Why DC is over

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I moved to DC in 1996 because at that time it was sort of a gay Mecca. It was cheap compared to other East Coast cities (!), and had beautiful architecture and parks.

Now I'm in my fifties, and can't stand it here. Everyone around me is half my age and they (gay or straight) basically look through me. The place is full of Type A personalities, and the lovely historical neighborhoods are getting torn apart for condos and popups. Also the crime situation is starting to worsen again. And the traffic...

So my partner and I are headed for a 2nd tier city - maybe Richmond, Charlottesville, or Providence.

How is this possible? I live in a historic district and it’s very challenging to get renovations approved. Let alone to divide up your rowhouse into condos.

[Anonymous]

No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I moved to DC in 1996 because at that time it was sort of a gay Mecca. It was cheap compared to other East Coast cities (!), and had beautiful architecture and parks.

Now I'm in my fifties, and can't stand it here. Everyone around me is half my age and they (gay or straight) basically look through me. The place is full of Type A personalities, and the lovely historical neighborhoods are getting torn apart for condos and popups. Also the crime situation is starting to worsen again. And the traffic...

So my partner and I are headed for a 2nd tier city - maybe Richmond, Charlottesville, or Providence.

How is this possible? I live in a historic district and it’s very challenging to get renovations approved. Let alone to divide up your rowhouse into condos.

I think s/he means the historic districts without the acrimonious historical neighborhood associations. Georgetown's is the worst. Though I've heard Alexandria's King Street takes a close second. Capital Hill also.

But places like Dupont, Shaw, and Logan Circle all are lovely 'historical' neighborhoods with traditional brownstones - some with recorded deeds as old as the 19th Century. Many of those brownstones have been split into 3-level condos valuing about 600K each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

In NYC and SF, your package will be stolen from your 10 mil + townhouse. It’s all relative.

[Anonymous]

I think it would be interesting to follow the people profiled in the story to see where they are in 5 years. Will expectation = reality? We left the DC area for a mid sized city, hated it, and came back to this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

No. We don't, especially when its your own neighbors. Get your stuff together burbs.

https://wjla.com/news/crime/police-identify-charge-porch-pirate-caught-stealing-amazon-box-from-rockville-townhome

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

It’s all fine in 2nd tier cities until the next recession. You get laid off and there are fewer local employers and employers no longer grant telework arrangements since they have the negotiating strength.

And then back to SF/NYC/DC you go. It’s why people come here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

I can’t (job here) and don’t want to move to Richmond. I also find it hard to believe that many people in Richmond walk to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it would be interesting to follow the people profiled in the story to see where they are in 5 years. Will expectation = reality? We left the DC area for a mid sized city, hated it, and came back to this area.

I did the same but left NY. Found out the mid sized city was inexpensive for a reason. Also limited career opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

I can’t (job here) and don’t want to move to Richmond. I also find it hard to believe that many people in Richmond walk to work.

They don't. The vast majority (99%+) in Richmond drive to their jobs. Many of the office parks are in the prosperous suburbs and there's zero public transport. If you live in inner Richmond, you can walk to farmers markets, funky bars and restaurants. But 99% of people will own cars in Richmond to get to their jobs. Few are walking, aside from the very poor and college/medical students who live in The Fan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

I can’t (job here) and don’t want to move to Richmond. I also find it hard to believe that many people in Richmond walk to work.

People in second tier cities all drive to work from the ‘burbs. They drive everywhere because very few live downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

I can’t (job here) and don’t want to move to Richmond. I also find it hard to believe that many people in Richmond walk to work.

They don't. The vast majority (99%+) in Richmond drive to their jobs. Many of the office parks are in the prosperous suburbs and there's zero public transport. If you live in inner Richmond, you can walk to farmers markets, funky bars and restaurants. But 99% of people will own cars in Richmond to get to their jobs. Few are walking, aside from the very poor and college/medical students who live in The Fan.

What's wrong with driving to work if its a short commute & traffic isn't nightmarish? If you're worried about the environment, buy a Hybrid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to pay 800k for a townhouse where your packages will get stolen

My packages aren’t stolen. BUT even if they were, I’d choose that over a one hour commute via car. So would most millennials.

Most “second” and “third” tier cities do not come with a one hour commute by car. People in Richmond walk to work. Those cities are less crowded so commute times are null.

I can’t (job here) and don’t want to move to Richmond. I also find it hard to believe that many people in Richmond walk to work.

People in second tier cities all drive to work from the ‘burbs. They drive everywhere because very few live downtown.

And the very few who live downtown still need to drive everywhere. See: Atlanta. It's just not built to be a walker-friendly city either for pleasure or purpose. If you want to 'walk' you can drive to their version of the Tyson's Food Hall/Mosaic and then within the interior - enjoy walking. But if you want to get to say Whole Foods - you need to drive from your posh gated neighborhood into high traffic with 4-6 lanes of cars, and into flat-top parking lots built to house hundreds of more parked cars.

Nothing about it is geared to the health-conscious, walking millennial. Even the sidewalks are limited.