Silver Spring area (Colesville: home, rental, businesses)

[toroharo]

Silver Spring covers a pretty large area. Since I haven't been there myself, but would need to move there some time this August, I am wondering which parts are safer and more convenient without a car? Downtown would be nice but it is also more costly. Taking a short bus ride to the Metro is doable provided the area is decent. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

[JackSpade]

I would personally stay away from the lower georgia ave section. I lived in a major apt complex, Summit Hills, East west highway and 16th street. It's a fairly safe place to live. I would hear gunshots and someone was shot and killed on Spring Ave, just a few blocks away, but I didn't have a problem walking to the metro during the day (and with a group at night). I moved there sight unseen but I strongly suggest you take a trip up there to check things out.

[CHIP72]

Downtown Silver Spring is zip code 20910. This is where you want to be in Silver Spring IMO. Generally speaking, the areas west of Georgia Avenue are a little nicer for rentals than those east of Georgia Avenue, but if you are near Colesville Road east of Georgia Avenue (i.e. near the Silver Spring Downtown complex area), you'll be fine. Also, in general the closer you are to the Metro station the nicer the rental properties (especially west of the station). You will want to avoid living near Georgia Avenue close to the District/Maryland line; that area is a little rougher. The Sligo Avenue area, which is southeast of the Metro station and south of the downtown "mall", has an industrial feel (a lot of automobile repair businesses) but doesn't really feel unsafe. Incidentally, the area in the District itself on the west side of Eastern Avenue and west of Alaska Avenue is a very nice, single family home area, near Rock Creek Park (which is just west of there across 16th Street NW).

[CHIP72]

I forgot to mention that Silver Spring is one of the biggest local bus hubs in the entire DC area. There are a lot of routes that stop at or near the Silver Spring Metro station. If downtown Silver Spring is too expensive for you, be sure to check the WMATA and Ride On websites; WMATA runs not only the Metro (rail) but also local buses for the District and nearby areas, while Ride On is the bus provider in Montgomery County, MD. A good number of both providers' routes run fairly often on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.