New to DC: Is Bethesda *too* safe? (Silver Spring, Rockville: home, income)

[Tiger108]

We bought a house in Silver Spring years ago (since moved). Could not have afforded Bethesda, or west Montgomery County in general. Keep in mind Silver Spring is not a city, but a large part of eastern Montgomery County, with a very wide range of income levels, types of homes, prices of homes, etc. I lived in SS twice: once, in a small, older townhouse on East-West Highway, and one about a mile east of the Glenmont Metro station. Very different areas.

[Kthnry]

I'm also surprised to hear that SS was more expensive than Bethesda. I wonder if the apartments you were comparing were truly similar. For example, maybe the apartment in SS was modern and right on top of the metro, while the apartment in Bethesda was older and a mile walk to the metro station.

I do think you'd feel more at home in SS. Keep looking for housing there.

[062322]

Bethesda isn't a very diverse community in regards to ethnicity and race, its prominently white upper class. That alone could be a reason you are profiled and harassed, simply because you look out of place in MCPD's and some of your potential neighbors eyes. I have no definitive answers for the rest of your questions but good luck.

Originally Posted by bufflove

That's odd the Bethesda unit would be cheaper than a comparable Silver Spring unit. Must be a funky situation since it's effectively always the other way around.

Yes, this is shocking.

[swishplace]

Originally Posted by superseiyan

Bethesda is ok. Silver Spring and DC are close enough whenever you want something more lively. Yes it's mostly white and rich but the flip-side is that its a well traveled crowd so they are not uncomfortable around non-whites, Captain was right to say that the snobby aspect is overstated.

Bottom-line is for your day-to-day needs, you won't find a more walkable area in the Maryland suburbs, and overall it's hard to beat the convenience of the location even for driving . I say if you have the opportunity to live there on the relatively cheap take it and at least give it a trial!!

The reason I like Bethesda is because it works on the day-to-day level. I never lived there just because it has bars and some nightlife. If I want that I'm usually open to go anywhere. What I loved about it is that I could walk to the metro, grocery stores, library, BCC high school track to run around on, the Capital Crescent trail, restaurants, numerous takeout joints, bagel shop, italian deli, farmer's market, parks to play basketball, etc. It was a solid lifestyle. That said, I do agree that socially it can be better for a young professional. You will see soccer moms, older couples, and teenagers as well. It's not a place I would recommend if you're looking for a U Street or Adam's Morgan's clone or even Arlington for that matter. It's a place I would recommend if you want convenience.

[jauburn]

>>'m wondering if the town has any edge or authenticity<<

Edge or authenticity? What a ridiculous notion it is to pair authenticity with "edge," by which I presume you mean an air of danger. How sad that "authentic" has come to mean "dangerous." Is this just an American thing. Good god, there are tons of "authentic" places in Europe that are not the least bit dangerous or "edgy."

Give me those any day. You can keep the edge.

[jauburn]

Originally Posted by bufflove

In sum, yep, most of Bethesda has effectively zero "edge" to it. However, the northern part of Bethesda called Woodmont Triangle is definitely going to be your scene more so than the central "Bethesda Row" area. Woodmont Triangle is older, not as polished, still has *relatively* affordable rents so you have some unique restaurants still instead of just chains/higher end restaurants. The neighborhood is being redeveloped with "luxury" highrises so that last bit of grit will be wiped away in the coming years, but for now there's still some places to enjoy there.

I agree with this assessment of Woodmont vs. the newish Bethesda Row area, which makes me want leave quickly every time I go there: too many people, too plastic, too many chains, all of the authenticity of big American capitalists attempting to create a place with European flair out of thin air. It can't be done. The great, peaceful, character-filled towns of the world are chock-full of mom-and-pop stores and restaurants. No chains, no "gotta be seen" feeling that can appeal only to the spiritually vapid.

Sadly, Woodmont is headed in the same direction. Some of Bethesda's all-time best restaurants are located in this area, and sadly a good number of them are now gone. I'm thinking foremost of the Athenian Plaka Greek restaurant that used to be on Woodmont, but there are plenty of others, as well. Thank goodness Positano's is still around.

But the new, exorbitantly priced condos in the big buildings recently erected in the Woodmont area have spoken. The old, charming Bethesda is going away, and fast. Another 5 years, I think, and both halves of Bethesda will be worth fleeing.

[DistrictSonic]

Originally Posted by Tiger108

We bought a house in Silver Spring years ago (since moved). Could not have afforded Bethesda, or west Montgomery County in general. Keep in mind Silver Spring is not a city, but a large part of eastern Montgomery County, with a very wide range of income levels, types of homes, prices of homes, etc. I lived in SS twice: once, in a small, older townhouse on East-West Highway, and one about a mile east of the Glenmont Metro station. Very different areas.

There are some of us that do not consider the wider part of eastern montgomery county AS silver spring, and only consider the smaller census designated place as silver spring. Which is the historic border of the community. If you are living in the eastern part of montgomery county far outside the beltway and not in the census designated, ie the postal address part, but NOT census designated place, part of silver spring, you are living in wheaton, glenmont, or some place else. My hope is Silver Spring does incorporate, and it only covers the census designated place. So it put's an end to the "where the hell am I" Silver Spring issue. There is only one silver spring in my mind, and it's the census designate place, not the wide area of eastern montgomery county that the lazy postal service likes to call Silver Spring. If you are outside the beltway, you are probably not actually in Silver Spring. Alexandria, VA has this same issue, but at least the city incorporated, so you can tell people living far outside the city borders they are living in unincorporated Fairfax county, not Alexandria. This is a big problem with the postal service in the area.

[jauburn]

Originally Posted by DistrictSonic

There are some of us that do not consider the wider part of eastern montgomery county AS silver spring, and only consider the smaller census designated place as silver spring. Which is the historic border of the community. If you are living in the eastern part of montgomery county far outside the beltway and not in the census designated, ie the postal address part, but NOT census designated place, part of silver spring, you are living in wheaton, glenmont, or some place else. My hope is Silver Spring does incorporate, and it only covers the census designated place. So it put's an end to the "where the hell am I" Silver Spring issue. There is only one silver spring in my mind, and it's the census designate place, not the wide area of eastern montgomery county that the lazy postal service likes to call Silver Spring. If you are outside the beltway, you are probably not actually in Silver Spring. Alexandria, VA has this same issue, but at least the city incorporated, so you can tell people living far outside the city borders they are living in unincorporated Fairfax county, not Alexandria. This is a big problem with the postal service in the area.

Man, I must have missed the good areas of Silver Spring. I have hated every inch that I've seen. An uglier place (close to the beltway) I have scarcely seen anywhere, and the newish city part of Silver Spring has all the charm of any old street in DC. Again, though, I must not have seen what's supposed to be good or nice about Silver Spring. And I don't for the life of me understand property values there.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by jauburn

>>'m wondering if the town has any edge or authenticity<<

Edge or authenticity? What a ridiculous notion it is to pair authenticity with "edge," by which I presume you mean an air of danger. How sad that "authentic" has come to mean "dangerous." Is this just an American thing. Good god, there are tons of "authentic" places in Europe that are not the least bit dangerous or "edgy."

Give me those any day. You can keep the edge.

I don't believe OP means "dangerous" when talking about "edge." Who would want to live somewhere dangerous? You say in your next post exactly what OP was saying, I believe, in that large parts of Bethesda are so polished and pre-planned that it's stepford wife-esque. You citing Europe is interesting, as I'd think a Lisbon or a Rome is exactly what OP means by "edge" - it's a little rough around the edges, but in a charming, authentic and unique way. Not that it's dangerous, it's just not scrubbed/manicured/generic like parts of Bethesda.

[Mos82]

For the most part you should be fine especially if your close to the metro. But you also may find that the "white liberals" in that area are aren't as liberal as they assume to be.