POLL: Are You Happy Living in NoVA? (Arlington, Alexandria: high school, camp)

[irvine]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Today I took some of your advice to heart, skipped church (oh my!), and did some soul-searching. First off I walked the Difficult Run Trail through Great Falls to where it meets the Potomac River, snapped some photos, and just stood and marveled at the breathtaking scenery around me for a while (minus the trash, of course). Next, just for kicks, I took a brief "joy-ride" down Kirby Road (a.k.a. the "roller coaster") in McLean before turning around and heading back to Route 123. I crossed over the Chain Bridge into NW DC and then drove back up the I-495 to Bethesda. After exploring Bethesda I can safely say that this is what Reston SHOULD be. From here I headed down to Arlington and drove from Ballston through Court House, Clarendon, and on into Rosslyn and nearly teared up by how happy I was. There was mass transit. There were packed sidewalk cafes (not to mention SIDEWALKS!). There were younger people EVERYWHERE. On the way home I drove through Falls Church and finally looked at the city with a whole new light. I was intrigued by an advertisement I received about "The Spectrum at Falls Church," a new apartment complex in the city, and now I can easily see myself living there in a couple of years.

All in all NoVA isn't really a bad area. I just happened to locate myself in a really undesirable part of it for people that don't like suburban living with needing your car to be chained to your hip. This was really outside of my control though. My job WAS in Herndon, and I didn't want to be driving back-and-forth all the time between, per se, Court House and Herndon in the God awful traffic congestion down here, hence why I settled on Reston. Now that my job is in Tyson's Corner I could realistically move to a place like Falls Church or Arlington and Metro commute there in a couple of years when the Silver Line is completed.

I suppose I just wish Reston was better-oriented towards those who sought urban living, but I'm asking too much.

A-town is a fine place, and close to DC. You'll find yourself in DC a lot more if you move closer in. Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park (one of the country's most beautiful urban, forested parks) is closed to vehicular traffic on weekends and holidays--a great place for jogging, cycling. C&O towpath is a similarly popular recreational trail. And you will need to check out the Potomac Heritage Trail, which runs west along the Potomac River from Rosslyn.

In a few years, streetcars (like those in Philadelphia) may be running along Columbia Pike in South Arlington. Lots of new urban infill development/redevelopment along the eastern portions of the pike are making it interesting. And apts Southside are generally cheaper than those in N Arlington.

Unfortunately, It will be very difficult for Reston to achieve the urban density and character of the established neighborhoods that comprise Bethesda. Bethesda, like other close-in suburbs are organic extensions of the urban/suburban typologies of DC.

[EuroExpat]

Voted "yes". Loved it first when we moved from CA to Leesburg. After our move to Ashburn hated it for about a year and a half and now absolutely love it. Wouldn't wanna move.

[Artsywoman]

Nova is a great area with so much culture and a lot to do. You really appreciate it after you live somewhere else for awhile, for me that was Tampa.

[cm143]

How would you describe Arlington vs. Fall Church? And, how do the following towns differ; Arlington, Clarendon, Court House, Ballston, and Rosslyn? How would you describe their character?

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by cm143

How would you describe Arlington vs. Fall Church? And, how do the following towns differ; Arlington, Clarendon, Court House, Ballston, and Rosslyn? How would you describe their character?

Clarendon, Court House, Ballston, and Rosslyn are all adjacent neighborhoods within Arlington, which is arguably the most desirable NoVA suburb of DC. Those four neighborhoods are all aligned as a straight shot along the Metro's Orange Line and are all rather "hip" in nature with a lot of younger professionals with plenty of discretionary income (think Starbuck's, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Apple, BMWs, etc.) There are plenty of bars and ample nightlife opportunities, and cool parts of DC are only 10-15 minutes away. Character? Undoubtedly "busy", vibrant, and convenient (and EXPENSIVE) to say the least.

Falls Church is an independent small town of around 12,000 or so if I'm not mistaken wedged between Arlington and Tyson's Corner. There are two Metro stations just outside of the city limits that provide commuting ease. The downtown isn't exactly "quaint" with its congested traffic and gap-toothed facades (some of which are strip mall-like in nature), but the residential neighborhoods are quite alluring, and as more mixed-use developments come in the downtown should improve. In lieu of Arlington I'm also considering The Spectrum at Falls Church in a couple of years when my income level improves.

[cm143]

Thanks, ScranBarre! Great descriptions!

Yeah, I'm not so sure that the "Orange Line Corridor" is for me. Are there any independently-owned/small businesses in these areas? Or, is it more like an upscale outdoor mall?

When is this SILVER metro line supposed to happen? Will Reston be the last stop?

I am intrigued by Falls Church.

By the way, I asked similar questions in another post...please disregard, since you already helped me out .

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by cm143

Thanks, ScranBarre! Great descriptions!

Yeah, I'm not so sure that the "Orange Line Corridor" is for me. Are there any independently-owned/small businesses in these areas? Or, is it more like an upscale outdoor mall?

When is this SILVER metro line supposed to happen? Will Reston be the last stop?

I am intrigued by Falls Church.

By the way, I asked similar questions in another post...please disregard, since you already helped me out .

The Ballston-Rosslyn area (Orange Line Corridor) of Arlington is really a mixed bag. There are a fairly large number of somewhat upscale chains (Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods, Pottery Barn, Starbuck's, Clyde's, etc.) along with some independent merchants/restaurants. Most of the businesses line Wilson Boulevard or Clarendon Boulevard. Ballston has a small shopping mall, which I believe has a Macy's. It definitely has a very "yuppie" vibe to it, so if that's not your thing, then you may not be happy in that area. There are some quieter areas of Arlington though. Crystal City/Pentagon City in East Arlington have Metro accessibility and are less unabashedly "flashy" than a lot of the Orange Line Corridor in North Arlington, and then in South Arlington you also have Shirlington Village, which, while not being serviced by Metro, continues to evolve into a full-fledged neighborhood in its own right.

The Silver Line is under construction right now. It will jut off the Orange Line near the East Falls Church station, run through Tyson's Corner, and then follow the median of the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) through Reston and on out into Loudoun County. There will be two stations in Reston---one along Wiehle Avenue and one along Reston Parkway near Reston Town Center. A timetable is more difficult to pinpoint, but I'd say 2013 might be a good guess. I believe the last stop will be in Sterling (I know Herndon will have a stop or two). I'm personally excited about this because if I choose to stay where I'm living I can walk to a Metro station and take the train to work---there will be a station literally right in front of my office building! This line is LONG overdue, as evidenced by the heavy traffic on many roads between Loudoun County and the District (even though many disagree with me, but tough cookies!)

Falls Church is worth checking out. Broad Street (Route 7), which is the main east/west thoroughfare through town, is very congested, especially at rush-hour, and it is VERY unpleasant to try to turn left out of business parking lots. There are a lot of independent businesses in and around town, and you're still only a 10-minute drive or less to either Tyson's Corner to your west (major shopping malls/major employers) or Arlington to your East. The residential areas of town are generally quite nice.

Reston isn't exactly my cup of tea because the closest thing we have to urban is our "aging hipster/yuppie wonderland" town center, but this may also change with the new Metro stations as more transit-oriented development comes in, and our present population of 65,000 skyrockets closer to 100,000.

[irvine]

Some Clarendon notes:

Most of the restaurants and bars are local and independently owned. There are also smaller independent retailers, mixed among the more upscale common chain stores. A new locally owned coffee shop will open in the old Clarendon Citizens Hall building soon (it's the old Murky Coffee location).

Some of the businesses have survived from the old Clarendon of the 1940s-70s: Public Shoe Store and Marios Pizza are two that come to mind. And Nam Viet is a popular Vietnamese restaurant that has been a fixture in the neighborhood for decades.

Clarendon, is one of the few areas in Arlington County that still has a significant number of historic, early 20th century commercial buildings. The old streamline moderne Sears & Roebuck building was unfortunately altered by a misguided exterior renovation in the 90s, but the Whole Foods across the street echoes the architecture of the old dept store (pre-facelift).

Clarendon has its roots as a streetcar suburb, which then grew into the de facto downtown shopping destination for Northern Virginia--until the late 60s (when Tyson's Corner Center and other malls were built). The nearby residential neighborhoods of Lyon Village, Lyon Park, and Ashton Heights are among the oldest in Arlington.

[irvine]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Reston isn't exactly my cup of tea because the closest thing we have to urban is our "aging hipster/yuppie wonderland" town center, but this may also change with the new Metro stations as more transit-oriented development comes in, and our present population of 65,000 skyrockets closer to 100,000.

It's a shame the planned silver line wasn't routed through Reston Town Center. But hopefully decent pedestrian connections to the areas of density will be developed.

I believe initial plans called for the rail line to meander through Reston, not unlike the route through Tysons.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by irvine

It's a shame the planned silver line wasn't routed through Reston Town Center. But hopefully decent pedestrian connections to the areas of density will be developed.

I believe initial plans called for the rail line to meander through Reston, not unlike the route through Tysons.

That would have been an ideal situation. I still can't believe they're not putting a Metro station IN Reston Town Center, but I'm still only going to be a 10-minute walk away from my present location.