Things You Find Odd About NoVA (Arlington, Alexandria: fit in, townhouses, camping)

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by normie

I've always thought it odd that there aren't more songs about northern Virginia.

If there are any song writers out there, here's your million dollar idea. We need something catchy like "I Left my Heart in Fairfax County" or "I Love Del Ray (We Love It!)" or even "Viva Virginia!"

Doesn't have to be upbeat, just topical. Hey, if you want a country-western type song I can even give you a start for the lyrics:

"Virginia is for lovers,
so why am I alone?
Your house is made of vinyl...
But your heart is made of stone!"

or

"I'm living in Manassas
And my job is in Fair Lakes.
The drivers are jack-asses,
But at least we ain't got no earthquakes..."

Between this thread and another, obviously someone has been working on their songwriting skills....

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by Caladium

If you want to see tennis courts and people spending time in their yards, come out to the 'burbs!

In the 'burbs of the City of Alexandria (like Del Ray and Rosemont), many people are in their flower or vegetable gardens in their yards, or enjoying their yards in other ways. There are also numerous outdoor tennis courts in the city.

[Yankeesfan]

Originally Posted by algia

GOOD! It's about time.....



hahahahahahahaha On my street now, there are several SAHM and I don't know ONE even, because they are all locked up in their homes......LOLOL I know because I saw them out trick and treating on Halloween and that was IT! LOL Pathetic!

But apparently you hadn't taken the initiative to introduce yourself to them before that and haven't gone over to get acquainted with them since Halloween? Sorry that sounds rude but I'm always kind of amused when people complain that they don't know their neighbors but aren't making the effort themselves. Not that people should have to if they're not interested, but it is a two-way process. When each of my children were born my friends used to bring dinner over and my mother said no one had ever done that for her. I asked her if she had ever done it for anyone else. She said no, I said well then what do you expect ...

[Yankeesfan]

Maybe we need to schedule an Open Mic night for Normie !

[Phoenix2017]

Very interesting...thx for mentioning the helpful (and fascinating!) info about Fairfax County sidewalk development requirements Yankeesfan.

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

In Fairfax County developers are required to put sidewalks on one side of the street, but not both. So that's why they're only on one side, and why, if it's a cul-de-sac, they end at someone's driveway in the cul-de-sac.

Older neighborhoods didn't have this requirement, so they either have no sidewalks or sidewalks on both sides, depending on what the original builders did.

Friends of mine who were custom home builders tore down their old house and built a new one. The county required them to pay the cost of installing a sidewalk by their house in order to have their application approved. My friends said that was absurd because the rest of the the neighborhood has no sidewalks. The county said it wasn't actually going to build the sidewalk but they still had to pay for what it would cost if they did . (Probably used the money for more public housing along Route 1 ...)

(Sorry CAVA but since you offered an "explanation" to algia above, they're now fair game .)

[brooklynborndad]

scarcity of land, or of houses? Are you talking house price increases, or redevelopment at higher densities.

For house prices, well I though Rt1 prices bubbled up in 2004-2006, just like springfield, PW county, etc. And were hard hit by the collapse just like those places. House prices in more established areas are still much lower than at peak, so its not like folks in a position to buy are being forced to the less desirable areas, and the folks who are further down the ladder, can't get financing so easily any more.

Redevelopment close in? Well some of that DID happen in areas realy close to the Huntington metro, didn't it? How many desirable, big enough, vacant or underutilized properties are there within walking distance, or a real short shuttle bus ride, to Huntington Metro? Maybe some projects are held up by financing.

Rte 1 further down? Well the motive to buy a condo down there would be high level of bus service. As properties for high rise development close to a metro become scarce/expensive (but theres still lots of places to build near Dunn Loring metro, for example) the high service bus corridors look possible.

But if were looking to buy a condo in such an area, and had a choice between the REX corridor, and Columbia pike with its 16 bus line, I think I would pick Columbia pike. Closer in to DC and other employment centers, close to desirable/funky parts of Arlington, and the corridor itself has a more interesting mix of businesses, is more attractive, etc. and has the prospect of a light rail line someday.

Only reason to pick REX would be if someone with school age kids is both sure they prefer FCPS to Arlington schools, AND they are willing to overlook the reputation of REX corridor schools. How many folks are there like that?

[normie]

Originally Posted by Tone509

Between this thread and another, obviously someone has been working on their songwriting skills....

Watch out Kennedy Center, hear I come!

[normie]

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

Maybe we need to schedule an Open Mic night for Normie !

OK, but first I need a back-up band to drown me out, 'cause you don't want to hear me singing. We can call ourselves Normie and the City-Datas.

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by sobe0206

Why does everyone around here park on streets? I realize that a lot of townhome communities don't have a lot of parking available, but even in single-family neighborhoods... there are always cars parked on the streets!

That's because so many of them don't have garages, either because none was built originally with the house, or because the garage that was there has been turned into living space.

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Anything you notice around here that strikes you as odd? I'll start with some:

...
- The the scarcity of land "close-in" hasn't resulted in the gentrification ofRoute 1.

I'm surprised Arlandria and the Columbia Pike etc. areas have not gentrified. Obviously if there were metro access both would have, long ago. But it still seems that, at least during the bubble, there was such a discount relative to other close-in places, that more "semi-urban pioneers" would have taken the chance. Now that the bubble has burst and we may be in for a long flat period (or worse), I don't expect gentrification at all.