DC Residents

[scnupe7]

I have been offered a job in Northern VA. If I accept, I want to live in DC and commute to VA. The Orange Line of the Metro stops right at the office where I may be working. Given this, can anyone recommend any cool, hip and young areas of DC where I might begin my housing hunt. Right now, I am considering Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan (alough I am beginning to think less of Adams Morgan, as I have heard there is a rodent problem in this area), and Georgetown.

Any advice and recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chorse123]

Apparently no one wants to help. I'm not from DC, nor have I ever lived in DC, so take this with a salt lick (not just a grain), but I don't think Dupont Circle or Georgetown, college students excluded, is exactly young or hip these days. More like yuppie and very very expensive. They're very nice places, but if you're after young/hip, you may have to deal with rodents on the streets. Seems like a fair trade off to me.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

This is a topic with which I am quite familiar, as I recently moved from Northern Virginia to DC.  I assume that you are in your mid-20s to early 30s and that you put a premium on access to public transportation.  Here are my $.02.

I find Georgetown boring and overrated.  It seems to cater to the college-age crowd (due to its proximity to Georgetown University) and the over-35 set.  It is very expensive, probably the most expensive real estate in the city.  And it has no Metrorail station (although I am sure that a Metrobus goes from Georgetown to Northern Virginia -- the 38B, I believe).  On the plus side, it is closer to Northern Virginia than any other area in DC.

Between your other two choices, in my opinion, Adams-Morgan crushes Dupont Circle (unless you are gay, in which case Dupont would be a better choice).  A lot more fun nightspots, better restaurants, and more lively overall.  In the interest of full disclosure, I am a resident of Adams-Morgan, so I'm not completely objective.  The drawbacks to Adams-Morgan are the rodents (I have seen them, but I don't really care so long as they don't invade my building), the distance to a Metrorail station (a good 15-minute walk from the heart of Adams-Morgan; I avoid this problem by taking the bus), and the hordes of people that descend on the area like locusts on Friday and Saturday night.  Both Dupont and Adams-Morgan are on the Metro Red Line, which will necessitate a transfer to the Orange Line at Metro Center.  Just something to think about.

Other areas worth looking into are U Street (up-and-coming area that is slightly less pricey than Dupont or Adams-Morgan, not sure about how safe it is), Penn Quarter (around MCI Center, has exploded in past few years with lots of bars and great restaurants, but feels a bit sterile to me), and Cleveland Park (great mix of social amenities and residential feel, may be a bit too staid for you).  And although you mentioned you want to be in DC, you should look into Clarendon, on the Orange Line.  It'll be a lot closer to work, its populated by young professionals, and has really improved to the point where I consider it to be a viable alternative for people who want the amenities of DC but prefer to live in Virginia.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

 

[kabert]

"Cool, hip and young" -- well, I think ambulance chaser has good advice. I live in DC, my wife and I having moved from the Bethesda, MD suburbs about 3 years ago. We live in the Palisades area of Northwest DC, which is all families with kids -- probably of no interest to you.

-- Georgetown: I lived in Gtown when I was in high school and college. I loved living there, in large part due to the many students that come with the proximity to Georgetown University. Georgetown also has very easy access to the Potomac River and the jogging/biking trails along it. If you are into biking or rowing or fishing, or if you really want to be w/in walking distance to both Ralph Lauren and Dean & Deluca, definitely consider Gtown. Gtown is very expensive though. There are not many apt. buildings; however, there are a decent number of houses that have been turned into rentals or rental multi-units. Gtown has great shopping and restaurants w/in walking distance too. Downside - no subway unless you are close to Key Bridge (at 35th and M) and are willing to walk over the bridge to get to the Rosslyn, Virginia metro stop (though that might be the orange (or blue?) line). Gtown is "ritzy" and there's alot of money there.

Adams Morgan: Meets your requirements pretty much to a "T." It is young and fun. It is pretty gentrified now and real estate prices are definitely going up. I haven't heard about a rat problem there; however, there are rats during the summer months in many parts of the city. It's not uncommon to see one scamper across the street downtown during the summertime at night. They are definitely in Dupont too. Lots of restaurants (many are "ethnic" but more and more are not) and lots of bars. Hard to find parking spaces; almost impossible on weekends from what I recall. Very few stores other than liquor stores. Good weekend farmers market. I went to AM constantly when I was in my mid to late 20s and early 30s -- I never go there any more.

Capitol Hill: I've never been a fan of the Hill. Too much crime; too detached; not near enough to parks and the river for me. But, there is a subway (Eastern Market) there and lots of quaint streets with many, many young people living there - many of whom are interns who are in town for fun and a congressional internship for a couple years. A good number of restaurants and fun bars.

Downtown: Worth consideration if you're willing to spend $$$. I'm talking about the area around Chinatown and the 7th/Pennsylvania area. Near the "new" MCI Center, etc. Lots of high end restaurants, clubs and a few stores. Metro is nearby too at Judiciary Square or Gallery Place (orange line). This area used to be crappy but has seen a huge, huge turnaround over the last 15 years. Now it's all high-end new apartment buildings and high-end restaurants. It's also nice that it is near the "mall" with the monuments, museums, etc. Most single people are probably lawyers in their 30s.

Dupont: Dupont seems to contain two sets of people in my mind (stereotype) -- young male/female couples who like the promixity to the great area restaurants and their downtown law offices; and gay men. There are far more of the former though I'd guess. Dupont also has some older empty nest couples as well. My wife and I lived in a Dupont high-rise apt. on 17th street for a year before we got married and moved to the suburbs -- we loved being able to walk 15 minutes to the office and having great restaurants and food markets all around us; plus, it's nice to be within walking distance of Adams Morgan and all the monuments/museums of the mall (a long walk though). Dupont has a several metro stops, both red line and orange line.

Cleveland Park/Woodley Park: I love these areas along Connecticut Avenue, NW -- nice houses and apartments, with great restaurants too, plus proximity to subways and to the awesome Rock Creek Park. But, they aren't known for being bastions of young partiers due at least in part to the areas being "nice" and hence expensive. But, before going to grad school I had several girlfriends who lived in both neighborhoods and after grad school I lived in an apt. in Cleveland Park. If I had to produce a stereotype, I'd say women in these neighborhoods are liberal, intellectual and athletic. Democrats.

Virginia: Unless you're dead set on DC, you might want to consider VA as well. Clarendon is a good suggestion. There are lots of nice areas with lots of young people. I don't know VA very well though. I am reminded though of a friend who moved to the DC area who rented in a VA apt. building for a year while figuring out where he really wanted to live in the area. He would regularly tell me about all the gorgeous lonely single women in his building who were pretty much available for the taking. In the end, you may well find that alot of your Virginia co-workers live in VA and that's where they go out, socialize, etc. Whatever you do, if you choose Virginia, avoid the soulless townhouse communities that are stuck in random places between highway exits, etc.

Good luck.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

There is a persistent rumor that MTV is going to shoot Real World: DC in Adams-Morgan, borne primarily out of MTV's purchase of the space above the Maggie Moo ice cream parlor.  If MTV ever did such a series (and it is completely inexplicable why the Real World hasn't been to DC yet), Adams-Morgan would be the only choice, in my opinion.

 

[scnupe7]

Thanks for you help guys.

 

[Manton]

Logan Circle. Still cheaper than a lot of the other places mentioned. Not so close to the Orange line, however.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Logan Circle.  Still cheaper than a lot of the other places mentioned.  Not so close to the Orange line, however.

Logan Circle is the destination of choice of people priced out of Dupont Circle, which is directly due west.  It has recently become gentrified, and I would go so far as to say it is now an established neighborhood rather than one that is up and coming.  Rents are cheaper than Dupont, but not by much.  I hesitate to recommend Logan Circle to new DC residents, however, because it is nowhere near a Metrorail station.

 

[scnupe7]

Quote:

(Manton @ Feb. 25 2005,11:19) Logan Circle. Â Still cheaper than a lot of the other places mentioned. Â Not so close to the Orange line, however.
Logan Circle is the destination of choice of people priced out of Dupont Circle, which is directly due west. Â It has recently become gentrified, and I would go so far as to say it is now an established neighborhood rather than one that is up and coming. Â Rents are cheaper than Dupont, but not by much. Â I hesitate to recommend Logan Circle to new DC residents, however, because it is nowhere near a Metrorail station.
Being close to a Metrorail Station is key, as I will be commuting everyday to Arlington.