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If that's what you want to call it. It doesn't change the fact that it's easy to walk to, has all the amenities I noted above, and also has a commuter bus that connects to metro. I'm sorry if there's something about large strip malls (aka shopping plazas) that offends people, but having a parking lot out front doesn't keep it from being walkable. It may not appeal to you, but it's walkable.
Depending on the traffic and types of roads surrounding them, strip malls can be very walkable (or, in my case, bikable, since I rarely actually 'walk' anywhere). My idea community would be a town of about 100,000 with a very high road capacity to cars ratio (meaning there'd be a lot of grid-arranged through-streets, but a few culdesacs could be stuck in here and there). When I was in college, I lived in a town just like that and didn't drive, and my shopping was spread out amongst three places - the historic downtown area (closest to where I lived), various strip malls that were a bit farther out (but never any big deal, distance-wise) and had posts/bike racks/whatever for parking my bike, and a small-ish indoor mall that had bike racks. I never shopped anywhere beyond five miles from where I lived (and couldn't have, since I lived in the center of town and town surrounded my home for about five miles in all directions).
What, to you, makes a road "pedestrian friendly"? What amenities do you require within a 10-minute walk to make it "truly walkable?"
I believe crossing 123 in Vienna or crossing the various streets in the less strip-mally parts of Fairfax City is no worse than crossing Route 1 or Washington Avenue in Old Town. Two lanes on each side, sidewalks all around, and plenty of crosswalk signals.
I'm also really not sure on what basis you're asserting there's nothing "within most people's price range" in Fairfax City, when I can see twelve properties in Fairfax City that are (1) under $400k and (2) between Fairfax Boulevard, GMU, and Roberts Road.
walkable means destinations, and it means a walkable path to them.
That the DESTINATION happens to be in a strip mall is neither here nor there.
The path has many criteria - some are basic safety and comfort. Some are aesthetic. I know I would walk further to a destination if I am walking past urban type shops than if I am past a strip mall. I would suggest that you would find enough people share that preference, that you will find more people actually walking where the streetscape has shops along it rather than a large parking lot in front of the shops, holding constant for residential density and number of destinations. Though of course there are things you could walk past that are worse than strip malls.
take a look at Shirlington, where the parking lots are BEHIND the shops. I think many people find that far more walkable, block for block, than say LRT in Annandale.
I think the reason most strip malls, such as the one Caladium references in her Sterling neighborhood, receive such a negative reputation for "walkability" is because they are generally oriented towards the motor vehicle first and pedestrians/cyclists second. Looking at that satellite image I'd rather have seen the shopping complex structure rearranged to have storefronts/restaurants aligned right along the sidewalk to lure people in as they drive by with parking either in the rear or even preferably underground parking in a multi-leveled garage, which would free up that asphalt for more businesses or for green space, such as a playground, skating rink, etc. I can and have walked to strip malls here in Reston as well (Tall Oaks and Northpoint), and both feature massive parking lots in front of the stores that are a pain to walk through en route to the storefronts.
Caladium, going by your logic should we consider Seven Corners to be "walkable" with its incessant gridlock, huge parking lots, and tons of ingresses/egresses from those parking lots? There are tons of businesses in that general area, but I would not consider it to be a very pleasant place to be walking/biking around. I just drove through there today en route to a doctor's appointment after work, and I pitied the people I saw playing "Frog-ger" as they scurried across the roads. Caladium, should we also consider Tysons Corner to be "walkable", despite its mess of congestion, spread out buildings that aren't mixed-use, huge surface parking lots that are normally half-empty, etc.?
I can walk from my neighborhood to Reston Town Center in about 45 minutes, mostly utilizing the trails. I'd much rather drive or take the bus and be there in 5 minutes. Why the big time difference? Here in the outer suburbs there aren't efficient grid-shaped street networks. The roads curve and wind for no particular reason, and cul-de-sacs run amok. Instead of taking a "straight" from my neighborhood to Reston Town Center I have to walk along trails and/or streets that curve back-and-forth for no particular reason, extending my trip. Yes, there are curvatures to the roads in Arlington and Alexandria as well, but the blocks are much shorter, and they don't have the "pod" living as we do out here---housing pods called subdivisions, work pods called office parks, shopping pods called strip malls or big-box stores, recreational pods, etc. I don't very much like "pod" living, which is why I'm looking to move to Arlington, a much better planned community, next year.
I think the reason most strip malls, such as the one Caladium references in her Sterling neighborhood, receive such a negative reputation for "walkability" is because they are generally oriented towards the motor vehicle first and pedestrians/cyclists second. . . . .
I think RestonRunner has a point here about exploring the definition of "walkable" neighborhoods as being designed for vehicles vs the pedestrian/walker.
After reading the previous posts, I still find it difficult to define any kind of areas around a strip mall, walking paths, and neighborhoods with sidewalks as "walkable". These might be areas a person can walk to or walk upon, but I don't see them as a whole as a walkable neighborhood. Maybe I am being an urban snob because when someone mentions a "walkable neighborhood" I keeping thinking of New York City, Philly, parts of DC, Alexandria, VA and my new town of Winchester, VA. In Brooklyn one can walk not only to restaurants, movies, etc. but one walks to the supermarket, to the laundromat, to visit friends, boutiques, mom & pop owned shops, and the park--a real park where there is an assortment of people and neighbors from the area, dogs playing, and a gentleman selling Italian ice and ice cream.
But, since the suburbs in NoVA cannot be like these areas (because of their newness), then what would be walkable? For me, Reston Town Center, Brambleton and the Countryside Shopping Center (the one with Regal Theatre) and somewhat nearby Cascades Shopping Center. None of these have the same atmosphere as stated above (through no fault of their own) but they do offer areas to stroll, shop, fountains to sit at, movie theaters and places to eat, have coffee or ice cream. They are, in and of themselves, what they area. Some of us prefer this; some of us don't and some of us prefer it sometimes (only as a place to visit).
Personally speaking though, I prefer the texture and tactile qualities and the range of people in "genuine" walkable neighborhoods.
But, since the suburbs in NoVA cannot be like these areas (because of their newness).
This is the one snippet I would just like to touch upon because I don't agree that "newness" necessarily has to mean "poorly-planned." If anything one would think that we'd start to learn from the urban planning gaffes of the prior two generations after WWII and start building more responsibly. I know a lot of people blame the lack of walkability in a good chunk of NoVA outside the Beltway upon the area's relative youth, but I suppose I'm just in the minority that just doesn't see that as being a good excuse. I really don't know what was going through the minds of people as they planned/developed Tysons Corner into the awful mess it is today. I know Normie did a great photo tour trying to show the beauty (in the eye of the beholder I suppose, although I do like the Ernst & Young Building) and/or "walkability" (not really) of Tysons Corner, but as someone who works here it is not a pleasant place to walk around.
CDMurphy will be beaming with pride again, but I will once again point out her Brambleton community as the best example I can think of as to how "newness" doesn't have to be low-class yet expensive trash that will have to be torn down and redeveloped 20 years after being built (i.e. Reston's Spectrum Center). I would have done some things differently for sure with Brambleton, but overall the developer(s) tried to create the sort of neighborhood cohesion, aesthetic beauty, and charming character of yesteryear while also incorporating the most modern conveniences. Homes in suburbia/exurbia can have inviting front porches and rear parking (imagine that?!) They can have sidewalks that lead to a workable town center that flows with the rest of the residential areas. It all doesn't have to look like a Scooby Doo ghost town just for the sake of being "new." If I were of a suburban mindset and was wealthy enough to afford the $6 tolls each way everyday on the Dulles GreedWay, I'd definitely consider Brambleton in the future to raise my family. Elsewhere in the 'burbs? Eh. Not so much.
The reason why I harp on so much about this issue is because I shouldn't have to. The fact that we are now spending billions of our tax dollars to turn Tysons Corner from an armpit into something that actually makes sense to anyone as a destination or neighborhood proves that we SHOULD be doing a better job in the present of planning for our future (but we're not, from what I see around me), which means our own children will have to pay billions of THEIR dollars to then go back and fix OUR messes. At least with Tysons you can say that people back in the 1970s didn't know what they were doing. What's our generation's excuse?
I know I'm a broken record. I really don't care. The way 95% of NoVA has developed and continues to develop is very selfish and irresponsible for our next generations. Perhaps if people in the 1970s weren't so selfish then WE wouldn't be spending billions today to fix gaffes like Tysons Corner? Do you want OUR posterity to call OUR generation selfish for not learning from those prior mistakes?
This is the one snippet I would just like to touch upon because I don't agree that "newness" necessarily has to mean "poorly-planned." If anything one would think that we'd start to learn from the urban planning gaffes of the prior two generations after WWII and start building more responsibly. I know a lot of people blame the lack of walkability in a good chunk of NoVA outside the Beltway upon the area's relative youth, but I suppose I'm just in the minority that just doesn't see that as being a good excuse. I really don't know what was going through the minds of people as they planned/developed Tysons Corner into the awful mess it is today. I know Normie did a great photo tour trying to show the beauty (in the eye of the beholder I suppose, although I do like the Ernst & Young Building) and/or "walkability" (not really) of Tysons Corner, but as someone who works here it is not a pleasant place to walk around.
CDMurphy will be beaming with pride again, but I will once again point out her Brambleton community as the best example I can think of as to how "newness" doesn't have to be low-class yet expensive trash that will have to be torn down and redeveloped 20 years after being built (i.e. Reston's Spectrum Center). I would have done some things differently for sure with Brambleton, but overall the developer(s) tried to create the sort of neighborhood cohesion, aesthetic beauty, and charming character of yesteryear while also incorporating the most modern conveniences. Homes in suburbia/exurbia can have inviting front porches and rear parking (imagine that?!) They can have sidewalks that lead to a workable town center that flows with the rest of the residential areas. It all doesn't have to look like a Scooby Doo ghost town just for the sake of being "new." If I were of a suburban mindset and was wealthy enough to afford the $6 tolls each way everyday on the Dulles GreedWay, I'd definitely consider Brambleton in the future to raise my family. Elsewhere in the 'burbs? Eh. Not so much.
The reason why I harp on so much about this issue is because I shouldn't have to. The fact that we are now spending billions of our tax dollars to turn Tysons Corner from an armpit into something that actually makes sense to anyone as a destination or neighborhood proves that we SHOULD be doing a better job in the present of planning for our future (but we're not, from what I see around me), which means our own children will have to pay billions of THEIR dollars to then go back and fix OUR messes. At least with Tysons you can say that people back in the 1970s didn't know what they were doing. What's our generation's excuse?
I know I'm a broken record. I really don't care. The way 95% of NoVA has developed and continues to develop is very selfish and irresponsible for our next generations. Perhaps if people in the 1970s weren't so selfish then WE wouldn't be spending billions today to fix gaffes like Tysons Corner? Do you want OUR posterity to call OUR generation selfish for not learning from those prior mistakes?
I think Brambleton is very attractive, but I suspect that, if I were a teenager living there with access to a car, or perhaps even a bit older, I'd often want to round up a bunch of friends and drive somewhere else to escape the Brambletonian-ness of it all.
I think Brambleton is very attractive, but I suspect that, if I were a teenager living there with access to a car, or perhaps even a bit older, I'd often want to round up a bunch of friends and drive somewhere else to escape the Brambletonian-ness of it all.
I love that descriptive word you created: Brambletonian-ness.
I think Brambleton is very attractive, but I suspect that, if I were a teenager living there with access to a car, or perhaps even a bit older, I'd often want to round up a bunch of friends and drive somewhere else to escape the Brambletonian-ness of it all.
Actually, Brambleton (particularly the movie theater) has become a magnet for teens, including those from outside of Brambleton. We even had a big fight (http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2010/05/14/news/public_safety/881fight051210.txt - broken link) last spring. There's also a lot of late-night activity in Legacy Park, which faces the Town Center (and which technically closes at dusk). Security has been increased in response.
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I never shopped anywhere beyond five miles from where I lived (and couldn't have, since I lived in the center of town and town surrounded my home for about five miles in all directions).
They can have sidewalks that lead to a workable town center that flows with the rest of the residential areas. It all doesn't have to look like a Scooby Doo ghost town just for the sake of being "new." If I were of a suburban mindset and was wealthy enough to afford the $6 tolls each way everyday on the Dulles GreedWay, I'd definitely consider Brambleton in the future to raise my family. Elsewhere in the 'burbs? Eh. Not so much. 
