What do you think of the Wharf & Navy Yard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love the Wharf for the fish market and I hope it stays in business.

I have worked close by for two decades and NEVER understood the appeal of the fish market. The fish is trucked in and then then put into boats to be sold. My understanding is that there is a tax advantage if they sell fish on boats. The fried fish stinks in the summer. Are the prices really good for what you get? Do they have superior fish sources to other retailers? What is it?

I don't understand either. I grew up on the Eastern Shore and am picky about my seafood. The Wharf is ok, but nothing to write home about. I've had better seafood at random storefronts in PG County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Navy Yard is okay. I don’t care for the Wharf, it has a suburban feel and most of the restaurants are too expensive/not kid friendly.

I love the Wharf and think the exact opposite. Its the only neighborhood in DC with waterfront access and amazing amenities. The outdoor entertainment with live musicians feels like the kind of thing you'd see in Miami and California. We're lucky to have it here.

What? It's definitely not the only area of DC with waterfront access. Georgetown waterfront has been around for a while even before the new park opened up. Alexandria also has waterfront and water views.

A) Alexandria is in Virginia.

B) I know about Georgetown hence my qualifier 'and amazing amenities'. Georgetown's waterfront is boring and sad. And its their own fault. The local community has been fighting development in business and transportation for decades. Well now stores are closing left and right, and people are flocking to other areas of D.C. and the Wharf to get what they could have been.

Georgetown is a real residential neighborhood with functional amenities, there is shopping, entertainment, drug stores and banks and grocery stores and hair salons, schools and major universities as well as offices. It's not just a tourist or a night out destination. There are more food choices there than what Wharf has to offer, there is fast food and fancy restaurants and euro bakeries and coffee shops. Sure it's not a hot new culinary destination, but there are still more options there and it's a much more developed area. You make it sound like it's urban decay. Boring is in the eye of the beholder, every area has its charms. Wharf charm is largely artificial, similar to Mosaic or Reston, e.g. suburban outdoor mall but without retail. It's natural charm is waterfront, but the area is too small for more than a day outing. People are flocking wherever it's convenient, I doubt any of these neighborhoods will completely lose their patrons.

There are more food options in Georgetown, it's true. Of course, with a few exceptions, they universally suck. Seriously, other than Baked 'n Wired and Chez Billy Sud, where's the good food in Georgetown?

[Anonymous]

If we didn't have kids yet I would absolutely want to live in the Navy Yard. A good friend who is single lives in one of the buildings there and has an amazing social network in her building, complete with an awesome rooftop pool. One thing to note, the vast majority of the buildings are rentals, not condos, so if you're looking to own, it's tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in Navy Yard. There is very little retail. No place to shop, no place to get your nails done. I would not want to live there.

I’ll give you there is little retail, but the nail salon on 4th Street is steps from Yards Park is always packed.

One nail salon. One. That’s not retail. That’s not shopping. That’s not a neighborhood. Where do I get a heel resoled? Where do I get a watch battery in five minutes? Where can I get a quick slice of pizza? Pop in and get a cheap blouse because I accidentally stained mine at work?

Zip. Zero. Bupkes.

I hear you but I think if you give it some time, that stuff will come. The Navy Yard is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the entire country. Think about how much it has changed in the past few years. I imagine it will look a lot different still in a few more years. Those things will come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in Navy Yard. There is very little retail. No place to shop, no place to get your nails done. I would not want to live there.

I’ll give you there is little retail, but the nail salon on 4th Street is steps from Yards Park is always packed.

One nail salon. One. That’s not retail. That’s not shopping. That’s not a neighborhood. Where do I get a heel resoled? Where do I get a watch battery in five minutes? Where can I get a quick slice of pizza? Pop in and get a cheap blouse because I accidentally stained mine at work?

Zip. Zero. Bupkes.

I hear you but I think if you give it some time, that stuff will come. The Navy Yard is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the entire country. Think about how much it has changed in the past few years. I imagine it will look a lot different still in a few more years. Those things will come.

Retail is limited, but it does exist. Willow, Steadfast, Pacers. On a more practical note, Harris Teeter and Unleashed, Harry's. Services include Cosmopolitan Nail, Well's Dry Cleaning, Bang Salon, Vida fitness. Pizza: Oath, All-purpose, another one I'm forgetting and Wise Guys by the slice coming soon (my family is excited). Whole foods coming at some point.

How many places are there in the city to get a heel resolved or watch battery? How many people still wear watches?

[Anonymous]

The Wharf looks like it was air-dropped into the city yesterday. I actually think it's really nice, it's just so....sterile? That said, the Anthem is a great music venue, their hardware store is pretty decent, there are a bunch of good restaurants. I wish it was closer to metro - though maybe the addition of electric scooters into the transit architecture makes that a bit less of a laborious hike. It is a little bit of a bubble, as it's basically surrounded by highways and residential properties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many places are there in the city to get a heel resolved or watch battery? How many people still wear watches?

There are no cobblers nor candlestick makers in this neighborhood yet! Do you expect me to rent a Lime Scooter and traverse the city to access such basic amenities?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love the Wharf for the fish market and I hope it stays in business.

I have worked close by for two decades and NEVER understood the appeal of the fish market. The fish is trucked in and then then put into boats to be sold. My understanding is that there is a tax advantage if they sell fish on boats. The fried fish stinks in the summer. Are the prices really good for what you get? Do they have superior fish sources to other retailers? What is it?

Yes, I find the quality and prices to be superior to anything I can find locally at the grocery stores in my neighborhood. I haven't bought any of the cooked sea food there but tuna, salmon and shrimp are always great and priced well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in Navy Yard. There is very little retail. No place to shop, no place to get your nails done. I would not want to live there.

I’ll give you there is little retail, but the nail salon on 4th Street is steps from Yards Park is always packed.

One nail salon. One. That’s not retail. That’s not shopping. That’s not a neighborhood. Where do I get a heel resoled? Where do I get a watch battery in five minutes? Where can I get a quick slice of pizza? Pop in and get a cheap blouse because I accidentally stained mine at work?

Zip. Zero. Bupkes.

I hear you but I think if you give it some time, that stuff will come. The Navy Yard is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the entire country. Think about how much it has changed in the past few years. I imagine it will look a lot different still in a few more years. Those things will come.

Retail is limited, but it does exist. Willow, Steadfast, Pacers. On a more practical note, Harris Teeter and Unleashed, Harry's. Services include Cosmopolitan Nail, Well's Dry Cleaning, Bang Salon, Vida fitness. Pizza: Oath, All-purpose, another one I'm forgetting and Wise Guys by the slice coming soon (my family is excited). Whole foods coming at some point.

How many places are there in the city to get a heel resolved or watch battery? How many people still wear watches?

The Conte's in Navy Yard is one of the best bike shops around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent last Saturday at the Wharf and it was packed. Plenty to see, do and eat. Live DJ, there was a dragon boat race going on, and you can sit with a coffee or ice cream and watch the boats/people.

Went from there over to Navy Yard / Yards Park and had a sampler of local beers at Bluejacket then walked along the boardwalk.

Some call these two waterfront neighborhoods too shiny or planned, and yes that's fair, but I for one love having another neighborhood to check out that is different than the rest of D.C. I won't be living there, but these are fun places to visit on a weekend afternoon.

These two neighborhoods...are you a fan, or not a fan?

It would be better if these two areas were somehow connected by something other than infrequent and slow ferry. It's hard to get from one to another.

The circulator connects them. So does the green line metro.

It is also a really quick bike or scooter ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Navy Yard is sterile and boring. But if you like chain restaurants, dig in.

There are several non chain restaurants there too. And the chains are mostly interesting ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in Navy Yard. There is very little retail. No place to shop, no place to get your nails done. I would not want to live there.

I’ll give you there is little retail, but the nail salon on 4th Street is steps from Yards Park is always packed.

One nail salon. One. That’s not retail. That’s not shopping. That’s not a neighborhood. Where do I get a heel resoled? Where do I get a watch battery in five minutes? Where can I get a quick slice of pizza? Pop in and get a cheap blouse because I accidentally stained mine at work?

Zip. Zero. Bupkes.

I hear you but I think if you give it some time, that stuff will come. The Navy Yard is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the entire country. Think about how much it has changed in the past few years. I imagine it will look a lot different still in a few more years. Those things will come.

Retail is limited, but it does exist. Willow, Steadfast, Pacers. On a more practical note, Harris Teeter and Unleashed, Harry's. Services include Cosmopolitan Nail, Well's Dry Cleaning, Bang Salon, Vida fitness. Pizza: Oath, All-purpose, another one I'm forgetting and Wise Guys by the slice coming soon (my family is excited). Whole foods coming at some point.

How many places are there in the city to get a heel resolved or watch battery? How many people still wear watches?

Ha my first thought too, who wears a (non-digital) watch anymore? I’ve lived here for 8 years - 7 with kids. So much has come over the last 3-4 years, I’m shocked to hear people complain about a lack of amenities.

[Anonymous]

Personally I think the places are boring and sterile with manufactured culture and overpriced too boot

But, this is the new trend in what yuppies want. Taking the worst of the suburbs (National Harbor, the "new" Clarendon" and putting it in an "urban" environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love the Wharf for the fish market and I hope it stays in business.

I have worked close by for two decades and NEVER understood the appeal of the fish market. The fish is trucked in and then then put into boats to be sold. My understanding is that there is a tax advantage if they sell fish on boats. The fried fish stinks in the summer. Are the prices really good for what you get? Do they have superior fish sources to other retailers? What is it?

I don't understand either. I grew up on the Eastern Shore and am picky about my seafood. The Wharf is ok, but nothing to write home about. I've had better seafood at random storefronts in PG County.

The fish market's secret shame: The seafood is the same seafood you buy at Safeway or Giant. Maybe the selection is better in SW, but it all comes from the same suppliers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Wharf looks like it was air-dropped into the city yesterday. I actually think it's really nice, it's just so....sterile? That said, the Anthem is a great music venue, their hardware store is pretty decent, there are a bunch of good restaurants. I wish it was closer to metro - though maybe the addition of electric scooters into the transit architecture makes that a bit less of a laborious hike. It is a little bit of a bubble, as it's basically surrounded by highways and residential properties.

I agree with your assessment. It's a safe "urban" neighborhood for people who grew up in Peoria, the wealthy suburbs of Columbus, or Connecticut. It's a fabricated bubble of insolent inherited wealth, high prices, and gimmicky shlock.

The Navy Yard definitely feels a bit more organic to me and has better day-to-day amenities for actual living (grocery stores, pharmacies, dry cleaners, salons, etc.)

That said, the Anthem is truly awesome.