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.
We're getting ready to move to the DC area this spring. My husband, Jamie, will be working in Tysons Corner, but we aren't at all interested in living in the suburbs. He's willing to have a longer commute if the tradeoff is living in a walkable, urban setting. (By urban, I mean like Brooklyn more than like Manhattan - we're thinking SFH or townhouse with a great Walkscore.) Also - we don't have kids, so a good school district isn't our top priority.
We're really pleased with the area directly east of Rock Creek Park, but we're concerned that this will be a crazy commute for Jamie. (I work from home, so this really is all about him.) Can you use Military Road to cut through the park? It seems like using Metro isn't particularly practical, since his office (he'll be at AT&T) is quite a hike from the station on that end.
Is it common to commute from Petworth/east or Rock Creek park to Tysons? Is there a way to find possible carpool opportunities? Is this all too hellish to contemplate?
Are there awesome pockets of walkability in NoVa that aren't small, expensive and light on parking spaces? (We have, and will continue to need, two cars.)
At that price point, you should be able to get a pretty nice townhome in N Arlington (Courthouse, Rosslyn neighborhoods) and it would be a pretty smooth, mostly reverse commute to Tysons.
Granted, the AT&T office (I assume you are referring to AT&T Gov Solutions) is a little further in, in Vienna, but it should be doable in 30 mins or less.
Rent in Petworth for a few months, see how much you like it and can tolerate the commute. If you can't, then look at Arlington, especially the neighborhoods around the Orange line of the Metro from Ballston to Rosslyn. It's walkable, but a VERY different vibe than Brooklyn or Petworth.
Thanks! Can you recommend walkable areas in Arlington? We're having trouble finding anything.
Claredon and Courthouse area would work in Arlington. I have to agree Petworth is the less than ideal choice in this case. I know it may show up in NYT trend pieces, but there are better options considering your budget. Also you may want to check out places a little further north past the DC border in downtown Silver Spring (MD) (or at least the two neighborhoods in DC that border Sillver Spring, Shepherd Park and Takoma), it's closer to 495 (so better commute), and honestly is actually a bit more urban than Petworth. Or downtown Bethesda is you want something more upscale (and it's even closer to Tysons). Likewise consider some of the neighborhoods west of the park in DC. Which honestly may be in your budget, and are pretty fantastic. I should note, I think you would really like Takoma(DC)/Takoma Park(MD) and Silver Spring. Frankly I think with the car thing Takoma/SilverSpring is a far better option than Petworth, which can get tight on street parking around the more walkable areas. Houses don't always have room for two cars in Petworth and fighting for street parking can be a nightmare.
This is not to say Petworth is bad, it's a fine neighborhood, but it's also not something I would recommend for somebody who is not from the area to buy into. The neighborhoods walkability can be very hit and miss in places. It's a hip neighborhood sure...but there may be better options.
With that being said...Arlington is your best option, it's in your budget. This is not to discourage you from DC. I usually do not suggest Arlington. I love DC.
Get a place near 14th & U. I heard they feed you caviar on gold plates and your **** won't stink there.
Also, Arlington is just a couple apartment buildings next to a Metro stop. Don't look there. It's boring and the bar/restaurant scene is pathetic compared to DC.
P.S. (**Serious Now***)Eastern Market/Capitol Hill is right off of the highway and would be a pretty easy commute to Tysons. Maybe my favorite neighborhood in DC. It is kind of like Brooklyn in that all the snobs are west of 14th and Eastern Market is more of a hidden gem.
Yes, you can use Military road, but commuting to and from Tysons from that area is going to suck big time! I've gone that way a few times in the evening (Tysons to points beyond Petworth) and it is a rough commute.
Location: IN>Germany>ND>OH>TX>CA>Currently NoVa and a Vacation Lake House in PA
3,259 posts, read 4,327,486 times
Reputation: 13471
With the Silver Line going right into Tyson's Corner you should consider that as a commute option as well. It would be mostly a reverse commute on the Metro and not all that bad at all. I prefer the suburbs, so I have no comment on specific neighborhoods, but good luck to you.
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.
