Relocating to NOVA(Leesburg) and working in Georgetown(DC) (Arlington: hair salon, apartment complexes) - Northern Virginia - Virginia - City-Data Forum

quell · 10-03-2007, 09:15 AM

My husband has decided to move to Leesburg(20175) and I wanted to get some information on the area. I know only 9% of the population is African-American and wanted to know how the racial tension is, if any within the area. I searched the local newspaper and didn't find anything that was too negative, so this sounds like a positive. How is the weather during winter time, I am a native Floridian so I know I will have to adjust.

My children will be zoned for Cool Springs Elementary so any info on the public school system, private schools, accessibility to top employers within the area, crime, churches and shops in the area would be helpful.

Also are there any hair salons that provide service for African-American hair in the area or what is the closest city to travel to?

How is the commute to Georgetown-DC from Leesburg at 7am and returning at 5:30pm

Thanks for your response.

dullnboring · 10-04-2007, 01:43 PM

Commuting from Leesburg to Georgetown at 7am is pretty hideous. You're looking at a 1.5-2 hour commute each way (morning heavier than the evening). I would not recommend anyone working in DC living out in Loudoun County period. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of folks who do it, but to me personally, it just seems mad. Knowing the brutal traffic and increasing commutes people face in the area, many companies are somewhat flexible in working hours; so if you could work more irregular hours (i.e. come in two hours earlier or later), it could really diminish your commuting time. I think Leesburg though works primarily as a homebase for those people who work out in the Dulles Corridor (Herndon, Reston, Dulles, Chantilly, etc.). Even under the most ideal commuting conditions, a Leesburg-Georgetown commute would clock in at 50 minutes.

I recommend performing a keyword search on this forum on Leesburg to learn more about what others have said in the past.

Leesburg, in my opinion (there are many others who will disagree) is sort of the last big stop on the suburban DC sprawlathon. While sprawl continues beyond it, it's really the last large concentration of stereotypical suburbia going out west from DC. There is your typical suburban shopping with big box stores and chain restaurants, and there is a large outlet mall within Leesburg (well, right outside the town limits) and a large indoor mall near Dulles Airport, some 20 minutes away. Growth is coming fast and furious, mostly on the outskirts of the town limits. Schools are good. Crime is very low. There are a handful of scruffier apartment complexes that are best steered clear from, but nothing really serious. There's plenty of churches of various denominations as well.

Weather-wise, the winters aren't too too bad compared to a lot of places, but of course, Florida isn't one of them.

Average high temperatures in January are in the low 40s and lows in the low 20s. Of course, these are averages. There are times when it's 10-15 degrees below those averages and others when it's 10-15 degrees warmer in a hot/cold wave. I will say though that it's very rare to have a sustained period of longer than a few days where temperatures do not climb above the freezing mark. Similarly, temperatures in the single digits are very rare (maybe 2-3 times a winter). There is on average around 25 inches of snowfall a year which usually comes in the form of maybe six or seven small storms (one inch or less) and then maybe 4-5 larger ones. Snowless winters happen every once in awhile, and there's also been winters where there's been several large +12 inch blizzards. It's hard to predict.

Racial tension in the area is minimal. Northern Virginia is an extremely diverse area and truthfully, I've lived in some of the nation's most diverse metropolitan areas (New York, Los Angeles, etc.) and have found the DC suburbs (not necessarily DC proper, but the more multicultural suburbs of Fairfax, Arlington, Howard, Loudoun and Montgomery counties) to be the most well-integrated and racially harmonious place I've ever lived. I'm no fan of the DC area whatsoever, but one thing I will give the area credit for is the amazing level of diversity and the acceptance of it.

I don't know off the top of my head of any salons in the area specializing in African-American hair. Your best bet would be to google. There are several sites that specialize in locating the nearest African-American salon/barbershops to a plugged in zip code.

fairwindz · 10-05-2007, 07:16 AM

I'd like to address the racial issue.....I moved to va about 17 yrs ago after living in every major city in north america and the dc suburbs are great

the racial situation over the mountains is HORRIBLE

being who I am I made friends with every black person I could when I lived in the valley just to annoy the redneck morons

I was sickened by the general stupidity of people who lived a little over an hour from the capital of one of the most powerful nations on the earth

I was told by an un named prominent citizen of Front Royal that black people couldn't swim.....

needless to say I moved

Leesburg is great and the racial diversity of the DC NOVA area is beyond compare

what a difference 40 miles can make

sorry...had to vent

tarp · 10-05-2007, 03:35 PM

Yup, steer clear of the Shenandoah Valley, except for fishing and mountain hiking.

pythagras · 10-05-2007, 08:41 PM

I can't speak for the whole valley, but when I lived in Waynesboro (southern end of Shen valley) the people there were remarkably friendly. They would come up to you and say hello, and strike up all sorts of conversations. I thought it felt like one of the friendliest places. I didn't expect this though, there are a fair amount of tad sketchy folks. The friends I made there who were locals were very hard-working, easy-going, and very loyal. They were also fairly moderate politically and well educated. Some were my coworkers and we all worked closely with people of many races, ethnicities, etc.

My point is I don't think its fair to paint such a large area with such a wide brush. Even though I had good experiences in Waynesboro I knew that although many outside my group were friendly and well meaning, there was a minority, larger than what exists in urban areas, that would not not have been at all friendly if I had not been caucasian. Racial tension is greater than in more urbanized areas.

However, when I lived in that area, the level of intolerance and white-trashyness, though existing to a small extent in the area, was all relative. Once you start heading west toward West Virginia, you find that Waynesboro is one of the last meccas of civilization in comparison to what you find when you go through much of West Virginia. Even there, however, you'll find folks that are well meaning, stand outside the norm, and have as diverse an outlook as anywhere.

quell · 10-08-2007, 01:15 PM

Thank you for your replies. I appreciate the detailed information and I am glad to know the area is diverse. It sounds like the commute is going to be stressful, but perhaps hubby can adjust by arranging his schedule.

Yankeesfan · 10-10-2007, 07:14 AM

Welcome, and I wish you well! However, unless you have already bought a house, please reconsider living in Leesburg. It's a lovely place but the commute will be grueling and depressing no matter how he adjusts the hours.

knopfler · 10-10-2007, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quell

My husband has decided to move to Leesburg(20175) and I wanted to get some information on the area. I know only 9% of the population is African-American and wanted to know how the racial tension is, if any within the area. I searched the local newspaper and didn't find anything that was too negative, so this sounds like a positive. How is the weather during winter time, I am a native Floridian so I know I will have to adjust.

My children will be zoned for Cool Springs Elementary so any info on the public school system, private schools, accessibility to top employers within the area, crime, churches and shops in the area would be helpful.

Also are there any hair salons that provide service for African-American hair in the area or what is the closest city to travel to?

How is the commute to Georgetown-DC from Leesburg at 7am and returning at 5:30pm

Thanks for your response.

I'm not aware of any specific racial strife in Leesburg/Loudoun in regards to African-Americans. There is, and you should be aware of this, a big kerfuffle in the area right now regarding the legality and treatment of first-generation Hispanic/Latino immigrants, and that's causing a good deal of racial friction. However, that friction isn't any worse in Leesburg than elsewhere in Northern Virginia.

Welcome, in advance, to Northern Virginia!

victorynsurrender · 10-10-2007, 10:31 AM

I grew up in Loudoun, spent quite a few years in Leesburg Cool Spring district, and it is great. The schools in Loudoun are awesome. You will have private schools to choose from if you go that route, but really the public schools are wonderful.

I never experienced any racism in Loudoun. I am white, but I never heard people being racist. We just move to Maryland, and my kids and myself were SCHOCKED to
hear that people actually say crazy racist things. It just didn't exist in our world.

About the Latino thing... I never experienced that as a race thing, more just a culture
issue. In other words, I never heard people saying anything other than stuff about
the spanish/english speaking issue.

Lots of choices in churches.

I don't know about the salons, but I am sure you won't have to travel.

The area right around Wal Mart would be my biggest concern as far as crime.

I lived in NOVA my whole life, and barely locked my door. I moved to the country in Maryland and now I lock it all the time, as I have had things stolen already!!!

I wish I could go back to Loudoun county. My husband moved there from Miami
and he never went back. He thinks the winters are a little cold, but he can deal with them. For me, I think they get warmer and warmer every year. We have one or two big snow storms a year, and I think it is great. The rest of the winter, mostly we go with our winter coats open.

Oh, but that commute. What a nightmare.

Good luck!

5stones · 10-10-2007, 05:13 PM

welcome to Leesburg!

I can't anwser the questions about hair salons either but I'd just ask some neighbors etc...

The racial diversity in this area is GREAT! We moved from the vanilla burbs of pittsburg to here 2 years ago and it is WONDERFUL to see my kids have friends from so many various backgrounds. You will fit right in, seriuosly no one gives it a second thought.

Crime isn't bad as I said in my other post. and most of it is concentrated in the area (yes, near the walmart!) But I go there and have never had a problem. Theft etc...

Schools are great.

BUT.... your commute!!!! OUCH!