Columbia Pike west of Glebe (Arlington, Wakefield: apartment, crime, neighborhoods)

[bigpotomac]

I lived in Arlington about a decade ago, and in those days, Columbia Pike west of Glebe was seen as a little dodgy. (East of Glebe was all right). I'm returning to the area, and am wondering if that has changed at all. I understand that Arlington has gotten even more gentrified in my absence.

I'm also wondering about of some of the new apartment buildings around Potomac Yard -- are they considered nice places?

[PK12]

Camden and the other apts around Potomac Yard are mostly very safe - I wouldnt consider crime to be a major concern here at all.

West of Glebe Columbia Pike is being heavily gentrified with streetcar, luxury apts, retail etc. Every now and then you will hear of some incidents but I dont think crime is a very serious problem here either.

[De Selby]

Depends on what you mean by dodgy. There are still a few lower-income pockets (by Arlington standards, anyway) and some shabby-looking retail strips, but street crime is virtually nonexistent.

Beyond that, the neighborhoods a block off the Pike tend to be very different from what is directly on the Pike. Barcroft and Alcova Heights are both lovely, professional neighborhoods, as is most of Douglas Park.

[The Dissenter]

I live off the Pike East of Glebe and I am currently in the market for a new apartment. I would not be too quick to turn down something West of Glebe if it was a good value. I would not be very concerned about crime and I often come in on weekends at 3-4am in the morning.

[Smoke_Jaguar4]

The Columbia Pike area consists of mostly working-class immigrants. It's one of the few remaining affordable areas of Arlington and it has a lot of diversity (Latinos, Africans, Arabs, etc...). Lots of small mom-and-pop restaurants and shops that cater to the local population. Regarding crime, I'd say it's not "dodgy", just practice common sense.

[cdmurphy]

I used to live off Columbia Pike on South Frederick (near Wakefield High School) and I am in the area from time to time. I have never worried about crime against my person, but there was a fair amount of theft from vehicles, etc. in my apartment parking lot. I used "The Club", never left anything in the car, and always locked the doors. I am white and female, and I was in my 20s and single when I lived there, working swing shifts 1-12, so I was looking for parking and walking around the neighborhood at 1 a.m., and I never felt unsafe.