Newcomers' Guide

Welcome to the Sterling area.

Because you're new here, we'd like to take a paragraph or two to welcome you to one of the country's fastest-growing communities. Our area has a lot to offer you and we hope this guide will be a useful starting point as you begin to explore. And if you're planning to move to the Sterling area, but haven't yet arrived, we hope this section of ShopSterling.com will help you get oriented in the community even before you arrive.

Sterling, together with the surrounding communities of Sterling Park, Ashburn, Cascades and Potomac Falls, is the heart of Eastern Loundoun County, third fastest growing county in the country. As you can guess from that ranking, much of the housing, education and business infrastructure here is brand new. But our area also has a rich history, one that predates the Revolutionary War. And of course, we're mere minutes from downtown Washington, D.C.

History

Loudoun County constitutes a part of the five million-acre Northern Neck of Virginia Proprietary granted by King Charles II of England to seven noblemen in 1649. This grant, later known as the Fairfax Proprietary, lay between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. Between 1653 and 1730, Westmoreland, Stafford and Prince William Counties were formed within the Proprietary, and in 1742 the remaining land was designated Fairfax County.

In 1757, by act of the Virginia House of Burgesses, Fairfax County was divided. The western portion was named Loudoun, for a Scottish nobleman who served as Commander-in-Chief for all British armed forces in Northern America and titular Governor of Virginia from 1756 to 1768.

The town of Leesburg has served continuously as the County Seat since 1757 and is believed to derive its name from Francis Lightfoot Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Settling of the Loudoun area began between 1725 and 1730, while it was still owned by Lord Fairfax. Permanent settlers came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. During the same period, settlers from eastern Virginia of English Cavalier stock came to lower Loudoun and established large tobacco plantations.

During the 1720s, a number of Quakers, Germans, Irish and Scots-Irish settled west of the Catoctin Mountains. Quakers formed the settlements of Waterford, Goose Creek (now Lincoln), Harmony (now Hamilton) and Union (Unison).

From 1745 to 1760, Germans from Pennsylvania and Maryland formed the settlement at Lovettsville. After General Braddock's defeat by the French at Fort Duquesne in 1755, refugees from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia settled in the western part of Loudoun County, south of Short Hill. Catoctin Church became the center of that settlement.

In 1774, a meeting of freeholders and other residents was held in the County Courthouse to discuss the protection of rights and liberties in North America. The group adopted the 'Loudoun Resolves' as well as a formal protest of the Stamp Act. Later, a number of Loudoun County men fought in the Revolutionary War.

During the War of 1812, Loudoun County served briefly as a temporary refuge for the President and important state papers. The Constitution and other state papers were brought to Rokeby, near Leesburg, for safekeeping when the British burned Washington. President Madison established headquarters at Belmont, where he was the guest of Ludwell Lee.

In 1861, residents of Loudoun County were split over the issue of secession. The Quakers and most of the Germans in northern and central Loudoun opposed slavery and secession, while the landed gentry in the southern part of the county favored secession.

During the Civil War, Colonel John Mosby and his Rangers were active in Loudoun County, which was also the home of the Laurel Brigade, a famous Confederate Calvary unit commanded by Elijah V. White of Leesburg. A national cemetery near Leesburg narks the site of the Battle of Ball's Bluff, where Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., then a young Union soldier, fought in 1862.

For more than two centuries, agriculture was the dominant way of life in Loudoun County, which had a relatively constant population of about 20,000. That began to change in the early 1960s, when Dulles International Airport was built in the southeastern part of the county. The airport attracted new businesses, workers and their families to the area.

At the same time, the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area began a period of rapid growth. Major road improvements made commuting from Loudoun County much easier, attracting more and more people to the eastern part of the county. In the last three decades, the population of Loudoun County nearly quadrupled.

Today, Loudoun County is a growing, dynamic county of more than 100,000 people. Loudoun is known for it beautiful scenery, rich history, healthy diversity of expanding business opportunities, comfortable neighborhoods, and high quality public services.

For more information, contact:

Loudoun County Visitors Bureau, 108-D South St., SE, Leesburg 20175 (703) 777-2170 or (800) 752-6118.

Location & Climate

Loudoun County is situated in the rolling Piedmont section of Northern Virginia, bordered by the Blue Ridge Mountains on the northwest and the Potomac River on the northeast. Total area of the county if 517 square miles.

Loudoun's climate is pleasant, with four well-defined seasons. Annual average temperature is 53.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The average precipitation is just over 40 inches per year, and some 23 inches of snow fall on the county each winter. Altitudes range from 400 to 600 feet, with mountain elevations reaching 1,800 feet.

Population

Loudoun County's population has increased steadily since the 1930s. While the early 1980s experienced a slightly slower rate of growth, the pace picked up in the late '80s and is expected to reach almost 140,000 in the next few years.

Loudoun County's proximity to the nation's capital and Washington Dulles International Airport, attractive quality-of-life features, abundant commercial and industrial acreage and favorable business climate have made it one of the fastest growing counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Agriculture

Long-time observers of the local farm economy are convinced that Loudoun's agriculture is undergoing a profound transition. The future of agriculture in Loudoun, according to these observers, may well depend upon the economic vitality of small farms. This theory, which was based on land-use value tax program records, found that nontraditional farms, farms of less than 50 acres, represent more than 66 percent of all farms in Loudoun County. While the larger, traditional farms comprise approximately one-third of all Loudoun farms; they account for more than 85 percent of the total farming acreage of the county. The average traditional farm is a little more than 200 acres in size as compared to just under 19 acres for the average nontraditional farm

The increased importance of nontraditional farms is visible in more than just their prevalence. They also account for a substantial portion of Loudoun's agricultural economy. In fact, production on Loudoun's nontraditional farms is responsible for 45 percent of the total value of crops harvested and nearly 38 percent of the county's total agricultural product value.

Christmas tree production has also taken a strong hold in Loudoun. Sixty farms in the county offer a wide selection of species, and about half are currently in the market profiting from steady prices and growing demand.

Animal production is dominated by cattle and calves, which account for approximately 57 percent of the industry. According to state agricultural statistics, there are nearly 40 thousand head of cattle in the county.

Horses are also a significant contributor to the Loudoun economy and give the county much of its image and character. Even in the colonial days, when English immigrants first settled Loudoun, the county was known as hunt country. The value of Loudoun horses sold is almost $7 million a year, and the secondary impact to the horse industry is also quite substantial. Today, it would be difficult to image Loudoun without its equestrian events each spring and fall at Oatlands, Glenwood Park, Morven Park and Belmont.

A great deal of information about Loudoun agriculture, including farm and home horticulture tips, is available from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, 30-B Catoctin Cir., SE, Leesburg, VA (703) 777-0373.

Industry

Attracted by Loudoun's atmosphere and assets as a business site, a growing number of corporations are choosing to locate their operations in Loudoun County. Major corporations, including Xerox, United Airlines, American Online, Telos, Coherent Communications, Alcatel Data Networks, STel and British Aerospace have discovered the benefits of a Loudoun location. Large corporations are not, however, the only firms to benefit from Loudoun's business environment. Both smaller companies and home-based businesses play a strong role in Loudoun's economy and have a long history of success in the County. Essentially, the County supports a range of businesses from large aerospace corporations to small cottage industries. Few communities can match Loudoun County's advantages: the best of the metropolitan Washington business community in an idyllic Loudoun County setting.

Tourism

Travelers come to Loudoun because of its unique character, lifestyle and quality-of-life. Although Loudoun enjoys many of the amenities associated with proximity to Washington Dulles International Airport and Washington, D.C., much of the county retains its rural charm with small, picturesque towns and villages and an established tradition of the 'hunt' culture.

Because of the proliferation of horse-related activities in the county, many of Loudoun's visitors come to enjoy such events as point-to-point racing, nationally recognized horse shows and the steeplechase.

Other events, which attract tourists, include home tours, country and craft fairs and special Christmas festivities.

The Loudoun County Visitors Bureau and the Pink Box Information Center serve as information stations to thousands of visitors annually. Council services include an orientation slide program, local information on accommodations, dining, and community activities, and specific coordination of tour groups.

Although travelers to Loudoun County have historically arrived by family automobile, increasing numbers of organized tour groups are using Loudoun as a stopover. Many motor coach carriers with charter service are finding that Loudoun's proximity to such destinations as Gettysburg, PA, Harpers Ferry, WV, the Shenandoah Valley and Washington, DC, make it an attractive component of group tour package sales.

Employment

Loudoun County's employment base is well diversified among service industries, wholesale and retail trade, communications and, more recently, the technology sector. Among Loudoun's largest private sector employers are United Airlines, Atlantic Coast Airlines, America Online and MCI/Worldcom.

As of November 1998, Loudoun's unemployment rate of 1.3% compared favorably with Virginias 2.8% unemployed and a national rate 0f 4.1%.

In addition to processing unemployment claims, the Virginia Employment Commission will register anyone, over the age of 14 who is seeking full-time, part-time, temporary or summer employment. Testing, placement and counseling services are also available. Virginia Employment Commission, 13134 Lee Jackson Hwy., Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 803-000.

Transportation

The Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) and the Dulles Toll Road Extension (DTRE) links Leesburg, Sterling and the Washington Dulles International Airport to the Capital Beltway (I-95) and Washington, DC via I-66, allowing for a 35-minute commute to the nation's capital.

State Route 7 and U.S. Route 50 also provide access to the metropolitan area by linking the County to the Capital Beltway 11 miles to the east. State Route 28 serves as a nucleus for Eastern Loudoun's commercial and industrial hub and provides direct access to the Dulles Toll Road.

U.S. Route 15 traverses the County from the Prince William County line on the south to the Maryland State line on the north. State Route 9 branches off from Route 7 west of Leesburg and continues in a northwesterly direction to the West Virginia State line.

Loudoun Ride On, the public transportation (703) 777-2708 provider in Loudoun County is operated by the Loudoun County Transportation Association, a nonprofit public/private partnership incorporated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. It offers door-to-door, advance registration and limited on-demand transportation for all of Loudoun County.

Specific routes include the Town of Leesburg, the Sterling area, western Loudoun County, rural Loudoun and the Route 7 connector to meet commuter buses.

The Loudoun Rideshare Program (703) 771-5665 or (800) 745-RIDE is a free ridesharing network that assists commuters in joining or starting carpools and vanpools. The Loudoun Rideshare Program promotes all forms of multiple occupancy vehicles and transit and provides up-to-date information on the Loudoun County Commuter Bus Service.

Loudoun County Commuter Bus Service (703) 771-5665 or (800) 745-RIDE is a system of express busses providing daily AM and PM bus service to Washington, DC, the Pentagon and Rosslyn. Departures begin in Purcellville and stop at several locations to the east with the last departure from Wal-Mart in Sterling. Please call the Loudoun County Commuter Service for exact schedule and fare information.

Virginia Van Pool Association, Inc. VVPA (202) 310-2700 or (202) 268-3822 is a volunteer organization of van pool owners, operators and interested persons pursuing any activity which supports, promotes or assists van pooling as an alternative to other forms of commuter transportation.

Loudoun Commuter Express (703) 771-5665 or (800) 745-RIDE provides commuter bus service to the Washington, Leesburg, Ashburn and Sterling. The service is provided on all weekdays except federal holidays.

Two major airports service the area, Washington Dulles International Airport, which straddles the Loudoun County/Fairfax County line, and Reagan National Airport in Arlington.

Media

Loudoun County has several weekly newspapers serving the Sterling area: the Loudoun Times Mirror, The Loudoun Easterner, and the Eastern Loudoun Times. There also are several excellent community newsletters.

Economic Development

The Department of Economic Development, 1 Harrison St., SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 777-0426 provides five major services to Loudoun County and the business community: business attraction, business services, research ad statistics, agricultural development and meeting and conference planning.

To expand Loudoun's tax base and strengthen the county's economy, the Department actively markets Loudoun sites to corporations interested in relocating or starting operations in the area. The Department also aids companies in all phases of the location process. The Department provides a variety of business services to existing Loudoun businesses in order to ensure their fiscal viability. An abundance of valuable data on county economic indicators, demographics, labor force characteristics and growth trends are also available.

To service Loudoun's vital farm industries, the Department provides information to prospective farms and farm-related businesses and is actively involved in planning, policy and land-use issues pertinent to the county's agricultural community.

The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, 5 Loudoun St., SW, Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 777-2176 or (800) 578-LCCC offers a variety of services to business and industry. The Chamber provides a relocation packet for individuals and businesses moving into Loudoun County, publishes a business directory, counsels small businesses and offers referrals where appropriate.

The Chamber serves as the voice of business to assist the growth and development of new and existing businesses in Loudoun County.

The Loudoun County Small Business Development Center 21736 Atlantic Blvd., #100, Sterling, VA 20165 (703) 430-7222 is a cooperative effort to the County of Loudoun, Small Business Administration and Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. The nonprofit organization is designed to help new businesses get started and assist existing businesses in weathering transitions and growth. Low cost workshops, free reference materials and one-on-one counseling are offered.

Dulles Area Association of Realtors 821-B S. King St., Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 777-2468 stands ready to assist with business and employee relocation. Contact the Association for a roster of REALTORS® and copies of advertising for residential properties. This information is also available on the Association's web site.

Real Estate

In the late 1950s, Loudoun natives watched as bulldozers cleared a large tract of land in eastern Loudoun County for what is now known as the Washington Dulles International Airport. For years, the airport and its commercial corridor languished while travelers used Washington (Reagan) National Airport and businesses selected locations in Fairfax County.

In the mid-1980s, however, Dulles quadrupled its passenger volume and land prices in Fairfax escalated to premiums. It meant a boom for Loudoun. The slow moving, rural county became a bustling urban community reaching past Goose Creek into the town of Leesburg and beyond.

For families looking for real value in real estate, however, Loudoun has plenty to offer. Homes from Quaker and pre-Civil War settlements, many meticulously restored to their original charm, share the towns and countryside with newer single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums.

Old Sterling, as it is now called, was established more than 100 years ago and lay astride the W&OD Railroad. making it an important farming center for shipping produce to Alexandria and the nation's capital. The old community has taken on a suburban atmosphere with the additions of Sterling Park, Sugarland Run, and Countryside to the original neighborhood. Sterling and Sterling Park, communities originally developed in the 1960s, offer terrific location advantages and well-established neighborhoods. Major new developments, including Ashburn Village, Ashburn Farm, Cascades, Broadlands and Lansdowne, offer thousands of residential properties ranging from single-family detached homes on one-acre lot to multi-family buildings and villas. Prices tend to start from the low $100,000s for townhouses and the low $200,000s for single-family homes. Rental apartments range from $800 to $1,200 per month. All of these communities offer a wide range of amenities, including retail centers, sports and recreation facilities, golf courses and outdoor trails. In addition, the eastern part of the county is now heavily populated with academic institutions offering a very broad range of programs.

In recent years, the county's newest housing was found primarily in several planned communities: Cascades, Ashburn Village and Ashburn Farm, along with Broadlands, South Riding and River Creek. Loudoun started promoting self-contained residential developments in the 1980s and already has some of the largest projects in the Northern Virginia area underway. Many of Loudoun's recent residents are drawn to these new towns that make it easy to work, play and shop close to home.

Cascades is the largest residential project in the county. Approximately 6,000 residences, including apartments, townhomes and estates, are planned for the 3,000-acre community that borders the Potomac River. Also proposed are four shopping centers, three community centers, 23 athletic fields and 20 miles of trails. Ashburn residential projects: Ashburn Village and Ashburn Farm. Ashburn Village, a 1,580-acre development, includes 5,000 residential units, office space and retail shops. Ashburn Farms 1,274 acres contain more than 1,700 single-family homes, 1,300 town homes and 750 garden apartments.

The newest projects, South Riding, Broadlands and River Creek, opened after 1995. South Riding features single family homes and townhomes on more than 2,000 acres near Routes 28 and 50. South Riding's development plan is patterned after Old English towns and includes a full range of community amenities. Broadlands, which is located off the new toll road, is building on approximately 1,500 acres. A planned community, it too offers a broad mix of amenities including schools, shopping and recreational facilities. River Creek ia a gated, country club-style community.

Government & Public Services

Loudoun County is governed by a nine-member board of supervisors, elected by districts with the exception of the chairman, who is elected at-large. The supervisors appoint the County Administrator, who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the county's business. The Board meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. at the County Administration Building.

To qualify to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen and legal resident of Loudoun County. You must also have had your civil rights restored if you have ever been convicted of a felony or declared mentally incompetent. Registration is informed that you have moved and you do not respond to a confirmation notice. Voters do need to register or change address at least 29 days prior to an election in order to be eligible to vote. To register to vote, you may appear in person at any State Registration site or you may register by mail. Registration forms are available at local libraries and community centers. You may also register at State designated Public Service Agencies, including offices of the Department of Motor Vehicles. General Registrar, 26-C Fairfax St., SE, Leesburg (703) 777-0380 - Department of Motor Vehicles, 100 Free Ct., Sterling (703) 761-4655.

Virginia's 32 judicial districts and 31 judicial circuits provide the organizational basis for the states court system. Within each district, there are two courts, the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The General District Court handles cases involving traffic, criminal and civil matters and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court handles cases involving juvenile and domestic matters.

The Circuit Court is the only trial court of general jurisdiction in the state. Circuit courts hear and decide civil claims, criminal cases, equity suits, appeals from the District courts, and any cases for which the jurisdiction is not specified in the Code of Virginia.

Circuit Court, 18 N King St., Leesburg (703) 777-0270 General District Court, 18 E. Market St., Leesburg (703) 777-0312 - Juvenile and Domestic Relations, 18 E Market St., Leesburg (703) 777-0300.

The Board of Supervisors establishes county tax rates each year. In addition, incorporated towns may impose real, personal property and certain excise taxes on their residents. Commissioners of the Revenue are the chief tax assessing officers in Virginias cities and counties. Virginias city and county Treasurers are responsible for collecting taxes and local fees. Commissioner of the Revenue, 1 Harrison St., SE, 1st Floor, Leesburg (703) 777-0260 or 21400 Ridgetop Circle, #185, Sterling (703) 777-0260, County Treasurer, 1 Harrison St., SE, #120, Leesburg (703) 777-0280 or 21400 Ridgetop Circle, #190, Sterling (703) 777-0280.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement and crime prevention services on a 24-hour basis. The Sheriff's Office conducts around-the-clock patrols, enforces laws, responds to emergency calls, investigates crime and operates the Adult Detention Center, county jails and work release programs.

In the Sterling/Ashburn area, a new substation is located at 45299 Research Place, Ashburn off Rt.# 7 across from University Heights.

The Sheriff's Office also conducts many crime prevention activities, including Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), McGruff Safety Camp, Neighborhood Watch and fingerprinting services.

The Department of Fire and Rescue provides comprehensive public safety service including fire prevention, investigations, public education and coordination of the activities of Loudoun County volunteer companies. It also coordinates fire and emergency medical services training. The Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., also known as the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department which includes the South Sterling Park Station located at 104 Commerce Street, Sterling, VA 20164, non-emergency number 430-7010 (Fire Dept.) 430-1780 (Rescue Squad); North Sterling Station (Cascades) located at 46700 Middlefield Drive, Sterling, VA 20165, non-emergency number 430-4013 (Fire Dept.) 430-2539 (Rescue Squad). For information on renting the Rescue Squad Hall (Patton Hall) call 430-9800 seats around 300.

The Department of Social Services maintains a list of agency-approved providers and provides financial assistance to eligible families in the community. In addition to reference and criminal background checks, the Department performs quarterly control inspections on centers food, equipment, facilities and safety.

The Department of Parks and Recreation provides day care services for toilet-trained children ages 2 to 5 years at the Arcola, Douglas, Loudoun Valley and Lovettsville Community Centers. Department of Social Services is ocated at 102 Heritage Way, NE #200, Leesburg, VA 20175 at 777-0353 and the Department of Parks and Recreation is located 741 Miller Dr., SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 at 777-0343.

The Loudoun Public School System, 12th largest in Virginia and among the top two percent in size in the U.S. with 1998-99 enrollment of approximately 26,000 students, provides a comprehensive instructional program that begins in 30 community-oriented elementary schools for grades K-5. Older students attend the five middle schools, grades 6-8, and the five high schools that serve their place of residence. The Sterling schools include:

Park View High School, 400 W. Laurel Ave.;

Potomac Falls High School, 46400 Algonkian Pkwy;

Seneca Ridge Middle School, 98 Seneca Ridge Dr.;

Sterling Middle School, 201 W. Holly Ave.;

Algonkian Elementary School, 20196 Carter Ct.;

Guilford Elementary, 600 W. Poplar Rd.;

Potowmack Elementary School, 46465 Esterbrook Cir.;

Lowes Island Elementary, 20755 Whitewater Dr.;

Meadowland Elementary , 729 S. Sugarland Run Dr.;

Sully Elementary, 300 Circle Dr.; and the new

Horizon Elementary opening in Cascades September 1999.

Also located at 1000 Harry Byrd Hwy (Rt. 7) in Sterling is the Loudoun Campus of the Northern Virginia Community College (703) 450-2500 and nearby are Marymount University, 14 Pidgeon Hill Dr., #440 in Sterling (703) 430-7118 and the George Washington University, 20201 Academic Way in Ashburn (703) 729-8200.

Health Care

The Loudoun County Health Department collects information and identifies problems and conditions that potentially affect the public, and assists with the strategies to deal with these problems. The Health Department also provides a wide range of health care services and maintains vital records of birth and death.

The Loudoun Hospital Center located at 44045 Riverside Parkway, Leesburg (703) 858-6000. Hospital Capacity: 80 beds at Lansdowne and additional 20 beds in Leesburg on Cornwall Street and Long Term Care capacity of 100. Loudoun Hospital Center is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations. There are more than 375 physicians on Loudoun Hospital's staff, the majority of whom are Board Certified in their specialty.

The Countryside Ambulatory Surgery Center at 4 Pidgeon Hill Dr. (703) 444-6060 an affiliate of Loudoun Hospital Center, offers same-day surgical services and is designed to handle 3,000 procedures annually.

The Loudoun Cancer Care Center at 14 Pidgeon Hill Dr., #130 (703) 444-4460 provides full service to cancer patients. The Loudoun Healthcare Urgent Care Centers (NOVA Urgent Care) 21036 Triple Seven Road (703) 430-4343 providing quality medical care when your physician's office is not open, when care is needed on holidays, and for conditions requiring medical treatment in non-life threatening situations. A licensed physician and professional medical staff are always there to respond to your immediate medical needs.

New Loudoun residents are encouraged to visit the Loudoun County Public Library branch nearest your home as soon as you move to the county. The library provides a wealth of information about your new community and offers an opportunity to meet new neighbors whether you take your child to Story Hour, attend programs of interest, volunteer your services, or join one of the Friends of the Library groups or the Library Foundation. The Eastern Loudoun Regional Library at 21030 Whitfield Place (703) 444-3228 is the largest in the system and serves the entire county as the major reference center, with connections to state, regional and national resources.

Recreation

The county park network is still growing and each park in the system is unique. Some offer little more than green space for a quiet getaway; others have nature trails, exercise trials, playgrounds, picnic areas, and athletic fields. Among the most popular is Algonkian Regional Park, 47001 Fairway Dr. The 800-acre park located on the Potomac River shore in Sterling offers a variety of recreational activities including a large outdoor swimming pool, clubhouse meeting rooms, miniature golf, a boat launching ramp, fishing, picnic shelter, tables and grills, a children's playground and an 18-hole, par 72 golf course. Overnight accommodations are available in riverfront cottages. (703) 352-5900 for reservations. Also important is the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad (W &OD Trail), often called the skinniest park in Virginia (44 miles long and 100 feet wide). The Trail is a ribbon of tranquillity traversing Northern Virginia from Purce1lville to Arlington.

Shopping Centers located in the Sterling area are large and small. The newest and largest mall, Dulles Town Center, is nestled across from Countryside off Route 7. Smaller malls consist of Holly Plaza, Sterling Community Plaza, Sterling Park Plaza, Sterling Park Mall, Sterling Town Center, Sterling Village Center, Great Fall Plaza, Cascades Market Place, Parc City Plaza, Potomac Run Shopping Center and Countryside Shopping Center to name a few.