Quality of life in NOVA going down... down... down! (Arlington: real estate market, day care)

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Fern435

How would Fairfax County residents react to many New Englanders arriving?

With a yawn. There are so many people from other countries that adding some fellow American from up north wouldn't change anything.

Originally Posted by GustavoFring

Also, it's not Fairfax's job to look out for other communities. It isn't the federal government, it is a local governing body trying to increase its own tax revenues, population base and quality of life. To put this in terms that you may understand, this would be like asking the Patriots to stop scoring when they're up 42-21. It's not the Patriot's job to stop scoring, it's the other team's job to stop them.

Indeed. In America people and businesses vote with their feet (and increasingly that's the case world-wide). Fairfax is just trying to garner more vote.

[CAVA1990]

If the overall quality of life for most people was going down, wouldn't that be reflected in declining property values? Both are going down in places like Flint and Buffalo. Just the opposite seems to be occuring here. I consider making a secure and decent income while maintaining the value of your property a major component in the quality of life.

[vermonter16]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

If the overall quality of life for most people was going down, wouldn't that be reflected in declining property values? Both are going down in places like Flint and Buffalo. Just the opposite seems to be occuring here. I consider making a secure and decent income while maintaining the value of your property a major component in the quality of life.

Too funny. I love Flint . My BIL lives there and works for an auto company (go figure). Every year he is layed off for the summer and receives unemployment. And every Fall he is back to work. He makes a very good living.

I think that people think the grass is greener on the side....sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. I don't hate this area....I don't hate my commute but I don't love it either. I think it's just dissatisfaction with my job and working as a contractor for the federal government.

My husband and I have been planning a move to Vermont for a long time now and it is finally coming to fruition. My biggest fear is having too much time . I'm not sure I'll know what to do with myself.

[NC211]

I think people tend to forget that this town is the Capitol of the United States of America, not the Capitol of North Carolina. Quite frankly, as someone with extensive knowledge and history with cities such as LA, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, and the like, I remain stunned that Washington, DC and it's surrounding areas don't seem to reflect the same level of development design characteristics as many of the other major metropolitan communities around the country, that just so happen do not represent the heart of American politics and governance. I can understand where some of the "locals" who have lived here their entire lives are coming from when they say that development activity has changed their area dramatically. But, you think there is a Loudoun County in Chicago? You think Boston has trees and rolling hills and cattle farms and vinards?

Loudoun County is becoming to Washington DC, as what Johnson County has become to Kansas City. That's not a bad thing folks. It's a family friendly place where you can raise your kids in safety while providing top-shelf resources to them, which just so happens to be within 30 miles of the White House, Pentagon, CIA, US Capitol building, and all that goes along with those icons of American pride. They put a statue of a lady holding a flame in one city, think it has trees? They had a tea party in another once...think it's not a concrete jungle now? Ever seen Chicago? DC is the 4th largest town in the country, behind NYC, LA, Chicago. Yet, it doesn't feel too much different than say an Atlanta or a Dallas, or even a Kansas City. Pretty remarkable, if you ask me.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by NC211

I think people tend to forget that this town is the Capitol of the United States of America, not the Capitol of North Carolina. Quite frankly, as someone with extensive knowledge and history with cities such as LA, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, and the like, I remain stunned that Washington, DC and it's surrounding areas don't seem to reflect the same level of development design characteristics as many of the other major metropolitan communities around the country, that just so happen do not represent the heart of American politics and governance. I can understand where some of the "locals" who have lived here their entire lives are coming from when they say that development activity has changed their area dramatically. But, you think there is a Loudoun County in Chicago? You think Boston has trees and rolling hills and cattle farms and vinards?

Loudoun County is becoming to Washington DC, as what Johnson County has become to Kansas City. That's not a bad thing folks. It's a family friendly place where you can raise your kids in safety while providing top-shelf resources to them, which just so happens to be within 30 miles of the White House, Pentagon, CIA, US Capitol building, and all that goes along with those icons of American pride. They put a statue of a lady holding a flame in one city, think it has trees? They had a tea party in another once...think it's not a concrete jungle now? Ever seen Chicago? DC is the 4th largest town in the country, behind NYC, LA, Chicago. Yet, it doesn't feel too much different than say an Atlanta or a Dallas, or even a Kansas City. Pretty remarkable, if you ask me.

Yes, this place still feels like the 90s. I'm amazed at the slow and haphazard pace of its development. The silver line and upgrades at Tysons should probaby have happened 20 years ago. Who'd have thought it would take until 2018 for there to be rail service to the biggest airport serving the world's most important capital. Perhaps it's the transience of the place that keeps people from becoming invested in civic improvements and good planning. I've never figured it out.

[brava4]

Originally Posted by Tone509

It probably depends on one's perspective. If you are a lifelong Virginian of perhaps 40 years or more, you may have a fondness for (what I hear) was a more bucolic, pastoral landscape. If you've arrived within the last ten years (hello! ), you probably have less of a reference unless perhaps you live in the outer 'burbs.

Mind you: as this is, at its heart, a relocation forum, its existence perpetuates what the OP laments.

You stated it well. That's exactly how it is for me. I arrived here in 1972 and have seen changes that haven't pleased me at all. I understand change, growth etc., but that doesn't mean we all have to like it or embrace it. Frankly, I've just tolerated it, sometimes hate it and curse it when it takes me 30-40 min. to drive just 2.87 miles to work.

[CAVA1990]

Part of the problem here I'm guessing involves the power or lack thereof of local government. I know in other places development was done much more sensibly once areas incorporated into cities and didn't leave that function to the county. Tyson's for example probably should be its own city. My area South of Alexandria should probably be one too. You can get a lot more done at a local level. Once you get up to the county level there are just too many competing interests that slow progress. Our system of local government is more appropriate to a rural backwater as this originally was.

[brava4]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

My wife and I both work from home in service industries. I would think it was more often manufacturing that requires a physical presence. If the only manufacturing you're doing is of emails, powerpoint decks, spreadsheets, and hot air on conference calls, that can be done from anywhere including a mountaintop in Nepal or poolside at a beach resort if you have decent wireless connectivity. I recently did it from 30,000 feet. I think what I do isn't that different from what many others around here do but maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps you're referring to face to face customer service like at a retail store or bank?

However, this may be something an Old Tired Man may not know about.

I work in a hospital in "DC... kinda hard to do that from home.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by brava4

I work in a hospital in "DC... kinda hard to do that from home.

If you're in an internal or external customer facing role I can see that.. I'm sure though you have a lot of back-office people who could probably work remotely, possibly servicing numerous hospital locations.

[brava4]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

If you're in an internal or external customer facing role I can see that.. I'm sure though you have a lot of back-office people who could probably work remotely, possibly servicing numerous hospital locations.

Well, sure there are. But for the hundreds of people needed at the hospital, daily, (which does include internal IT) getting in and out of DC and the surrounding areas is a nightmare. And that is just one hospital. Just using that as an example.