Future of the Walter Reed area

[Anonymous]

I live in Shepherd Park a few blocks from Walter Reed and love the neighborhood.

Walter Reed has now reached the point of build-out where it feels like there's really a there there. When I went exploring the other day, the bits around Whole Foods felt like they had proper streetscapes and I love that the bits around the historic buildings a little farther south have so much leafy green space. It feels like a college campus down there. It's at the point where I thought, yeah, I would actually seriously consider living in one of the condo buildings on the campus if I were downsizing, rather than just saying, as I have for the last decade, "I love Shepherd Park and Walter Reed will be great to have nearby when it's finished"—which I still believe.

Georgia: Changing rapidly. I'm still waiting to see the improvements from the Fern or so up to the District line that would make that strip a neighborhood attraction rather than a patchwork of good-tired-iffy. I hope (pretty optimistically, still) that the huge amount of new residential at WR will support better shops and restaurants along Georgia north of the campus.

[Anonymous]

16th street is already so busy. How are they planning for congestion on 16th/rock creek?

[Anonymous]

Very impressive area. What are the plans for the actual 'building 1' hospital?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been wondering what, if any, effect it will have. I live nearby too and PPs are right that Georgia is dumpy but the surrounding neighborhoods are mostly pretty nice. There is some dumpiness in Brightwood, but for the most part Georgia does not really match its surroundings. I am not sure what it will take to change that--perhaps Walter Reed is a start.

What on earth? Brightwood is no more "dumpy" than Takoma or Manor Park, which is to say: not at all. In fact it has much larger and nicer SFHs and lots than Manor Park, although MP has its own charm. These threads are so ridiculous and always reveal that the "I live nearby too" people are people who moved to Brightwood Park 5 years ago after a realtor convinced them it was Petworth.

No, it's revealing that you are unaware that Brightwood includes an area east of Georgia Ave and west of Coolidge HS, which does not have larger and nicer SFHs than Manor Park, and which has some streets that are somewhat dumpy. You seem to be taking offense and I am not sure why--I do live nearby (not in Brightwood Park), and it has not affected my love of the neighborhood. I am just sharing my observation.

Depends on who you ask. We live in Brightwood on a street in between 14th and 13th and wouldn’t consider this area “dumpy” — clearly I’m biased.

According to the Brightwood Community Association, the neighborhood is bounded by Aspen Street to the north, Georgia Avenue to the east, Missouri Avenue and Military Road to the south, and Rock Creek Park to the west.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/01/05/where-we-live-brightwood/

[Anonymous]

We bought one of the townhouses there, currently under construction. We're moving there from a downtown condo and will miss the area we're in now, but liked the development enough to take the plunge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought one of the townhouses there, currently under construction. We're moving there from a downtown condo and will miss the area we're in now, but liked the development enough to take the plunge.

This is exciting, PP! Please report back on how you like it after you've settled in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been wondering what, if any, effect it will have. I live nearby too and PPs are right that Georgia is dumpy but the surrounding neighborhoods are mostly pretty nice. There is some dumpiness in Brightwood, but for the most part Georgia does not really match its surroundings. I am not sure what it will take to change that--perhaps Walter Reed is a start.

What on earth? Brightwood is no more "dumpy" than Takoma or Manor Park, which is to say: not at all. In fact it has much larger and nicer SFHs and lots than Manor Park, although MP has its own charm. These threads are so ridiculous and always reveal that the "I live nearby too" people are people who moved to Brightwood Park 5 years ago after a realtor convinced them it was Petworth.

No, it's revealing that you are unaware that Brightwood includes an area east of Georgia Ave and west of Coolidge HS, which does not have larger and nicer SFHs than Manor Park, and which has some streets that are somewhat dumpy. You seem to be taking offense and I am not sure why--I do live nearby (not in Brightwood Park), and it has not affected my love of the neighborhood. I am just sharing my observation.

Depends on who you ask. We live in Brightwood on a street in between 14th and 13th and wouldn’t consider this area “dumpy” — clearly I’m biased.

According to the Brightwood Community Association, the neighborhood is bounded by Aspen Street to the north, Georgia Avenue to the east, Missouri Avenue and Military Road to the south, and Rock Creek Park to the west.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/01/05/where-we-live-brightwood/

Not to mention PP's argument has morphed into "Brightwood is dumpy and Manor Park is not because I draw the boundary of Brightwood to include a section indistinguishable from Manor Park." What? If east of Georgia/west of Coolidge is "dumpy" then there is no argument that Manor Park is not dumpy by the same metric. Those are the same streets, and the same housing stock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been wondering what, if any, effect it will have. I live nearby too and PPs are right that Georgia is dumpy but the surrounding neighborhoods are mostly pretty nice. There is some dumpiness in Brightwood, but for the most part Georgia does not really match its surroundings. I am not sure what it will take to change that--perhaps Walter Reed is a start.

What on earth? Brightwood is no more "dumpy" than Takoma or Manor Park, which is to say: not at all. In fact it has much larger and nicer SFHs and lots than Manor Park, although MP has its own charm. These threads are so ridiculous and always reveal that the "I live nearby too" people are people who moved to Brightwood Park 5 years ago after a realtor convinced them it was Petworth.

You lack reading comprehension. I’m one of the PP’s that used the term dumpy but I explicitly said that I was referring to the retail corridor on Georgia, while the neighborhoods are nice. If you don’t think the retail strip around brightwood is dumpy you are an idiot. Also I’ve been here longer than you, I can almost guarantee it. Been going to 2mac’s barbershop since when none of you white folks would even venture across the park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been wondering what, if any, effect it will have. I live nearby too and PPs are right that Georgia is dumpy but the surrounding neighborhoods are mostly pretty nice. There is some dumpiness in Brightwood, but for the most part Georgia does not really match its surroundings. I am not sure what it will take to change that--perhaps Walter Reed is a start.

What on earth? Brightwood is no more "dumpy" than Takoma or Manor Park, which is to say: not at all. In fact it has much larger and nicer SFHs and lots than Manor Park, although MP has its own charm. These threads are so ridiculous and always reveal that the "I live nearby too" people are people who moved to Brightwood Park 5 years ago after a realtor convinced them it was Petworth.

You lack reading comprehension. I’m one of the PP’s that used the term dumpy but I explicitly said that I was referring to the retail corridor on Georgia, while the neighborhoods are nice. If you don’t think the retail strip around brightwood is dumpy you are an idiot. Also I’ve been here longer than you, I can almost guarantee it. Been going to 2mac’s barbershop since when none of you white folks would even venture across the park.

That's actually explicitly what you did not say. You said Georgia is dumpy and then you also said the surrounding neighborhoods are "mostly pretty nice," but "there is some dumpiness in Brightwood, but for the most part Georgia does not really match the surroundings." So the neighborhoods are mostly not dumpy like Georgia Avenue, except Brightwood. You called Georgia dumpy, and then in the next sentence also called Brightwood dumpy, and now you're trying to hide behind an uneven edge up to claim you only said the first part. Good luck on "almost guaranteeing" your bona fides, you're probably as good at that as you are guessing race on the internet or retroactively rewriting your posts.

[Anonymous]

This thread really spiraled. The exact boundaries of Manor Park and Brightwood are not that well defined but if you enter that slice of DC bound by Blair, Georgia, and Missouri it's really obvious that the neighborhood is not uniform and some parts look better than others. A lot of this may be subjective. At the end of the day I'm not really sure any of it matters, but apparently people are very sensitive about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread really spiraled. The exact boundaries of Manor Park and Brightwood are not that well defined but if you enter that slice of DC bound by Blair, Georgia, and Missouri it's really obvious that the neighborhood is not uniform and some parts look better than others. A lot of this may be subjective. At the end of the day I'm not really sure any of it matters, but apparently people are very sensitive about it.

That encompasses all of Manor Park, 95% of Takoma, and arguably 5 square blocks of Brightwood. Nobody said the neighborhood was uniform, it's the argument that the area you're describing makes Brightwood dumpy *as opposed to* Manor Park and Takoma that makes no sense. It's simply nonsense. It's the equivalent of saying Logan Circle is an eyesore, unlike Dupont, because Connecticut between N and R have some empty storefronts. The terms are being used incorrectly, and then doubled and tripled down on for no reason.

On a separate note I really have a hard time believing that anyone who currently lives near Walter Reed would come to DCUM to ask people obsessed with AU Park about the future of the redevelopment. There's no new information here, and plenty on the ground at the site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread really spiraled. The exact boundaries of Manor Park and Brightwood are not that well defined but if you enter that slice of DC bound by Blair, Georgia, and Missouri it's really obvious that the neighborhood is not uniform and some parts look better than others. A lot of this may be subjective. At the end of the day I'm not really sure any of it matters, but apparently people are very sensitive about it.

That encompasses all of Manor Park, 95% of Takoma, and arguably 5 square blocks of Brightwood. Nobody said the neighborhood was uniform, it's the argument that the area you're describing makes Brightwood dumpy *as opposed to* Manor Park and Takoma that makes no sense. It's simply nonsense. It's the equivalent of saying Logan Circle is an eyesore, unlike Dupont, because Connecticut between N and R have some empty storefronts. The terms are being used incorrectly, and then doubled and tripled down on for no reason.

On a separate note I really have a hard time believing that anyone who currently lives near Walter Reed would come to DCUM to ask people obsessed with AU Park about the future of the redevelopment. There's no new information here, and plenty on the ground at the site.

Goodness! You're sure grouchy! PP (not OP) here and I think it's interesting to talk about because it's an area of town that I care a lot about. I'm genuinely interested in knowing what people outside of my circle are thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread really spiraled. The exact boundaries of Manor Park and Brightwood are not that well defined but if you enter that slice of DC bound by Blair, Georgia, and Missouri it's really obvious that the neighborhood is not uniform and some parts look better than others. A lot of this may be subjective. At the end of the day I'm not really sure any of it matters, but apparently people are very sensitive about it.

That encompasses all of Manor Park, 95% of Takoma, and arguably 5 square blocks of Brightwood. Nobody said the neighborhood was uniform, it's the argument that the area you're describing makes Brightwood dumpy *as opposed to* Manor Park and Takoma that makes no sense. It's simply nonsense. It's the equivalent of saying Logan Circle is an eyesore, unlike Dupont, because Connecticut between N and R have some empty storefronts. The terms are being used incorrectly, and then doubled and tripled down on for no reason.

On a separate note I really have a hard time believing that anyone who currently lives near Walter Reed would come to DCUM to ask people obsessed with AU Park about the future of the redevelopment. There's no new information here, and plenty on the ground at the site.

Goodness! You're sure grouchy! PP (not OP) here and I think it's interesting to talk about because it's an area of town that I care a lot about. I'm genuinely interested in knowing what people outside of my circle are thinking.

I live in Brightwood and am interested in the discussion too. However it's not a neighborhood that people are really familiar with unless they live there. I often find myself having to explain where it is. The area comes up on DCUM every so often and half the posters start talking about Brightwood Park because they don't know the difference.

[Anonymous]

Georgia Ave is more defined by Kennedy st than Alaska. If you think about it the whole road from start all the way up to Glenmont metro is sketchy. One Whole Foods wont change that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Georgia Ave is more defined by Kennedy st than Alaska. If you think about it the whole road from start all the way up to Glenmont metro is sketchy. One Whole Foods wont change that.

+1 I still find the area around Walter Reed super ugly. In addition, you are closer to downtown SS (which has its own issues) than DC.