Diamond Pearson discovered Liberty Crest Apartments while searching for a new home with an industrial feel. She fell in love with the unique architecture, unaware it was once a prison known as Lorton Reformatory. Built in 1910, the prison housed inmates including suffragists until 2001, when it closed. Fairfax County purchased the site in 2002, transforming it into a mix of residential spaces, educational facilities, and recreational areas. With amenities like a gym and a pool, the reimagined community now features 165 apartments, all leased, alongside townhouses and single-family homes.
I checked it out and fell in love the brick, the concrete floors it was so beautiful, said Ms. Pearson, 32, who works at Fairfax County Schools.
The prison shut down in 2001, and the next year Fairfax County bought the 2,400-acre site, which had included a farm and work areas where prisoners could learn trades.
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