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Recent OldTownist Features
Four Square Architect Kyle Hopkins Revitalizes the Past
Piccadilly St is currently seeing a rebirth in the reuse of old buildings, with Four Square Architects, led by Kyle Hopkins, at the forefront of several projects. Walking through Old Town, you might be familiar with some of their recent projects, such as the...
Sustainable Food Solutions for the Urban Jungle: Fox Urban Farms
Most people do not imagine growing five acres of food on a quarter acre of gravel when they look at an infill property in a city, but that is exactly what Ann and John Fox saw when they surveyed 1001 S Loudoun St. Fox Urban Farms LLC grows fresh greens, microgreens,...
Blandy Experimental Farm Continues Traditions
As self-proclaimed Winchester ambassadors, we frequently hear that access to nature is one of local folks' favorite aspects of living here. Blandy Experimental Farms and the Virginia State Arboretum are among the many attractions in Winchester that provide far more...
The Evolution of Winchester: A Conversation with the City’s Planning Director Tim Youmans
The remodel of Rouss City Hall in 2020 offered me my first opportunity to learn from Tim Youmans, the current planning director but widely regarded as Winchester's unofficial historian. Staff held tours to highlight the changes, and I persisted on sneaking into Tim's...
STEM Flights: Introducing Youth to Aviation Careers
When retired Brigadier General Dave Brubaker mentioned wanting to establish a non-profit to offer students free flights to encourage them to pursue careers in aviation and other STEM fields, his daughter Carly Walker thought the concept was "just so cute!" Six months...
Smartypants Medicine: Changing Primary Healthcare
The national average for face to face time between a patient and their medical provider is just 7 minutes. Kelly Botta, PA-C, MSPAS, owner and founder of Smartypants Medicine decided to take a less traveled medical career route by opening a direct primary care...
Our Health: Collaboration
One of the distinct values of the Winchester area is the resident's ability and desire to collaborate together to improve the lives of everyone. We see this over and over with local business owners, and even our non-profits. In 1999 the Valley Health System, Inc.'s...
Peter Bullough Foundation Artist Residencies
A few years ago, I came across an article about a remodeling project undertaken by local architects Reader and Swartz. The project piqued my interest because it featured two homes next to each other, one named Winter House and the other Summer House, remodeled for...
The Staging Fairy’s Tips To “Keep It Simple”
A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING Once you bring a new item into the home, it should have a designated spot within 24 hours. Having a designated home for everything prevents you from wasting time looking for things you need or want. This also allows you to know when to stock up...