From both a modern and historical standpoint, you might look at Hybla Valley in Fairfax County and say, “Sweet.”
The word Hybla in ancient times referred to honey, and there were at least three towns in Sicily with the moniker. Today the Northern Virginia community of Hybla is seen as a sweet combination of family neighborhoods in a location convenient to the District.
Bounded by the Potomac River to the east, Huntley Meadows Park to the west, and Little Hunting Creek to the south, Hybla Valley is an unincorporated community comprising about 16,000 people. The area was farmland until the early 20th century, and the sounds of nature outside the visitor center at Huntley Meadows Park still make it seem miles away from the area’s malls and other urban amenities.
There were plans once for a major airfield, but instead the land was used for the Park Valley Farm and Hybla Valley Farm, which form one of the enclave’s major subdivisions. Even so, each street in the neighborhood is named after something in the aerial industry, said Jeff McKay, Fairfax County supervisor for the Lee District, which includes Hybla Valley.
“It’s a wonderful community — it has so many assets at its front door,” McKay said. “A lot of people live there because of its proximity to major arteries. Its location is huge. It’s right at the foot of Old Town [Alexandria], and it has good access to the Beltway and George Washington Parkway.
Amela Svalina is owner of Cosmopolitan Grill in Hybla Valley and a neighborhood resident. “I accidentally started living here because this is where I landed when I came to this country from Europe,” she said. “My children started going to school here, and I just never left. The people are friendly, they like my restaurant and they keep coming back. I don’t like to move, so I stay.”
Today, one of the focal points of the community is Hybla Valley Elementary School. Sandwiched between Route 1 (Richmond Highway) and Huntley Meadows, it’s adjacent to Hybla Valley Park.
“We have an amazing group of teachers at the school,” said Melissa Strelsky, president of its parent-teacher organization. “(Principal Lauren Sheehy) has done a wonderful job.”
The other “center of town” is Mount Vernon Plaza, a Route 1 shopping center redeveloped in the early 2000s. Restaurants and prime big box chains such as Staples, TJ Maxx, Home Depot, Bed, Bath & Beyond, PetSmart and Gold’s Gym have breathed new life into the community.
“I grew up in that area and I remember the days when it was robust,” McKay said. “It fell into decades of decline, but now it’s a really good example of revitalization on the Route 1 corridor. It’s the single most popular shopping center in Fairfax County.”
With a pleasing mix of affordable housing, new development, garden apartments and single-family homes, Hybla Valley in many ways lives up to the beauty of its name.
“I’d like people to think of the diversity, the economic and educational opportunities” when they think about Hybla Valley, said Norma Hoffman, who co-founded Friends of Huntley Meadows Park and still volunteers there. “And of course, I’d like them to think about the park.”
Top reasons to live in Hybla Valley Huntley Meadows Park Once the property of the George Mason family, the 1,261 acres that make up the park were donated to the citizens of Fairfax County in 1975 under the authority of President Ford. Today it’s a rich collection of forests, wildflower-speckled meadows and wetlands. The visitor center hosts exhibits and classes and has an auditorium, and the park has a hike-bike trail and several wildlife observation platforms. The park also hosts events like Wetlands Awareness Day, which is scheduled for May 2 this year. Location Located just south of Old Town Alexandria, Hybla Valley can be accessed easily on Route 1 (Richmond Highway), the Beltway or the George Washington Parkway. It’s close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and downtown D.C.
