Thoughts on moving to Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballston mall, shittiest mall ever

You don't get around much if you really think that, toots.

I am convinced that all the stores in this mall is just a giant cover-up for money laundering.

This place is the pits.  If North Korea had a mall, it would be called Ballston Common Mall.

There is a .000001% chance that I may come to this mall if at some point in my life, I need to have my bathtub refitted, buy a cell phone case from a random Rastafarian, buy a weave of fake hair and repair my shoes.  

Until that day comes, I would never come here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ballston-common-mall-arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballston mall, shittiest mall ever

You don't get around much if you really think that, toots.

I am convinced that all the stores in this mall is just a giant cover-up for money laundering.

This place is the pits.  If North Korea had a mall, it would be called Ballston Common Mall.

There is a .000001% chance that I may come to this mall if at some point in my life, I need to have my bathtub refitted, buy a cell phone case from a random Rastafarian, buy a weave of fake hair and repair my shoes.  

Until that day comes, I would never come here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ballston-common-mall-arlington

Okay wait! So you HAVEN'T been to this mall before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballston mall, shittiest mall ever

You don't get around much if you really think that, toots.

I am convinced that all the stores in this mall is just a giant cover-up for money laundering.

This place is the pits.  If North Korea had a mall, it would be called Ballston Common Mall.

There is a .000001% chance that I may come to this mall if at some point in my life, I need to have my bathtub refitted, buy a cell phone case from a random Rastafarian, buy a weave of fake hair and repair my shoes.  

Until that day comes, I would never come here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ballston-common-mall-arlington

I live in Clarendon and, yes, now that the Springfield Mall was razed --Ballston is currently one of the shittiest in the area. I have never shopped there.

Good news--that entire area is about to be completely redone. The huge BID .

[Anonymous]

Like anyone is touting the awesomeness that is the Ballston Mall. It's not the shittiest mall ever, but given the area, it is pretty awful.

But since I wasn't planning to live inside the mall, it was a non-issue when moving to Arlington last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballston mall, shittiest mall ever

You don't get around much if you really think that, toots.

I am convinced that all the stores in this mall is just a giant cover-up for money laundering.

This place is the pits.  If North Korea had a mall, it would be called Ballston Common Mall.

There is a .000001% chance that I may come to this mall if at some point in my life, I need to have my bathtub refitted, buy a cell phone case from a random Rastafarian, buy a weave of fake hair and repair my shoes.  

Until that day comes, I would never come here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ballston-common-mall-arlington

Okay wait! So you HAVEN'T been to this mall before?

I have been there and often work nearby. The best thing in that mall is the chik fil a. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which part of "The McLean parts of Arlington (far north Arlington, especially north of 29) really won't be much better than Oakton in terms of local amenities -- your husband's commute would be shorter of course, but there'd be as little to do there as there is in Oakton. As for the Lee Highway corridor -- let's get real, though, it really is full of strip malls" is inaccurate?

Come on ... I'm waiting ...

I don't really want to participate in this thread, other than to say that the term "McLean parts of Arlington" or "Arlington parts of McLean" doesn't mean anything to me, and I've lived in both.

I do get the phrase "Falls Church part of McLean" or vice versa because there are areas with Falls Church mailing addresses that are zoned for McLean HS and pay the special tax assessment that funds the McLean Community Center, and the term describes that area. But McLean and Arlington are just next to each other in different jurisdictions, so I don't know what "McLean parts of Arlington" means. If it means a less walkable part of North Arlington, there are parts of McLean with higher Walk Scores than Country Club Hills and the like. If it means the part of McLean with older homes that borders Arlington, it's still not Arlington. You could live in McLean within walking distance of Jamestown ES, and your kid would still go to Chesterbrook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballston mall, shittiest mall ever

You don't get around much if you really think that, toots.

I am convinced that all the stores in this mall is just a giant cover-up for money laundering.

This place is the pits.  If North Korea had a mall, it would be called Ballston Common Mall.

There is a .000001% chance that I may come to this mall if at some point in my life, I need to have my bathtub refitted, buy a cell phone case from a random Rastafarian, buy a weave of fake hair and repair my shoes.  

Until that day comes, I would never come here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ballston-common-mall-arlington

I'm sure you'll need a barstool at some point....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which part of "The McLean parts of Arlington (far north Arlington, especially north of 29) really won't be much better than Oakton in terms of local amenities -- your husband's commute would be shorter of course, but there'd be as little to do there as there is in Oakton. As for the Lee Highway corridor -- let's get real, though, it really is full of strip malls" is inaccurate?

Come on ... I'm waiting ...

I don't really want to participate in this thread, other than to say that the term "McLean parts of Arlington" or "Arlington parts of McLean" doesn't mean anything to me, and I've lived in both.

I do get the phrase "Falls Church part of McLean" or vice versa because there are areas with Falls Church mailing addresses that are zoned for McLean HS and pay the special tax assessment that funds the McLean Community Center, and the term describes that area. But McLean and Arlington are just next to each other in different jurisdictions, so I don't know what "McLean parts of Arlington" means. If it means a less walkable part of North Arlington, there are parts of McLean with higher Walk Scores than Country Club Hills and the like. If it means the part of McLean with older homes that borders Arlington, it's still not Arlington. You could live in McLean within walking distance of Jamestown ES, and your kid would still go to Chesterbrook.

I mean parts of North Arlington that are similar in development pattern (larger lots, not many sidewalks, etc.) to McLean.

I specifically mentioned "far north Arlington, especially north of 29" in my sentence, so I'm honestly wondering why that reference confused you.

[Anonymous]

I dunno, I'd rate Frederick Towne Mall (it's in Maryland, if you're recently transplanted from OH and think it's cool to put down and feign ignorance of everything outside the District) and Martinsburg (WV) Mall as worse than Ballston. The former may not even count as a mall anymore, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballston mall, shittiest mall ever

You don't get around much if you really think that, toots.

I am convinced that all the stores in this mall is just a giant cover-up for money laundering.

This place is the pits.  If North Korea had a mall, it would be called Ballston Common Mall.

There is a .000001% chance that I may come to this mall if at some point in my life, I need to have my bathtub refitted, buy a cell phone case from a random Rastafarian, buy a weave of fake hair and repair my shoes.  

Until that day comes, I would never come here.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ballston-common-mall-arlington

I'm sure you'll need a barstool at some point....

It's fortunate Arlington's other mall just a few miles away is pentagon city. That said, the Ballston Mall is scheduled for a multi-million overhaul including tear down of half of it to be replaced by several blocks of new street retail and condos.

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/09/18/ballston-mall-redevelopment-moves-forward/

[Anonymous]

Ballston Mall has a Radio Shack where you can buy an IPhone, have service connected and be on your way on 10 minutes. Nice nerdy guys without the attitude of the alleged geniuses at the Apple store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How come no one on here ever mention Rosslyn (22209) or North Highland (22201). There are great selection of townhouses and some sfh in those two areas and are so incredibly convenient. A ton of people with money have moved into the area, now there's hardly a listing that is not a shabby condo in one the old 1950's building. The new condos are snapped up quickly. I have a friend that has been waiting for six months for a townhouse to come on the market there. I am surprised that all the savvy real estate people on here are so unaware of what's going on there. One developer has been so impressed with the price point and quickness some of the condos are selling, they have postponed plans for an office tower in favor of residential tower because the demand is so strong, particularly from people with deep pokers. Construction will brick ground January 21 last I heard. The school pyramid is Key/Williamsbug/Yorktown.

You beat me to it poster. That is exactly the area I was going to mention, particularly as OP has only one child and her husband travels. He would have great access to the airport (one of the reasons so many high net worth people bought at Turnberry Towers and Waterview) and she would have little maintenance at places like Palisades or Highgate. The single family houses on Troy and Taft Streets are either being renovated or replaced by new house, but of a scale that suits rather than overwhelms the neighborhood. The Dawson Terrace Rec Center has a great play area and the whole area feels very outdoorsy. The new center at Vietch and Lee Highway with the MOMS market and retail is gong to transform the quiet little pocket of North Highland especially. If you are living there, kudos to you for making a smart real estate buy.

Yuck. Very ugly area for exceptionally boring people.

Wow, you must be the coolest person on the Washington area to come up with a rejoinder like that. Nothing boring or yucky about you. Gosh I wish I were less sarcastic and more pithy and acerbic. You are the best!

[Anonymous]

Money sloshes all around this region. Some of it ends up in Arlington. Most of it does not.

[Anonymous]

I love the Ballston mall. Where else on the Saturday before Christmas can you drive up, park right by the door, buy three things from Macy's, grab a Starbucks, and be on your way in 30 minutes?

I'd love to see better stuff in there, but I will miss the convenience of the Worst Mall in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How come no one on here ever mention Rosslyn (22209) or North Highland (22201). There are great selection of townhouses and some sfh in those two areas and are so incredibly convenient. A ton of people with money have moved into the area, now there's hardly a listing that is not a shabby condo in one the old 1950's building. The new condos are snapped up quickly. I have a friend that has been waiting for six months for a townhouse to come on the market there. I am surprised that all the savvy real estate people on here are so unaware of what's going on there. One developer has been so impressed with the price point and quickness some of the condos are selling, they have postponed plans for an office tower in favor of residential tower because the demand is so strong, particularly from people with deep pokers. Construction will brick ground January 21 last I heard. The school pyramid is Key/Williamsbug/Yorktown.

You beat me to it poster. That is exactly the area I was going to mention, particularly as OP has only one child and her husband travels. He would have great access to the airport (one of the reasons so many high net worth people bought at Turnberry Towers and Waterview) and she would have little maintenance at places like Palisades or Highgate. The single family houses on Troy and Taft Streets are either being renovated or replaced by new house, but of a scale that suits rather than overwhelms the neighborhood. The Dawson Terrace Rec Center has a great play area and the whole area feels very outdoorsy. The new center at Vietch and Lee Highway with the MOMS market and retail is gong to transform the quiet little pocket of North Highland especially. If you are living there, kudos to you for making a smart real estate buy.

Yuck. Very ugly area for exceptionally boring people.

Wow, you must be the coolest person on the Washington area to come up with a rejoinder like that. Nothing boring or yucky about you. Gosh I wish I were less sarcastic and more pithy and acerbic. You are the best!

Yes, The Coolest Person is the best! Where do you live, TCP? I want to move there because I need to be more interesting.