Can somebody please exain why South Arlington is considered inferior to North Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and live in S. Arlington. My husband is latino though so I guess that brings my white status down.

Anyway, i have lived here for 4 years. Never had an issue with crime. I could not love this area more. I love the fact that I can walk to a ton of restaurants, a splash park, regular parks, a movie theater, and a grocery store.

I like that there are always a ton of people out and walking around. I love that I have mad from great mom friends from just meeting random people at parks, the grocery store, or restaurants.

As far as transportation goes, DH can take a bus from our front door to the front door of his work in DC in under 45 minutes. I drive to work in 10 (work in VA).

The schools in S. Arlington have the same high quality teachers and curriculum as the schools in N. Arlington. When DS is old enough to go to ES I would be happy to send him to a S. Arlington school. But then again, he is half latino so I guess he belongs there anyway according to most of you.

As far as the Columbia Pike redevelopment, I think its going great. And to the PP that mentioned it won't work if you keep the ethnic stores, well I don't think you have to worry since they will eventually be out of there. I am not sure what new or remodeled ethnic stores you are talking about. The new places (in the last 2 years) we have are

1. Restaurants and frozen yogurt places - All decent sit down restaurants, most of which have other locations.

2. A grocery store (Giant not an ethnic one)

3. A dry cleaner

The "ethnic" places are the crazy shop with all the statues, a bread shop that mainly serves restaursnts, and a thai grocery store, which is always very busy. None of those are new and none of those have been remodeled so I really have no clue waht you are talking about. For the majority of those places they are merely waiting for their lease to run out so they can kick them out (and likely tear the building down to put in a new one).

BIG FAIL

The Columbia Pike Plan in Arlington calls for preserving all 7,400 affordable housing units and encouraging developers to make 20 percent or 35 percent of new units affordable, in exchange for incentives such as increased density.

Umm. Did I mention housing? I am talking about retail. So I am not sure what BIG FAIL you are trying to catch me in?

[Anonymous]

The S Arlington haters will never get it, they are afraid of their own shadow and will never ever be open to any neighborhood in S Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The S Arlington haters will never get it, they are afraid of their own shadow and will never ever be open to any neighborhood in S Arlington.

I think you're right. Which is why S Arlington will simply never be desirable relatively speaking. That's just reality. It may not be fair, but it's reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and live in S. Arlington. My husband is latino though so I guess that brings my white status down.

Anyway, i have lived here for 4 years. Never had an issue with crime. I could not love this area more. I love the fact that I can walk to a ton of restaurants, a splash park, regular parks, a movie theater, and a grocery store.

I like that there are always a ton of people out and walking around. I love that I have mad from great mom friends from just meeting random people at parks, the grocery store, or restaurants.

As far as transportation goes, DH can take a bus from our front door to the front door of his work in DC in under 45 minutes. I drive to work in 10 (work in VA).

The schools in S. Arlington have the same high quality teachers and curriculum as the schools in N. Arlington. When DS is old enough to go to ES I would be happy to send him to a S. Arlington school. But then again, he is half latino so I guess he belongs there anyway according to most of you.

As far as the Columbia Pike redevelopment, I think its going great. And to the PP that mentioned it won't work if you keep the ethnic stores, well I don't think you have to worry since they will eventually be out of there. I am not sure what new or remodeled ethnic stores you are talking about. The new places (in the last 2 years) we have are

1. Restaurants and frozen yogurt places - All decent sit down restaurants, most of which have other locations.

2. A grocery store (Giant not an ethnic one)

3. A dry cleaner

The "ethnic" places are the crazy shop with all the statues, a bread shop that mainly serves restaursnts, and a thai grocery store, which is always very busy. None of those are new and none of those have been remodeled so I really have no clue waht you are talking about. For the majority of those places they are merely waiting for their lease to run out so they can kick them out (and likely tear the building down to put in a new one).

BIG FAIL

The Columbia Pike Plan in Arlington calls for preserving all 7,400 affordable housing units and encouraging developers to make 20 percent or 35 percent of new units affordable, in exchange for incentives such as increased density.

Umm. Did I mention housing? I am talking about retail. So I am not sure what BIG FAIL you are trying to catch me in?

What is happening is that the new development will be built to accommodate all of arlington's subsidized housing which is a problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and live in S. Arlington. My husband is latino though so I guess that brings my white status down.

Anyway, i have lived here for 4 years. Never had an issue with crime. I could not love this area more. I love the fact that I can walk to a ton of restaurants, a splash park, regular parks, a movie theater, and a grocery store.

I like that there are always a ton of people out and walking around. I love that I have mad from great mom friends from just meeting random people at parks, the grocery store, or restaurants.

As far as transportation goes, DH can take a bus from our front door to the front door of his work in DC in under 45 minutes. I drive to work in 10 (work in VA).

The schools in S. Arlington have the same high quality teachers and curriculum as the schools in N. Arlington. When DS is old enough to go to ES I would be happy to send him to a S. Arlington school. But then again, he is half latino so I guess he belongs there anyway according to most of you.

As far as the Columbia Pike redevelopment, I think its going great. And to the PP that mentioned it won't work if you keep the ethnic stores, well I don't think you have to worry since they will eventually be out of there. I am not sure what new or remodeled ethnic stores you are talking about. The new places (in the last 2 years) we have are

1. Restaurants and frozen yogurt places - All decent sit down restaurants, most of which have other locations.

2. A grocery store (Giant not an ethnic one)

3. A dry cleaner

The "ethnic" places are the crazy shop with all the statues, a bread shop that mainly serves restaursnts, and a thai grocery store, which is always very busy. None of those are new and none of those have been remodeled so I really have no clue waht you are talking about. For the majority of those places they are merely waiting for their lease to run out so they can kick them out (and likely tear the building down to put in a new one).

BIG FAIL

The Columbia Pike Plan in Arlington calls for preserving all 7,400 affordable housing units and encouraging developers to make 20 percent or 35 percent of new units affordable, in exchange for incentives such as increased density.

Umm. Did I mention housing? I am talking about retail. So I am not sure what BIG FAIL you are trying to catch me in?

What is happening is that the new development will be built to accommodate all of arlington's subsidized housing which is a problem

I am not saying that is not a problem. Although, I was under the impression that the majority of new builds (north or south arlington) required a certain percentage to be affordable housing units, I guess S. Arlington is just getting the bulk of new housing right now so that is where it is winding up. Anyway, while I understand that lower income housing pulls down test scores and desirability of a neighborhood I have not found the neighborhood to be less desirable. I like all my neighbors, rich or poor. Although to be honest, there is not much interaction between the two.

I was just responding to the PP that mentioned that ethinic stores were pulling down the commercial development.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and live in S. Arlington. My husband is latino though so I guess that brings my white status down.

Anyway, i have lived here for 4 years. Never had an issue with crime. I could not love this area more. I love the fact that I can walk to a ton of restaurants, a splash park, regular parks, a movie theater, and a grocery store.

I like that there are always a ton of people out and walking around. I love that I have mad from great mom friends from just meeting random people at parks, the grocery store, or restaurants.

As far as transportation goes, DH can take a bus from our front door to the front door of his work in DC in under 45 minutes. I drive to work in 10 (work in VA).

The schools in S. Arlington have the same high quality teachers and curriculum as the schools in N. Arlington. When DS is old enough to go to ES I would be happy to send him to a S. Arlington school. But then again, he is half latino so I guess he belongs there anyway according to most of you.

As far as the Columbia Pike redevelopment, I think its going great. And to the PP that mentioned it won't work if you keep the ethnic stores, well I don't think you have to worry since they will eventually be out of there. I am not sure what new or remodeled ethnic stores you are talking about. The new places (in the last 2 years) we have are

1. Restaurants and frozen yogurt places - All decent sit down restaurants, most of which have other locations.

2. A grocery store (Giant not an ethnic one)

3. A dry cleaner

The "ethnic" places are the crazy shop with all the statues, a bread shop that mainly serves restaursnts, and a thai grocery store, which is always very busy. None of those are new and none of those have been remodeled so I really have no clue waht you are talking about. For the majority of those places they are merely waiting for their lease to run out so they can kick them out (and likely tear the building down to put in a new one).

BIG FAIL

The Columbia Pike Plan in Arlington calls for preserving all 7,400 affordable housing units and encouraging developers to make 20 percent or 35 percent of new units affordable, in exchange for incentives such as increased density.

Umm. Did I mention housing? I am talking about retail. So I am not sure what BIG FAIL you are trying to catch me in?

What is happening is that the new development will be built to accommodate all of arlington's subsidized housing which is a problem

I am not saying that is not a problem. Although, I was under the impression that the majority of new builds (north or south arlington) required a certain percentage to be affordable housing units, I guess S. Arlington is just getting the bulk of new housing right now so that is where it is winding up. Anyway, while I understand that lower income housing pulls down test scores and desirability of a neighborhood I have not found the neighborhood to be less desirable. I like all my neighbors, rich or poor. Although to be honest, there is not much interaction between the two.

I was just responding to the PP that mentioned that ethinic stores were pulling down the commercial development.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carol-j-carter/why-arent-low-income-stud_b_2909180.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am white and live in S. Arlington. My husband is latino though so I guess that brings my white status down.

Anyway, i have lived here for 4 years. Never had an issue with crime. I could not love this area more. I love the fact that I can walk to a ton of restaurants, a splash park, regular parks, a movie theater, and a grocery store.

I like that there are always a ton of people out and walking around. I love that I have mad from great mom friends from just meeting random people at parks, the grocery store, or restaurants.

As far as transportation goes, DH can take a bus from our front door to the front door of his work in DC in under 45 minutes. I drive to work in 10 (work in VA).

The schools in S. Arlington have the same high quality teachers and curriculum as the schools in N. Arlington. When DS is old enough to go to ES I would be happy to send him to a S. Arlington school. But then again, he is half latino so I guess he belongs there anyway according to most of you.

As far as the Columbia Pike redevelopment, I think its going great. And to the PP that mentioned it won't work if you keep the ethnic stores, well I don't think you have to worry since they will eventually be out of there. I am not sure what new or remodeled ethnic stores you are talking about. The new places (in the last 2 years) we have are

1. Restaurants and frozen yogurt places - All decent sit down restaurants, most of which have other locations.

2. A grocery store (Giant not an ethnic one)

3. A dry cleaner

The "ethnic" places are the crazy shop with all the statues, a bread shop that mainly serves restaursnts, and a thai grocery store, which is always very busy. None of those are new and none of those have been remodeled so I really have no clue waht you are talking about. For the majority of those places they are merely waiting for their lease to run out so they can kick them out (and likely tear the building down to put in a new one).

BIG FAIL

The Columbia Pike Plan in Arlington calls for preserving all 7,400 affordable housing units and encouraging developers to make 20 percent or 35 percent of new units affordable, in exchange for incentives such as increased density.

Umm. Did I mention housing? I am talking about retail. So I am not sure what BIG FAIL you are trying to catch me in?

What is happening is that the new development will be built to accommodate all of arlington's subsidized housing which is a problem

I am not saying that is not a problem. Although, I was under the impression that the majority of new builds (north or south arlington) required a certain percentage to be affordable housing units, I guess S. Arlington is just getting the bulk of new housing right now so that is where it is winding up. Anyway, while I understand that lower income housing pulls down test scores and desirability of a neighborhood I have not found the neighborhood to be less desirable. I like all my neighbors, rich or poor. Although to be honest, there is not much interaction between the two.

I was just responding to the PP that mentioned that ethinic stores were pulling down the commercial development.

you are partially correct, yes all new developments in Arlington require a certain percentage of low income housing, but...

the real issue is that south Arlington has a lot of existing low income housing units and the Columbia pike redevelopment is preserving them as well as adding new developments with set aside percentages for low income housing. It is obvious the county wants to dump the low income people in south Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington and I'm so sick of it too.

You 'divide' people are pretty fucking ridiculous. Arlington is the smallest county self-governing county in the US. I live in Clarendon and I am in and out of both South and North Arlington almost daily. I have friends in both places. In fact--half the time I can't tell exactly whether I am on N or S.

There are probably only 1 or 2 total schools I'd avoid. There are great neighborhoods on both sides.

Give it a rest.

+100000

Signed, another Arlington resident.

You do get the fact that there is an actual, real physical divide btw the two as well as an actual economic divide also right? It's not just some ideological thing.

But why, when discussing S. Arlington, does everyone immediately go to Columbia Pike? S. Arlington is more than the neighborhood(s) around Columbia Pike. Aurora Highlands and Arlington Ridge are two sizeable neighborhoods, and I'd hardly describe them as Third World, which goes to the point of the "give it a rest" poster.

[Anonymous]

You can' t even say the south will rise again because it was never highly rated

[Anonymous]

Here's the answer to the OP's question in a nutshell as published in the WSJ.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323419604578573922977663926.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_realestate_mansion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MD is not superior the jobs and higher quality life are in VA

LMAO! I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MD is not superior the jobs and higher quality life are in VA

LMAO! I don't think so.

The irony is that the less desirable parts of South Arlington are at least as nice as eastern Montgomery and much, much better than PG.

[Anonymous]

So it is prestigious to say you live in Arlington, except some low income people can also say that, so now they are giving the high class Arlingtonians a bad name by being able to also say they live in Arlington

[Anonymous]

1. Pregentrification and real estate boom, South Arlington took a turn and as a result was heavily Hispanic. Many houses became rentals. Often military families hung on to houses and rented them out.

2. In general the 95/rt 1 corridor has always had a rougher rep than the 29/66 corridor locally.

3. W&L and Yorktown vs Wakefield (see #1)

4. As a result the higher end shopping was on the North side for years.

However the real estate boom brought the South side back and a lot of families never left (mine included).

[Anonymous]

I don't really understand the North v. South thing myself, especially since there's at least three sections of Arlington. There's South Arlington (south of Route 50), there's North Arlington (north of I-66), and there's Central Arlington (between 66 and 50).

I understand why people from Bluemont, Lyon Village, and Buckingham want to consider themselves part of North Arlington, but come on, really?