Thoughts on Columbia, MD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Via Google, it's 21.5 miles to Baltimore and 31.5 miles to DC. On a weekend, it's an easy 20 minute drive up 95 to the inner harbor. It's about 45 minutes to downtown DC (but obviously longer if you use Metro). It's clearly a central location (by design) but if you have to drive to a city, Baltimore is much easier. The only reason I ever head to DC is the Smithsonian. I go to Baltimore all the time. However, there are plenty of people who commute to both places daily.

This.

Maybe if you go at 2 a.m. when no one else is one the road. I live in Baltimore and it takes 45 minutes (west side of city) to get to Columbia on weekends (for kids rec games, which is the only reason I have ever had to go in 10 years of living in Baltimore). My friends complain it is hour plus during their rush hour commutes. When I commuted to DC, the people commuting from Columbia had commutes only 15 minutes less than mine due to less convenient public transit options.

The schools, however, are very very good and crime is low. But you have a heck of a commute to either city.

PP again, I get the sense that most folks actually work in the Columbia area, or Baltimore County (owings mills area) or Montgomery county, and don't actually commute to either city, which makes a helluva lot more sense.

This is true. But also, I think when people are going from Columbia to Baltimore on the weekends, they're usually going to the inner harbor or similar. That's about a 20-30 minute commute. Less if you're starting near Long Reach and can just hop on 100-29 - it's like 3 exits to 895.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, meant 100 to 95.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hickory Ridge is more in favor than Dorsey due to Dorsey being districted for Wilde Lake High School.

River Hill is nice but it's in Clarksville so you lose a little of the convenience factor IMHO.

River Hill is one of the villages of Columbia, though parts of it are in Clarksville by address.

House prices are dramatically different. There is no comparison between $$$ in Clarksville and $$ in other parts of Ho Co. Just do a home search. People pay $1m+ to own land and huge homes in the River Hill district.

I wasn't disputing that. I was just pointing out that River Hill is part of Columbia. Clarksville is a separate town.

Not pp but I wanted to add there are far more affordable homes in and around the $1M+ mansions on 3-acre lots in Clarksville. In River Hill (in Columbia, adjacent to Clarksville) you will also find mansions but you'll rarely find a lot more than a half-acre and many are less than a quarter-acre. For that reason, the large houses in River Hill are less than the large houses in Clarksville. It all depends on your expectations of home size and the amount you are willing to pay. OP (who has probably run for the hills by this point) has not listed a price range so it's hard to give options on where to look. If you have $550,000 to spend, you can probably find a quaint 4BR in Clarksville or River Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Baltimore and Columbia was never on anyone's radar. We never went to Columbia for the shopping or the mall (that would have been Towson or Owings Mills or even White Marsh). No one talked about Columbia. You occasionally met people who lived in Columbia but it was "out there" in a different land, quite unlike Cockeysville or Hunt Valley which were much more integrated with Baltimore itself. The other Baltimore suburbs in Baltimore County and even Anne Arundel and Harford Counties were always much more part of the metro area than Columbia. Even Ellicott City is somewhat accepted as a Baltimore suburb more than Columbia.

Part of the problem may have to do with the geographic isolation of Columbia. There's no direct road from Columbia to Baltimore (unlike I83 connecting the northern suburbs to downtown) and the Patapsco Valley State Park also buffers Howard County from Baltimore County with minimal linkage between the two. That helps fuel the sense that Columbia wasn't a proper part of Baltimore. Columbia, being a new master planned community, didn't attract many Baltimore families so few people in Baltimore had relatives or cousins who moved out to Columbia (unlike Towson, for example).

I-95 is a straight shot from Columbia into Baltimore. That is how we sneak in without you noticing we are there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few years ago we moved to Columbia to be closer to my husband's job.
I hated it. Thankfully we were only renting. We broke the lease after being there for 40 days. (Had to pay $$$$ for breaking lease) and then we moved back to Chevy Chase/Bethesda area.

What was the problem? Columbia has many different areas with different flavors. It sounds like you didn't even give it a chance.

Yeah, either PP moved without doing any research and ended up in an apartment in Steven's Forest, or they're just a snob, which is probably the case if they bailed for their beloved Chevy Chase after a month.

NP here. I currently live in PG County (and love where I live), so you can't accuse me of being a snob or a racist. I really don't like Columbia. I hate the layout. I hate the traffic patterns. For a planned community, it isn't designed well as far as traffic flow.

As one PP noted, it's hard to find a house within walking distance of a grocery store. I live in the suburbs, so I'm not talking about urban walkability. I'm just talking about not feeling like the residential areas are separated from the shopping areas by highways. In my PG house, if needed, I can still walk to a grocery store, to a post office, to a few other shops and establishments. It's not urban walkable.

Don't assume that the PP just hates Columbia because it is diverse.

And speaking of diverse, it seems to me that it's really the townhome communities that are diverse. The SFH neighborhoods don't seem that diverse. Just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are not good. Look at Baltimore privates.

Seriously? I'm a product of public schools in Columbia. I thought they were great and I didn't even go to the fancier ones. I have three Ivy League degrees. Worked for me.

In what year did you graduate from high school? That is relevant to the discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few years ago we moved to Columbia to be closer to my husband's job.
I hated it. Thankfully we were only renting. We broke the lease after being there for 40 days. (Had to pay $$$$ for breaking lease) and then we moved back to Chevy Chase/Bethesda area.

What was the problem? Columbia has many different areas with different flavors. It sounds like you didn't even give it a chance.

Yeah, either PP moved without doing any research and ended up in an apartment in Steven's Forest, or they're just a snob, which is probably the case if they bailed for their beloved Chevy Chase after a month.

NP here. I currently live in PG County (and love where I live), so you can't accuse me of being a snob or a racist. I really don't like Columbia. I hate the layout. I hate the traffic patterns. For a planned community, it isn't designed well as far as traffic flow.

As one PP noted, it's hard to find a house within walking distance of a grocery store. I live in the suburbs, so I'm not talking about urban walkability. I'm just talking about not feeling like the residential areas are separated from the shopping areas by highways. In my PG house, if needed, I can still walk to a grocery store, to a post office, to a few other shops and establishments. It's not urban walkable.

Don't assume that the PP just hates Columbia because it is diverse.

And speaking of diverse, it seems to me that it's really the townhome communities that are diverse. The SFH neighborhoods don't seem that diverse. Just my opinion.

I live in River Hill and it's like the United Nations around here. In the last 10-15 years, the diversity of the neighborhood has grown tremendously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are not good. Look at Baltimore privates.

Seriously? I'm a product of public schools in Columbia. I thought they were great and I didn't even go to the fancier ones. I have three Ivy League degrees. Worked for me.

In what year did you graduate from high school? That is relevant to the discussion.

Oh please! All of the Howard County High Schools annually produce many graduates who attend Ivy League schools. This is not a rare or old situation. They are high quality schools where the vast majority move on to 4-year universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Baltimore and Columbia was never on anyone's radar. We never went to Columbia for the shopping or the mall (that would have been Towson or Owings Mills or even White Marsh). No one talked about Columbia. You occasionally met people who lived in Columbia but it was "out there" in a different land, quite unlike Cockeysville or Hunt Valley which were much more integrated with Baltimore itself. The other Baltimore suburbs in Baltimore County and even Anne Arundel and Harford Counties were always much more part of the metro area than Columbia. Even Ellicott City is somewhat accepted as a Baltimore suburb more than Columbia.

Part of the problem may have to do with the geographic isolation of Columbia. There's no direct road from Columbia to Baltimore (unlike I83 connecting the northern suburbs to downtown) and the Patapsco Valley State Park also buffers Howard County from Baltimore County with minimal linkage between the two. That helps fuel the sense that Columbia wasn't a proper part of Baltimore. Columbia, being a new master planned community, didn't attract many Baltimore families so few people in Baltimore had relatives or cousins who moved out to Columbia (unlike Towson, for example).

I-95 is a straight shot from Columbia into Baltimore. That is how we sneak in without you noticing we are there.

You have to get on 32 first before getting on 95 IIRC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may want to look in other areas. My husband works in Columbia. We live in DC because it opens the entire area up for job change. His commute time is often shorter than those who live in Columbia. It is very suburban.

That makes no sense. Your husband's commute from DC to Columbia is not going to be shorter than his coworker's commute from one part of Columbia to another unless he is flying between locations.

Columbia is also a lot cheaper.

It really depends on if her spouse will be staying at his job for awhile.

Silver Spring is also a straight shot down 29 to Columbia and an easy commute to DC.

It takes me 12 minutes to get to work and I live in Columbia, 5 miles from work. My DC coworker spends 45 mins at a minimum commuting to work. Thanks for setting things straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are not good. Look at Baltimore privates.

Seriously? I'm a product of public schools in Columbia. I thought they were great and I didn't even go to the fancier ones. I have three Ivy League degrees. Worked for me.

In what year did you graduate from high school? That is relevant to the discussion.

Oh please! All of the Howard County High Schools annually produce many graduates who attend Ivy League schools. This is not a rare or old situation. They are high quality schools where the vast majority move on to 4-year universities.

+1000 Great schools and great teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Baltimore and Columbia was never on anyone's radar. We never went to Columbia for the shopping or the mall (that would have been Towson or Owings Mills or even White Marsh). No one talked about Columbia. You occasionally met people who lived in Columbia but it was "out there" in a different land, quite unlike Cockeysville or Hunt Valley which were much more integrated with Baltimore itself. The other Baltimore suburbs in Baltimore County and even Anne Arundel and Harford Counties were always much more part of the metro area than Columbia. Even Ellicott City is somewhat accepted as a Baltimore suburb more than Columbia.

Part of the problem may have to do with the geographic isolation of Columbia. There's no direct road from Columbia to Baltimore (unlike I83 connecting the northern suburbs to downtown) and the Patapsco Valley State Park also buffers Howard County from Baltimore County with minimal linkage between the two. That helps fuel the sense that Columbia wasn't a proper part of Baltimore. Columbia, being a new master planned community, didn't attract many Baltimore families so few people in Baltimore had relatives or cousins who moved out to Columbia (unlike Towson, for example).

I-95 is a straight shot from Columbia into Baltimore. That is how we sneak in without you noticing we are there.

You have to get on 32 first before getting on 95 IIRC.

Different PP. You don't remember correctly. If you happen to live in the South Columbia area, you do need to get on 32. But if you live in the main body of Columbia, you go to 175 (which is not a highway, but a local business road) and get onto 95 there. Or if you live on the north side, you get on 100 which is a highway to get on 95. In any event, you can get on either MD-29 to I-70 or I-95 within about 10 minutes from virtually all of Columbia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Baltimore and Columbia was never on anyone's radar. We never went to Columbia for the shopping or the mall (that would have been Towson or Owings Mills or even White Marsh). No one talked about Columbia. You occasionally met people who lived in Columbia but it was "out there" in a different land, quite unlike Cockeysville or Hunt Valley which were much more integrated with Baltimore itself. The other Baltimore suburbs in Baltimore County and even Anne Arundel and Harford Counties were always much more part of the metro area than Columbia. Even Ellicott City is somewhat accepted as a Baltimore suburb more than Columbia.

Part of the problem may have to do with the geographic isolation of Columbia. There's no direct road from Columbia to Baltimore (unlike I83 connecting the northern suburbs to downtown) and the Patapsco Valley State Park also buffers Howard County from Baltimore County with minimal linkage between the two. That helps fuel the sense that Columbia wasn't a proper part of Baltimore. Columbia, being a new master planned community, didn't attract many Baltimore families so few people in Baltimore had relatives or cousins who moved out to Columbia (unlike Towson, for example).

I-95 is a straight shot from Columbia into Baltimore. That is how we sneak in without you noticing we are there.

You have to get on 32 first before getting on 95 IIRC.

Both 32 and 175 intersect 95 in Columbia. It's a short drive. What's your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Baltimore and Columbia was never on anyone's radar. We never went to Columbia for the shopping or the mall (that would have been Towson or Owings Mills or even White Marsh). No one talked about Columbia. You occasionally met people who lived in Columbia but it was "out there" in a different land, quite unlike Cockeysville or Hunt Valley which were much more integrated with Baltimore itself. The other Baltimore suburbs in Baltimore County and even Anne Arundel and Harford Counties were always much more part of the metro area than Columbia. Even Ellicott City is somewhat accepted as a Baltimore suburb more than Columbia.

Part of the problem may have to do with the geographic isolation of Columbia. There's no direct road from Columbia to Baltimore (unlike I83 connecting the northern suburbs to downtown) and the Patapsco Valley State Park also buffers Howard County from Baltimore County with minimal linkage between the two. That helps fuel the sense that Columbia wasn't a proper part of Baltimore. Columbia, being a new master planned community, didn't attract many Baltimore families so few people in Baltimore had relatives or cousins who moved out to Columbia (unlike Towson, for example).

I-95 is a straight shot from Columbia into Baltimore. That is how we sneak in without you noticing we are there.

You have to get on 32 first before getting on 95 IIRC.

Yes, the interstate does not take me to my front door. I drive 3 minutes to get onto route 32 and then another 4 to get to I-95. It's another 10 to get to Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

The problem is people are relying on what was true 20+ years ago. When I grew up MC was the place to be for good schools, but many of the counties are equal, if not surpassed MC in many ways. I like Columbia. My husband works out there and we have considered moving there as I think the schools are better and we can get a much bigger/nicer house for just slightly more. We don't go into DC much so the advantage of living close in is not the same for us as it was my parents who worked in DC.