How Bad Is The Eastern PanHandle Becoming? (Martinsburg, Charles Town: credit, how much)

[Jesco White]

Originally Posted by stickonfreeze

I sincerely appreciate your need to tell me the way I should live.

I live in the panhandle and commute to Tysons. I love it here. People are more friendly. They aren't in as much of a hurry. They are less concerned about how expensive their car is. Women wear less makeup. People talk to each other, maybe because they mostly speak the same language? I know my neighbors. Oh yeah, they also generally don't want to engineer my life in the name of "social responsibility."

I grew up in the Northern Virginia and worried about what I was moving to five years ago. I love it here. I wouldn't move back to NoVa now. This is a better place.

I live in Tysons, and while it sucks, I also don't have a horrendous commute. I'll take a condo with no commute over a large house with a 2 hour commute any day.

[Jesco White]

Originally Posted by cathy J.

You can add Pittsburgh to the list too. When the Steelers were in the Superbowl I can recall seeing a number of places in and around Martinsburg that were selling that Myron Cope/Terrible Towel in support of the Steelersdespite Martinsburg being in Redskin Country.not too mention posters of "Big Ben" ( Steeler's QB ) it sure seemed they were everywhere.

Last year my cousin who was working for Direct TV told me that around the Eastern Pandhandle there is no shortage of those who want the local Pittsburgh TV stations rather than DC or Baltimore, and many of them get them as well ( having a Pittsburgh address and pay your bill online ). Come to think of it I seem to recall some movement not that long ago by those who wanted to pick up the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette in the area too but that has yet to happen ( and I doubt it will too ). Plus I have seen ads in the paper for local bus trips from Martinsburg to Kennywood...ah there is a lot of "Pittsburgh" in the Eastern Panhandle.

Not a single person commutes from the eastern panhandle to Pittsburgh. The reason you're seeing all the PA people there are because they're working closer to DC. I've worked with a bunch (they all gel their very short hair for some reason). They're all commuting to the DC area for work.

[Jesco White]

Originally Posted by MrDerek

I am with you, but I have to work in northern virginia for my career. If I could move farther from this place I would, but the panhandle is the farthest I can get. I also despise gentrification and hope the panhandle does not change. I hope the people who move here do so because they like it here, not just for price or utility.

You despise it, yet you are a part of it?

[MrDerek]

Originally Posted by Jesco White

You despise it, yet you are a part of it?

I meant I despise Northern Virginia where I work, not the WV Panhandle. I am moving to the Panhandle soon and can't wait. Enjoy life in your cramped Tysons Corner apartment. My son had asthma attacks every day when we lived there because of the smog.

[stickonfreeze]

Originally Posted by Jesco White

I live in Tysons, and while it sucks, I also don't have a horrendous commute. I'll take a condo with no commute over a large house with a 2 hour commute any day.

To each his own. I don't begrudge anyone for living the way they want to live.

For me, and more importantly for my children, W.Va. is the better choice. We don't even have that large of a house, so it's not a prestige thing. It's really more about the atmosphere of the places than anything. There's a toxic attitude about city/suburban life that I didn't really recognize until I was away from it.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by MrDerek

I am with you, but I have to work in northern virginia for my career. If I could move farther from this place I would, but the panhandle is the farthest I can get. I also despise gentrification and hope the panhandle does not change. I hope the people who move here do so because they like it here, not just for price or utility.

Oh! it has changed my friend it has changed.
Now, with a broad question of "How Bad is the Eastern Panhandle Becoming" I think we need to whittle it down abit'.

Morgan County (Berkeley Springs) has had some steady growth though the downtown area remained the same by maintaining it's charm and cleanliness.
From Berkeley Springs to Hancock, Maryland the beauty is still intact and Mayberry remains.

Berkeley County (Martinsburg) Oh Lordy! Martinsburg until about 1995 or maybe a little earlier (when did the train come in?) was Morgan County. Today, not so. Berkeley County has grown from 21,000 to 100,000 people in a short period of time. A county that still has no zoning and a historical society that maintains it's hard headed mantra. In short, developments all over some almost sitting on top of I-81 (8-11 Mile marker) without Jersey walls and a downtown in solid decay. Martinsburg is a solid "Diamond" it's history is abundant, it's history used to be honored. Since the influx of transplants and downtown going from the center of capital, Martinsburg city is just a shell of what it once was. Well, unless you count the drugs, and just about anything else you want to not see. Rather a shame.
Now, with this said the north part of the county, Falling Waters etc., is very nice.

Jefferson County (Charles Town) Jefferson has had some improvements. With the introduction of zoning in 2005, Jeffersons prospects have went up, up, up. With Harpers Ferry now under the National Park Service and many of the money guys from DC bringing restoration to Brownstones in Shepherdstown, Jefferson has a new face. I can remember the days in the 70's and 80's where everyone went to downtown Martinsburg, the Hag Mart, Gatsby's, the Moose, and shopping and veered far away from C Town, now it's the opposite.

[stormes44]

Originally Posted by Georgia

In short, developments all over some almost sitting on top of I-81 (8-11 Mile marker) without Jersey walls....

Update for you: WV DOH is removing the cable barrier and installing nearly six miles of concrete barrier separating the north/south travel lanes of I-81 through the Martinsburg area. Work is already underway with temporary walls separating the travel lanes from the median, and their website indicates a completion date of late July, but I don't think it'll be finished by then.

[slowlane]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Perhaps if we had more sensible zoning policies that allowed for higher densities along with much higher fuel taxes like they have in other countries people wouldn't live so far from their jobs. I think it's socially irresponsible to live far away from a job just so one can have a bigger house.

Yes, why should an extreme high-density jobsite like Tysons Corner be adjacent to such low-zoned restricted housing areas of Fairfax County like Great Falls, Fairfax Station, Dranesville, and Clifton. Because of this restriction, many Tysons employees have to leapfrog outside of Fairfax County to Ashburn, Bristow, and Manassas to find housing in higher-zoned communities. This only increases traffic and wastes gasoline.

And because of the up-county end of Montgomery County MD all being a giant preserved area, forbidden to housing development, this only forces employees in Montgomery County to have to leapfrog out to Frederick County where housing developments are springing up fast.

And don't get me started on the obscene rule that Dulles and National Airport taxicabs are not allowed to pickup passengers on their return trips - because each taxi is only licensed to pickup either in VA or DC, but not in both jurisdictions. This effectively doubles the volume of taxicab traffic to and from Dulles and National, 24/7/365. Our country will never lessen its dependence of oil, due to stupid crazy situations like this.

[clintsullivan]

Originally Posted by Georgia

Jefferson County (Charles Town) Jefferson has had some improvements. With the introduction of zoning in 2005, Jeffersons prospects have went up, up, up.

Actually, I'm pretty sure Jefferson County Zoning was first enacted around 1989. You are probably refering to the failed attempt to go from LESA to a more Euclidian or conventional zoning ordinance. That was quite a fight, which the pro-zoners lost big time. There is still some upcoming litigation that came out of it, but none that is substantive or that will affect changes in the rules. The LESA system is a very moderate form of zoning which while it does restrict types & sizes of development within certain areas, it does not attempt to regulate types of property use to the degree as the failed proposed ordinance would have. The proposed ordinance changed the allowable use on much of the existing property within the county. And within those newly created zones every detail of construction & use was to be regulated. Down to placement of clothes lines, fences, small outbuildings as well as sale of personal merchandise (ie yardsales, cars, campers, etc.), and the number of animals allowed. The first draft even went so far as to restrict the installation of an AC unit in a shop or storage shed.
The thing which has helped Jefferson the most is simple economics & free enterprise. The geographic location, proximate to MD & VA is what affects the economy here. Historically the eastern panhandle has been an easy weekend and 2nd home spot for those in & around DC; think Shannondale Springs, CT Races, Berkeley Springs, etc. In the past 20 years with the construction of better roadways, and the upward spiraling cost of living in MD & VA there had been quite a population spike. And customers is what attracts business.
I agree Jefferson prospects have gone up. And with the real estate & economic fall, population growth has just about stopped here, but we still have the stores, the new roads and the new schools. And no matter your opinion of the Casino, table games are set to start next month.

Originally Posted by Georgia

... many of the money guys from DC bringing restoration to Brownstones in Shepherdstown...

Not to sure about brownstones in ST either, but there are 'money guys' here looking for deals.

Clint

PS, boy this is an old thread.

[Jesco White]

Originally Posted by MrDerek

I meant I despise Northern Virginia where I work, not the WV Panhandle. I am moving to the Panhandle soon and can't wait. Enjoy life in your cramped Tysons Corner apartment. My son had asthma attacks every day when we lived there because of the smog.

Enjoy route 7 while I sleep in