Northern Virginia has gone downhill in the last 20 years (Hampton: mortgage, debt)

[saganista]

Yeah...like there's nothing to do here. We'd be much better off sitting by some lake in the middle of some woods next to some mountain in some god-forsaken part of North Carolina. Wouldn't that be the life...

[car54]

Originally Posted by El General

It's ironic that it was a much nicer place to raise a family, when homes were 35K. I left in 1989, came back a couple of years ago, and boy have things rally slipped. I have never witness such a rapid decline in real estate prices--for obvious reasons. If the Federal Government weren't here propping up the economy, I think many areas would be like a cold day in Rawanda; with much higher taxes. I know some retirees that still live here, and don't need to work. My thoughts are: you all must really have your heads up your arses if you think this is a good area to be retired.

Nope don't need a job even a little bit, but I guess my head is up my arse...things definitely have gone downhill, but this is still home.

I was born at the Old Alexandria Hospital (Duke & Washington Sts)....there was no hospital in Fairfax County at the time. There was no Beltway...no I-66...freight trains used to cross Shirley Highway (I-395 now) near Glebe Rd. Columbia Pike was 2 lanes, as was Leesburg Pike at Bailey's Crossroads...just stop signs...not even a traffic light at that intersection. No major shopping centers except 7-Corners and Parkington (Ballston now)...but everybody went to F Street NW at Christmas to see department store windows (all gone now). Where Loehmann's Plaza is today, was a general aviation airport where I earned my pilot's license at age 17....there was another airport where Skyline Towers is now and another on Rt 1 at Hybla Valley...almost crashed a rented Mooney there once. Annandale was considered the OUTER suburbs in those days...most folks lived in Arlington and Alexandria City.

Ted Britt Ford (then Texas Ted Britt Ford) took livestock in trade and had a pen out in gront of the dealership...Tyson's Corner was a General Store at the sleepy intersection of Rt 7 & 123 with dairy farms as far as the eye could see....Dulles Airport was proposed to be built where Burke Centre is now. I remember the 20th anniversary celebration of the Fairfax County Police Department....and ALL fire companies were volunteers.

I could go on...but you get the idea...this is home, as bad as it's gotten, it's still home. Don't feel too sorry for me though...we spend about half the year at our beach house at Duck, NC....that place has gone downhill too with the crowds...but I love the look I get when I tell people that my dad bought the place in 1960....5 acres of oceanfront...for 30 grand...LOL

[normie]

Funny how different people see things in a different way. And it's funny how things rae different depending on which part of Northern VA you live in.

IMO, things have definitely IMPROVED since we moved here. I live in Eastern Loudoun County, and just for the record there are many people who live here who like the growth that has happened. Traffic may be "bad" now but I recall how really annoying it was before Fairfax County Parkway was completed. Or before they built the interchanges along Rt. 28 and Rt. 7.

I recall how annoying it was to have to drive to Fairfax (15-20 miles away) to get a decent dress or buy furniture. All we had locally was a Home Depot and it never had anything in stock until Lowes opened down the street. When we moved here, the only grocery store nearby was a Food Lion that sold disgusting produce... and then Wegman's opened and Trader Joes arrived and suddenly the grocery stores woke up and improved. Now we have a really good Bloom right at the end of my street. I have any store I could possibly want within a 2 mile radius.

I can ride my bike to many of them, because over the last 3 years an extensive trail and bike path system was built. When I moved here, you were taking your life in your hands to ride a bicycle on the streets. There were no sidewalks along Algonkian Parkway. There were frequent fatalities in front of NOVA because there was no place to walk and the parking lot was inadequate.

When I moved here, the libraries were small and people didn't use them that much. The new library system is incredible, and the series of communty rooms are constantly booked. All sorts of dynamic and useful community groups have sprouted because they now have free meeting facilities.

Schools, parks, and athletic fields are growing everywhere, and they are increasingly of a top notch quality. Check out the new community sports facility at Claude Moore Park. When I moved here, I mostly stayed indoors during the winter. Let's face it, you can only go sledding so much. But now I can work out, go swimming, go rock climbing, etc. etc. because of these new facilities. Reality it, people are out and about and exercising a lot more because they can do it inside on cold winter days. This is not just my opinion, this is a research study done by Loudoun Hospital.

Oh yes, that's another thing that's improved. The new hospitals and research centers are a huge improvement over what we had nearby when we moved here.

And you know, I get tired of all the complaints about the trees being cut down for all the developments. Yes, a lot of trees were cut down but plenty were planted, too. In time they will grow very tall, just like the trees that were there. IMO, they will be better than the old trees in many ways. Most of the old trees were Beech trees that kept becoming disease ridden, scraggly, and falling over. Now we have maples, pines, ginkos, and magnolias. They seem stronger, healthier, and--yes--more attractive. I like that we have plenty of native growth forsets (especially along the Potomac) but I also think the city planners have done a fine job planting good trees for our area. Driving along the parkways in the last few months, I have to salute Loudoun for having spectacular fall colors.

[The_Fairfaxian]

It's amazing how people can complain about the "crap" that Northern Virginia has.

In my opinion, yes, NoVA has major issues with traffic (like every other region that is prosperous), but there are alternatives, like taking the subway into DC (if you aren't too snooty, that is). And FYI, there are parking lots at nearly all of the suburban stations.

As for natural beauty and aesthetics, there have been many trees that were probably cut down. But there has been as much trees that were replanted as well. And trust me when I say that there are places that have had it worse.

As for the rudeness of Northern Virginians, which is mainly on the road during rush hour, this is a national epidemic, even in some of the least populated areas. As for people being rude and standoffish in their attitudes, this may apply to some of the yuppies in Arlington (that are probably transplants from other parts of the country) and the wannabe gangsters around Alexandria and Hybla Valley, but the general sentiment in NoVA is actually one of respect and generosity. You want to see rudeness, go to DC suburbs of Maryland. Spending an hour in that place (in either county) will make one appreciate living in Northern Virginia.

[nitrovic]

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

It's amazing how people can complain about the "crap" that Northern Virginia has.

In my opinion, yes, NoVA has major issues with traffic (like every other region that is prosperous), but there are alternatives, like taking the subway into DC (if you aren't too snooty, that is). And FYI, there are parking lots at nearly all of the suburban stations.

As for natural beauty and aesthetics, there have been many trees that were probably cut down. But there has been as much trees that were replanted as well. And trust me when I say that there are places that have had it worse.

Actually, there aren't many places in the US that are just as bad traffic wise. Northern Va. is consistently in the top 5 worst traffic areas in the USA. A lot of people have to live so far out there aren't any subway stations, i don't think it has anything to do with being snooty (although they are a bunch of them here as well .

[lchoro]

The impact of the subway stations will be limited. They're going to be spaced so far apart from another that most people will have to drive or take the bus to use one. The region has been thoroughly messed up by not focusing on maximizing the densities closer in where there was a mature subway and bus system. Now that the green buffers are mostly filled in for 40 miles out from the District, they have no choice but to build out the subway system following the major highway routes where most planners have placed low-rise offices and where relatively few residents live within walking distance.

[El General]

I know there are height restrictions in DC, but what does the rest of the area have against skyscrapers? You know, like they have in Taipae, Tokyo, Kuala Lamphur, Bejing, and Dubai? Nothing like having a few cocktails up on the 75th floor, watching the sun set.

[nitrovic]

Yep, dale city is still an S@#$ Hole. This was in today's paper-




__________________________________________________ ______________
The Prince William County Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred at approximately 2:31 a.m. Saturday in Dale City, according to Erika Hernandez, police public information officer.
A 30-year-old man, who police say is from Dale City, was pronounced dead in front of a house located in the 14300 block of Southgate Court.

The motive for the shooting is under investigation and no arrests have been made as of press time.

Police will not release the identification of the victim pending notification of next of kin, Hernandez said.

[Fairfax Mom]

I got news for you - wherever the jobs are there is traffic, rudeness and sprawl. I would love to live out in the middle of nowhere -

[stacylee926]

It is all about attitude in NoVa (and the horrible traffic of course).

I had lived in NoVa for 41 years before I moved 4 years ago. Weeks before I moved away, Hurricane Isabel came thru town. The main water facility lost power for something like 45 minutes. Well, that was enough time to make the water undrinkable until a million tests could be done to make sure it was safe. Remember????? My memory is foggy now, but it seems at least all of Fairfax County could not drink the water for several days.

Geez that was HUGE news. Take something away from the spoiled residents (sorry, it really was pathetic) that they take for granted and nobody could function. That really opened my eyes as to how hoity toity my neighbors and coworkers were. The DC area as a whole just assumed that whatever they wanted they could buy or get without a second thought.

3 weeks after that I moved to Hampton Roads (the house had been sold and this decision made months before) - where some places were without water and electricity for 10 days due to the same hurricane. I was so glad to leave that hustle and bustle of Nova - even though it was my home for all my life. I still visit, but cannot WAIT to leave that stress.