Wisconsin Ave Development Project

[Anonymous]

I guess that makes sense given the state of schools in DC. I guess my kids grew up in the glory days here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally agree with the argument that not everyone can live everywhere, but if we want to attract a more economically diverse population, we need townhouses.

A lot of us, probably the silent majority in the area in question, don't actually want to attract a more economically diverse population. We're fine living among ourselves and our broad income bracket, which comes with many many benefits and very few downsides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally agree with the argument that not everyone can live everywhere, but if we want to attract a more economically diverse population, we need townhouses.

A lot of us, probably the silent majority in the area in question, don't actually want to attract a more economically diverse population. We're fine living among ourselves and our broad income bracket, which comes with many many benefits and very few downsides.

Frumin and Bowser seem to have other plans for us.

I don't see anything that is going to drive a big, sudden, population increase of the middle class into DC in the near future.

I have heard talk of "affordable housing" in the corridor, not sure if that will be vouchers, set aside units or what?

[Anonymous]

I guess my fear is that NWDC will become just very wealthy people (lawyers) living in SFHs, singles living for a few years in expensive condos, and previously homeless people filling up the condos with the tax $$ of the rich. We need middle or upper middle class families -- those with an income of $300k or so -- to live here too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess my fear is that NWDC will become just very wealthy people (lawyers) living in SFHs, singles living for a few years in expensive condos, and previously homeless people filling up the condos with the tax $$ of the rich. We need middle or upper middle class families -- those with an income of $300k or so -- to live here too.

No, we really really do not need middle class people as immediate neighbors. As long as there are middle class and UMC people living somewhere in the general area, we're all good. And what do you know, the area has a ton of such people. Quite literally millions of middle and UMC people distributed throughout DC, Montgomery, PG, Arlington and Fairfax counties.

The only people who benefit from shoehorning additional middle class households specifically into FH -- vs. Rockville, or Hyattsville -- are developers.

[Anonymous]

But FH will be developed for better or worse. Would you prefer townhomes or high rises? I say this as someone who generally opposes development, but I don't see the point of lots of one bedroom condos that will ultimately be filled with voucher holders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally agree with the argument that not everyone can live everywhere, but if we want to attract a more economically diverse population, we need townhouses.

A lot of us, probably the silent majority in the area in question, don't actually want to attract a more economically diverse population. We're fine living among ourselves and our broad income bracket, which comes with many many benefits and very few downsides.

Amen

[Anonymous]

I should add that I no longer live right in that area -- I moved a bit closer in. But I used to live pretty close to the old Lord & Taylor store and loved the neighborhood. When I lived there 10 years ago, it was still reasonably diverse in terms of economics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with the poster who said movie theaters are going away. I think they are still a great entertainment option. I prefer a night out at a movie with dinner and drinks either before or after. I can’t be alone in that thinking. Staying home is nice some times but some movies are more fun to see in a theater …

How old are you? I am just stating some obvious things…that if you can stream first run movies for free within 1 or 2 weeks of release…a not insignificant %age of people are doing this, so if the average person saw 10 movies per year in the theater and it drops to 5…you need fewer theaters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess that makes sense given the state of schools in DC. I guess my kids grew up in the glory days here.

What glory days? DC schools in upper NW are way better than the 1980s and 1990s.

[Anonymous]

But worse than 2000-2020ish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But worse than 2000-2020ish

Maybe 2007-2020…they didn’t turn around until Michelle Rhee and it took a couple of years…but they are not materially worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But worse than 2000-2020ish

I think that is generally schools everywhere though. The pandemic really did a number on schools and teachers.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Yes, Trader Joe's is coming to Chevy Chase Pavillion.

FH could be incredible if it was connected on the MD side. You could create another Reston Town Center or whatever they call the area in Rockville/North Bethesda with the REI and LL Bean.

You have a wasted surface lot behind the new Mazza replacement, wasted surface lot at the Saks in CC MD. You have the Lord & Taylor site...it seems crazy to turn that into the new bus depot...although I guess that opens up development of the current bus depot.

It needs to be far more mixed-use...apartments, retail, entertainment (Dave & Busters, Pinstripes type places), etc.

Turning Friendship Heights and AU Park into some high rise city with Dave & Busters? No thanks.

That would be awesome. Right now it is basically nothing and wont be converted into a SFH or open space area…so what would you suggest?

BTW…I don’t care nor even understand what Smart growth is. I want a fun, dynamic destination with lots for everyone to do.

Building lots of townhouses makes more sense than apartments and condos. Increasing density without drastically altering the area.

the region invested billions into the metro station. you don't build low density townhouses on top of such a regional investment.

I get it, you live in a single family home not far from Friendship Heights. You chose to purchase there based on proximity to metro and other amenities. Guess what, other people want to enjoy the same benefits. You can enjoy what you have and let new people also enjoy it as well.

Beautiful! the "new" people can move into the existing SFHs and rowhomes in the neighborhood when they come on the market! Then "other" people can enjoy the same benefits.

Where you and I part company is when you think I should have thousands of _additional_ people living within a mile of me -- in multifamily housing that doesn't yet exist. And for which there is not demonstrated demand, as shown by flat in-migration and empty new construction apartments a mile down the road.

I live in a SFH I own across the street from what this plan earmarks for a new apartment building, and I can't disagree more with you on this. We don't get the right to declare that we won't accept more neighbors in a one-mile radius of our houses. There's clearly not enough supply of single-family homes in the neighborhood to meet demand to live here; if there were, the rush to buy anything that hits the market as soon as it's listed would ease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have young adult children, and they are definitely not seeking 700 square foot 1 1/2 bedroom condos. They want three bedroom townhouses under 2000 square feet for under a million. Do such homes exist? All the new townhouses I see are $2 million and 3000 square feet.

And built with lots of stupid and unnecessary extras.