Sell me on Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/washingtoncitypaper.com/article/511875/zinnia-to-replace-mrs-ks-toll-house-in-silver-spring/
This is an example of what I was talking about in above post that, to me, signals improvement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lived right in downtown Silver Spring in a luxury apartment for several years from 2010-2013. Discovery was still there, lots of new restaurants and luxury apartments popping up. I think it's gone downhill since then in a number of ways. There has always been and still is a decent amount of crime. You're correct that the downtown area was poorly planned and lacks green spaces. Even the Whole Foods is one of those "bad" whole foods. You know how like there are well managed ones with good employees and then there are ones where everything is just constantly "not quite right". It's kind of like the rest of SS. I would not sell you on it by any means. I got out as soon as I had money for a house in a better area. The bus station/metro station eyesore and construction boondoggle was one of the pivotal points at which it was obvious MoCo has no ability to plan or execute anything.

Thank you for leaving.

You're welcome, I now save 10k on taxes in northern VA

[Anonymous]

DP. You can’t afford the places you like so that’s the sales pitch. Studies have shown that people are happiest where they are relatively better off than their friends and neighbors. Even if you can skrimp and save your way into Bethesda that will not be the case for you there. You won’t be able to keep up with the Joneses. Your neighbors will be joining pools and country clubs, sending their kids to private school, taking European vacations every year and you won’t be able to do any of those things because you will be house poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:all these people triggered by OP's question and insulting her are so embarassing. bethesda is large, and everyone knows deep down its nicer. that's why its more expensive. i don't really feel a huge difference between downtown bethesda and downtown silver spring, but if people think the neighborhoods in bethesda or the schools are worse than silver spring .... they're either lying to themselves, have only lived in this area for 5 years or something and don't know sh*t about the region, or delusional. give me a break.

Ha, no. I could afford Bethesda or SS, and I prefer SS. DT Bethesda truly does not appeal at all. DT SS is fun and active. And I prefer more down to earth people and schools.

I think both downtown Bethesda and downtown silver spring are mediocre. It's funny how everyone thinks everyone in Bethesda is some millionaire with a butler or something. I can't easily differentiate between silver spring "people" and Bethesda "people." I live in NW DC, I'm from the area, and yeah - I think I know more than 90% of people in this thread about these neighborhoods because I've lived in both of them (and NW DC and NE DC). SS has more crime than Bethesda. The schools are NOT good. They just aren't.

Have you actually been in the schools? Met all of the staff and students? People are so quick to label a school without actually spending time in one. I’ve worked in Northwood High school (and a few others in the county, elementary and high school, while also having friends who worked in W schools) and I know all about the school ratings.

No, I haven't been in ALL the schools and met ALL the staff and teachers. What kind of idiotic question is that? But Bethesda schools are better overall than Silver Spring schools. It's not subjective. I don't think there's some special teacher insider knowledge about ratings that you have access to that the general public doesn't. Thanks for the genuine chuckle.

It’s a question you didn’t understand. So you sit in your school that has a good school rating and sh*t on other schools. Without actually knowing anything about the school you sh*t on. You’re right, it is a genuine chuckle. The special teacher insider knowledge is knowing that you can’t judge a book by its cover. If that were the case, all the racism, drugs and alcohol at W schools would significantly lower them.

You lost me a while back. You can't judge a book by its cover but you CAN judge a school by it's ranking.

DP. No you cannot. You can compare the actual underlying data with respect to test scores, etc yourself but if you think you can go based on greatschools or something like that then you are truly an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lived right in downtown Silver Spring in a luxury apartment for several years from 2010-2013. Discovery was still there, lots of new restaurants and luxury apartments popping up. I think it's gone downhill since then in a number of ways. There has always been and still is a decent amount of crime. You're correct that the downtown area was poorly planned and lacks green spaces. Even the Whole Foods is one of those "bad" whole foods. You know how like there are well managed ones with good employees and then there are ones where everything is just constantly "not quite right". It's kind of like the rest of SS. I would not sell you on it by any means. I got out as soon as I had money for a house in a better area. The bus station/metro station eyesore and construction boondoggle was one of the pivotal points at which it was obvious MoCo has no ability to plan or execute anything.

Thank you for leaving.

One in a long line... MoCo better shape up soon or it's going to be bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/washingtoncitypaper.com/article/511875/zinnia-to-replace-mrs-ks-toll-house-in-silver-spring/
This is an example of what I was talking about in above post that, to me, signals improvement

Damn I had no idea Mrs. K’s closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/washingtoncitypaper.com/article/511875/zinnia-to-replace-mrs-ks-toll-house-in-silver-spring/
This is an example of what I was talking about in above post that, to me, signals improvement

Damn I had no idea Mrs. K’s closed.

I had a meal there pre-pandemic that was honestly the worst meal I have paid for in several decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, man. This. Thread.

I assume that the OP is British, or of the Commonwealth, or educated in a British system from the spelling of neighboUrhood.

If correct, where and how the OP grew up is probably instrumental in their expectations and desires for home life. If you have to be *sold* on Silver Spring, then it probably isn't for you. I can understand the concerns over the current shape of downtown SS. It's a bit of a mess. The ever evolving purple line has been digging up roads for years now. Throw that on top of the non stop construction and things can look messy. Not that downtown Bethesda is all that different in terms of constant construction, but to each their own.

I live in Silver Spring and like it very much. Not in downtown though. Just outside. If you want old sub and semi-urban neighborhoods, there are plenty of options that surround downtown. If you want to live in a diverse area with a bunch of terrific restaurants that offer cuisines from around the globe, then come to the Spring. If you want to shop at lululemon then eat at an overpriced, mini chain restaurant, then Bethesda awaits. One choice is not superior to the other. It's a matter of taste.

I will say that vitriolic comments about Bethesda and "stay away" snipes are repugnant. So much for those pillars of tolerance and inclusion. As a SS resident, I welcome any and all people to our neighborhood. That even includes Trump folk. I won't agree with your views for one second, but you have the right to live wherever you choose. As an old person who has spent the bulk of their existence, and has generations of family members buried in Montgomery County, I am astounded at the amount of self righteous, intolerant, frankly hateful, individuals who label themselves as progressives, that have been implanting themselves all over MoCo, but especially in Silver Spring. MoCo has always been a conservatively liberal county, but now things have taken a full on Portland turn and I can not gauge when the rhetoric will morph into to full on stupidity. If you want things to get better in this country, it starts with engagement - not derision. I've talked a couple people to come down from the Trump tree. It *can* happen.

Also, way back in the day, Bethesda and Silver Spring weren't that different. Anyone remember McDonald's Raw Bar? Yup. Didn't think so. Then the 80's came. Bethesda grew while downtown Silver Spring sunk. If you think SS is rough now, you should have seen it 20 years ago before Doug Duncan lifted taxes and Whole Foods and Discovery can a running. Now change keeps coming for both areas, which has been great. Sure, I miss shopping for records at Vinyl Ink, but I can't wait to see what new things will pop up in the coming years. In the meantime, I'm going to get some coffee at Zed's and chill.

Wow. This is the OP. You are correct that I grew up in the British commonwealth and did my O and A levels. Then came to the US for college. Interesting that you caught that. Thank you to you and some of the other gracious and kind posters who genuinely tried to answer my question. I sincerely did not mean to offend anyone. The title of my post was perhaps a little thoughtless. I dashed off the title without thinking how it might sound. I think it makes sense to look in SS along with looking in Kensington and Takoma Park. Someone on this thread made a great point which I think made me realize why I don’t like downtown SS. There are no green spaces. No town commons or big fountain or plaza area in the town center which always helps embue a calming vibe. Instead it is all concrete and traffic spread out haphazardly in all directions. I’m not too worried about schools as Blair is on par with or better than Wilson HS and MC has more magnet options than DC. I’m not familiar enough with Northwood to comment on it. Our budget is probably about one million but we would prefer to spend less if possible. I like houses with character (not too generic), lots of light, a yard and some curb appeal. Friendly neighbors, of course. I’m fine with Bethesda but it is pricey and the vibe is a little intense for me.

[Anonymous]

OP again - to answer a different poster - I like Lululemon, nice coffee shops and ethnic restaurants. For fancy restaurants, I think I prefer DC to Bethesda. Also mostly shop for groceries at WF and love farmers markets. Costco, Trader Joe’s and Target are my other favorites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP. You can’t afford the places you like so that’s the sales pitch. Studies have shown that people are happiest where they are relatively better off than their friends and neighbors. Even if you can skrimp and save your way into Bethesda that will not be the case for you there. You won’t be able to keep up with the Joneses. Your neighbors will be joining pools and country clubs, sending their kids to private school, taking European vacations every year and you won’t be able to do any of those things because you will be house poor.

This is why we live in Silver Spring. It's the lifestyle we can afford here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, man. This. Thread.

I assume that the OP is British, or of the Commonwealth, or educated in a British system from the spelling of neighboUrhood.

If correct, where and how the OP grew up is probably instrumental in their expectations and desires for home life. If you have to be *sold* on Silver Spring, then it probably isn't for you. I can understand the concerns over the current shape of downtown SS. It's a bit of a mess. The ever evolving purple line has been digging up roads for years now. Throw that on top of the non stop construction and things can look messy. Not that downtown Bethesda is all that different in terms of constant construction, but to each their own.

I live in Silver Spring and like it very much. Not in downtown though. Just outside. If you want old sub and semi-urban neighborhoods, there are plenty of options that surround downtown. If you want to live in a diverse area with a bunch of terrific restaurants that offer cuisines from around the globe, then come to the Spring. If you want to shop at lululemon then eat at an overpriced, mini chain restaurant, then Bethesda awaits. One choice is not superior to the other. It's a matter of taste.

I will say that vitriolic comments about Bethesda and "stay away" snipes are repugnant. So much for those pillars of tolerance and inclusion. As a SS resident, I welcome any and all people to our neighborhood. That even includes Trump folk. I won't agree with your views for one second, but you have the right to live wherever you choose. As an old person who has spent the bulk of their existence, and has generations of family members buried in Montgomery County, I am astounded at the amount of self righteous, intolerant, frankly hateful, individuals who label themselves as progressives, that have been implanting themselves all over MoCo, but especially in Silver Spring. MoCo has always been a conservatively liberal county, but now things have taken a full on Portland turn and I can not gauge when the rhetoric will morph into to full on stupidity. If you want things to get better in this country, it starts with engagement - not derision. I've talked a couple people to come down from the Trump tree. It *can* happen.

Also, way back in the day, Bethesda and Silver Spring weren't that different. Anyone remember McDonald's Raw Bar? Yup. Didn't think so. Then the 80's came. Bethesda grew while downtown Silver Spring sunk. If you think SS is rough now, you should have seen it 20 years ago before Doug Duncan lifted taxes and Whole Foods and Discovery can a running. Now change keeps coming for both areas, which has been great. Sure, I miss shopping for records at Vinyl Ink, but I can't wait to see what new things will pop up in the coming years. In the meantime, I'm going to get some coffee at Zed's and chill.

Wow. This is the OP. You are correct that I grew up in the British commonwealth and did my O and A levels. Then came to the US for college. Interesting that you caught that. Thank you to you and some of the other gracious and kind posters who genuinely tried to answer my question. I sincerely did not mean to offend anyone. The title of my post was perhaps a little thoughtless. I dashed off the title without thinking how it might sound. I think it makes sense to look in SS along with looking in Kensington and Takoma Park. Someone on this thread made a great point which I think made me realize why I don’t like downtown SS. There are no green spaces. No town commons or big fountain or plaza area in the town center which always helps embue a calming vibe. Instead it is all concrete and traffic spread out haphazardly in all directions. I’m not too worried about schools as Blair is on par with or better than Wilson HS and MC has more magnet options than DC. I’m not familiar enough with Northwood to comment on it. Our budget is probably about one million but we would prefer to spend less if possible. I like houses with character (not too generic), lots of light, a yard and some curb appeal. Friendly neighbors, of course. I’m fine with Bethesda but it is pricey and the vibe is a little intense for me.

How long have you been in the US for? Honestly, as unattractive as it is, the vibe and activities of DTSS are actually pretty good for the US. One could do much worse. I realize that’s not a great recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, man. This. Thread.

I assume that the OP is British, or of the Commonwealth, or educated in a British system from the spelling of neighboUrhood.

If correct, where and how the OP grew up is probably instrumental in their expectations and desires for home life. If you have to be *sold* on Silver Spring, then it probably isn't for you. I can understand the concerns over the current shape of downtown SS. It's a bit of a mess. The ever evolving purple line has been digging up roads for years now. Throw that on top of the non stop construction and things can look messy. Not that downtown Bethesda is all that different in terms of constant construction, but to each their own.

I live in Silver Spring and like it very much. Not in downtown though. Just outside. If you want old sub and semi-urban neighborhoods, there are plenty of options that surround downtown. If you want to live in a diverse area with a bunch of terrific restaurants that offer cuisines from around the globe, then come to the Spring. If you want to shop at lululemon then eat at an overpriced, mini chain restaurant, then Bethesda awaits. One choice is not superior to the other. It's a matter of taste.

I will say that vitriolic comments about Bethesda and "stay away" snipes are repugnant. So much for those pillars of tolerance and inclusion. As a SS resident, I welcome any and all people to our neighborhood. That even includes Trump folk. I won't agree with your views for one second, but you have the right to live wherever you choose. As an old person who has spent the bulk of their existence, and has generations of family members buried in Montgomery County, I am astounded at the amount of self righteous, intolerant, frankly hateful, individuals who label themselves as progressives, that have been implanting themselves all over MoCo, but especially in Silver Spring. MoCo has always been a conservatively liberal county, but now things have taken a full on Portland turn and I can not gauge when the rhetoric will morph into to full on stupidity. If you want things to get better in this country, it starts with engagement - not derision. I've talked a couple people to come down from the Trump tree. It *can* happen.

Also, way back in the day, Bethesda and Silver Spring weren't that different. Anyone remember McDonald's Raw Bar? Yup. Didn't think so. Then the 80's came. Bethesda grew while downtown Silver Spring sunk. If you think SS is rough now, you should have seen it 20 years ago before Doug Duncan lifted taxes and Whole Foods and Discovery can a running. Now change keeps coming for both areas, which has been great. Sure, I miss shopping for records at Vinyl Ink, but I can't wait to see what new things will pop up in the coming years. In the meantime, I'm going to get some coffee at Zed's and chill.

Wow. This is the OP. You are correct that I grew up in the British commonwealth and did my O and A levels. Then came to the US for college. Interesting that you caught that. Thank you to you and some of the other gracious and kind posters who genuinely tried to answer my question. I sincerely did not mean to offend anyone. The title of my post was perhaps a little thoughtless. I dashed off the title without thinking how it might sound. I think it makes sense to look in SS along with looking in Kensington and Takoma Park. Someone on this thread made a great point which I think made me realize why I don’t like downtown SS. There are no green spaces. No town commons or big fountain or plaza area in the town center which always helps embue a calming vibe. Instead it is all concrete and traffic spread out haphazardly in all directions. I’m not too worried about schools as Blair is on par with or better than Wilson HS and MC has more magnet options than DC. I’m not familiar enough with Northwood to comment on it. Our budget is probably about one million but we would prefer to spend less if possible. I like houses with character (not too generic), lots of light, a yard and some curb appeal. Friendly neighbors, of course. I’m fine with Bethesda but it is pricey and the vibe is a little intense for me.

But there is a "commons" -- there is the ice skating rink (yes, it's in winter, but in summer people hang out there). And there is a fountain. And on weekends there are bands that play across from it. That street has become a pedestrian zone and tons of families hang out there. This area is the "commons."

No, it's not like a traditional European city where there is a central plaza with cathedral and fountain and plague monument and outdoor market open every day. But there is a fountain, it is a pedestrian zone, and it's where people congregate, there and down the way where the outdoor ice arena is. I mean, I'd prefer something like Haarlem's Grote Maarkt or Leuven's Oude Markt or one of the adorable market squares in the small towns of the Czech Republic. But you won't find those in the US.

As for green spaces, there's a park right in DTSS, next to the old library. And there's Sligo Creek which runs for miles through Silver Spring and is close to DTSS.

[Anonymous]

https://ggwash.org/view/78789/here-are-seven-ways-montgomery-county-is-changing-2

The county is getting more diverse, but not evenly. The county became majority-minority for the first time in the 2010 Census, and planners found that many neighborhoods across the county are pretty mixed, with no majority ethnic or racial group.

At the same time, the east-west divide is still very real: as East County and the Upcounty become more diverse, west side communities like Bethesda and Chevy Chase have simply remained white and affluent. One exception: close-in Silver Spring, which has become both more diverse and wealthier.

[Anonymous]

When we moved here from Brooklyn, where we'd ived as gentrifying hothouse flowers for about two decades in Williamsburg, Bed Study and Clinton Hill... DTSS was the only neighborhood in the entire DMV that even seemed close to what we were looking for: decent, affordable housing stock, small businesses, a variety of restaurants, ethnic diversity, decent schools, something that seemed like an art scene.

Sadly, we had underestimated how miserable the entire DMV truly is, but my assessment still stands: if one is forced to live in this miserable place full of type-A strivers, DTSS isn't so bad. It's not all quinoa bowl fast casual like Bethesda. (Seriously, I have to go there a lot for work and every miserable restaurant there just serves some version of a protein "bowl" for $15. That's what you all consider a thriving downtown? Lol.)

I wish I had lived in dtss when there was a borders bookstore. I wish a major bookstore would return.

On the upside, I love the music, I love the pedestrian traffic (all two blocks of it), I love the old stores on GA and Fenton, I love the comic book store, I love all the Ethiopian coffee options, I love the irish pub, I love parking is free on weekends, I love the hardware store, I love Denizens, I love the dated office buildings, and Info see a great deal of potential.

I've been predicting the next big thing in urban neighborhoods since the early 90s so I don't think I'm wrong: as far as it goes in the DMV, Silver Spring has the 'it' factor. This area is still a miserable place full of joyless, humorless, didactic and whiny people... But DTSS is so much better than Bethesda or Del Ray or Capitol Hill.

[Anonymous]

And I see a great deal of upside in DTSS that I don't see elsewhere in the DMV. It's an easy affordable place to live with good housing stock and decent food and bars. Unless you adore chain restaurants, Bethesda, Pike and Rose, etc? Don't have that. DTSS still has its spirit. Places like Kaldi's or McGinty's are genuinely unique. The addition of a few beer gardens hasn't hurt. Having an actual theater, levine music, potter violin, createarts, kaizen karate... There are a lot of homegrown businesses that thrive in SS, as opposed to bethesda... where they have quinoa bowls and corporate brew pubs.

We used to try and visit bethesda looking for things to do? Then they closed the barnes and noble. That was it. When we first moved here we almost bought in tenleytown? Aside from proximity to the 24 hour vet (and real estate appreciation) I have no regrets.

I am not thrilled, I admit, with some of the choices Peterson et al have made recently with DTSS. Astroturfing elsworth is dumb. A lot of the dining options are fast casual. There seems to be an almost condescending effort of late to bring in more mattress stores and other C-list retail. In general, I think people here get confused. They understand what lulelemon is, and they understand what marshall's is, but they don't seem capable of envisioning anything between those extremes. DTSS could go a lot farther if they encouraged more retail incubation. Set up their half empty mall as a arts emporium. Stopped encouraging more pizza restaurants that dont even have decent pizza.

Then again, since we've lived here I've seen a lot of hipster SS wither and die. Maybe it needs to become a place of mattress stores and teeth whitening clinics before it can become something else? Maybe it is more Fulton Street than Bedford Ave. And that's not bad.