Forum Index
»
Schools and Education General Discussion
Mt. Pleasant Families
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| We are moving to DC and hear Mt. Pleasant is a nice neighborhood for families and for urban living. Any thoughts on the area... and the public school? Our DC just turned one so we have a few years before he starts school but we want to be prepared... Thank you. |
Anonymous
| If you want to go public, the neighborhood elementary in Mount Pleasant is not one of the best in the city by any stretch. Also, Mt. Pleasant doesn't have a park! It is a great neighborhood though, if you can afford private. Adams Morgan is in many ways better, especially if you buy a house in the Oyster-Adams boundary. But the houses are more expensive. There are great charters but it's a lottery with hundreds of applicants ... I'd search the DC Public Schools Forum to get a sense of the top elementary schools and take it from there. |
Anonymous
I can't offer any current opinion on Bancroft ES vs. Oyster-Adams, but apart from the elementary schools I'd much rather live in Mount Pleasant with a family that Adams-Morgan. It's right near the National Zoo and Rock Creek Park; the residential blocks are much quieter than those in Adams-Morgan; you don't have to worry about the mayhem from 18th Street spilling over into the neighborhood every weekend as is the case in Adams-Morgan; and it's less expensive, so there's money left over for other things. |
Anonymous
| 20:25 here. I live in Adams Morgan. It's got two great parks. Much of the neighborhood is far from the madding crowd of 18th Street, there are quiet side streets. Yes it's more expensive but it's got a much more urban feel, too. Also, walking alone around Mount Pleasant can be kind of creepy. Not sure where OP's coming from or what her budget is... |
Anonymous
Agree with this. If you think that Oyster is a great public option (which is a whole other thread -- not going there; search the archives), the best of all worlds is the area south of Calvert in between CT and 18th, known as "Kalorama Triangle." Of course, it's priced like the best of all worlds, too.... |
Anonymous
|
OP Here -- We looked into Adams Morgan but it's too expensive. The only way we would even afford Mt. Pleasant is to buy a house and rent out the basement (at least that's what we were recommended doing). We are moving to DC from Europe so we'd really like to stay in an urban environment. Are there any other areas we should consider? We are trying to focus on NW areas. Thank you.
|
Anonymous
|
OP,
I'd go over to the DC Public and Charter Forum and educate yourself on the best schools and the charter lottery process. http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/32.page |
Anonymous
|
I would also look at Capitol Hill.
If you don't know the city I would rent for a year before buying. |
Anonymous
|
Capitol Hill's schools are up and coming, which means attending one would mean tons of parental involvement. Also if you ended up going private, as so many families who don't think they will do, it's a serious schlep to the other part of town.
OP, when are you moving to DC? What about renting for a year? |
Anonymous
| I would try Glover Park and Stoddert Elementar. Houses are about the same price as Mt Pleasant, though they're generally a little smaller. |
Anonymous
There are some blocks that are beautiful and relatively quiet, but 18th Street is the heart of Adams Morgan and it's a noisy zoo on the weekends. Walking alone in Mount Pleasant is only creepy if you're the type of person who shouldn't really be living in a city to begin with. |
Anonymous
Glover Park gets props for good schools and safety, but it's Cheeze Whiz in terms of urbanity. It's like the ugly parts of Queens without the good food. |
Anonymous
DC is very small city geographically. The difference between Mt Pleasant, Adams Morgan, Columbia Hts is only about a 15 minute walk. (We're not talking about arrondissements in Paris.) That said, areas vary dramatically in socio-economics from block to block even on the same street. I would rent for a year as well to test your comfort level with an area. If Mt Pleasant is out of your price range, look at Columbia Hts, Shaw and of course, Capitol Hill (arguably the most diverse part of DC). It all depends on what you consider "urban" and your preferences for transportation. If you prefer walking, metro and bus (Circulator line is great!), stay east of Connecticut Ave. (Glover Park is very far from the metro and not very "urban".) Where are you coming from OP? |
Anonymous
|
Why isn't Glover Park "urban"? Is "urban" yet again actually code for "low-income black and non-white Hispanic recent immigrants"?
If so (and on DCUM, there's a good chance that's what you're actually saying), then no, Glover Park isn't "urban." However the housing density is identical to Mt. Pleasant, and much of Adams Morgan and some of Columbia Hts. There are parking problems. There are tons of apartments. There is property crime. There is public transportation. There are residents from all over the world. There are actually varying income strata (low-income apartments on Wisc). But there is not a high percentage of black folk, and in DCUM land, that means "not urban." |
Anonymous
| >> pp here. If you are moving from Europe, you will like Glover Park. Also Georgetown and the west part of Burleith. |