Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A commute to Alexandria from the Woodbridge area would be tough. Route 1 during rush hour is absolutely clogged. I currently live in Kingstowne, which is a great neighborhood and area that's convenient to major routes and amenities. The only downside is that it feeds into Hayfield Sec. and Edison high, which are subpar schools in NoVa. If you want to be closer to Alexandria, with better schools and slightly more affordable homes, you might consider the Lorton area in Fairfax County under the recently new South County Sec. district (some of Lorton goes to Hayfield). Just be careful with newer neighborhoods that abut shady older neighborhoods (mainly along Route 1). You'd be fine in areas west of I-95. I hope that helps!
Thank you Father of 2. I sometimes trudge around hoping that someone will take the time to write something exactly as you did. I do the same for people who ask questions of South Florida. I will take you up on your offer of answering some more questions via Email or PM. Thank you again and expect some sort of communique soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FatherOf2
... The previous posts on this thread, esp. dullnboring, aren't that far off. For the record, I'm not from Woodbridge, or Virginia even, and have no axe to grind, but I do live here now, and now that I'm familiar with Northern Virginia as a whole, there are VERY few places in the D.C. area I'd rather be.
That said, when you're looking at Woodbridge, one thing you should understand is that it's not an incorporated area (there's no Woodbridge proper), so the term "Woodbridge" covers a lot of ground. Some folks in Lake Ridge might consider themselves Woodbridge, or the post office does, but in conversation they might go by their neighborhood name. So you really have to be careful about who you listen to and what you take as gospel when hearing about this area. Like most areas, there are places you want to be, places you'd rather not be, and a lot in between.
A second important thing to note, having lived in two other states (Mass. and N.J.), as well as elsewhere in Virginia, and having family in Washington, Arizona, Michigan and Florida to compare to, is that Fairfax County is one of the richest counties in the country. So occasionally people from very nice areas of No. Va. thumb their nose at Woodbridge or its schools ... but comparatively speaking, it's nicer than 90% of the rest of the country. So take into account where you're coming from when you ask about Woodbridge.
The prices are lower in Woodbridge because its part of Prince William County, not Fairfax County, which carries more prestige if you're into that, but also higher taxes because of more varied gov't needs (transportation, business development, more residents). Also, because parts of Fairfax are almost universally closer to D.C. and have better access to public transportation, it's a more desirable place to live for people moving here from elsewhere.
I think Woodbridge (Occoquan/Lake Ridge) and several outlying areas toward Dumfries and Manassas are great places to raise a family. If you're young and single, I'd look closer to the city. But Prince William County is very developed in terms of community infrastructure (parks, pools, little leagues, nearby shopping). One of the great things about living here is that you can easily partake of the culture and shopping, etc. in Washington D.C. and Fairfax ... I am in Woodbridge near I-95, Rt. 1 and Rt. 123, and I am 10-15 minutes to Springfield, 20-25 to Pentagon, 30 to D.C. and Tyson's Corner. The commutes do vary greatly around here based on availablity of HOV and during rush hours, so that 30 minutes to Tyson's can easily be 90 at peak rush hour.
The schools are VERY good here compared to the rest of the state and country. But they may not compare favorably to other areas in Northern Virginia like Fairfax and Loudoun. All three counties, however, have had unprecedented home and job growth in recent years, in some cases setting the pace nationally.
I don't want to ramble more than I already have, but I'd be happy to answer any questions people have about this area via PM. I mentioned the other places I've lived and can compare this area to, and I also have worked for a newspaper in the D.C. area covering local government and schools, so I have some extra insight both good and bad, and I also live here so I have personal experience.
A couple other things to add. I think Woodbridge more than most areas in Northern Va. offers the opportunity to get the most house/yard for your buck without being insanely far from D.C. or wherever you work. There is crime, but it's mostly in concentrated areas. For the most part, Woodbridge is a residential bedroom community with safe neighborhoods and good schools and lots of nearby working-class shopping (not Nordstrom's). I'd call it soccer mom paradise in many ways. There's no main street area or downtown or really any sense of history here, so if that means something to you, I'd try Vienna or Mount Vernon or Old Town Manassas. On the flipside though, even the "old" houses here were built in the 80s. You really aren't going to run the risk of buying an aging "money pit." (maybe a cheaply-made, slapped-together one though)
This is a VERY diverse area, and I don't mean just black/white ... hispanic, asian, indian, middle eastern, religions and "social class" other things too ... if you're like me, you consider that a good thing and something you want your kids to grow up with an appreciation for, but some closet racists may use a lot of synonyms for high-crime area to get that across to you. You make your own choices on what you think of the diversity; certainly there are homogenous areas you could move to instead. But Woodbridge is a place whose high schools have rowing and international baccalaureate as well as troubled kids and such, so take that all for what it's worth. As far as it being a "high-crime area" in general, there are just too many layered subdivision communities for that to be true. Most places you're looking to move or buy are families and professionals a lot like yourself, who came here from somewhere else by military transfer or because of the bustling job market. They'll be minding their own business, mowing their lawns, not breaking into your car. If I had any complaint about here, it would be that it lacks that small-town atmosphere where everyone knows their neighbors.
Overall, I'd say perception can be reality as far as whether an area is in a period of healthy growth or "it ain't what it used to be." But I live here now with two toddlers and do not plan to move before they begin school, if that says anything to you.
Again, I'd be open to give more succint answers (my opinion, of course) to direct questions.
Sorry,
I haven't signed on for a while and saw that some people had responded directly to me. Sorry if I kick up an old thread, but ...
I guess the reason I offered to respond to people specifically was because, although it's easy for me to speak generally about the Woodbridge area, it's sort of difficult to throw out general advice with regard to "high-crime areas" and "subpar schools" because it all depends on what your expectations are based on where you're coming from and how you define those things.
Woodbridge is high crime compared to the gated communities in the rolling hills of Western Prince William, but it's not somewhere where you should walk around for fear of getting mugged, especially if your plan is to buy a house in a subdivision, go there, go out to eat by the Mall, shop, and go to work in D.C. or some other part of Northern Virginia. I play cards with friends who live in much more expensive homes in Herndon proper, Herndon by Dulles, Reston and Lorton, and any of their neighborhoods you could plunk down in Lake Ridge and it wouldn't seem out of place, or vice versa. The difference is you are going to save a lot of money living in PWC, and the tradeoff is going to come in your commute.
The places I find to be unique are Arlington, Alexandria, Vienna, Mount Vernon and a few others. Beyond that, you are bidding on roughly the same thing except the geographic differences.
I'm not here to tell anybody what they should or shouldn't do with regard to that extra-large unincorporated area people refer to as Woodbridge, I don't get paid if you move here ... I've just lived here for several years now and share my experience.
Nitrovic, call it a liberal rant if you want, but I'm pretty sure it's not the "illegals" from Sweden and New Zealand you're referring to. What you really mean is there are a lot of brown people in the Route 1 area of Woodbridge, and they don't all speak proper English.
If that sort of thing intimidates you, the person looking to move here, parts of Woodbridge are probably not for you. But good luck finding a place in No.Va. where everybody looks and sounds alike. That's not something commonly found in this part of the state. This is the melting pot.
I am not in the business of checking to see who immigrated legally or illegally, but I personally don't have any anxiety about frequenting a bank, restaurant or what have you on or near Route 1. But even if you would, that does not preclude you from being able to live peacefully and happily in Woodbridge. This is a very big place with lots of amenities compared to whereever you might be coming from, provided it's not elsewhere in the metro area.
The public schools, as noted, rate pretty well compared to the rest of the state and nation, and are athletically successful. But if public schools worry you, there are plenty of private school options in the No. Va. area within a reasonable drive (the same distance you would commute to work or shorter).
All I'm getting at is that there are lots of places to live in Woodbridge where you have access to roughly the same experience as you would in many other neighborhoods full of single-family homes in Northern Virginia (Fairfax and Loudoun Counties), except you get it for a much more reasonable price.
The commute can be rough (but that's par for the course just about anywhere around here) and the sense of history on this end of the county is pretty lacking.
So consider what's important to you and then make your decision.
But don't let people ruin the whole thing for you with blanket statements about "crime" and "illegals." It's just not like that, at least not everywhere. This is no rundown 'hood we're talking about, it's a place where I feel reasonably safe raising children, and I can't say that about every place I've lived.
We are moving to Nova next month and have settled on the 22192 (Lake Ridge) area for a home.
The hardest part for me will be the comute but not for reasons you may consider.
Here in Japan, motorcycles lane split at will. In Virginia, its against the law? What bunch of nutcases decided to mix motorcycles behind cars?
I'll trade my kids "all-white" lakeridge school for an opportunity to lane split up 95 any day!
Solo- I agree, I was stationed in Korea and they had the same thing for motorcycles. It doesn't make much sense to have bikes and cars in the same lanes, cars always seem to win in accidents.
Fatherof2- I didn't see your February reply. I was not referencing "brown" people, and certainly am not a racist. Woodbridge did indeed have a large illegal problem. With this came hit/run accidents, loitering, drinking in public, dui/hit run's, gangs etc. And no, most illegals aren't bad people. But to ignore the fact that there was a high amount of illegals in the area isn't being truthful. I've personally seen a big change since the board of supervisors started deporting the illegals.
But don't let people ruin the whole thing for you with blanket statements about "crime" and "illegals." It's just not like that, at least not everywhere. This is no rundown 'hood we're talking about, it's a place where I feel reasonably safe raising children, and I can't say that about every place I've lived.
Since my opinions tend to "offend" people, I'll let the newspaper speak on this one-
Published: August 25, 2009
A Woodbridge man who was stabbed and shot is the latest victim in a string of robberies to hit Prince William County in recent days.
The man was walking with two other men, ages 26 and 29, between Marumsco Plaza and Bayvue Apartments in Woodbridge at 11:15 p.m. Sunday. The victims reported they were robbed by three other men, said Prince William police spokeswoman 1st Sgt. Kim Chinn.
The 47-year-old who was stabbed and shot was flown to an area hospital, where he was in stable condition. The two other robbery victims, one from Woodbridge and the other from Annandale, were not harmed and had nothing taken from them, said Chinn.
The alleged robbers were described as black and in their 20s, all wearing dark clothing.
One of the men had a dark complexion and an Afro-style hair cut and was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. The other men were wearing long-sleeved shirts.
In another robbery earlier Sunday, a 49-year-old Springfield man was walking in the 1300 block of Horner Road in Woodbridge when he was approached by a man with a gun at 1:10 a.m.
The man demanded money from the victim and then hit him and took the money, said Chinn.
The attacker is described as black, in his late teens to early 20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall and thin, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, said Chinn.
Also Sunday, a 25-year-old Woodbridge man was walking along Featherstone Road at 1:50 a.m. when a Nissan Maxima pulled up beside him. Three men got out of the car and demanded money, said Chinn.
The robbers pushed the victim to the ground and took money from him.
One of them is described as black, about 6 feet tall with a muscular build and short hair. He was wearing a short-sleeved brown shirt with jeans and had a large gold chain around his neck, said Chinn.
The second man was also 6 feet tall with a thin build and bald head. He wore a red short-sleeved shirt and gray pants. No description was provided for the third attacker.
There was also a woman inside the car, but she was also unable to be identified, said Chinn.
Two days earlier, at 10:30 p.m., a man walked into the Bottom Dollar store at 17120 Jefferson Davis Highway near Dumfries and robbed employees.
The man, said to be in his late 20s, pointed a gun at a 27-year-old Woodbridge woman who was working at the store and demanded money. The robber then approached a 29-year-old Fredericksburg man, who was also working at the time, and demanded money from him.
The man got what he wanted, leaving the store on foot without hurting anyone, said Chinn.
He is described as black, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing black sneakers, blue jeans, a black jacket with a hood and a black shirt that was tied around his face.
Finally, in another Friday robbery, this one in Lake Ridge near the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Hedges Run Drive, a boy was nearly robbed of his bike at gunpoint.
The 17-year-old victim said two other teenage males tried to take his bike from him at 9 p.m., and they displayed a gun while trying to do so, said Chinn.
The robbery, at the “jumps” where children ride their dirt bikes, was interrupted by a pedestrian who happened to walk by the area, she added.
Anyone with information with any of these incidents is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Chinn said police will not ask for names but may provide a $1,000 reward for information.
Maria Ortiz said she was standing outside of the Bayvue Apartments in Woodbridge just before 11 p.m. on Sept. 16 when she heard two gunshots.
She said she looked up and saw Ronald Kendell holding a pistol and leaning over her friend, Robert Phillips Jr.
Ortiz said she saw Kendell fire one more shot before she ran inside the building.
When police and paramedics arrived, the 24-year-old Phillips was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the start of his trial Monday, Kendell, 21, pleaded not guilty to murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony for Phillips' death.
Ortiz, who prosecutors said was one of several eyewitnesses to the murder, said there was "no question" in her mind that Kendell was the man who shot and killed Phillips.
Ortiz said she had known Phillips for a little less than three years when he died, but had not seen Kendell before that night.
Both men had been at a party in the apartment building earlier that night. Ortiz said the party broke up after she called apartment security because of the noise.
She said Kendell first left the building in a car with several other people, but soon came back, approached Phillips and shot him several times.
Prosecutors said Kendell then ran from the scene and to Marumsco Plaza where he threw a bloodstained T-shirt and the murder weapon on the roof of a store.
Police later recovered both items.
In his opening statement Monday, Kendell's attorney, Timothy Olmstead, asked jurors to wait until they heard all of the evidence before deciding Kendell's guilt or innocence.
He contended that it was dark outside of the apartment complex that night and the eyewitnesses may not have seen what they thought they saw.
Olmstead added that Kendell is "haunted by what happened that night."
"He's not a cold-blooded killer. He never has been and he wasn't on that night," Olmstead told jurors.
Kendell's trial continues today.
If convicted of first-degree murder, he faces up to life in prison. He faces an additional three years for the firearms charge.
Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.
A 32-year-old Woodbridge man was shot to death Sunday at 9:05 p.m. in the 13900 block of Marumsco Plaza, said 1st Sgt. Kim Chinn Prince William police spokeswoman.
Police responded to a call of a shooting in the area where Serafin Alvarez Negrete’s body was found lying in a roadway near Marumsco Mobile Home Park by a passerby, Chinn said.
Negrete, of 13950 Jefferson Davis Highway, Apt. 57, died at the scene.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well written and very detailed.
