Alexandria - King and Braddock St. metro stations areas (Arlington: university, buses)

[slim04]

Originally Posted by Tone509

There are actually a lot of people that feed into the Braddock Road Metro Station. For people living in the numerous condos, apartments and townhouses east of Washington Street, the buses that travel from there to Braddock make for a shorter commuting leg than if they had to head over to King Street. Re: Braddock Station, one could argue that the arrival of that office development - along with the adjacent condos and townhomes - set the stage for the current reconstruction of new housing (and subsequent displacement of public housing residents) further east.

The Potomac Yards shopping center is a relatively new development. Plans to open up a Metro station there seem imminent though the first (or second) leg of the Silver Line may be completed first.

I think the Braddock Rd. station was also designed to do some urban renewal in North Old Town. When it was built in 1983, North Old Town and Del Ray were in bad shape. Developers tore down some infamous public housing units in the 1980's to build those fancy condos and office buildings around the Braddock Station. The area is much nicer than it used to be, especially Del Ray, which has really transformed.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

Since the silver line first leg is under construction now, and there are still a few hoops to go through before construction starts on the Pot yards metro station, I would say you are correct.

OTOH I think the CCPY transitway is already under construction? That may actually beat the Silver Line phase 1 to completion - but as a busway only, at this point.

By CCPY, are you referring to the Arlington streetcar through Crystal City? If so, that might help those in Arlandria/northern Del Ray as well as those townhouses closest to Route 1.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by Tone509

By CCPY, are you referring to the Arlington streetcar through Crystal City? If so, that might help those in Arlandria/northern Del Ray as well as those townhouses closest to Route 1.

Crystal City Potomac Yards transitway. It is being constructed as a dedicated busway, with plans to later add street car tracks. There was some controversy between Arl Co and city of ALex about the timing of conversion, but they seem to be on the same wavelength now.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by slim04

I think the Braddock Rd. station was also designed to do some urban renewal in North Old Town. When it was built in 1983, North Old Town and Del Ray were in bad shape. Developers tore down some infamous public housing units in the 1980's to build those fancy condos and office buildings around the Braddock Station. The area is much nicer than it used to be, especially Del Ray, which has really transformed.

That's what I figured. I'm still a "newcomer" at seven years but I had heard that Del Ray had come back from some hard times. Not surprised that North Old Town was in a similar situation.

[Virginia Prime]

Originally Posted by Tone509

That's what I figured. I'm still a "newcomer" at seven years but I had heard that Del Ray had come back from some hard times. Not surprised that North Old Town was in a similar situation.

Old Town Alexandria used to be divided between the predominately African American north side (i.e. The Berg) and the predominantly Caucasian south side. King Street was more or less the dividing line -- especially west of Washington Street.

Gentrification since the late 1980s has greatly impacted the north side of Old Town. The African American community is still present but in smaller numbers.

[kevbros]

Originally Posted by Virginia Prime

Old Town Alexandria used to be divided between the predominately African American north side (i.e. The Berg) and the predominantly Caucasian south side. King Street was more or less the dividing line -- especially west of Washington Street.

Gentrification since the late 1980s has greatly impacted the north side of Old Town. The African American community is still present but in smaller numbers.

Alexandria has a very rich African-American history. The area around Braddock Rd Metro, which the City calls "Braddock Rd Metro" and people on here are calling "North Old Town," was traditionally known as "Uptown" or "Parker-Gray" (for the high school for black Alexandrians). The Berg, or what's left of it, is on the east side of Washington. See the end of this pamphlet for a historical breakdown of the African American neighborhhoods in this part of Alexandria:

http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFile...ousJourney.pdf

[poloi3eai2]

Originally Posted by Virginia Prime

Old Town Alexandria used to be divided between the predominately African American north side (i.e. The Berg) and the predominantly Caucasian south side. King Street was more or less the dividing line -- especially west of Washington Street.

Gentrification since the late 1980s has greatly impacted the north side of Old Town. The African American community is still present but in smaller numbers.

Cool history lesson! It's interesting to see the gentrification taking place around Braddock. On one street you have new town houses "Starting at 800K!" Then directly across the street you have Section 8. I could image that developers have been salivating over that land yearning to tear down all the project housing to build high end residential units. I always wonder how much those little houses right across braddock station would sell for these days

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

Crystal City Potomac Yards transitway. It is being constructed as a dedicated busway, with plans to later add street car tracks. There was some controversy between Arl Co and city of ALex about the timing of conversion, but they seem to be on the same wavelength now.

I gotcha. I had heard that while Arlington was for the eventual streetcar conversion, Alexandria wanted to stick with buses. Would you know how they resolved that?

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by Tone509

I gotcha. I had heard that while Arlington was for the eventual streetcar conversion, Alexandria wanted to stick with buses. Would you know how they resolved that?

Arlington, Alexandria Strike Deal On Transit Study | WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio

arlington is willing to do street cars without federal funding, so will move ahead without a full EIS, so will convert by 2018. Alexandria was never against street cars (WAMU(?) got it wrong on that) but will proceed only with federal funding, ergo must wait for a full EIS. They cannot do full EIS on the street car conversion till they have determined the location of the metrorail station. So at the earliest they will have street cars in 2020. Meanwhile I assume the transitway in arlington will allow BOTH street cars and buses (as is planned for H street in DC and Columbia Pike in Arlington) so folks taking the bus from alexandria up to crystal city will NOT have to change to a street car at the city limit.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

Arlington, Alexandria Strike Deal On Transit Study | WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio

arlington is willing to do street cars without federal funding, so will move ahead without a full EIS, so will convert by 2018. Alexandria was never against street cars (WAMU(?) got it wrong on that) but will proceed only with federal funding, ergo must wait for a full EIS. They cannot do full EIS on the street car conversion till they have determined the location of the metrorail station. So at the earliest they will have street cars in 2020. Meanwhile I assume the transitway in arlington will allow BOTH street cars and buses (as is planned for H street in DC and Columbia Pike in Arlington) so folks taking the bus from alexandria up to crystal city will NOT have to change to a street car at the city limit.

Thanks for that!