New to the Strasburg area (Manassas, Leesburg: to rent, house, pharmacy)

[rison123]

My wife and I are being relocated to the Strasburg, VA area. There is a new paper plant being built (Solaris paper) We currently live in southern California and am looking forward to getiing outta Socal (traffic, overcrowding, lotsa problems)

The plant will be in Strasburg, and were not sure where we will roost ultimately. Any ideas, or recommendation of where to live.....or more importantly where NOT to live.

We are both in our fifties, without chidren. We would like to rent a house for starts. Any tips would be appreciated

Regards,
rison

[Rhett_Butler]

Wow, yeah this is going to be a change for you all for sure...

I personally love Strasburg, but there are plenty of nice towns around to live in...

What do you think you'd like in a town? Anything around here is going to be different from where you are now...

[rison123]

Rhett_Butler

While we realize the change in enviroment will be extreme, we are looking forward to, and embracing it. SoCal is sooooo over crowded and driving is just impossible. I'm originally from a small town in Indiana, so ths will not be a pure culture shock.

We are looking for a rural setting - possibly renting a farm house type situation. As far as what we want in a town. Just basic ammenities, decent grocery store, pharmacy, maybe a blockbusters. We're not fussy. I do realize if we choose to stay in Strasburg, we will need to drive some distance to the "Big Box" stores, that ok. We are more concerned with picking a good, safe location.

rison

[WillV]

Given that you are from such an urban area, you might find the adjustment a bit easier if you lived in Winchester, not that the Winchester area is an megapolis by any stretch of the imagination Still, Winchester is one of my favorite small cities in Virginia. Can't say too much about Strasburg, except it does indeed have a nice downtown area...good luck.

[bimori]

oh wow just saw this thread...my wife could also be potentially working for the same company....is a commute from the surburbs of dc/md to strasburg feasible??? How big is strasburg???

[ateo]

You seem lost so I'm gonna break it down for you.

Basically you have D.C. and a massive cancer upon the Earth and human spirit that surrounds it for 50 miles in every direction.

These are called suburbs.

Once you get past Dulles International Airport to the West of D.C. the cancer essentially stops because the massive amount of air traffic makes most of that area unfit for human life.

To the South, down I-95 you have what has to be the worst traffic in America. Even on a weekend it is not uncommon to be stuck driving 20 miles per hour stop and go for the 50 miles closest to D.C.

In either direction.

I have recently taken up hiking as a hobby and I was out towards Shenandoah National Park a few times in the past month to include Front Royal. Strasburg is even further than that.

It's night and day. Strasburg is NOTHING like the D.C. suburbs in Northern Virginia. Nothing.

It's incredibly beautiful out there though. Nothing like this diseased yuppie and gang banger filled D.C. megalopolis (Bos-Wash or Boshington if you like).

I know you look at a map and think, "well Strasburg is only 60 miles from D.C., that's not very far." In reality that's a 2.5 hour commute each way if you're driving to/from D.C. during rush hour (in reality rush hour here runs from 5:30 am to 9:30 am and 3 PM to 7 PM).

Far as I'm concerned the outer suburbs of D.C. beyond which you are no longer in the D.C. area are: Manassas, Centerville, and Ashburn.

[Rhett_Butler]

LOL ateo... That's about right. Only I'd extend the blight out to around Gainesville and Leesburg...

[maffiez]

The only place I would avoid would be Front Royal. Stephens City and Middletown are nice. We've lived in Middletown for almost 10 years now and I'd hate to live anywhere else. Except for the Outer Banks of NC!

[Bonedaddy]

The wife and I are also looking at a house in Strasburg. We now live in So. Maryland, St. Marys County. I work in and around DC so a 2 hr drive is nothing new to me.
My questions are, Where is the paper plant being built?
Is it a manufacturing plant?
Pulp wood?
Dont know if any of yall have ever "smelled" a pulpwood plant but I dont want to live anywhere down wind of one of those, well unless you tie a skunk around your neck to kill the smell I guess its ok.

[rison123]

Originally Posted by Bonedaddy

The wife and I are also looking at a house in Strasburg. We now live in So. Maryland, St. Marys County. I work in and around DC so a 2 hr drive is nothing new to me.
My questions are, Where is the paper plant being built?
Is it a manufacturing plant?
Pulp wood?
Dont know if any of yall have ever "smelled" a pulpwood plant but I dont want to live anywhere down wind of one of those, well unless you tie a skunk around your neck to kill the smell I guess its ok.

The Mercury paper plant is located just outside of Strasburg on Radio Station Rd. It is not a paper mill (No Smell). It is a convertor of finished rolls. Big rolls come in and little rolls of TP, Paper towels go out.

Rison123
Inventory Control Manager - Mercury Paper