Advice on Lafayette ES and neighborhoods

[Anonymous]

We're in the midst of trying to find somewhere affordable with good schools (like everyone else!). We'd like to stay in the District for ES at least and I'm getting the feeling that the areas around Lafayette may be a bit more affordable than the areas around Janney.

For anyone whose children go to Lafayette, can you let me know your feelings about the school? And what about the community? Is there a great neighboorhood feeling? Are there certain areas that are better than others? If I were to go drive around up there, what are some streets I should check out?

Thanks for any help in steering me in the right direction.

[Anonymous]

First you should do some searching - lots and lots of posts on lafayette. I'm not going to repeat myself as a former lafayette parent but it is a very good school.

personally i think the best streets are a block or two off connecticut or western and surrounding lafayette. between conn and utah if that helps. i'm not a fan of hawthorne because the houses are midcentury and there are no sidewalks and nothing close to walk to but the lots and houses are bigger (and cheaper) if that's of interest. To be specific I like 33rd, rittenhouse, tennyson and the surrounding areas. Those streets can be busy so that might be a consideration (but they have sidewalks so generally it is fine). good luck - the neighborhood is very friendly and welcoming.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a Lafayette parent, but I have tons of friends whose kids went and still go to Lafayette, and my kids went to another nearby DCPS school. From everything I've seen and heard, Lafayette is a wonderful neighborhood school. There are tons of kids in the area, plus the added benefit of the park and tennis courts; baseball games, the wonderful Broad Branch market, and, most importantly, a very involved parent body. All the kids I know who went there have gotten very good educations and have gone on to do well at a variety of public and private schools. I know there were some issues with the open space plan, but I think those have been resolved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: i'm not a fan of hawthorne because the houses are midcentury and there are no sidewalks and nothing close to walk to but the lots and houses are bigger (and cheaper) if that's of interest.

If you are going to buy in hawthorne - you might as well just live in Montgomery Co.

[Anonymous]

Also worth considering the Murch neighborhoods near the intersection of Connecticut and Nebraska. We live just northeast of that intersection in a great, walkable, neighborhood where houses are a bit more affordable than farther north in the Lafayette area. Tons of young families; there must be 30 kids under 5 in a two-block radius of our house.

[Anonymous]

I live 1 block from Lafayette and there is a (smallish) house for $650K around the corner. Maybe that gives you an idea of price.