Where are Parker Gray and Arlandria??? (Arlington, Alexandria: condos, crime, houses)

[glasswalls00]

Hi. My husband and I are moving to the D.C metro area in October and trying to find a condo. We have heard some negative things about Parker Gray and Arlandria in Alexandria (we can't decide between Alexandria and Arlington). I'd be so appreciative if someone could tell me what streets are considered these areas. Do they fall into the 22314 area code? Or do they have a different one?
Also, are they're any streets near them that I should avoid?
Lastly, I have heard some negative things about places near Braddock Station. How bad is it? Safety is # for us.

Thanks!

[alexandrian]

Arlandria is along the northern part of Mount Vernon Ave. Parker-Gray is east of the Braddock Road metro stop, starting a couple blocks north of King St.

In terms of safety they are probably worse than some other parts of Alexandria, but not as bad as parts of DC where people move without a second thought these days.

[notinnj]

I will expand on alexandrian's reply. Parker Gray is basically north Old Town. It is bounded on the east by Washington St (some say Columbus St), on the north by of 1st and Montgomery streets, on the west by the tracks, and the south by Queen St. The condos right by Metro (Colecroft Station) are fine because you don't have to walk very far to get to the station. It's always busy there and appears to be safe. However I would not want to have to walk deeper in to Parker Gray if I didn't have to. It's not horrible but it may not be a comfortable walk after dark. Like alexandrian says, it isn't DC ghetto, but it does contain most of Alexandria's public housing and it has its issues.
I lived in the heart of Arlandria for two years. Generally it is everything north of Glebe Rd and south of Four Mile Run, which also is the Arlington County line. The main commercial strip is Mt Vernon Ave. I don't feel it is dangerous there but I would never recommend the neighborhood to anyone. We put up with a lot of what I would call nuisance crimes; public drunkeness, fighting, and lots of noise.

[notinnj]

Let me just add that Parker Gray is 22314 just like Old Town. Arlandria is 22305, but keep in mind that 22305 also includes the very affluent Beverly Hills neighborhood so you may get skewed crime statistics if you use zip code as your statistical basis.

[glasswalls00]

thanks guys! that was SUPER helpful :-)

[caution]

I live just on the other side of that area (over closer to the route 1 side) and drive Mt. Vernon Ave twice a day. Drive down Mt. Vernon (starting from Glebe) on a warm Friday afternoon. If what you see bothers you, don't move into the neighborhood.

It didn't bother me at all, but I do have a small school and half a block as a buffer between me and the subsidized housing.

Before, I lived on the other edge of that neighborhood, when they closed out the susidized housing in the apt. complex now known as The Park at Arlington Ridge. I had no problems, and at the time I think they called that area "little Salvador." (good food from the truck behind the Giant, BTW)

In this area, we have 700K condos right next to old shotgun houses and subsidized renters. It's not like more provisioned areas of NOVA.