Apartments - Final decision (Arlington, Alexandria: rent, condo, crime)

[Bluenose81]

Hi all,

We are now set to head to the US from the U.K. in early December and need to make a final decision on area and apartments.

My husband will be working in Alexandria in the Carlyle area.

We want to be in a safe walkable area, with options for shops/restaurants nearby. Metro access essential.

We have narrowed down the following areas & apartments and wondered whether anyone had any experience in these apartments or feedback on the area. We have spent time in Alexandria old town/Del Rey area but not in Crystal city or Clarendon.

The Dalton - near Braddock Road Metro

Crystal Place - Crystal City

Crystal Square - Crystal City

1401 on Joyce Pentagon Row

The Clarendon - Clarendon

Thank you!

[Old Dominionite]

Given where your husband is working, and what you’re looking for in a neighborhood, I recommend staying in Alexandria.

[Bluenose81]

Thank you,

When we visited Alexandria recently, we didn’t really find any apartments that met what we were looking for size, price and facilities wise.

The Dalton ticket some of these boxes but not fully.

We are open to up to a 35/45min metro commute to King street if everything else is right.

[JavaJunkieDC]

Do you REALLY want to move to Crystal City (National Landing)? You're rent will be DOUBLE in about a year.

[Bluenose81]

Originally Posted by JavaJunkieDC

Do you REALLY want to move to Crystal City (National Landing)? You're rent will be DOUBLE in about a year.

It was more about the apartments, size wise we have found the ones here, the greatest SQFT within our budget.

Interested on your thoughts of the area though?

[slduvall]

I have only worked in Crystal City, but have multiple friends that chose to live there, to be able to walk to work. And much of that walking was in the tunnels to the offices and metro. The joke was they could go days without ever seeing daylight!

But I didn't see if you have kids, there is no way I would live there with kids. We used to call it Cement City for a reason.

And as mentioned the rents are going to sky rocket once Amazon moves in.

I would live in the Carlyle area, sacrificing sq footage for more green space and shorter commute.

[EmiSky]

If your husband will work in Alexandria why would your want to live in Crystal City? Although the areas may seem close on the map, during the rush hrs. your husband would be sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. I also agree with the two previous opinions that should you rent in Crystal City your rent will go up substantially after one yr. as there will be strong demand for apts. in that area. I work in Crystal City and I haven't heard anyone mention this but the airplane noise is terrible! Also, there are frequent cargo trains that go by and just adds to the terrible noise. I also read that Amazon will build a helipad and this reminded me of a time I lived in Pentagon City, in the 22202 zip code, and just about every morning helicopters would go by to the Pentagon, which is close by. The noise from the helicopters was so loud that our entire building would shake. My neighbor on the 4th floor would have to straighten out her pictures on the wall on daily basis as a result.

So I would definitely chose Alexandria, and if I could afford it, it would be Old Town. I would compromise on the square footage for a better location. The traffic will get much worse in the area so I would focus on getting a place close to work.

[boyd888]

Originally Posted by JavaJunkieDC

Do you REALLY want to move to Crystal City (National Landing)? You're rent will be DOUBLE in about a year.

No it won't. People need to stop acting like half a million people are moving to Crystal City with Amazon. The area is already close enough to DC and the best parts of northern VA that if it were *that* desirable people would already be clamming to live there. They don't because it's cement city, poor nightlife, and has constant DCA flights going over it.



OP if you are younger you may like Clarendon more. Older, Alexandria. Pentagon city would be #3 it's an ok location, but nothing special walkable. Crystal City would be last. The high rises you list are all more or less the same typical nova high rise nice, clean inside.... none of them are bad or poorly built.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by EmiSky

If your husband will work in Alexandria why would your want to live in Crystal City? Although the areas may seem close on the map, during the rush hrs. your husband would be sitting in bumper to bumper traffic.

Metrorail, Crystal City to King St. (or Eisenhower, depending on work location).

And biking from CC to Alexandria is also very easy, with the path going behind Potomac Yard shopping center, behind George Washington Middle School, then alongside Metro tracks to King St station and over to Carlyle. I used to bike from home in Alexandria (Rosemont) to work in CC before that path was even available. And if I didn't bike, I drove. It's not that bad, using Commonwealth (not Patrick and Henry Streets!)

[EmiSky]

Also, I forgot to mention, I think crime is higher in Arlington than Alexandria. Below is just one example of wheels stolen from parked cars. My car was broken into when I lived in Pentagon City yrs. ago and the stereo stolen. I looked recently at THs in that neighborhood and some of the THs, in the 22202 zip code, had bars on doors and windows. So I wouldn't feel safe living in that area, although long term I'm sure things will get better.

https://wtop.com/arlington/2018/08/i...ff-their-cars/

Lastly, my former co-worker, early 30s, lived in Crystal City and said she never went out in Crystal City because it was basically dead. She did like living in CC because it was a quick Uber ride to DC. She has since bought a condo somewhere else.