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I've been browsing this forum and it looks like you fine people might be able to offer me some good advice. I recently took a position at the Naval Research Lab (zip code: 20375) and my girlfriend took a position at the FDA in College Park, MD (zip code: 20740).
We are looking for a modern, fun, and safe apartment complex that would be somewhere with somewhat equal commutes for the both of us. Furthermore, since the FDA is on a metro line, we would like to find a place that is within walking distance to the metro.
We would like to keep the monthly rent below around $2300. Any suggestions?
Well both places are on the Green line, Naval Lab (Anacostia) and FDA (College Park). So I would look into something thats halfway between the two, Georgia Ave-Petworth, Columbia Heights or U street. You'll be able to find a good and safe apartment for the price you gave, maybe even less. Heres some just to put out there:
Correction -- the Naval Lab is not really "on the Green line" - it's about 4 miles from Anacostia station, and about 3 miles from Congress Heights station. From Anacostia station you can ride the connecting metrobus "route #A" to the corner of Martin Luther King Avenue S.W. and Chesapeake Street near the Lab entrance, however you may be uncomfortable going thru that neighborhood. Metro - Home page
Correction -- the Naval Lab is not really "on the Green line" - it's about 4 miles from Anacostia station, and about 3 miles from Congress Heights station. From Anacostia station you can ride the connecting metrobus "route #A" to the corner of Martin Luther King Avenue S.W. and Chesapeake Street near the Lab entrance, however you may be uncomfortable going thru that neighborhood. Metro - Home page
Correction -- The Naval Research Lab is 3.49 miles from Anacostia Station
and besides same difference, all he/she has to do is catch the A4 or A5 from Anacostia Station and it'll take him/her right to the facility. Hell there might even be a direct shuttle.
Well both places are on the Green line, Naval Lab (Anacostia) and FDA (College Park). So I would look into something thats halfway between the two, Georgia Ave-Petworth, Columbia Heights or U street. You'll be able to find a good and safe apartment for the price you gave, maybe even less. Heres some just to put out there:
You could live in one of the new buildings near the Navy Yard station near Nationals Park. That would shorten your commute, but lengthen your girlfriend's, and it's not as interesting of a neighborhood as Columbia Heights.
The problem is your work location. That said, I wouldn't use google maps to determine your commuting time. How long does WMATA (the transity authority) say it'll take to get to your office from the Columbia Heights Metro?
Columbia Heights and the rest on this list are crazy north of NRL. Google Maps says it'll be like over an hour commute.
Yeah, it would be a long commute from Coluimbia Heights or Petworth. From Columbia Heights, you'd have to fight traffic to get to the 9th Street Tunnel, which takes you to 295. That's not an easy feat. For a commute to College Park, I guess you'd cut over to North Capitol St, run that to New Hampshire, and then ride that out the rest of the way. Either way, that's a long, annoying commute.
Neither place is close to Metro. The College Park metro station is a hike from the campus and I'm just not a fan of taking a train and then a bus in one trip. So, I'd recommend someplace like those Camden apartments in Largo. You'd have to drive, but I don't think Metro's the best option anyway.
and that commute from Columbia Heights to College Park is short, and the FDA building is right across the street from college park station. as for the Naval Research lab, if driving, hit 14th street down to 395 then go on to south capitol then take 295, if taking metro, well I already said how to get there. Point blank Columbia Heights/Petworth/U street are the ideal locations for this.
I think it depends a lot on who's driving to work. If you're driving to work, I'd definitely agree with the other poster that the new developments down by the ballpark are a good fit. Easy to jump on 295 from there and although it lengthens her commute a bit, it's still better than a lot of other commutes. I'd not want to try to drive from U St./Col. Heights to NRL daily. Navy Yard to College Park via Green line is roughly 30 mins give or take, which isn't awful, but isn't fantastic either. Plus it ends up being about 8 bucks a day.
The ballpark area hasn't really been built up yet in terms of nightlife and retail, but you're a quick metro ride from downtown and a short drive from Potomac Yards/Pentagon City there as well.
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