The Future for Springfield, VA...? (Arlington, West Springfield: apartments, condos, townhouse)
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These areas are "lower income areas" only in comparison to other places in the region and 22031 (Fairfax) and 22152 (West Springfield) aren't lower income areas even by that measure.
I totally agree on both points. Nicely stated, and thanks for bringing up West Springfield, which for some reason I forgot about.
I think the OP is trying to find some dramatic concrete differences between communities, and that's not really what we have in Nova. We don't have specific ethnic neighborhoods, or any other strong differences between the communities. There's no "Chinatown" or "little Italy" or areas like that such as other cities have--the various ethnic groups are mixed fairly evenly throughout Nova.
The differences between our communities mostly come down to this: Some are older than others, some are wealthier than others, some have more rental units than others, and some are nearer to transportation/commercial centers than others. Those are really the only big differences we call tell you about. And, since our comunities tend to cover a lot of geographic area, a lot of times you'll find a mix of those characteristics within the same community. As was pointed out, Springfield, Annandale, etc, are different depending on what neighborhood you're in. And yet, at the same time, in some ways it's all the same (especially if you tend to think suburbs all look alike). You'll see the same stores, the same restaurants, etc.
1. Density - I do not seeing it becoming significantly more dense. There is little in the way of vacant or almost unutilized land. Increase in density would mean teardowns of existing strip malls, low rise garden apts, etc. Absent rail transit (which is unlikely for at least a generation) I cannot see that happpening here. There will be TINY increases in density, residential if and when the mcmansion/teardown market revives, and maybe itty bitty increases in commercial density.
2. Convenience - despite what I said in 1, this area will soon be more convenient - the HOT lanes on the Beltway will make this area much closer, in time, to Tysons Corner, and new bus lines should change the nature of transit usage here. Its not clear how this will overall change the area
3. Walkability - the addition of a multiuse path on the Little River Tpke bridge over the beltway will fill a missing gap, some discussed improvements to flow and to shop appearance in the central part of annandale may make this already marginally walkable area, marginally MORE walkable.
4. Asian/Korean flavor - right now this has one of the most intense asian flavors in the region, and if you want a korean flavor - not just restaurants, but shops, supermarkets, etc - this is probably the best place on the East Coast of the USA. OTOH I think as the Korean community continues to slowly shift its balance west toward Centerville, the Korean flavor may decline. The only evidence for this now is the closing of Seoul Market (a mini department store) and its replacement by a Dollar Store. OTOH thats offset by the opening of a new Korean bakery.
5. Desirability - I think all inside the beltway nabes have a good future, as people look for convenience. The new HOT lane could add to that, esp if post Silver Line Tysons keeps growing. OTOH the nabe is held back not only by the perception of its schools, but by its physical layout, neither a fully walkable urban area or a fully convenient modern suburb.
"I think the OP is trying to find some dramatic concrete differences between communities, and that's not really what we have in Nova."
except for the LRT corridor.
In Landmark you have african communities, in Annandale little Korea, in the section from the beltway to Fair City Mall you have the seed planted of a Jewish community.
When I think of "Springfield" I think of the areas around the mall. I guess that's because I remember when Springfield Mall was a great place to shop. It used to be completely safe. I remember when driving to Tysons was a big deal. We just didn't have any reason to go all the way to Tysons. Springfield Mall had all the stores. Parking was easy. It was safe.
*sigh. We left the NoVA area and then came back about 15 years later. I had been told the area had changed. But I had no idea it had changed that much.
In Landmark you have african communities, in Annandale little Korea, in the section from the beltway to Fair City Mall you have the seed planted of a Jewish community.
I guess you can count those, although they seem pretty small to me. IMO, they're not like the ethnic communities of other cities. More like a "tease" of an ethnic community. Unlike ethnic communities in other cities, they don't represent an area in Nova where most Koreans live or where most Blacks live or where most Jews live.
The diversity here is fairly well spread. I don't think we even have an area that would be considered the "white" ghetto, which really makes us different from most cities. Usually a metro area has at least one area where almost everyone is white, but the closest I can think of here would be Great Falls (and even there you find quite a few wealthy people from India, the Arab countries, Asia, etc.)
These areas will either evolve into second generation ethnic communities and become middle to upper class areas, or degrade into poor first generation migrant communites with decreasing property values and increasing crime rates. You see a lot of the former in California and many of the later here.
In the case of the Jewish area, I said a seed. Just a seed. Where it goes we shall see (and that Gesher JDS had to go so far out to find land was not helpful) but its come a long way, although not that visible.
Landmark - I said african, not african american. I do not know for a fact that it has the majority of the areas africans, but its a good portion, I think
Koreatown - I live there, and I am quite aware that the residential area is not nearly as Korean as the business community. But its a LARGE business community, with several almost all korean shopping centers, and almost every non-Korean shopping center has SOME Korean establishments. Its certainly ethnic in a way few other NoVa areas are.
Koreatown - I live there, and I am quite aware that the residential area is not nearly as Korean as the business community. But its a LARGE business community, with several almost all korean shopping centers, and almost every non-Korean shopping center has SOME Korean establishments. Its certainly ethnic in a way few other NoVa areas are.
You're right about that. And darn that Shilla's Bakery on LRT (too easy to eat whatever looks good there).
Let us know when Mantua is about to be renamed "Kiryas Joel South." I have some doubts, but from tiny seeds....
We have Olam Tikvah and Chabad and the JCC. Gesher is off on Shirley Gate, but Chabad has a kindergarden and seems to be aiming for K-2 I think. There was an attempt to start a modern Orthodox minyan (basically a home prayer group/synagogue seed) but I dont know where it stands. Silently, the kosher section at Shoppers grows bigger and bigger every year. Also, barely visibly, a group of folks who live within walking distance of Chabad (to avoid driving on shabbos) has developed.
Bethesda it ain't, but by NoVa standards its almost ethnic color.
If you like brick row houses, there are some lovely brick townhomes on Forrester Boulevard/Carrleigh Parkway that capture the appeal of Old Town but are more affordable and have more room. They are beautiful inside, there are many professionals there, and it is walking distance to the shops/stores mentioned above. Lots of trees, too.
I do like the brick homes of any style - rowhome or otherwise.
Is there much brick in Springfield? I do like the two-story brick homes that I've viewed within Arlington... For whatever reason, I've imagined more of the ranch style home. (I mean outside of townhouses).
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