SW Waterfront - a safe neighborhood for a single woman? (Washington: apartments, lease)
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I will be moving to DC soon and I'm attracted to the SW waterfront area. It's really close to my work (at the Smithsonian), and it looks like there are quite a few decent 1br apartment options there in my price range (around $1500). Here's the thing: I'm a single woman, and I cherish a walking/biking lifestyle. In addition, I'm a bit of a nightowl. I like to go out at night (alone, at least initially, since I don't know anybody in the area), and I often work late. I'll also travel quite a bit and may have to leave home at the crack of dawn to make an early flight.
I have looked at crime statistics and police reports, and I got spooked a bit when I read about the recent murder just outside the Waterside Towers, an apartment building I was considering. I realize that it's a big city, and violent crime happens all over, but this particular incident gives me pause nevertheless. I would really like to hear from other single women who live in the SW waterfront area. Do you FEEL safe? Do you hesitate to go out alone at night? Are you uneasy walking home from the Metro after dark? Do you see other women out and about at all times of the day and night?
I would really like to hear from other single women who live in the SW waterfront area. Do you FEEL safe? Do you hesitate to go out alone at night? Are you uneasy walking home from the Metro after dark? Do you see other women out and about at all times of the day and night?
I understand where that would make you worry a little. As for me, I've always felt safe here, as has my roommate. My (single female) landlord lived here for 10 years without a problem before we moved in. In the winter, I have to walk home in the dark every day just because the sun sets so early, and I also take evening classes so I'm routinely walking home around 9:30. My roommate also often works late hours and comes home alone. Neither of us hesitate going out alone at night. The only thing I'm nervous about would be to walk home alone, late at night, after having a few drinks, but that's anywhere in the city, not just here. Often, if it's after midnight I spring for the cab (~$6 from the Chinatown/Gallery Place area), just for peace of mind. As far as seeing other women out and about, that's really the main downside of the area. After, say, 10pm it gets pretty quiet, and I've often walked home and been the only person on the street. It livens up a little in the summer, just from tourists and people staying out later in the warm weather. In the morning, I usually see a lot of women at 6am going to/from the gym.
Really, just use common sense and watch yourself a little bit. Things happen, but then again things happen everywhere (i.e. there were several shootings by my friends' apartments in Dupont last summer). I also love my community, since I have pretty active and friendly neighbors who take notice in the neighborhood (I'm over on G Street by 3rd). My impression is that along the waterfront itself (Water Street) it can be a little sketchy at night, but I've never had problems in walking around I, G, 7th, and 4th Streets.
I've been working at Ft. McNair for two years and on average 1 co-worker per year gets robbed on the way to the metro. It's always someone who stays until the building closes (not excessively late, but after dark) and during the late spring and/or summer. The 2 years prior two were robbed each year. And, no one has ever been injured. Not bad statistics considering how many people travel 4th street between Ft. McNair and the metro.
I just wouldn't want to be the one who gets "got".
EDIT: I'm sorry, I re-read your post and saw it was directed towards female respondents in particular. All of those robbed were male, feel free to ignore.
Thanks juniperbleu and DustyButt. Both your comments help. I just don't want to be stupid about this. When visiting cities I didn't know very well, I've sometimes wandered into a neighborhood where clearly no woman in her right mind would walk alone at night. I don't want to find myself in this situation every day after signing a one-year lease.
It's totally understandable, believe me. I did the same research when I first moved. I found the fact that my landlord had lived there for so long to be comforting, especially since DC wasn't so hot 10 years ago (or, so I'm told). There's definitely a visible police presence on the street (you'll see the cars regularly patrolling around), which helps too. You can check out Welcome To Southwest, Washington, DC, which has neighborhood info and links to blogs and such.
I think you would be fine in SWDC, but I would suggest sticking to a place near the metro if possible. I live in 1001 @ waterfront which would be in your price range and is a 3 minute walk to the metro. I see females walking alone all the time. I'm a paranoid gay man that wouldn't live somewhere sketchy and it's been fine here. Being near the water & mall is fantastic and I can't wait for the new retail to open next to the metro. The Safeway is terrible and I refuse to shop there but there is a nice Harris Teeter that's only an 8 minute drive.
How do you like that place norby? I've been looking at it since the rent is pretty good for a 2BR. The only reviews I could find were from before the renovations. At that time the reviewer didn't like it, but said that new management was coming in a doing much better, but it was still before all of the renovations were done.
Everyone has a very different definition of what "safe" means. If your budget is $1500 and you are going to be working at Smithsonian, I think there are some areas that may be a bit more established and have less personal safety concerns than SW Waterfront. Like I said though, everyone has different standards. For me, I always look to see if a neighborhood is totally safe even late at night. So Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Ballston, Cleveland Park, Woodley, Foggy Bottom -- all of those would be better than SW Waterfront in my view. That said, diff't strokes for diff't folks. I wouldn't worry a lot about the commute. From Foggy Bottom to Smithsonian is maybe 10-15 min by Metro. Cleveland Park is probably a bit more -- like 25 min at most.
I've looked at Foggy Bottom, but all the places in my price range seem to be inhabited mostly by GWU undergraduates. While I have nothing against undergraduates, I prefer to not live next door to a whole bunch of them. Currently, my top choices for a place to live are 1. the southeastern part of Capitol Hill, 2. Woodley Park, 3. SW Waterfront. I'll be in Washington next week to figure things out. Thanks everybody for your help!
Capitol Hill is a party scene, surprisingely enough. Woodley Park is very young professional friendly, with slightly lower rents. SW Waterfront is very sparsely populated. Granted the nightlife is good, but there's not many places to go grocery shopping, get dry cleaning done, quick restaurants, etc.
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