Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with what you're saying about urban feel, but black people don't care about those things in my experience. That's why they choose to live in the suburbs so often. The black people wanting to live in DC versus the suburbs now are moving into the city because DC is the place to be in the region now. You're either in or you're out. Property values are protected inside the city and appreciation is higher.
Black people want to be near restaurants and a full service (+40k sq. foot) grocery store next to other black professionals. They aren't talking about architecture and urban feel. All the rowhouses in Ward 7 and Ward 8 are pretty much identical and they aren't anything to look at, but they are flying off the shelf as soon as they come on the market.
Black people don't want to live in the nice studio above that coffee shop on 14th street for $400,000. They just want to be able to walk to the metro station if they choose to and walk to retail while being closer to everything living in the city versus out in the suburbs. Only nerds like us say they wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood that doesn't look like Logan Circle.
I don’t really agree with these blankets statement in balck people. Black people in NYC seem to care much more about urban feel and vibe, and care almost nothing about grocery stores. In LA, I don’t think the black people that move there care al that much about being next to other black people so long as an area is diverse. My best friend in this world lives in LA and I’ve never heard him refer to anything black or black peoples. Idk about walkability either. Maybe the things that attract black peoples to DC is what attracts that specific type of black professional. And that’s creates the Dc culture/norms.. it’s attracting a certain type of person.
Most people do care about architecture whether they realize it or not-they want to live in a pretty home preferably in a pretty neighborhood.
If a young professional is looking for a grocery store, then there's definitely no reason to move to Wards 7 and 8.
It makes sense to move to Ward 7 if you're looking to purchase a home. That's really why college-educated Black people are going there (check out the Census tracts around Ft. Dupont Park and Hillcrest as well as Henson Ridge...it's like 90% of that demo). These are people who are moving from more expensive neighborhoods in pursuit of homeownership.
And what makes you think all the TOD being built around the Minnesota Avenue metro station and Congress Heights metro station won't be young black professionals? Why would they live around the Largo metro station, Branch Avenue metro station, and Prince George's Plaza metro station, but not the Minnesota Avenue and Congress Heights metro stations?
I don’t really agree with these blankets statement in balck people. Black people in NYC seem to care much more about urban feel and vibe, and care almost nothing about grocery stores. In LA, I don’t think the black people that move there care al that much about being next to other black people so long as an area is diverse. My best friend in this world lives in LA and I’ve never heard him refer to anything black or black peoples. Idk about walkability either. Maybe the things that attract black peoples to DC is what attracts that specific type of black professional. And that’s creates the Dc culture/norms.. it’s attracting a certain type of person.
Most people do care about architecture whether they realize it or not-they want to live in a pretty home preferably in a pretty neighborhood.
Yeah, I don't know what he's talking about. He's writing as if he's surveyed everyone's social circles and determined that 50.1% of Black people living in the DMV want X or Y.
Here's what is definitely true: there are some younger Black professionals who prefer suburban life and who prefer urban life. With the latter group, it's hard to say how "urban" of a neighborhood they actually prefer based on their choice of neighborhood because their choice of neighborhood is often limited by budget. We don't really know whether the person living in Largo Town Center actually wanted to live in Adams-Morgan but couldn't afford it.
I don’t really agree with these blankets statement in balck people. Black people in NYC seem to care much more about urban feel and vibe, and care almost nothing about grocery stores. In LA, I don’t think the black people that move there care al that much about being next to other black people so long as an area is diverse. My best friend in this world lives in LA and I’ve never heard him refer to anything black or black peoples. Idk about walkability either. Maybe the things that attract black peoples to DC is what attracts that specific type of black professional. And that’s creates the Dc culture/norms.. it’s attracting a certain type of person.
Most people do care about architecture whether they realize it or not-they want to live in a pretty home preferably in a pretty neighborhood.
Well, the black people moving to DC like new buildings. They don't say they would like to live in an older neighborhood with radiant heating and a window unit air conditioner. I think that is true for the black people moving to Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, and Houston also. They like the buildings being built which all look the same anyway.
Why would they live around the Largo metro station, Branch Avenue metro station, and Prince George's Plaza metro station, but not the Minnesota Avenue and Congress Heights metro stations?
It's less hood, for starters. There are also a lot of townhomes for sale there. So it draws many people who are looking to buy rather than rent.
I actually knew someone who lived in that building right next to the Minnesota Ave stop. The advantage over Largo is proximity to Downtown and H Street. The disadvantage is the hood being right outside of your door with very little of the amenities people move to the city for being right outside of your door.
I would not advise OP or anyone to move over there unless they had no choice. The obvious selection here is Columbia Heights/Shaw/U Street/Ledroit/Bloomingdale with everything else coming in a distant second place. Downtown Silver Spring is also another option to consider.
Yeah, I don't know what he's talking about. He's writing as if he's surveyed everyone's social circles and determined that 50.1% of Black people living in the DMV want X or Y.
Here's what is definitely true: there are some younger Black professionals who prefer suburban life and who prefer urban life. With the latter group, it's hard to say how "urban" of a neighborhood they actually prefer based on their choice of neighborhood because their choice of neighborhood is often limited by budget. We don't really know whether the person living in Largo Town Center actually wanted to live in Adams-Morgan but couldn't afford it.
OMG...we are finally getting somewhere. Exactly! The rents will be the same at Largo Town Center as all the new developments in Ward 7 and Ward 8. That's what I have been saying all along! Cost is the main reason people move to the neighborhoods they do. A lot of black people want to rent a new nice building in DC if they can afford it. There weren't any till now. The new buildings they could afford were all in the suburbs. That is now changing.
Well, the black people moving to DC like new buildings. They don't say they would like to live in an older neighborhood with radiant heating and a window unit air conditioner. I think that is true for the black people moving to Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, and Houston also. They like the buildings being built which all look the same anyway.
Right. I just don’t really think that’s all black peoples-maybe most though. Radiator heat is still heat and a window unit is serviceable in places that aren’t so hot and humid like DC. I haven’t met any black people in Boston NYC or Philly living in said buildings. I definitely have in DC and Atlanta. It seem to be a more southern urban thing, idk about the Midwest. LA is more of a medium for that type of living.
It's less hood, for starters. There are also a lot of townhomes for sale there. So it draws many people who are looking to buy rather than rent.
I actually knew someone who lived in that building right next to the Minnesota Ave stop. The advantage over Largo is proximity to Downtown and H Street. The disadvantage is the hood being right outside of your door with very little of the amenities people move to the city for being right outside of your door.
I would not advise OP or anyone to move over there unless they had no choice. The obvious selection here is Columbia Heights/Shaw/U Street/Ledroit/Bloomingdale with everything else coming in a distant second place. Downtown Silver Spring is also another option to consider.
What new building at Minnesota Avenue? The first ever non-income restricted building in Ward 7 and Ward 8 just broke ground this month in Parkside. Park 7 is a 60% AMI income restricted tax credit building. Your friend is not who I'm talking about when I say young black professionals. I'm talking about people who wouldn't qualify for Park 7 making good money, but aren't going to pay $2300 for a 1-bedroom apartment across the river.
I'll let your opinion be your opinion. I like talking to you Bajan and I'll bring this thread back up in about 5-10 years. It will be interesting to see who moved here as a case study to who I thought would move here and who you thought would move here.
Right. I just don’t really think that’s all black peoples-maybe most though. Radiator heat is still heat and a window unit is serviceable in places that aren’t so hot and humid like DC. I haven’t met any black people in Boston NYC or Philly living in said buildings. I definitely have in DC and Atlanta. It seem to be a more southern urban thing, idk about the Midwest. LA is more of a medium for that type of living.
I think you are highlighting a huge point here. I can understand where Bajan is coming from because he is correct that the areas I'm talking about will never be as urban as areas across the river. They were built in different eras. Also, you made a great point that classic northeast style neighborhoods can't be replicated and they will only exist where they currently exist.
Having said that, we are talking about black people moving to cities like DC, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, and Charlotte and they prefer the newer style apartment buildings that look basic like most architecture in the 21st century because of construction costs. I was alluding to this below before Bajan joined the thread. This is from page 6 of this thread all the way back on 5/9/2020:
Quote:
Originally Posted by MDAllstar
Correct, the OP didn't give a criteria and I was trying to avoid the comparison trying to rank urbanity because we both know when people think of urban neighborhoods in DC, they are talking about the highest level urban neighborhoods (Penn Quarter, Foggy Bottom, NOMA, Mt. Vernon Triangle, Navy Yard, etc.) which is a very intense level of urbanity or neighborhood style urbanity (Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Shaw, U Street, H Street, Columbia Heights, etc.) which is not downtown level urban but is the highest level of neighborhood style urban intensity.
I personally believe urban has levels as you know and that is the conversation I have been having with other people in regards to Ward 7 and Ward 8 which are very similar to urban core Atlanta neighborhoods. I obviously think Ward 7 and Ward 8 neighborhoods are still urban, just not at the level of urban core DC.
Just an FYI for everyone to put all this into context. This below is the first non-income restricted building to ever be built in Ward 7 and Ward 8. People haven't had anywhere nice or new to rent in Ward 7 and Ward 8 even if they wanted to. It was either Prince George's Plaza, Largo Town Center, Branch Avenue metro stations or $2300 1-bedrooms in the DC urban core. Obviously, black people have chosen the Prince George's county metro stations for the last 10-years. Now, they will have affordable options without income restrictions.
This building is being built on the other side of the street from these row-houses below:
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
