Question about Ballston-Rosslyn Corridor (Arlington, Alexandria: condos, townhouses, neighborhoods)

[Azmordean]

Hey all,

I have recently relocated to the DC area. I am loving it so far, and am presently staying with family while I wait to hear on the huge number of job applications I have filed (and continue to file) with the Feds .

Once I have a job, I will move to a place convenient to that job that is a good urbanish area for young professionals (I am 27). Given that most of these jobs are in DC proper, I am looking primarily at the Old Town Alexandria area and the Ballston-Rosslyn area of Arlington.

I hear everyone rave about the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor, and the neighborhoods are indeed highly attractive. HOWEVER, I am curious as to where the "main drag" of these areas is. I hear about all the restaurants, shops, etc there, but when I go there, to a degree I just don't see it. I mean, yeah, there's the "market square" deal in Clarendon that's filled with chains, there are some scattered unique restaurants and nightspots, but given the degree to which people rave about Arlington I feel like I'm missing something. The area seems, to me, to be primarily residential.

So am I missing anything? Is there an area where there are tons of restaurants, clubs, and shops? I'm thinking something comparable to King St. in Alexandria, or M St. in Georgetown, where you can literally spend a day or more wandering, checking shops, eating at unique restaurants, and going to various night spots. Or is Arlington more "mixed" - where you tend to find the places tucked in among the residential high rises after you live there a while?

Note - I'm not knocking Arlington, I really like it, but when I went there, I saw residences with a starbucks here and a dry cleaners there, not the kind of vibrant commercial urban center that I was expecting. I also notice, at night, while certain places are "hopping" (such as the Clarendon Ballroom) I don't see many people out walking around on the streets in general - this is quite in contrast to King St. and M St. This isn't automatically a bad thing, I'm just hoping some Arlington residents can fill me in more so I can get some ideas for my next visit to the area .

[goozer]

Originally Posted by jahutch

Hey all,
I hear everyone rave about the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor, and the neighborhoods are indeed highly attractive. HOWEVER, I am curious as to where the "main drag" of these areas is. I hear about all the restaurants, shops, etc there, but when I go there, to a degree I just don't see it. I mean, yeah, there's the "market square" deal in Clarendon that's filled with chains, there are some scattered unique restaurants and nightspots, but given the degree to which people rave about Arlington I feel like I'm missing something. The area seems, to me, to be primarily residential.

You are not missing anything. Wilson boulevard is the main drag in the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor, and I would say the heart of that drag is the area between the courthouse metro stop and the clarendon metro stop (including the "market square" that you have already noted). While this area of Arlington may not be as hip or eclectic as Adams Morgan, Dupont, Georgetown, or Columbia Heights (all in the district), it is a very popular place with young single professionals in the DC area. In fact, more than the shops and restaurants, I would say that the singles scene is the biggest draw. Lots of young and affluent 20/30 somethings (who have slightly more suburban tastes than district dwellers) frequent Arlington haunts in hopes of meeting similar mates.

[Azmordean]

Originally Posted by goozer

You are not missing anything. Wilson boulevard is the main drag in the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor, and I would say the heart of that drag is the area between the courthouse metro stop and the clarendon metro stop (including the "market square" that you have already noted). While this area of Arlington may not be as hip or eclectic as Adams Morgan, Dupont, Georgetown, or Columbia Heights (all in the district), it is a very popular place with young single professionals in the DC area. In fact, more than the shops and restaurants, I would say that the singles scene is the biggest draw. Lots of young and affluent 20/30 somethings (who have slightly more suburban tastes than district dwellers) frequent Arlington haunts in hopes of meeting similar mates.

So is it correct to say that in these areas the shops/restaurants/clubs/bars are more "mixed in" with the residential? As opposed to say Old Town, where the commercial stuff is all along King St. and once you leave that area it gets to be almost solid residential pretty quickly.

[daaaaave]

You aren't missing much. If you want the urban vibe, you might want to consider living in DC.

[goozer]

Originally Posted by jahutch

So is it correct to say that in these areas the shops/restaurants/clubs/bars are more "mixed in" with the residential? As opposed to say Old Town, where the commercial stuff is all along King St. and once you leave that area it gets to be almost solid residential pretty quickly.

I think that's right. There are a lot of condos and townhouses along the Wilson Boulevard corridor in Arlington that are mixed in with the commercial strip. In Alexandria, as you note, the main commercial corridor is King Street and there are not as many condos in the immediate vicinity.

One other commerical corridor to check out in Alexandria is Mount Vernon Avenue in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood. It does not have nearly as much going on as Old Town, but it does have an interesting mix of independent restaurants and boutique shopping with an earthier vibe. The Evening Star Cafe is a particular highlight for dinner.

[Azmordean]

Originally Posted by goozer

I think that's right. There are a lot of condos and townhouses along the Wilson Boulevard corridor in Arlington that are mixed in with the commercial strip. In Alexandria, as you note, the main commercial corridor is King Street and there are not as many condos in the immediate vicinity.

One other commerical corridor to check out in Alexandria is Mount Vernon Avenue in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood. It does not have nearly as much going on as Old Town, but it does have an interesting mix of independent restaurants and boutique shopping with an earthier vibe. The Evening Star Cafe is a particular highlight for dinner.

Cool thanks for the input. I have been through Del Ray, and it is indeed a cool area, but for me, walking distance to Metro is a requirement, so its not on my list. Good place to visit though!

[FL Beaches]

Did you miss N. Glebe? We just stayed at the Westin there this week. We walked to everything! We also ventured to some sites at the Tidal Basin in DC...just about a 4 mile drive.

[Azmordean]

On reflection, I think part of it may be that Arlington may be more of a "livable neighborhood" but less of a "destination" than Old Town or Georgetown. One thing I've noticed about Old Town and Georgetown, is that while the areas are awesome, basic things like grocery stores and gyms are not necessarily in walking distance. Arlington, as far as I can tell, has easy access to both, as well as things like libraries, in most of the neighborhoods. So perhaps it is fair to say Arlington does not have the same amount and variety of shops and restaurants, but is perhaps better laid out for day-to-day life.

In any case, I like all of the above areas. I don't want to live in DC proper, so ultimately my decision may come down to Old Town vs. Arlington, and may be decided based on whether the Orange or Yellow line is more convenient to whatever job I end up with! :P