What's so special about Cleveland Park?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jealous much?

Not pp, but I lived in CP for six years, and I agree that it is totally overrated. So, in answer to your question: No. Totally not jealous. Prior to living in CP, I lived in DuPont Circle, and I have subsequently lived in a close-in Virginia suburb. I agree that CP is the suburb for people who don't want to live in suburbs, and, as such, has the worst qualities of both the city and the suburbs. Now, I think that I lived there because I didn't know any better. I loved living in DuPont Circle, but it just doesn't fit with my life right now. My current suburb provides exactly what I need at this time, and someday, when dc is off to college, maybe I'll move back to the city (but not CP).

[Anonymous]

OP: This discussion is really helpful. Looks like if something comes up in our price range in CP, it is worth a look.

[Anonymous]

Don't even look at CP unless your budget is @ 3-4mil. The houses are gorgeous period mansions that used to be the "country homes" of the super wealthy at the turn of the century. If you wants a great craftsman bungalow scour AU Park. Same neighborhood just smaller homes with fewer trust funders as neighbors. I grew up here went to a top tier private and I don't know a single person who got into that neighborhood without a huge boost from family money. And the kicker is everyone who lives there is a cadillac liberal through and through but elitist as hell.

[Anonymous]

Whatever one thinks of CP's residents and housing stock, I'm baffled by the suggestion that its supply of restaurants is inadequate. On the Conn Ave strip: Lavandou, Ardeo/Bardeo, Spices, Ripple, Pulpo, St. Arnold's, a Pho place, Dino, Palena, Indique, Medium Rare and that Mexican place above it, not to mention a couple of chain places, and that's all within a 3-block stretch that's an easy walk from anywhere in the eastern half of the neighborhood, and not a bad stroll from the rest of it. At Wisc. and Macomb, you have 2Amys, Café Deluxe, Bistro Le Zinc, and Cactus Cantina, and undoubtedly more to come with the mixed-use Giant redevelopment. That's quite a range of prices, cuisines, and levels of kid-friendliness. It's a neighborhood that dines out a LOT, where neighbors see each other in the local restaurants all the time, from what I can tell, especially at toddlers-dining-out time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love Cleveland Park. Public schools are not very good so we stayed away. It's a shame.

Exactly. Not even the elementary school is good. That, plus the poor retail and dining options, really limit its appeal.

Yeah. Blocks that all look like this are so, so very unappealing. (tip: When you live in these $2.4 - $5 million homes, your kids don't go to Eaton).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love Cleveland Park. Public schools are not very good so we stayed away. It's a shame.

Exactly. Not even the elementary school is good. That, plus the poor retail and dining options, really limit its appeal.

Yeah. Blocks that all look like this are so, so very unappealing. (tip: When you live in these $2.4 - $5 million homes, your kids don't go to Eaton).

Beautiful exterior. Love it.

If you have the financial resources to buy a house like this, spend the hundreds of thousands typically needed to renovate (because most of these homes look great from the outside and not so great from the inside), and send your kids to private schools (and are OK with the social climbing that entails), AND you don't care that the commercial section of CP is decidedly unwhelming, CP can be a good place. It's a niche market, but since it's not very big and the inventory of large older homes in safe DC neighborhoods is limited, the prices are high. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

I think it's a very personal decision. We chose Friendship Hts because we prefer the retail there than what's available in CP esp. Since we have young kids and all the dining options in CP would be lost on us whereas we appreciate being able to walk to Whole Foods. Though FH is starting to have better dining options (Rosa Mexicano, Range). and as a busy WOHM I like that if I need a retail therapy break I can hit the stores around the corner from home honestly I think CP is more attractive for folks who like going out in the evenings (and those with $ to buy those amazing mansions and send their kids to the local privates)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever one thinks of CP's residents and housing stock, I'm baffled by the suggestion that its supply of restaurants is inadequate. On the Conn Ave strip: Lavandou, Ardeo/Bardeo, Spices, Ripple, Pulpo, St. Arnold's, a Pho place, Dino, Palena, Indique, Medium Rare and that Mexican place above it, not to mention a couple of chain places, and that's all within a 3-block stretch that's an easy walk from anywhere in the eastern half of the neighborhood, and not a bad stroll from the rest of it. At Wisc. and Macomb, you have 2Amys, Café Deluxe, Bistro Le Zinc, and Cactus Cantina, and undoubtedly more to come with the mixed-use Giant redevelopment. That's quite a range of prices, cuisines, and levels of kid-friendliness. It's a neighborhood that dines out a LOT, where neighbors see each other in the local restaurants all the time, from what I can tell, especially at toddlers-dining-out time.

Many of these restaurants are horrible. The Vietnamese place would not last a week in the suburbs, it's that bad. Others are OK, but people ignore the fact that the food is mediocre, because they are too lazy to cook and just like to be seen out and about.

[Anonymous]

If you have the financial resources to buy a house like this, spend the hundreds of thousands typically needed to renovate (because most of these homes look great from the outside and not so great from the inside), and send your kids to private schools (and are OK with the social climbing that entails), AND you don't care that the commercial section of CP is decidedly unwhelming, CP can be a good place. It's a niche market, but since it's not very big and the inventory of large older homes in safe DC neighborhoods is limited, the prices are high. Enjoy!

I'm the PP who posted the photo of the pretty CP Victorian, and I agree with your assessment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yeah. Blocks that all look like this are so, so very unappealing. (tip: When you live in these $2.4 - $5 million homes, your kids don't go to Eaton).

Doesn't that just restate the point? There are plenty of people who live in houses over $2M in Bethesda and McLean whose kids do go to Whitman and Langley and their feeders.

[Anonymous]

I live in a similar home in CP. We could afford private, but our two children attend Eaton. I grew up attending public schools, and its important to me that my children have a similar experience. So far Eaton has served us well. I'm not sure what we'll do after fifth grade - and suddenly that's not far off!!! - but it's strange to me to see people who don't know the school OR the neighborhood bashing such a nice, well-functioning neighborhood public school. Recent test scores rank Eaton above several of the better known (and much heralded on this forum) DC schools.

OP, CP is a wonderful neighborhood for families. Good luck with your search.

[Anonymous]

OP: so much to think about. We can go a little over $1M,but not that much, so will focus on CCDC and AU Park.

[Anonymous]

To the person who suggested you look in Columbia Heights? Wow. they are clueless and I say as someone who owns and rents out a condo in CH. I got pregnant and we moved to Petworth. yes a million dollars will get your a phenomenal four story renovated row house in CH but the schools are complete crap, there is the highest concentration of public housing in 6 blocks than anywhere else in the City. Family friendly is on the west side of the park. Petworth definitely is experiencing a baby boom and there are tons of kids under the age of 10 within two blocks of me (all upper class white families)..houses are cheaper 500-600 renovated. BUT the schools are crap here too. We will be heading west of the park in five years. OP have you looked in Glover park? No metro but that commercial strip really has everything you could walk too, stodderd elem is good and lots of families with young kids and two rec centers.

[Anonymous]

I'd inferred from the prior post that the house on Ross was on the market for @ $2.4 M, but it's actually being listed for under $1.9 M and it doesn't look like a buyer would have to do a ton of interior work, either. It's only been on the market for 7 days, but unless there's a big draw-back that I'm missing it should sell quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love Cleveland Park. Public schools are not very good so we stayed away. It's a shame.

Exactly. Not even the elementary school is good. That, plus the poor retail and dining options, really limit its appeal.

Yeah. Blocks that all look like this are so, so very unappealing. (tip: When you live in these $2.4 - $5 million homes, your kids don't go to Eaton).

Not all of Cleveland Park looks like this. Yes, if you want a big victorian on Highland Place, you're going to need to come up with multiple millions. However, the neighborhood is also full of Wardmans and semi-detached houses that go for much less.