New Mosaic District town homes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot of nice upscale shopping and some ok restaurants there, but something about the Mosaic district feels very inorganic to me.

Agree. I've gone there multiple times to eat at Four Sisters and other restaurants and to the Home Depot nearby. It feels like a very serious attempt at creating a community, but with none of the visual/neighborhood characteristics needed for one. The area just before 50 has a 1/4 mile stretch of industrial warehouses/class D office space, very dusty, broken-up wide roads and then you have a nice-ish mini-Reston Town Center like area after 50. Feels forced, but may make sense to not write off till its fully done and the landscape settles.

The first phase of EYA townhouses sold out entirely. It appears the market does not agree with your assessment, other than the observation that it's one part of a larger plan for the redevelopment of Merrifield.

This area of Fairfax has been appreciating much more in the last 2-3 years than closer-in areas that previously saw redevelopment like Arlington, though, so it's not a big surprise that some people try to damn it with faint praise.

Mosaic benefitted from a period of intense lack of inventory. Plus, bet 50% of those town homes will be rentals in 2 yrs or less.

Again, lovely outdoor mall in the middle of an industrial park with mediocre schools. Would har made more sense just to build some new SFH developments like further up gallows.

Who is going to routinely cross rt 50 (all 8 lanes of crazy) to get to Dunn loring metro? I assume developers wanted to be closer but opted for the cheaper land south of 50.

And are to cheap to put in any non-revenue generating property, like a playground.

Really stupid observations here on your part. It's obvious you aren't familiar with the broader redevelopment plans for the area of which Mosaic is just one part. And Mosaic was always slated to be south of Lee Highway and north of Route 50.

Mea culpa. Yeah, 29. Whatever that CF is north of Mosaic and between it and the metro.

Plans are all nice and gravy; everyone little mayberry has it's plan -- Tysons, Silver Spring, etc etc. And then they are scrapped like MetroWest.

Dunn Loring is a being developed because the land is cheap. It would have made a lot more sense to develop East Falls Church or even West Falls Church. Dunn Loring is a PITA to get to I-66, Beltway, or Rt 50. Metro access is only on one side of I-66 which it straddles, and it's about to have the frequency of its available trains sucked away by Silver Line.

But they have plans for for Merrifield. So rest assured. Do those plans include a playground or library or community center? Or all just corpocracy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot of nice upscale shopping and some ok restaurants there, but something about the Mosaic district feels very inorganic to me.

Agree. I've gone there multiple times to eat at Four Sisters and other restaurants and to the Home Depot nearby. It feels like a very serious attempt at creating a community, but with none of the visual/neighborhood characteristics needed for one. The area just before 50 has a 1/4 mile stretch of industrial warehouses/class D office space, very dusty, broken-up wide roads and then you have a nice-ish mini-Reston Town Center like area after 50. Feels forced, but may make sense to not write off till its fully done and the landscape settles.

The first phase of EYA townhouses sold out entirely. It appears the market does not agree with your assessment, other than the observation that it's one part of a larger plan for the redevelopment of Merrifield.

This area of Fairfax has been appreciating much more in the last 2-3 years than closer-in areas that previously saw redevelopment like Arlington, though, so it's not a big surprise that some people try to damn it with faint praise.

Mosaic benefitted from a period of intense lack of inventory. Plus, bet 50% of those town homes will be rentals in 2 yrs or less.

Again, lovely outdoor mall in the middle of an industrial park with mediocre schools. Would har made more sense just to build some new SFH developments like further up gallows.

Who is going to routinely cross rt 50 (all 8 lanes of crazy) to get to Dunn loring metro? I assume developers wanted to be closer but opted for the cheaper land south of 50.

And are to cheap to put in any non-revenue generating property, like a playground.

Really stupid observations here on your part. It's obvious you aren't familiar with the broader redevelopment plans for the area of which Mosaic is just one part. And Mosaic was always slated to be south of Lee Highway and north of Route 50.

Mea culpa. Yeah, 29. Whatever that CF is north of Mosaic and between it and the metro.

Plans are all nice and gravy; everyone little mayberry has it's plan -- Tysons, Silver Spring, etc etc. And then they are scrapped like MetroWest.

Dunn Loring is a being developed because the land is cheap. It would have made a lot more sense to develop East Falls Church or even West Falls Church. Dunn Loring is a PITA to get to I-66, Beltway, or Rt 50. Metro access is only on one side of I-66 which it straddles, and it's about to have the frequency of its available trains sucked away by Silver Line.

But they have plans for for Merrifield. So rest assured. Do those plans include a playground or library or community center? Or all just corpocracy?

Unlike metrowest, everything has been built. What's your problem. did you get priced out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot of nice upscale shopping and some ok restaurants there, but something about the Mosaic district feels very inorganic to me.

Agree. I've gone there multiple times to eat at Four Sisters and other restaurants and to the Home Depot nearby. It feels like a very serious attempt at creating a community, but with none of the visual/neighborhood characteristics needed for one. The area just before 50 has a 1/4 mile stretch of industrial warehouses/class D office space, very dusty, broken-up wide roads and then you have a nice-ish mini-Reston Town Center like area after 50. Feels forced, but may make sense to not write off till its fully done and the landscape settles.

The first phase of EYA townhouses sold out entirely. It appears the market does not agree with your assessment, other than the observation that it's one part of a larger plan for the redevelopment of Merrifield.

This area of Fairfax has been appreciating much more in the last 2-3 years than closer-in areas that previously saw redevelopment like Arlington, though, so it's not a big surprise that some people try to damn it with faint praise.

Mosaic benefitted from a period of intense lack of inventory. Plus, bet 50% of those town homes will be rentals in 2 yrs or less.

Again, lovely outdoor mall in the middle of an industrial park with mediocre schools. Would har made more sense just to build some new SFH developments like further up gallows.

Who is going to routinely cross rt 50 (all 8 lanes of crazy) to get to Dunn loring metro? I assume developers wanted to be closer but opted for the cheaper land south of 50.

And are to cheap to put in any non-revenue generating property, like a playground.

Really stupid observations here on your part. It's obvious you aren't familiar with the broader redevelopment plans for the area of which Mosaic is just one part. And Mosaic was always slated to be south of Lee Highway and north of Route 50.

Pretty defensive, and no actual refutation about any of the observations.

So when did you buy your EYA townhouse? I assume you are trying to CYA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those are so far out of my price range, but they're nice. I actually live in the little townhouses behind Pan Am (hi, former neighbor!) and I'm really glad all this stuff has moved in, but I wish I could be that close to that much stuff and to Dunn Loring. Hey, one less stop, right?

I also really, really wish Mosaic had a library branch, but that's a separate complaint/wish.

Yeah. Lots of these new areas are really just nice outdoor malls. No civic space, no community, no playgrounds! Just shopping...

Good job of twisting PP's comments, but inaccurate insofar as Mosaic is concerned. One more reason why Falls Church is appreciating more than Arlington now.

Is there a playground at Mosaic? Trying to make plans for lunch with a friend...

Kids run around Strawberry Park near the Angelika Film Center.

http://anomadslife.com/2013/06/25/suburban-finds-mosaic-district-ii/

What??

I've been to mosaic several times, so I was curious and semi-excited to hear that there is a park that I hadn't noticed. Well, turns out that "Strawberry Park" is the patch of concrete and bit of turf you pass on your way into Angelika. Trying to blow it into something more than that is....aspirational, misleading and embarrassing to those who can appreciate mosaic for what it is. Which is not anything resembling a playground.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those are so far out of my price range, but they're nice. I actually live in the little townhouses behind Pan Am (hi, former neighbor!) and I'm really glad all this stuff has moved in, but I wish I could be that close to that much stuff and to Dunn Loring. Hey, one less stop, right?

I also really, really wish Mosaic had a library branch, but that's a separate complaint/wish.

Yeah. Lots of these new areas are really just nice outdoor malls. No civic space, no community, no playgrounds! Just shopping...

Good job of twisting PP's comments, but inaccurate insofar as Mosaic is concerned. One more reason why Falls Church is appreciating more than Arlington now.

Is there a playground at Mosaic? Trying to make plans for lunch with a friend...

Kids run around Strawberry Park near the Angelika Film Center.

http://anomadslife.com/2013/06/25/suburban-finds-mosaic-district-ii/

What??

I've been to mosaic several times, so I was curious and semi-excited to hear that there is a park that I hadn't noticed. Well, turns out that "Strawberry Park" is the patch of concrete and bit of turf you pass on your way into Angelika. Trying to blow it into something more than that is....aspirational, misleading and embarrassing to those who can appreciate mosaic for what it is. Which is not anything resembling a playground.

No one said it was a "playground". As PP indicated, it's just a part of the community where kids like to run around. The fountains are a popular attraction for families in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those are so far out of my price range, but they're nice. I actually live in the little townhouses behind Pan Am (hi, former neighbor!) and I'm really glad all this stuff has moved in, but I wish I could be that close to that much stuff and to Dunn Loring. Hey, one less stop, right?

I also really, really wish Mosaic had a library branch, but that's a separate complaint/wish.

Yeah. Lots of these new areas are really just nice outdoor malls. No civic space, no community, no playgrounds! Just shopping...

Good job of twisting PP's comments, but inaccurate insofar as Mosaic is concerned. One more reason why Falls Church is appreciating more than Arlington now.

Is there a playground at Mosaic? Trying to make plans for lunch with a friend...

Kids run around Strawberry Park near the Angelika Film Center.

http://anomadslife.com/2013/06/25/suburban-finds-mosaic-district-ii/

What??

I've been to mosaic several times, so I was curious and semi-excited to hear that there is a park that I hadn't noticed. Well, turns out that "Strawberry Park" is the patch of concrete and bit of turf you pass on your way into Angelika. Trying to blow it into something more than that is....aspirational, misleading and embarrassing to those who can appreciate mosaic for what it is. Which is not anything resembling a playground.

No one said it was a "playground". As PP indicated, it's just a part of the community where kids like to run around. The fountains are a popular attraction for families in the summer.

A pp asked about playgrounds. Someone mentioned strawberry 'park'. Later PP was amused that calling what is essentially a grassy median a park was aspirational at best. The spray feature is nice enough I guess. But hardly a substitute for a playground.

I am just wishing people would demand these corporate communities put public space and feature. Otherwise we all should recognize they are basically just really nice malls.

[Anonymous]

This thread is hilarious. Who knew someone could hate Mosaic so much. There has to be some back story to the Mosaic hater. Whatever. It's a shopping district that has some good restaurants (finally) and some town homes that look nice and interesting. If the hater doesn't like it, she doesn't have to live there. It's a good thing there are lots of different neighborhoods (Some organic and some inorganic, apparently) to live in. I wouldn't want to live in Mosaic because it doesn't suit my needs but I'm glad it's there because the stores and restaurants are convenient for me and it sure is nicer than what was there before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot of nice upscale shopping and some ok restaurants there, but something about the Mosaic district feels very inorganic to me.

Agree. I've gone there multiple times to eat at Four Sisters and other restaurants and to the Home Depot nearby. It feels like a very serious attempt at creating a community, but with none of the visual/neighborhood characteristics needed for one. The area just before 50 has a 1/4 mile stretch of industrial warehouses/class D office space, very dusty, broken-up wide roads and then you have a nice-ish mini-Reston Town Center like area after 50. Feels forced, but may make sense to not write off till its fully done and the landscape settles.

The first phase of EYA townhouses sold out entirely. It appears the market does not agree with your assessment, other than the observation that it's one part of a larger plan for the redevelopment of Merrifield.

This area of Fairfax has been appreciating much more in the last 2-3 years than closer-in areas that previously saw redevelopment like Arlington, though, so it's not a big surprise that some people try to damn it with faint praise.

Mosaic benefitted from a period of intense lack of inventory. Plus, bet 50% of those town homes will be rentals in 2 yrs or less.

Again, lovely outdoor mall in the middle of an industrial park with mediocre schools. Would har made more sense just to build some new SFH developments like further up gallows.

Who is going to routinely cross rt 50 (all 8 lanes of crazy) to get to Dunn loring metro? I assume developers wanted to be closer but opted for the cheaper land south of 50.

And are to cheap to put in any non-revenue generating property, like a playground.

Really stupid observations here on your part. It's obvious you aren't familiar with the broader redevelopment plans for the area of which Mosaic is just one part. And Mosaic was always slated to be south of Lee Highway and north of Route 50.

I'm the poster who wished Mosaic had a library (FTR: yes, Mosaic is too corporate, but a) name a development in recent memory that isn't - even if it gives more of a nod to civic space and b) when we moved in, that particular site read as ruined and desolate, so I am glad to have that many more options. I just wish it had a library, and yes, a real playground would be nice, but I think I've seen stroller mom fitness groups out there and kids go nuts for that sprinkler in summer).

To your bolded point: what are the rest of the plans for the area? I remember that the Vienna metro redevelopment got scrapped, and the last time I looked around for more info, I couldn't find any. We had to drive to afford (which isn't too bad since DH's job is in NOVA, so living in DC would only add to his commute), and this is where we landed. I wasn't super pleased with the area, but it's been nice to see the changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Who knew someone could hate Mosaic so much. There has to be some back story to the Mosaic hater. Whatever. It's a shopping district that has some good restaurants (finally) and some town homes that look nice and interesting. If the hater doesn't like it, she doesn't have to live there. It's a good thing there are lots of different neighborhoods (Some organic and some inorganic, apparently) to live in. I wouldn't want to live in Mosaic because it doesn't suit my needs but I'm glad it's there because the stores and restaurants are convenient for me and it sure is nicer than what was there before.

Can you explain the Mosaic District booster who randomly starts ragging on Arlington? I find that much weirder.

To me it sounded like the "hater" just wished it had more of a community feel. Not that it was some horrible place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Who knew someone could hate Mosaic so much. There has to be some back story to the Mosaic hater. Whatever. It's a shopping district that has some good restaurants (finally) and some town homes that look nice and interesting. If the hater doesn't like it, she doesn't have to live there. It's a good thing there are lots of different neighborhoods (Some organic and some inorganic, apparently) to live in. I wouldn't want to live in Mosaic because it doesn't suit my needs but I'm glad it's there because the stores and restaurants are convenient for me and it sure is nicer than what was there before.

You didn't like the dusty lot and abandoned movie theater? Snob.

[Anonymous]

For those bemoaning the lack of a playground, I agree it would be nice but I honestly don't think families with kids are a part of Mosaic's target market. They're aiming for singles, childless couples and empty nesters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Who knew someone could hate Mosaic so much. There has to be some back story to the Mosaic hater. Whatever. It's a shopping district that has some good restaurants (finally) and some town homes that look nice and interesting. If the hater doesn't like it, she doesn't have to live there. It's a good thing there are lots of different neighborhoods (Some organic and some inorganic, apparently) to live in. I wouldn't want to live in Mosaic because it doesn't suit my needs but I'm glad it's there because the stores and restaurants are convenient for me and it sure is nicer than what was there before.

+1

Seriously why all the venom? I just moved from the nearby Dunn Loring Woods area and have been amazed at the quality of development over the last few years. The Mosaic area (plus all the development immediately adjacent to the metro) offers a lot for certain demographics ... It's not Clarendon, downtown Bethesda, etc. (and prices don't and likely won't ever match those areas) but it's definitely becoming one of the more walkable/commutable areas for young professionals/families and empty nesters that want proximity to good commerce and access to the big job centers.

There's lots of unattractive, industrial, and antiquated office space nearby, but ten years from now there will have been even more high-quality development around there. The developers already own tons more space in adjacent areas, and they're sure to continue building.

A real park/playground in the next wave of townhouse development by Mosaic would definitely be nice though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a lot of nice upscale shopping and some ok restaurants there, but something about the Mosaic district feels very inorganic to me.

Agree. I've gone there multiple times to eat at Four Sisters and other restaurants and to the Home Depot nearby. It feels like a very serious attempt at creating a community, but with none of the visual/neighborhood characteristics needed for one. The area just before 50 has a 1/4 mile stretch of industrial warehouses/class D office space, very dusty, broken-up wide roads and then you have a nice-ish mini-Reston Town Center like area after 50. Feels forced, but may make sense to not write off till its fully done and the landscape settles.

The first phase of EYA townhouses sold out entirely. It appears the market does not agree with your assessment, other than the observation that it's one part of a larger plan for the redevelopment of Merrifield.

This area of Fairfax has been appreciating much more in the last 2-3 years than closer-in areas that previously saw redevelopment like Arlington, though, so it's not a big surprise that some people try to damn it with faint praise.

Mosaic benefitted from a period of intense lack of inventory. Plus, bet 50% of those town homes will be rentals in 2 yrs or less.

Again, lovely outdoor mall in the middle of an industrial park with mediocre schools. Would har made more sense just to build some new SFH developments like further up gallows.

Who is going to routinely cross rt 50 (all 8 lanes of crazy) to get to Dunn loring metro? I assume developers wanted to be closer but opted for the cheaper land south of 50.

And are to cheap to put in any non-revenue generating property, like a playground.

Really stupid observations here on your part. It's obvious you aren't familiar with the broader redevelopment plans for the area of which Mosaic is just one part. And Mosaic was always slated to be south of Lee Highway and north of Route 50.

I'm the poster who wished Mosaic had a library (FTR: yes, Mosaic is too corporate, but a) name a development in recent memory that isn't - even if it gives more of a nod to civic space and b) when we moved in, that particular site read as ruined and desolate, so I am glad to have that many more options. I just wish it had a library, and yes, a real playground would be nice, but I think I've seen stroller mom fitness groups out there and kids go nuts for that sprinkler in summer).

To your bolded point: what are the rest of the plans for the area? I remember that the Vienna metro redevelopment got scrapped, and the last time I looked around for more info, I couldn't find any. We had to drive to afford (which isn't too bad since DH's job is in NOVA, so living in DC would only add to his commute), and this is where we landed. I wasn't super pleased with the area, but it's been nice to see the changes.

Plans can be found here:

http://www.fcrevit.org/merrifield/info.htm

It's definitely an upcoming area. The haters are pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Who knew someone could hate Mosaic so much. There has to be some back story to the Mosaic hater. Whatever. It's a shopping district that has some good restaurants (finally) and some town homes that look nice and interesting. If the hater doesn't like it, she doesn't have to live there. It's a good thing there are lots of different neighborhoods (Some organic and some inorganic, apparently) to live in. I wouldn't want to live in Mosaic because it doesn't suit my needs but I'm glad it's there because the stores and restaurants are convenient for me and it sure is nicer than what was there before.

Can you explain the Mosaic District booster who randomly starts ragging on Arlington? I find that much weirder.

To me it sounded like the "hater" just wished it had more of a community feel. Not that it was some horrible place.

Ragging? Like this: "Good job of twisting PP's comments, but inaccurate insofar as Mosaic is concerned. One more reason why Falls Church is appreciating more than Arlington now."

That actually seems more like an unbiased relative comparison of potentially substitutable options ... ie, consumer could opt to live in region A or region B. Region B has improved its desirability lately which has driven market appreciation at a higher rate (though still lower absolute value).

The bit about Arlington high-rises did sound a bit more antagonistic ... though I'd agree with the sentiment that the "corpocracy" argument is a little useless as every development in the modern age is done with economic motives. The only real communities are those mature neighborhoods that existed pre-commercialization ... which is why absolute property values in parts of Arlington/MoCo are so high .... community + proximity to commerce. But the relative absence of that dynamic in Mosaic doesn't change the many positive attributes ... also watch for the Dunn Loring Woods neighborhoods (per PP's note) to start popping as well since they do offer the true neighborhood feel and are near the commercial developments.

[Anonymous]

One of the haters called the schools for the children of Mosaic residents "mediocre," but the ES is a GS 9 and the MS is a GS 8, and those schools are the ones that are most relevant to younger parents considering the area.