Older neighborhood along VRE route - Burke? (Arlington, Reston: home, neighborhoods)

[DC resident]

Hello All

You may have seen some of my earlier posts. Short story is the wife and I and 39 week old twins currently live in DC. We both work in DC. Now that we have kids we have started to think about the future and where we would like to live as a family. My current list of places to visit includes Arlington, City of Fall Church, Burke and Bethesda, MD (around the Carderock area). Arlington/Bethesda/City of Falls Church I am pretty sure we will like because they offer some walkability and older neighborhoods but I realize we may be able to get a little more in and around Burke and the VRE makes it commuter friendly. So I thought the family should take a road trip this weekend and check out Burke. Since we both would have to commute I would prefer to be accessible to the VRE. Are there any older parts near Burke? If I'm not mistaken I thought a few weeks ago the Examiner ran an article about an older area near Burke that has managed to maintain its older small town appeal, but it may have been further out. Please let me know your suggestions and places where I should take wife to help convince her Burke could be the right fit for us.

[car54]

There is a VRE station in Burke....Roberts Rd. They are building a new parking garage to greatly increase capacity. There really are no old parts of Burke that are still old...with the exception of the Silas Burke House. Burke is mainly a huge development called Burke Centre. It's very nice but typical suburbia....not really walkable.

Of the places you mentioned, I think Burke gives the most bang for the buck.

The place you mentioned reading about must be Clifton/Fairfax Station. It starts on the other side of Fairfax County Parkway/Ox Rd. This ia a VERY nice area...rural, but very close to VRE...huge lots (often 5+acres), lots of horses, winding country roads and pretty expensive. But again, not walkable.

The Town of Clifton is charming, but small. Definitely walkable. They have numerous events every year, like home tours, holiday events, etc. George Will and Nancy Reagan used to have lunch at a restaurant on Main Street.

Definitely worth a look-see.

[VRE332]

yea definately find a place near the VRE. You can save a lot of miles on your car and it's ultra convienent. I have been riding for a few years now.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Burke is a great area - no old areas - everything is fairly new - lots of parks, lakes and beautiful walking trail - most developments have their own parks and some have lakes. No downtown though.

[DC resident]

so there is nothing similar to a Reston Town Center type area in Burke?..not that Reston Town Center provide that’s old neighborhood charm, but it does add to the vibe and provide and outlet for some walkability.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

No Reston Town center type of thing in Burke - but Reston Town center is nothing like what a good ole homey downtown - it is more of a plastic yuppie overpriced type town center

Where I used to live up North mostly every town had a downtown....

[DC resident]

I guess I'm going to have to add Frederick, MD to my list of places to check-out and put a strike through Burke. I wonder why they designed it like that. You'd think they would have learned by now. Take Tysons for example, its number one flaw is it gets a 0 for walkability and pedestrian friendliness and that’s all people complain about. For all Tysons greatness it could have been even better if the urban planners had got it right. Burke is more recent and they should have caught on by its time.

[FindingZen]

I'd be a member of the choir you're preaching to in terms of walkable communities with vibrant downtowns. However, I'll also play devil's advocate and say that there are a number of people who prefer cul de sacs tucked away from the life essentials at strip malls.

I don't recall your other threads so I don't know where you and/or your wife will be working. That will play a monumental factor in your commute. But if you're willing to trek out to Frederick, you may also want to look at Loudoun County communities like Ashburn or South Riding. Others here can give you more detail on those towns. Also, giving a little love to the MD side, you might like the King Farm community in Rockville or even the Kentlands New Urbanist community.

Originally Posted by DC resident

I guess I'm going to have to add Frederick, MD to my list of places to check-out and put a strike through Burke. I wonder why they designed it like that. You'd think they would have learned by now. Take Tysons for example, its number one flaw is it gets a 0 for walkability and pedestrian friendliness and that’s all people complain about. For all Tysons greatness it could have been even better if the urban planners had got it right. Burke is more recent and they should have caught on by its time.

[LukePH]

Originally Posted by DC resident

Hello All

You may have seen some of my earlier posts. Short story is the wife and I and 39 week old twins currently live in DC. We both work in DC. Now that we have kids we have started to think about the future and where we would like to live as a family. My current list of places to visit includes Arlington, City of Fall Church, Burke and Bethesda, MD (around the Carderock area). Arlington/Bethesda/City of Falls Church I am pretty sure we will like because they offer some walkability and older neighborhoods but I realize we may be able to get a little more in and around Burke and the VRE makes it commuter friendly. So I thought the family should take a road trip this weekend and check out Burke. Since we both would have to commute I would prefer to be accessible to the VRE. Are there any older parts near Burke? If I'm not mistaken I thought a few weeks ago the Examiner ran an article about an older area near Burke that has managed to maintain its older small town appeal, but it may have been further out. Please let me know your suggestions and places where I should take wife to help convince her Burke could be the right fit for us.

I grew up in Burke...Burke Station Square is a great neighborhood with VRE. Located off of Rolling and Burke Rd