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I'm going to be moving from NYC to DC in the fall to start a doctoral program. I am in my late twenties and I will be moving to the city alone. I went to visit the area last weekend, and looked at apartments in Dupont circle and Clarendon, but felt really out of place since everything was so residential. Frankly, coming from NYC, the deserted streets in the evenings made me nervous. I then visited Chinatown and found an amazing luxury building on 5th and H. I loved the area as it was bustling at all hours and reminded me of home. However, there are various homeless shelters in the area and it seems that if you go beyond Mass (where the building is) the area gets very gritty. Not to mention I keep hearing about crime in the city...and it began to make me nervous. I was born and raised in NYC so it's not like I just fell off the turnip truck, but in 28 years in NYC I've never had any trouble with crime. I can't tell you how much I would appreciate some advice. Is this area OK for a single female? The building has a doorman, and the area seems to be up and coming, but I don't want to be making a mistake since I really don't know the city at all.
Thank you all SO much.
Hi, welcome (in advance) to the area! Sorry to hear you're feeling nervous. It's understandable. Keep in mind the same rules of common sense and safety apply in DC.
Unfortunately, in NYC you're accustomed to more mixed use neighborhoods which probably contributes to that sense of security. In the 1960s-1970s, DC neglected much of its inner-city, concentrating instead on building up a downtown office ghetto (kinda like Wall St.).
The good news is that some neighborhoods which were once thriving commercial districts have been coming back to life. Don't be fooled by tourist and convention bustle on the weekends, as opposed to residential bustle on a daily basis.
Take a look at what's called the U St. Corridor not far from Howard University. Logan Circle is another. I liked Dupont Circle/Adams Morgan when I lived there but it's hugely expensive now and very much a party scene for weekend tourists. I know people who love living on Capitol Hill, but coming from NYC, that may not have the urban feel you're hoping for. I don't think any neighborhood will.
A community newspaper called The InTowner (The InTowner Newspaper) has a good website with lots of neighborhood links (blogs, ward council websites, etc.). The site for the Hill Rag and DC North, 2 more neighborhood rags is <http://www.capitalcommunitynews.com/>. The Washington City Paper is another good source and has apartment listings. Craigslist is another good source of apt listings.
Also, Wikipedia has a pretty thorough assortment of neighborhood descriptions for DC and external links there might be helpful as well.
You don't say where you'll be studying, but the neighborhoods closest to your campus (if there's a campus) may have that busy-ness you want.
How do you plan to get around? -- Metro is pretty good, but it doesn't run 24-7. Never count on being able to take a cab anywhere. DC's the only place I've ever gone where the cabs refuse to take you places -- fare too small; too few people; doesn't know how to get to the destination; it's in MD; it's in VA; etc.
Some things to bring from home:
-- bagels; corned beef hash; WNET; Brooklyn
The area around there is revitalizing and only getting safer and I would venture to say that the nearby grit will be cleaned up in a few years. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if a good number of those gritty row homes are currently inhabited by yuppies who plopped down 800K for them and are starting to make cosmetic improvements. This is a very central location in DC and as such has become increasingly appealing to residents. I wouldn't worry all too much about homeless shelters nearby. You will of course always have to be mindful of your surroundings both in your building and on the street and use general city common sense (i.e. leaving your doors locked, avoiding ATMs at night if you can, staying in well-lit areas at night, not taking short cuts through dark alleyways or parks, etc.), but in general this is a safe-ish area of the city. Your New York street smarts should keep you plenty safe.
THANK YOU!
I feel way better after reading your responses.
Terryandtouey, I plan on getting around via the metro. My school is off of the Foggy Bottom station, and when I took the 4 stop ride including one transfer it seemed really reasonable (my commute now is 45 min, so maybe anything would seem reasonable!). I figure that a lot is going on in the Chinatown area, so if I were to go out at night, I could stay local. My only other option would be to live in the foggy bottom/dupont circle area where I could walk to school--but honestly the walk is at least 10 minutes and it felt pretty deserted at night. Plus, since it's a doctoral program, I'll be doing internships which could be located anywhere, so it's kind of hard to determine where I'll be. I had no idea taxi's might be a problem! I figured if I was at school late, I could take a cab home. If that's not an option I'm a bit worried about what to do in that situation!
One suggestion if you want to check out recent crime in the area is to go to the Washington Post online, Metro, Crime Report. You can input the zip code and it will show all recent crime geographically with dates and time.
The cab comment is true. Unless things have changed in recent years, if you traveling within the district, your only options are DC cabs. VA and MD cabs won't be able to take you from one location to another within the district.
Last edited by mlv311; 06-06-2007 at 11:39 AM..
Reason: clarification
Ahhh, NYC and DC... I was born and raised in NYC, which inspired all sorts of comparisons when I moved down here 7 years ago in my late 20's. WHY does the subway stop running at night? What do you mean I can't get [insert item here] now? It's only 3 AM! What the hell is a zone map? But... slowly... DC has grown on me. Much like a fungus. In fact, I frequently find myself defending the District these days. Except for the zone system. It has to go.
There's less here in terms of fully integrated (residential, commercial, entertainment) neighborhoods, so what you choose will depend on your priorities. Adams Morgan was the center of nightlife but in recent years, other areas have grown a little more lively. H Street NE is one of the newest hipster hang-outs, but realistically, still suffers from a high crime rate. Gallery Place sometimes seems a little tourist and chain heavy but has a perfect (walkable) commute to downtown. If you’re looking for a short trip to GW, you may want to check out areas of the Hill near Capitol South and Eastern Market. In fact, after taste testing a variety of neighborhoods, I landed here and stayed, in part because I felt comfortable going for a run at night. But you won’t find high rises on the Hill as housing consists mostly of pre-war townhouses, a few apartment buildings and the odd old school converted to lofts, and nightlife is limited to a fair selection of local bars and restaurants.
Speaking of restaurants, hard to find a good meal on the cheap around here… I had to learn how to use a kitchen.
Posted by DC Native
"Thankfully, I got a part time job in Frederick, MD... very different from DC."[/quote]
I say Beat-it out to Frederick then. If you like Frederick you might also try some of the cookie-cutter neighborhoods adjacent to a strip mall located in the Midwest.
Posted by DC Native
"Thankfully, I got a part time job in Frederick, MD... very different from DC."
I say Beat-it out to Frederick then. If you like Frederick you might also try some of the cookie-cutter neighborhoods adjacent to a strip mall located in the Midwest.
That's precisely the attitude that many DC residents have, and I don't like.
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