Is McLean Really That Desirable?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Thank God.

This. For many people, noisy, crowded environments which are sometimes overrun by unsupervised and undisciplined urban youth are not appealing in the slightest.

What a racist comment.

Who said anything about race? You're obviously drawing your own bigoted inferences.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Parts of McLean are really trashy. The nice parts -- you'll know them when you see them. Yes, they are really that desirable. The houses that have been turned into impromptu rooming houses? Not so much.

Yes, there are cheaper parts. Same can be said of Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

And McLean is still the most expensive of the DC suburbs, so that tells you something right there.

Yes. Parts of "Chevy Chase" that are down Grubb Rd are real poverty pockets.

What are "poverty pockets" of Mclean?

The McLean house and similar condo buildings, a handful of townhouse complexes along Dolley Madison.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

ok, and any McLean resident can tell you downtown McLean is the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and Old Dominion. So are we done here now, or are the jealous types going to continue to find fault and ridicule?

More accurately…McLean doesn’t have a downtown. It has an area where you can get some essentials that’s not really walkable and has zero charm.

Exactly what everyone thought.

I agree it doesn’t make or break the area, but not sure why anyone refers to anything as downtown McLean.

It’s the commercial part of town that goes on for several blocks on Chain Bridge Road. I don’t know what else you would say except downtown.

[Anonymous]

It’s too far from what matters to me.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

There are pedestrian crosswalk everywhere, including Old Dominion and Chain bridge (which is where you'd have to walk to cross). Or you could go the other direction and cross near Balducci pedestrian crosswalk.

Look It's not a pleasant urban promenade, nobody is trying to argue this point here. If you need this, you should look into Bethesda, it has what you have in mind in terms of true urban grid of a small town and the charm factor. But arguing that Mclean DT doesn't exist or is just a bunch of disconnected strip malls that you cannot walk between and it doesn't have a cohesive town feel (having multiple intersections and streets and many types of businesses to serve everyday needs, plus commercial offices) is really stupid at this point. It just shows ignorance and laziness to even look at the googlemaps.

People here who still think Mclean is some exurban sprawl with zero walkability sound completely ignorant and obviously haven't been around for a while if ever. There is nothing in DC metro area at this point inside the beltway that's not trying to actively add density and urban amenities where possible near commercial centers of any kind. Mclean DT is no exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s too far from what matters to me.

Good stay away

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it’s super popular, even with young grads. Friend's DS actually moved back from Seattle because he loves McLean — it’s close to DC and Tysons, but you still get a yard and that nice suburban vibe.

Is it as classy as Spring Valley or Kalorama though?

have you seen the six elf the RATS in kalorama? SV is on top of a toxic hate dump and full of step ford wives and their paychecks. McLean is normal.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

There are pedestrian crosswalk everywhere, including Old Dominion and Chain bridge (which is where you'd have to walk to cross). Or you could go the other direction and cross near Balducci pedestrian crosswalk.

Look It's not a pleasant urban promenade, nobody is trying to argue this point here. If you need this, you should look into Bethesda, it has what you have in mind in terms of true urban grid of a small town and the charm factor. But arguing that Mclean DT doesn't exist or is just a bunch of disconnected strip malls that you cannot walk between and it doesn't have a cohesive town feel (having multiple intersections and streets and many types of businesses to serve everyday needs, plus commercial offices) is really stupid at this point. It just shows ignorance and laziness to even look at the googlemaps.

People here who still think Mclean is some exurban sprawl with zero walkability sound completely ignorant and obviously haven't been around for a while if ever. There is nothing in DC metro area at this point inside the beltway that's not trying to actively add density and urban amenities where possible near commercial centers of any kind. Mclean DT is no exception.

You keep describing what sounds like a bunch of shitty strip malls and calling it a downtown. Downtown is Old Town Alexandria, it’s Del Ray, it’s Leesburg…heck even Reston Town Square feels more like a downtown.

McLean is close to Tysons and Vienna and has essentials…it doesn’t have a DT.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Parts of McLean are really trashy. The nice parts -- you'll know them when you see them. Yes, they are really that desirable. The houses that have been turned into impromptu rooming houses? Not so much.

Yes, there are cheaper parts. Same can be said of Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

And McLean is still the most expensive of the DC suburbs, so that tells you something right there.

Yes. Parts of "Chevy Chase" that are down Grubb Rd are real poverty pockets.

What are "poverty pockets" of Mclean?

The McLean house and similar condo buildings, a handful of townhouse complexes along Dolley Madison.

Mclean house is a senior community, isn't it? It's a special case. Have you seen the prices of the other condo buildings in the area? A new luxury building just went up near Balducci that puts DC condo prices to shame. Townhomes go for 7 figures. I guess DCUM redefines "poverty" once again poverty means not being able to afford to occupy a 3mil SFH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is as useless as the 15+ previous threads on the same topic. Sigh.

Yep. People loooooooove to hate on McLean. McLean IS a highly desirable area (and has been historically for the schools, distance to DC, larger lots...) , and so are several other areas in the DMV. It simply boils down to personal preferences/priorities and budget. You do you.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

There are pedestrian crosswalk everywhere, including Old Dominion and Chain bridge (which is where you'd have to walk to cross). Or you could go the other direction and cross near Balducci pedestrian crosswalk.

Look It's not a pleasant urban promenade, nobody is trying to argue this point here. If you need this, you should look into Bethesda, it has what you have in mind in terms of true urban grid of a small town and the charm factor. But arguing that Mclean DT doesn't exist or is just a bunch of disconnected strip malls that you cannot walk between and it doesn't have a cohesive town feel (having multiple intersections and streets and many types of businesses to serve everyday needs, plus commercial offices) is really stupid at this point. It just shows ignorance and laziness to even look at the googlemaps.

People here who still think Mclean is some exurban sprawl with zero walkability sound completely ignorant and obviously haven't been around for a while if ever. There is nothing in DC metro area at this point inside the beltway that's not trying to actively add density and urban amenities where possible near commercial centers of any kind. Mclean DT is no exception.

You keep describing what sounds like a bunch of shitty strip malls and calling it a downtown. Downtown is Old Town Alexandria, it’s Del Ray, it’s Leesburg…heck even Reston Town Square feels more like a downtown.

McLean is close to Tysons and Vienna and has essentials…it doesn’t have a DT.

You are arguing semantics and your own definition of what a town is Look it up. It's absolutely a town by all definitions, in a way that it provides every essential amenity, multifamily housing and commercial offices WITHOUT having to go to Tysons. It's more dense than nearby residential areas and has a boundary and a "grid". People from nearby areas drive there for errands instead of traffic choked Tysons, people who live near and in the multifamily walk around there, HS kids walk from school and walk around there every day.

You don't like it because it's not quaint, and that's fair. It's not pretty. I don't like the appearance of it, but you have to be incredibly obtuse or weirdly stubborn or ignorant to not acknowledge that it's indeed a town by all definitions. It's not a bunch of disconnected strip malls you cannot walk between. It's all connected by pedestrian sidewalks and multiple pedestrian intersections, it has residential multifamily housing and offices.

It fact it's more of a town than any of the "weekend promenade" new developments around DC waterfronts lacking basic amenities.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

There are pedestrian crosswalk everywhere, including Old Dominion and Chain bridge (which is where you'd have to walk to cross). Or you could go the other direction and cross near Balducci pedestrian crosswalk.

Look It's not a pleasant urban promenade, nobody is trying to argue this point here. If you need this, you should look into Bethesda, it has what you have in mind in terms of true urban grid of a small town and the charm factor. But arguing that Mclean DT doesn't exist or is just a bunch of disconnected strip malls that you cannot walk between and it doesn't have a cohesive town feel (having multiple intersections and streets and many types of businesses to serve everyday needs, plus commercial offices) is really stupid at this point. It just shows ignorance and laziness to even look at the googlemaps.

People here who still think Mclean is some exurban sprawl with zero walkability sound completely ignorant and obviously haven't been around for a while if ever. There is nothing in DC metro area at this point inside the beltway that's not trying to actively add density and urban amenities where possible near commercial centers of any kind. Mclean DT is no exception.

You keep describing what sounds like a bunch of shitty strip malls and calling it a downtown. Downtown is Old Town Alexandria, it’s Del Ray, it’s Leesburg…heck even Reston Town Square feels more like a downtown.

McLean is close to Tysons and Vienna and has essentials…it doesn’t have a DT.

You are arguing semantics and your own definition of what a town is Look it up. It's absolutely a town by all definitions, in a way that it provides every essential amenity, multifamily housing and commercial offices WITHOUT having to go to Tysons. It's more dense than nearby residential areas and has a boundary and a "grid". People from nearby areas drive there for errands instead of traffic choked Tysons, people who live near and in the multifamily walk around there, HS kids walk from school and walk around there every day.

You don't like it because it's not quaint, and that's fair. It's not pretty. I don't like the appearance of it, but you have to be incredibly obtuse or weirdly stubborn or ignorant to not acknowledge that it's indeed a town by all definitions. It's not a bunch of disconnected strip malls you cannot walk between. It's all connected by pedestrian sidewalks and multiple pedestrian intersections, it has residential multifamily housing and offices.

It fact it's more of a town than any of the "weekend promenade" new developments around DC waterfronts lacking basic amenities.

Nobody mentioned DC waterfronts (which by your definition actually do qualify strangely enough though they have like 5x the number of restaurants and other shops people want in a downtown area).

It’s fine…there is no downtown McLean much like there is no downtown Potomac.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

There are pedestrian crosswalk everywhere, including Old Dominion and Chain bridge (which is where you'd have to walk to cross). Or you could go the other direction and cross near Balducci pedestrian crosswalk.

Look It's not a pleasant urban promenade, nobody is trying to argue this point here. If you need this, you should look into Bethesda, it has what you have in mind in terms of true urban grid of a small town and the charm factor. But arguing that Mclean DT doesn't exist or is just a bunch of disconnected strip malls that you cannot walk between and it doesn't have a cohesive town feel (having multiple intersections and streets and many types of businesses to serve everyday needs, plus commercial offices) is really stupid at this point. It just shows ignorance and laziness to even look at the googlemaps.

People here who still think Mclean is some exurban sprawl with zero walkability sound completely ignorant and obviously haven't been around for a while if ever. There is nothing in DC metro area at this point inside the beltway that's not trying to actively add density and urban amenities where possible near commercial centers of any kind. Mclean DT is no exception.

You keep describing what sounds like a bunch of shitty strip malls and calling it a downtown. Downtown is Old Town Alexandria, it’s Del Ray, it’s Leesburg…heck even Reston Town Square feels more like a downtown.

McLean is close to Tysons and Vienna and has essentials…it doesn’t have a DT.

You are arguing semantics and your own definition of what a town is Look it up. It's absolutely a town by all definitions, in a way that it provides every essential amenity, multifamily housing and commercial offices WITHOUT having to go to Tysons. It's more dense than nearby residential areas and has a boundary and a "grid". People from nearby areas drive there for errands instead of traffic choked Tysons, people who live near and in the multifamily walk around there, HS kids walk from school and walk around there every day.

You don't like it because it's not quaint, and that's fair. It's not pretty. I don't like the appearance of it, but you have to be incredibly obtuse or weirdly stubborn or ignorant to not acknowledge that it's indeed a town by all definitions. It's not a bunch of disconnected strip malls you cannot walk between. It's all connected by pedestrian sidewalks and multiple pedestrian intersections, it has residential multifamily housing and offices.

It fact it's more of a town than any of the "weekend promenade" new developments around DC waterfronts lacking basic amenities.

Nobody mentioned DC waterfronts (which by your definition actually do qualify strangely enough though they have like 5x the number of restaurants and other shops people want in a downtown area).

It’s fine…there is no downtown McLean much like there is no downtown Potomac.

People here did mention Navy Yard and such comparing it to Mclean, which I would never compare. Restaurants or weekend (dining entertainment promenade) amenities don't make a town. They are simply one of the features of a town. If Potomac has one central business area with offices, multifamily, all essential business (groceries and bakeries, banks, drug stores, medical offices, shopping (clothing, shoe, pet, hardware, household goods, gift stores and boutiques, specialty stores), beauty and spa services, fitness centers, tutoring centers and kid activities, etc. Then Potomac is also a town. I won't debate this. I haven't visited Potomac. On MD side I am quite familiar with Bethesda and Silver Spring, and both are definitely towns.

Mclean DT area has all of the above and by all definitions is a town regardless what personal beef you seem to have with it. Because it's close to Tysons doesn't take away from it being a full fledged town center for nearby residential communities. It has it's own commercial office space and multifamily housing too.

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Anonymous wrote:We lived in North Arlington just off of the Chesterbrook neighborhood for many years and it served its purpose then. As young empty nesters, though, we fled to the city the minute we could and haven’t looked back. I cannot imagine anyone without children wanting to live in a place like that. It is boring as hell.

We like McLean but I’m sorry you found North Arlington so boring. There are probably more amenities in both areas than when you lived there.

No they’re aren’t. Just fewer older homes and more McMansions. The fundamentals haven’t changed one bit.

WTF are you talking about? Chesterbrook shopping plaza was completely revamped and 'downtown' Mclean got a new grocery store and a dozen restaurants.

Lol yea I’ve seen the new Chesterbrook and sure it’s nicer than it was but it’s not exactly National Harbor or Navy Yard. No one is moving to Chesterbrook for the shopping plaza.

Nobody would say it's a destination place. It's just a convenient suburban shopping plaza for people's daily needs , it has limited amenities, it's also not DT Mclean, it's a short drive away.

As far as National Harbor, Navy Yard and the Wharf why would you even compare? These are not real towns either, they are dining/entertainment/promenade weekend destinations, and which is why they are also not desirable for everyday living IMHO. Very few everyday routine living amenities, they feel disconnected and bubble-like and poorly served by Metro (incomparable to central parts of DC where you can walk from one line to another). They are essentially weekend promenades off the HWy with atrociously priced parking. Mclean DT has more of a town feel than any of these and serves communities nearby.

So what is DT Mclean? What are the cross streets?

Not sure about that poster but to me it’s Chain Bridge and Old Dominion.

Google Maps shows three gas stations and a crappy strip mall that includes a Tobacco Hut (just what every high end DT needs and wants)...that's DT Mclean?

Are you being purposefully obtuse? Downtown anything does not consist of a single intersection. I swear sometimes I can’t tell if people on this board are genuine idiots or just pretending to be one.

Well…where does it start and end…if that is one end, what’s the other end? Why can’t anyone tell me where the f**k downtown McLean is?

I don’t know of any high end downtowns that have 3 gas stations and a tobacco hut anchoring any part of their downtown.

What's "high end" downtown? There is no luxury retail unless you go to Tysons 2 mall or into DC city center. NOt sure what you are looking for. DT Mclean has some gas stations, but it's most definitely not all that's around It has some higher end food shopping places like Balducci, Organic Butchers, some small ethnic food markets, bakeries (not cheap), and consignment boutiques where you could find some labels. Dining is mostly casual. It's not your Channel, LV, 5 star dining type of place, if that's what you mean There is a G. Gilbert's steakhouse around there, but I've never been.

DP. I think that when PP means downtown they means kind of the traditional city center type area where everything is reasonably walkable to each other. I love organic butcher but you’re not walking anywhere from there unless you’re planning on running across a very busy street.

There are pedestrian crosswalk everywhere, including Old Dominion and Chain bridge (which is where you'd have to walk to cross). Or you could go the other direction and cross near Balducci pedestrian crosswalk.

Look It's not a pleasant urban promenade, nobody is trying to argue this point here. If you need this, you should look into Bethesda, it has what you have in mind in terms of true urban grid of a small town and the charm factor. But arguing that Mclean DT doesn't exist or is just a bunch of disconnected strip malls that you cannot walk between and it doesn't have a cohesive town feel (having multiple intersections and streets and many types of businesses to serve everyday needs, plus commercial offices) is really stupid at this point. It just shows ignorance and laziness to even look at the googlemaps.

People here who still think Mclean is some exurban sprawl with zero walkability sound completely ignorant and obviously haven't been around for a while if ever. There is nothing in DC metro area at this point inside the beltway that's not trying to actively add density and urban amenities where possible near commercial centers of any kind. Mclean DT is no exception.

You keep describing what sounds like a bunch of shitty strip malls and calling it a downtown. Downtown is Old Town Alexandria, it’s Del Ray, it’s Leesburg…heck even Reston Town Square feels more like a downtown.

McLean is close to Tysons and Vienna and has essentials…it doesn’t have a DT.

You are arguing semantics and your own definition of what a town is Look it up. It's absolutely a town by all definitions, in a way that it provides every essential amenity, multifamily housing and commercial offices WITHOUT having to go to Tysons. It's more dense than nearby residential areas and has a boundary and a "grid". People from nearby areas drive there for errands instead of traffic choked Tysons, people who live near and in the multifamily walk around there, HS kids walk from school and walk around there every day.

You don't like it because it's not quaint, and that's fair. It's not pretty. I don't like the appearance of it, but you have to be incredibly obtuse or weirdly stubborn or ignorant to not acknowledge that it's indeed a town by all definitions. It's not a bunch of disconnected strip malls you cannot walk between. It's all connected by pedestrian sidewalks and multiple pedestrian intersections, it has residential multifamily housing and offices.

It fact it's more of a town than any of the "weekend promenade" new developments around DC waterfronts lacking basic amenities.

Nobody mentioned DC waterfronts (which by your definition actually do qualify strangely enough though they have like 5x the number of restaurants and other shops people want in a downtown area).

It’s fine…there is no downtown McLean much like there is no downtown Potomac.

DP. Whether you call it a downtown or a center, there's general agreement it lies at the intersection of Chain Bridge and Dolley Madison.

And that center is dowdy with a bunch of gas stations, banks, and nail salons at the core, but you can walk a short distance from the center in any direction and be at a nice Lebanese cafe, a good Indian restaurant, a strip mall with a Santini's, a Cava and a Chopt, and soon a neighborhood bistro.

It's not sparkly for two main reasons. First, when the CIA moved to Langley it demanded that the county limit the commercial development along Route 123 (Dolley Madison). So the retail in McLean is set back from the primary commuter route and doesn't get as much traffic (and eyeballs) as Route 123 further west. Second, a few landlords own much of the commercial real estate and are largely content to collect rents from existing tenants, with no obvious rush to redevelop.

Even so, it's convenient and efficient, and the local merchants are more likely to know you than if you were in a more built-up area with more outside visitors. McLean doesn't need shiny to manifest its wealth; it's obvious to anyone who's paying attention to the real estate prices or the achievements of the students attending the local schools.

[Anonymous]

I agree. McLean is terrible. Please do not buy or move here. Find a place you like and live there instead.