Hilleary Bogley, President, Founder and Executive Director of the Middleburg Humane Foundation, has known for many years that the increasing number of animals she shelters will need expanded quarters. Kim Hart, Executive Director of the Windy Hill Foundation, has worried for decades that rapid growth in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties would make it impossible to meet the housing needs of the area's growing service workforce.

Could two such seemingly disparate needs be combined to create a truly transformative plan for Marshall, Virginia?

The answer according to Hart, Bogley and many others is a definite "yes!"

With the inspired and generous help of caring local residents (who prefer to remain anonymous), Middleburg Humane Foundation received a gift of land that began an amazingly synergistic process that may re-energize Marshall, Virginia. Cunningham Farm was purchased by a local couple and is being managed by Samuel Gunter, President of Grove Lane LLC and Vice President Christy Martin.

Marshall, Virginia, a small, undiscovered Hunt Country village in lovely Fauquier County, is now the setting for Cunningham Farm, a gracefully designed solution to both Bogley and Hart's dilemmas that will also be a boon to individuals and families who long for peaceful country living with easy access and excellent transportation to area towns, schools and metropolitan areas.

"When the Cunningham Estate became available, it offered very attractive land for a new, state-of-the-art facility for Middleburg Humane," explained Sam. "We are great admirers of MHF and we really wanted to help with their expansion."

"Towards the end of 2012, Grove Lane donated 23 acres of the land it purchased to the Middleburg Humane Foundation for their new facility," added Christy.

When it became clear that Marshall itself was in need of a stronger economic base, plans began for a new community called Cunningham Farm. The economic base of Marshall needed to be re-energized and Grove Lane's objective was to create an environmentally friendly community that would complement and benefit from the rural nature of the new Middleburg Humane facility's beautiful barns and pastures.

"We analyzed our options for construction partners and decided Van Metre met all of our requirements," Sam explained. "We're now working closely with Van Metre Group President Roy Barnett, on the details for Cunningham Farm."

Barnett, who is also in charge of Van Metre's Land Acquisition Planning and Development, has made major contributions to the Grove Lane objectives of protecting the land and creating a truly sustainable community.

"It's going to be beautiful and Cunningham Farm will meet the green standards we know modern home owners demand," Barnett said.

"Although the 'by-right' land could support over 300 homes, we will only build 183 homes at Cunningham Farm which includes 30 townhomes for Windy Hill, and retain Mrs. Cunningham's home, passionately known as Molly's Folly", he continued. "This will ensure that the stately White Oak forest remains untouched as a park for the community, and that the grid street system that includes trails and sidewalks integrates seamlessly with the existing Marshall community plan."

Always aware of the need for affordable housing, Kim Hart was extremely pleased to learn that the plans for Cunningham Farm included a donation of land for 30 affordable townhouses and a community center to serve the affordable housing residents.

"What a fantastic gift," commented Hart enthusiastically. "Now we need to finish the 'Piedmont Vernacular' construction plans that we used so successfully for our Windy Hill residences in The Plains and apply by March 14th to the VHDA for subsidized funding (tax credits and low-interest loans)."

"We'll know by May if we have won approval for funding and, if we are successful, we will proceed to construction at Cunningham Farm either this Winter or in the Spring of 2015."

Known for their impeccable construction standards, Windy Hill's town houses at Cunningham Farm will be energy efficient with Energy Star and water saving appliances. All will be three-bedroom residences with broad porches and brick and Hardiplank siding.

"Everyone at Windy Hill is exceptionally grateful to Grove Lane and Van Metre."

Hilleary Bogley's dream of building a new, state-of-the-art animal rescue and shelter facility is also very close to realization.

"The initial gift of 23 acres was crucially important," she explained at a recent project meeting. "But the legal requirements for the construction of animal shelter facilities far out distance those for human hospitals, so I have been very busy learning about what is called 'barkitecture,' by architects and regulators today."

Building at barkitecture standards costs approximately $250 per square foot, according to Bogley, so fundraising for the Marshall facility is immensely important and well underway.

"We have raised over $2 million for our new facility," she said. "We need to raise another million to cover complete building costs."

It is easy to see why the new Middleburg Humane facility will be situated near the Cunningham Farm entrance. The beautiful 10,000 square foot main facility will articulate a barn structure and will have areas for a veterinary clinic, grooming salon, and storage for incidental supplies while providing a state-of-the-art shelter for the animals. It rests among rolling pastures with smaller outbuildings nestled to the rear of the barn-like headquarters.

"Our staff housing and barn facilities will be in separate, smaller buildings," Bogley explained. "Among many advantages, each area of the facility will have its own special HVAC system that is designed to keep the animals healthy."

For 20 years, Middleburg Humane has served animal rescue needs in the region, specifically Fauquier and Culpeper counties. Their current 3,200 square foot facility is crowded and simply does not have enough pasture to care for the many horses and large animals the county seizes because of lack of care.

"These are wonderful animals that we bring back to robust health before they leave us for their new homes. They will be able to recover and thrive on our new Marshall pastures. We look forward to a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the citizens of Marshall. We are so happy to be in such a beautiful place."

With plenty of room for horses and farm animals in need of special care, the new Middleburg Humane facility will become a pastoral setting that compliments the agrarian nature of the new community.

"We hope to set national standards in our new Marshall facility," Hilleary emphasized. "As always, we will work closely with the community; especially the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors and Commissioners, zoning departments and county staff; as well as the Boy and Girl Scouts and all local service organizations to ensure that we and our animals make a positive contribution to everyone."

"We believe the Cunningham Farm community will become an exceptional place to live," said Roy Barnett, "…and we are committed to help Marshall make the infrastructure improvements the village needs to fully capitalize on the additional business that will be created."

"By setting very high standards and meeting them, it is our dream to enliven this beautiful area. We're even rehabilitating Molly's Folly to become part of the new, rurally-sensitive community."

For more information about the Cunningham Farm Community, please telephone Christy Martin or Samuel Gunter at 540-687-6644