Severna Park, MD
I was reluctant to do this one because I JUST did Pasadena, but as any Severna Park resident will fiercely defend, the two cities are pretty much night and day. In my opinion, that's not a bad thing, because Pasadena is a really cool, low-key town with blue collar charm and some really cool holes in the wall to discover (can't believe I forgot to mention Lightning Jack's last week!) and it still has some unbelievably nice neighborhoods. Severna Park is more closely tied to the Annapolis way of life, however - polo shirts, sailing, neatly manicured lawns and huge homes on small lots. It gets a reputation as a "snobby area," but also as a very nice place to live with great schools.
The interesting thing about Severna Park is if you were to drive down Ritchie Highway you may not realize what a high-priced part of the county you were in. Clearly it sets itself apart from Glen Burnie further up Ritchie Hwy, but the retail centers along Rt. 2 aren't overly nice or particularly laden with specialty retailers or fine dining restaurants. If you veer off into any of the neighborhoods you pretty much have a 50-50 shot of being among $1M+ homes.
Severna Park is bordered on two sides by water (the Severn and Magothy Rivers) and to the north by Pasadena. To the south lies Arnold, the location of one branch of Anne Arundel's community college system. Ritchie Hwy runs north and south connecting major retail areas while Benfield Rd runs east and west and has fewer commercial hubs. Rt 10 provides quick access to 695 and Baltimore (20 minutes away) and Annapolis is 10 minutes down Rt 2. Severna Park High School is easily one of the best in the state and has a formidable football team. I remember visiting Ocean City and running into an ex-football star from that high school that was about 5 years older than I was, and feeling pretty good about myself playing catch with him when he asked if I used to play (I've got an arm but I'm no athlete!)
When you visit Severna Park, make sure to check out Broadleaf smokeshop along Ritchie Hwy, a place with two walk-in humidors and a massive cigar selection. They have a lounge and even make after-hours appointments to meet with serious smokers and collectors. However, despite Severna Park's reputation as a ritzy locale, the choices for dining out are few. Ritchie Hwy has its share of chain restaurants, Chinese take-outs and fast food places, but only a handful of restaurants are worth hitting. Woodfire is your typical unadventurous menu - a steak and seafood house, with a nice lounge and above average food. Cafe Bretton is another fairly upscale destination enjoyed by locals, while the family-owned Jeno's makes a wicked cheesesteak (fresh sliced ribeye!) Ultimately, Severna Park residents are better served by Annapolis/Eastport and Baltimore.
Real estate in Severna Park is VERY pricey - while not quite as high priced as Potomac or Chevy Chase, or even AA County's Davidsonville, you really can't get a reasonable home for under $450-500K. For new construction you're probably looking more at $800K+. There are no townhomes in Severna Park, though there are luxury condos - definitely not "starter homes" - well, maybe you could get in McKinsey Park for under $400K. Manhattan Beach, Chartridge, Carrollton Manor, and Riverdale Park are just a few examples of the relatively affordable older neighborhoods. Most of these are near the water or have water priveleges - Carrolton Manor for example is similar to Herald Harbor/Sunrise Beach in Crownsville in that it mixes affordable older homes with $1M+ waterfront properties. Some of the more upscale communities include Swann Point, Woodberry, and Williams Woods - your basic 6000 foot 5 bedroom McMansions, but most of the ones I've seen have gorgeous kitchens and were done by top quality builders. People looking for a little more of a unique property might like the 1920's built Round Bay homes, and I just saw a beautiful contemporary in a neighborhood called Fair Oaks.
I've been lectured on the pros and cons of Severna Park by current and former residents as well as people who think it is the stereotypical white-flight, snobby, overpriced consumer-driven suburb (blah blah blah...) Overall it's a nice place to live that could benefit from a bit more upscale retail and a few really nice restaurants. It still is part of Anne Arundel County, so those looking for a down-and-dirty good time can always shoot over to neighboring Pasadena or Glen Burnie for an escape from wealthy suburbia. People in Potomac don't have that luxury!!! The final quick fact I'll give is that it is the home of Pat Sajak of Wheel of Fortune fame, and former home to Michael Jordan when he had closer ties to the Washington Wizards.
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03-17-2006, 12:43 PM
Chesapeake also has a great reputation, so either way you go, your kids will be happy. Good Luck!
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