How is Odenton? COL, quality of life, commute to DC (Baltimore: chapel, house)

[musman]

I am just weighing options around Metro DC and researching what my options are, so far I have realized that living in Silverspring md and Bethesda can be very expensive and schools are not that of great.
How about Bowie, Odenton Area? As I ll be working near Union station I figured taking MARC from bowie or odenton shouldnt be bad? Thoughts?

[cjmeck]

Originally Posted by musman

I am just weighing options around Metro DC and researching what my options are, so far I have realized that living in Silverspring md and Bethesda can be very expensive and schools are not that of great.
How about Bowie, Odenton Area? As I ll be working near Union station I figured taking MARC from bowie or odenton shouldnt be bad? Thoughts?

Are you looking at the Piney Orchard area of Odenton? It's a great area for your commute. Check GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community for the school reviews. Lots to do with kids with all the pools, ice skating rink, and good shopping nearby at Waugh Chapel.

[musman]

Originally Posted by cjmeck

Are you looking at the Piney Orchard area of Odenton? It's a great area for your commute. Check GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community for the school reviews. Lots to do with kids with all the pools, ice skating rink, and good shopping nearby at Waugh Chapel.

Yep around that area. How does commute look during rush hours? I might use MARC alot and will prefer over driving to DC.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by musman

How about Bowie, Odenton Area?..Thoughts?

Just be aware that Odenton is in Anne Arundel County and Bowie is in Prince George County, so the school systems are different. I realize your kids are 3 years away from attending school, and you might not live in the same place that long. However, both locations have some excellent elementary schools.

Since I have never done the commute, I just suggest relying of the train schedule time, and add at least 15 minutes to get from house to place to park and walk to the train, then add another 10 minutues to walk to the office.

[HaileyFalconer]

Odenton is a great area, it's really nice, and theres lots to do, it seems. It's really close to Annapolis, shopping, and all the commuter routes. Also there's a MARC that can take you to DC, I think. Piney Orchard is a nice area. I would be careful with school zoning though. Some places which are zip coded as "Odenton" but are really more apart of the Ft Meade area have bad school zoning. As long as you stay within the lower half of Odenton in the Waugh Chapel or Piney Orchard area (the Arundel HS district), then you'll be fine. A tiny portion of the Odenton CDP around Crofton feeds to South River HS in Edgewater which is also a decent school. Basically Odenton, Crofton, and Gambrills have weird boundaries all inside of each other and are one giant town, so you should look into Crofton and Gambrills, too. Odenton is definitely one of the closest places in Anne Arundel County to DC and pretty much ad close as you can get. Pretty much every town along the Anne Arundel/PG border is about as close as you'll get. Davidsonville/Riva is another area about 5 miles south of the Odenton area you should look into, it can be cheaper than Odenton, but it's more rural. The schools in the area don't perform much lower or differently than Bethesda schools, they're almost just as good. Arundel HS was ranked as one of the top Maryland high schools this year and the second best in its county, just behind Severna Park HS. I wish you luck, and welcome to Maryland if you're new here.

[CBMD]

Coincidently..............
Developers, officials revisit Odenton Town Center plan

In 1972, a proposal titled "The Odenton Plan" laid out an ambitious vision of a town center in the western Anne Arundel County community that would transform it into a hub of retail, residential and transportation development. Nearly half a century later, residents are still waiting. But developers, elected officials and community stakeholders believe Odenton Town Center sits at a tipping point, ready to become a reality. Their hope is that a revised town center master plan, which will be the subject of a public hearing Wednesday, can clear a path to progress. (Balt. Sun)

[cjmeck]

Originally Posted by CBMD

Coincidently..............
Developers, officials revisit Odenton Town Center plan

In 1972, a proposal titled "The Odenton Plan" laid out an ambitious vision of a town center in the western Anne Arundel County community that would transform it into a hub of retail, residential and transportation development. Nearly half a century later, residents are still waiting. But developers, elected officials and community stakeholders believe Odenton Town Center sits at a tipping point, ready to become a reality. Their hope is that a revised town center master plan, which will be the subject of a public hearing Wednesday, can clear a path to progress. (Balt. Sun)

Good info! You think it can compete with what is being planned in Bowie and the Arundel Mills area?

[CBMD]

Originally Posted by cjmeck

Good info! You think it can compete with what is being planned in Bowie and the Arundel Mills area?

Beyond relocating the Wal-Mart on R301, I'm not sure what exactly is being planned in any of those areas.
I thought Arundel Mills was near completion, but I don't follow AA development issues closely.
Care to enlighten?

[selhars]

Odenton is a nice area – I don’t know if I’d agree that it’s “close” to Annapolis – but close is relative.

That aside....... it IS what I’d call convenient to get to other places – 20 mins to Baltimore – 20 mins to Annapolis, 20 mis to Columbia -- 45 mins drive to DC (NON rush hour)
Schools shopping libraries, parks – all good.

SOME parts of Crofton Gambrills and Odenton CAN BE “close” to each other and overlap – but some parts don’t. The SOUTH part of Crofton and the NORTH part of Odenton are not near each other....But you do have Gambrills in between the two – so part of Gambrills is near the Northern part of Crofton and the northern part of Gambrills is nearer to Odenton.

I also second the positive comments about Davidsonville/Riva although they’re about the same DISTANCE from DC as the other places mentioned – they’d make for a different commute because they’re to the south.

How far you are from a main commuter artery – and whether there’s a commuter train stop nearby could make a place that’s farther away MILEAGE-wise, have a shorter commute TIME-wise.

Again all of those are in Anne Arundel County.
Just like anywhere else you'll have to decide.....is farther out worth it....IF you can get a train to get into work.

When I moved to the DC area for my job 20 years ago...I had a 30 minute commute time limit -- PERIOD...I literally drew a 30 minute circle around the city...everything at or inside the circle was fair game...anything outside the circle was just not an option.
BUT, I'm the kind of person for whom a commute time is primary. So an hour commute is NOT an option in any way, shape, or form.

[cjmeck]

Originally Posted by CBMD

Beyond relocating the Wal-Mart on R301, I'm not sure what exactly is being planned in any of those areas.
I thought Arundel Mills was near completion, but I don't follow AA development issues closely.
Care to enlighten?

Sorry, typing too fast and didn't form a complete sentence. Yes, Arundel Mills is completed. Just referencing the Konterra Town Center being planned in Bowie.