91,339, city real estate records show. Homes here have enjoyed a steady appreciation.
One home built in 1961 sold for $18,900 that year, $26,000 in 1972, and $88,000 in 1989. Rising property values have been helped by home improvements, like adding patios, converting garages into living quarters and investing in new siding and rooftops.
Records show a number of homes were built from the mid-1950s through the early 1960s, though there were some built later.
A sign on Johnstons Road announces the entrance to Larrymore Lawns. Cape Cod and ranch are among the architectural styles. Some garages are detached, while others are attache.
Crape myrtles and stately pines offer attractive landscaping. Exteriors either are brick, siding or a combination of the two. Yards are used as settings to nurture green thumbs; a recent morning found a few couples working on flower beds.
During the Easter season, at several homes, trees were decorated with Easter eggs and bunnies were placed among daffodils. While the majority of homes and yards are well tended, a few could use more effort.
Also in the community is the Larrymore Lawns Pool, a membership facility open to residents of Larrymore Lawns and to those who are not.
Carrie Kane Weston, president of the Larrymore Lawns Community Park Association and a resident of Bel Aire, said there are some 55 families who are pool members.
Most of them, Weston said, live in Larrymore or surrounding communities. The pool, which is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, provides a much needed diversion for parents and children during the long, hot summer days.
``I don't know what we would do in the summer without it,'' Weston said.
Betty Crider, who has called Larrymore Lawns home more than 20 years, said she still loves living there. ``It's still a nice neighborhood. You find people and they are good neighbors,'' Crider said.
Theresa Bishop has lived in the community since 1969 and chose Larrymore Lawns because she believed it was a good place to raise children.
Over the years, there have been some subtle changes - more traffic along Johnstons Road and people moving in and out - but she still likes living there.
``I have terrific neighbors. It seems like everyone living here around me has been here quite awhile,'' Bishop said.
One of those residents is Richard Brooker, who chose the neighborhood for its central location and has added on to his home over the years. ``I wouldn't dare move from here for all the tea in China,'' Brooker said.
Brooker said there have been occasional burglaries in Larrymore Lawn's history, but nothing too serious. He said he reads about other communities where things are worse.
``The neighborhood seems o be quiet and peaceful,'' Brooker said. A community civic league used to be active but now is dormant, Brooker said, adding he would be glad to work with others to get it going again, if there is interest. MEMO: AT A GLANCE: About the neighborhood:
Public schools: Students are assigned to Larrymore Elementary, Rosemont
Middle, and Lake Taylor High schools.
Shopping: Military Circle mall is a 10-15 minute drive from the
community; numerous shopping areas and restaurants line North Military
Highway and Little Creek Road.
Recreation: Recreation areas can be found at public schools; Larrymore
Lawns Pool (855-7665) is a membership facility open to Larrymore
residents and to others; Norfolk Botanical Gardens also is nearby. Rec
centers at Tarrallton and Norview offer a variety of activities and
programs for all ages.
For Sale:
At 1637 Skyline Drive, a three-bedroom home was listed for $82,900.
The home features sliding glass doors that open up to a back patio.
At 7717 Wildwood Drive, a four-bedroom home was listed for $95,000.
The home has a traditional architectural style and sits on a wooded
lot.
Sold
At 1712 Skyline Drive, a three-bedroom home sold for $94,700 in
August. Built in 1955, records show the house sold for $15,000 in 1961,
$38,000 in 1976 and $83,100 in 1989.
At 7405 Patrician Road, a three-bedroom home sold for $91,500 in
September. Built in 1956, city records show the house sold for $19,000
in 1965 and $23,000 in 1972.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by GARY C. KNAPP
James and Lea Goodman...Lea grew up in Larrymore Lawns...
Richard Booker
by CNB