Shocked how ugly the City of Falls Church is

[Anonymous]

Most of the US built environment is ugly.

Look at downtown Bethesda. I love Bethesda but god is it ugly.

[Anonymous]

Agreed, it's hideous

[Anonymous]

I think FCC has some very pretty houses. The downtown area is not much aesthetically, but at least it's a walkable place in a suburb. Not really walkable to a metro, though.

[Anonymous]

Falls church city is over rated, we wanted to buy new construction and purchased right outside in fairfax county. the schools are just as good with much lower taxes.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. Falls Church City looks shabby and depressing.

It has tiny old houses dwarfed by over grown trees which darkens the streets and sidewalks. BTW, the city will not let people cut down your own tree without permission. It is supposed to be "city of trees" or something like that.

When you have a tiny population, it tends to skew school statistics. Which explains why their high school (only one) is considered one of the best... I think about 30% are ESL. When the school lets out, you will see many walking home through the Giant parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Falls Church City looks shabby and depressing.

It has tiny old houses dwarfed by over grown trees which darkens the streets and sidewalks. BTW, the city will not let people cut down your own tree without permission. It is supposed to be "city of trees" or something like that.

When you have a tiny population, it tends to skew school statistics. Which explains why their high school (only one) is considered one of the best... I think about 30% are ESL. When the school lets out, you will see many walking home through the Giant parking lot.

The ESL population of Mason is nowhere near 30%. It's more like 7%.

The high school is considered good because the city has few poor students and high test scores. To some extent, that is a legacy of the FCC having retroceded what had been the poor part of town where blacks lived to Fairfax County decades ago.

[Anonymous]

I agree OP. Alexandria is much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP. Alexandria is much better.

In what way(s)?

[Anonymous]

I grew in in a beautiful restored Victorian in FC. I lived right on the border with McLean (Haycock area). Beautiful homes and tree lined streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Falls Church City looks shabby and depressing.

It has tiny old houses dwarfed by over grown trees which darkens the streets and sidewalks. BTW, the city will not let people cut down your own tree without permission. It is supposed to be "city of trees" or something like that.

When you have a tiny population, it tends to skew school statistics. Which explains why their high school (only one) is considered one of the best... I think about 30% are ESL. When the school lets out, you will see many walking home through the Giant parking lot.

So what do you prefer--big, tacky McMansions on treeless lots? A "city of trees" with lovely shaded sidewalks sounds wonderful to me. The City of Falls Church certainly isn't perfect (no, I don't live there) but the trees are probably the last thing I'd complain about.

[Anonymous]

I also found the city of falls church to be surprisingly ugly. I was hoping I'd like it as it is appeals to me to live their because I don't love the idea of county governance. But the main commercial streets are ugly even if some of the houses are pretty.

But I guess I am spoiled because I grew up in New England so I like suburbs to look like Newton or Brookline MA or Greenwich or Darien CT and realistically I don't think anything here is that pretty (too new, too much of either uncontrolled growth or that "built by a developer" feel, and no quaint, walkable town centers.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also found the city of falls church to be surprisingly ugly. I was hoping I'd like it as it is appeals to me to live their because I don't love the idea of county governance. But the main commercial streets are ugly even if some of the houses are pretty.

But I guess I am spoiled because I grew up in New England so I like suburbs to look like Newton or Brookline MA or Greenwich or Darien CT and realistically I don't think anything here is that pretty (too new, too much of either uncontrolled growth or that "built by a developer" feel, and no quaint, walkable town centers.)

I could have written this post, except I grew up in northern NJ and expected it to look like Summit, Montclair or Westfield. No even close. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

I find NOVA unattractive in general, with pockets of nice places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Falls Church City looks shabby and depressing.

It has tiny old houses dwarfed by over grown trees which darkens the streets and sidewalks. BTW, the city will not let people cut down your own tree without permission. It is supposed to be "city of trees" or something like that.

When you have a tiny population, it tends to skew school statistics. Which explains why their high school (only one) is considered one of the best... I think about 30% are ESL. When the school lets out, you will see many walking home through the Giant parking lot.

So what do you prefer--big, tacky McMansions on treeless lots? A "city of trees" with lovely shaded sidewalks sounds wonderful to me. The City of Falls Church certainly isn't perfect (no, I don't live there) but the trees are probably the last thing I'd complain about.

city of downed trees during storms that smash your house with higher premiums hah

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. Falls Church City looks shabby and depressing.

It has tiny old houses dwarfed by over grown trees which darkens the streets and sidewalks. BTW, the city will not let people cut down your own tree without permission. It is supposed to be "city of trees" or something like that.

When you have a tiny population, it tends to skew school statistics. Which explains why their high school (only one) is considered one of the best... I think about 30% are ESL. When the school lets out, you will see many walking home through the Giant parking lot.

So what do you prefer--big, tacky McMansions on treeless lots? A "city of trees" with lovely shaded sidewalks sounds wonderful to me. The City of Falls Church certainly isn't perfect (no, I don't live there) but the trees are probably the last thing I'd complain about.

city of downed trees during storms that smash your house with higher premiums hah

Trees are beautiful. I'd take that risk any day over a house on a vacant lot.