Downtown Rockville vs "North Bethesda" Market: Plus let's talk modern apartments

[bufflove]

I was at Whole Foods in Silver Spring today and it occurred to me I should have mentioned that as a grocery option. The Citron is an apt building around the corner from it, in case that's an important criteria in your search. Best of luck.

[cpterp]

This thread is really interesting since I should (hopefully) be moving by the end of the year and while my original first choice is downtown SS, I'm now also considering R'ville and maybe White Flint (depending on my job situation).

Since bufflove's comments are pretty much spot there's not much to add. I will say though that I too would recommend downtown Rockville over White Flint for the following reasons:

1. The first phase of the Town Center is fully built out with plenty of retail, a "town square" green, Regal movie theater, library, Organic market, etc. South of that another 14-story apartment/retail building is currently under construction (completion spring 2015) with a 16-story building to follow. Phase II on the barren block to the north, another two apartment buildings with retail should be going under construction by the end of the year.

2. You don't have to worry about getting run over on Old Georgetown Rd or Rockville Pike like you would in WF.

3. The prices are likely to be cheaper in Rockville (but not by much)

4. There's a MARC commuter rail (and Amtrak) station at the Metro station, which gives you additional commuting options

5. Rockville already has an urban, walkable feel to it while, White Flint is a work in progress. Besides Pike and Rose and North Bethesda Market, everything else is strip malls, car dealers, and seemingly randomly placed high-rises. Give it a decade though and I would probably recommend White Flint instead.

That said, there are a few downsides to living in dtown Rockville. For one, it'll be a 5-10 minute longer commute on the Metro. Secondly, downtown Rockville kinda has an "artificial" urban feel and is more family-friendly than "young-adult friendly," but they do have a Gordon Biersch brewery as well as your typical bars. In DT Silver Spring you'll definitely get the full, authentic "urban experience," but it's nearly as expensive to live there now.

[ay jayy]

I think eventually White Flint will be the best downtown in Montgomery County. The amount of development planned is staggering. That is more than a few years away though. For now the best deal in that area is to find a condo for rent in one of the buildings on old georgetown, or an apt in the wentworth house. You can walk to Metro and Harris Teeter, Pike and Rose will be just across Rockville Pike. Nightlife is definitely lacking, but should get better when Pike and Rose opens up.

[superseiyan]

Originally Posted by ay jayy

I think eventually White Flint will be the best downtown in Montgomery County. The amount of development planned is staggering. That is more than a few years away though. For now the best deal in that area is to find a condo for rent in one of the buildings on old georgetown, or an apt in the wentworth house. You can walk to Metro and Harris Teeter, Pike and Rose will be just across Rockville Pike. Nightlife is definitely lacking, but should get better when Pike and Rose opens up.

I know! Interesting how Pike Rose and North Bethesda Market will be two huge downtown's right next to each other. It's not if, but when the (already high) prices will rocket into the stratosphere. Figure 2017/18 will be early enough to pick up a town home before that moment?

By the way, wassup with the relative quietness of Twinbrook? I guess you can't develop everywhere. It's like Forest Glen in between Wheaton/Silver Spring--perhaps Grovesnor and Twinbrook will be White Flint suburbs.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by superseiyan

I know! Interesting how Pike Rose and North Bethesda Market will be two huge downtown's right next to each other. It's not if, but when the (already high) prices will rocket into the stratosphere. Figure 2017/18 will be early enough to pick up a town home before that moment?

By the way, wassup with the relative quietness of Twinbrook? I guess you can't develop everywhere. It's like Forest Glen in between Wheaton/Silver Spring--perhaps Grovesnor and Twinbrook will be White Flint suburbs.

Twinbrook has a couple large apartment building going up next to the metro station, but yeah, it makes sense that White Flint would redevelop first thanks to it being closer in/proximity to Bethesda and DC and also thanks to the county's recent up-zoning of the area. The county wanted the development there and so far developers have been happy to oblige. Once White Flint builds out more it'll push land values up in Twinbrook which will in turn lead to its redevelopment as well, at least in theory, which is what the county is counting on. Same thing on the east side of the county with Silver Spring being built out leading to more development in Wheaton and soon hopefully in Glenmont as well.