Riverside Apartment vs. Belle Haven Towers (Alexandria, Fairfax: apartments, rental, condo)

[Winter2010]

Which apartment is better for location, safety, and most importantly, ease to Huntington Station?

Anyone has experience living there. What are the pros and cons?

Thanks.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Winter2010

Which apartment is better for location, safety, and most importantly, ease to Huntington Station?

Anyone has experience living there. What are the pros and cons?

Thanks.

I haven't lived in either but I once lived not too far from them and had friends who lived there too.

Belle Haven Towers' advantage, besides relatively lower rent, is that you can walk to the Metro from there. It's sort of bare bones, though; you get what you pay for.

Riverside is a "gated" community although the security gatekeepers can be inconsistent with checking for ID. They also have amenities such as a recreation center (possibly with an extra fee for access) and a shuttle bus that goes to and from the Metro during rush hour.

Beyond the convenience of the Metro and the 95/495, there isn't anything immediately attractive about the area. Further south on Route 1 are many of your usual grocery, and midscale retail/restaurant suspects with a healthy dose of international flavor (mostly Central American). Old Town Alexandria is due north but not exactly walkable.

[Winter2010]

Anything that's very similiar to those two in terms of location, price and ease of access to the Huntington Metro Station?

[Winter2010]

Another question, say if one lives at Riverside Apartment, take the bus to Hungtington Station, take the Yellow line and then switch to Green Line to final destination at Navy Yard. How much time is expected, including waiting for bus/metro, etc. from the leaving the partment to arriving at Navy Yard during rush hours?

[Winter2010]

How's the walk from Riverside Apartments to Huntington Station compare to Belle Haven Towers to Huntington Station?

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Winter2010

Anything that's very similiar to those two in terms of location, price and ease of access to the Huntington Metro Station?

Huntington Gateway is across the street from Riverside and just north of Belle Haven. It's the most expensive high-rise of the three. Like Riverside, it also offers a rush hour shuttle.

Directly across from the Metro is a newer condo high rise Midtown Alexandria. Some owners may be renting out their units: you could contact the building office or check realtor sites for more info.

There's another older low-rise next to the Metro whose name escapes me. Unless convenience is top priority, I don't know if I'd recommend that one. I considered a rental there once and I didn't find it to be very attractive.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Winter2010

Another question, say if one lives at Riverside Apartment, take the bus to Hungtington Station, take the Yellow line and then switch to Green Line to final destination at Navy Yard. How much time is expected, including waiting for bus/metro, etc. from the leaving the partment to arriving at Navy Yard during rush hours?

I'd guesstimate a half hour. Barring unforeseen delays, trains usually arrive every 3-5 minutes or so during rush hour.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Winter2010

How's the walk from Riverside Apartments to Huntington Station compare to Belle Haven Towers to Huntington Station?

It's doable, perhaps 15 minutes. But compared to a 3-minute apartment shuttle - or 5 minutes on the Fairfax Connector bus - it will seem like a long time.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by Winter2010

Another question, say if one lives at Riverside Apartment, take the bus to Hungtington Station, take the Yellow line and then switch to Green Line to final destination at Navy Yard. How much time is expected, including waiting for bus/metro, etc. from the leaving the partment to arriving at Navy Yard during rush hours?

I'd guesstimate 45 minutes.

The train portion alone is 30 minutes. Add on 5 minutes to wait for the train, 5 minutes to take the shuttle buss, and 5 minutes to wait for the shuttle, and you're at 45 minutes.

WMATA - Rider Tools - Trip Planner

Great tool for timing different metro commutes.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

I'd guesstimate 45 minutes.

The train portion alone is 30 minutes. Add on 5 minutes to wait for the train, 5 minutes to take the shuttle buss, and 5 minutes to wait for the shuttle, and you're at 45 minutes.

WMATA - Rider Tools - Trip Planner

Great tool for timing different metro commutes.

I should have consulted the trip planner myself. I think I underestimated the Yellow Line portion of the commute.