What do you think of the Wharf & Navy Yard?

[Anonymous]

The grit will come as the shine wears off. More restaurants and stores (and movie theater!) are still coming. Keep in mind that these areas are still gaining speed.

Yes, they may seem sterile now, but if they had tried to fabricate a weathered/aged look, people would have complained that they were trying to hard to appear old and established. Can't please everybody!

Since this is the real estate board, what do people think about the condo/townhouse prices in the area? I think I saw the townhomes near Navy Yard going for ~$1 mil?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

er, to me the worst of the suburbs are miles of ugly strip malls on roads where no one with a choice would ever walk. Certainly not Clarendon.

In fact a good example of the worst of the suburbs in an urban setting is what was on Maine Avenue before - suburban style seafood places with big parking lots.

Not sure how you build "authentic culture" from scratch on a bunch of restaurant parking lots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The grit will come as the shine wears off.

This. "Why didn't they build an OLD building?" is about the stupidest anti new urbanism take there is.

[Anonymous]

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.

Whaaat? There's a nail place next to the bike shop lol. Are you sure you work there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The grit will come as the shine wears off.

This. "Why didn't they build an OLD building?" is about the stupidest anti new urbanism take there is.

This is one of the reasons I slightly prefer Navy Yard to the Wharf, though I can see the benefit of each. Navy Yard has been developed slowly, by multiple builders. A few of the old actual "Navy Yard" buildings have been preserved and repurposed like the boilermaker shops and lumber shed.

The Wharf had multiple architects but was redeveloped en masse. There wasn't much to preserve other than the fish market, or what was there couldn't be preserved while creating a more vibrant urban environment. That, plus the mix of restaurants seem more geared toward special event dining than the variety of price points available in the Navy Yard.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know when the Navy Yard Whole Foods will actually open? I work down there and would love to get lunch at the Whole Foods but no detail about when it'll actually open.

[Anonymous]

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.

Ok, one nail salon doesn't make it a neighborhood. Honestly the areas around are a bit sketchy and not so nice, some ugly housing around outside shiny condos and it feels isolated to me, I would not live there, not to mention with kids and school options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The grit will come as the shine wears off.

This. "Why didn't they build an OLD building?" is about the stupidest anti new urbanism take there is.

This is one of the reasons I slightly prefer Navy Yard to the Wharf, though I can see the benefit of each. Navy Yard has been developed slowly, by multiple builders. A few of the old actual "Navy Yard" buildings have been preserved and repurposed like the boilermaker shops and lumber shed.

The Wharf had multiple architects but was redeveloped en masse. There wasn't much to preserve other than the fish market, or what was there couldn't be preserved while creating a more vibrant urban environment. That, plus the mix of restaurants seem more geared toward special event dining than the variety of price points available in the Navy Yard.

I tend to think of the Wharf along with other nearby areas in SW DC though.

[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.

Ok, one nail salon doesn't make it a neighborhood. Honestly the areas around are a bit sketchy and not so nice, some ugly housing around outside shiny condos and it feels isolated to me, I would not live there, not to mention with kids and school options.

I think the PP's point is that contrary to your original post, there is a place to get your nails done. I don't know what kind of shopping you're talking about. I work down here too, and the only shopping I care about involves the grocery store. There is one. I'm glad it's there because it makes it pretty easy for me to grab dinner stuff on my way home. I agree that there isn't a ton down here, but I actually wouldn't mind living between Navy Yard and Eastern Market. I have two kids and don't have a problem with the schools, but I guess YMMV on that front.

[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.

Ok, one nail salon doesn't make it a neighborhood. Honestly the areas around are a bit sketchy and not so nice, some ugly housing around outside shiny condos and it feels isolated to me, I would not live there, not to mention with kids and school options.

Wut? What sketchy areas are there near 4th Street SE?

[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.

Ok, one nail salon doesn't make it a neighborhood. Honestly the areas around are a bit sketchy and not so nice, some ugly housing around outside shiny condos and it feels isolated to me, I would not live there, not to mention with kids and school options.

Wut? What sketchy areas are there near 4th Street SE?

I know, right? Where is the ugly housing and sketchy areas? The Potomac River is south. Head east to Barracks Row. Head west to SW waterfront. Head north and you are in Capitol South and the Brent catchment. Maybe all those senators are too sketchy for PP.

[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.

Ok, one nail salon doesn't make it a neighborhood. Honestly the areas around are a bit sketchy and not so nice, some ugly housing around outside shiny condos and it feels isolated to me, I would not live there, not to mention with kids and school options.

Wut? What sketchy areas are there near 4th Street SE?

I know, right? Where is the ugly housing and sketchy areas? The Potomac River is south. Head east to Barracks Row. Head west to SW waterfront. Head north and you are in Capitol South and the Brent catchment. Maybe all those senators are too sketchy for PP.

Agreed, the area has one of the lowest crime rates in the city, what's so sketchy about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

What's good in Wharf/Navy Yard? Even if you are new to the city and just look at Yelp you are surely going to find way more 4 star rated options in Georgetown than in the Wharf, with larger variety of food from casual and bakeries and fast food to fine dining. Sounds like you had never been to Georgetown of haven't been in years and only have this stereotypical view that it's a dying neighborhood about to become urban wasteland. It's far from it, despite major retail dying all over it still draws its crowds for shopping and most chain places are open as well as boutiques. Waterfront is usually packed, as well as movie theater and restaurants aren't empty either. It's still closer and more convenient option for people living in NW DC and nearby suburbs and these people are not about to pack up and depart DC metro to move to SW DC.

I don't understand why there is this need to put down some older established neighborhoods to aggrandize new ones, not necessary. Wharf/Navy yard are doing just fine and are great options, I love to have them. Having a ferry service between Georgetown and Wharf is awesome too. Good times to enjoy both, why the need to compete? It's very small town thinking that one area must die for another to take off. A big vibrant city would naturally have many such areas equally thriving and enough people to visit them. What I would like to see is more development around Wharf and Navy Yard, easier options to get there and a way to get from one to another, better food choices too.

[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.

Ok, one nail salon doesn't make it a neighborhood. Honestly the areas around are a bit sketchy and not so nice, some ugly housing around outside shiny condos and it feels isolated to me, I would not live there, not to mention with kids and school options.

Are you the shoe repair poster? There are 2 dry cleaners in the neighborhood that offer that service too. Still not sure where you can get the watch battery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOVED the Warf. The only problem is parking.

Sigh. This is why suburbanites should stay in suburbia. They aren't designing these neighborhoods so that you have ample places to park your oversized SUV with your gaggle of kids for cheap. Take public transportation like everyone else in the city.