Best Elementary School in Georgetown (or other urban neighborhood)?

[Anonymous]

There is a little triangle neighborhood in bound for Murch/Deal/Wilson called Wakefield. It has SFHs, condos and apartments. From most homes in the area, you can walk to 2 or 3 Red Line metro stops and the surrounding shopping areas (Van Ness, Tenleytown, Friendship Heights), as well as the Politics and Prose area, and all three schools. For commute you are able to quickly access, River Road, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Reno, Connecticut, Military Rd. and Rock Creek Parkway. Its is right in the middle of it all.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP - take a trip to DC and drive around the following neighborhoods to see what's best for you:
- Palisades
- AU Park
- Cleveland Park
- Chevy Chase

You need to hone in on a neighborhood that feeds to Deal Middle School. That is the most important piece of advice.

[Anonymous]

Palisades doesn't feed to Deal.

But this PP is correct about Deal feeder neighborhoods. If you like Silver Spring, Takoma park area, you can look across the street from Takoma Park in Shepherd Park DC, also across the street from Rock Creek Park (one of the only two neighborhoods that feeds to Deal that are east of the Rock Creek Park). It's not as urban as Georgetown, but more than Chevy Chase because its walkable to urban parts of Takoma and Silver Spring is currently undergoing huge development at Walter Reed that will make it more retail friendly. Also, you can get a lot more for $1m, plenty of street parking, and very diverse neighborhood (albeit not much in terms as SES as it has always been a historically upper class, black and Jewish neighborhood of DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Palisades doesn't feed to Deal.

But this PP is correct about Deal feeder neighborhoods. If you like Silver Spring, Takoma park area, you can look across the street from Takoma Park in Shepherd Park DC, also across the street from Rock Creek Park (one of the only two neighborhoods that feeds to Deal that are east of the Rock Creek Park). It's not as urban as Georgetown, but more than Chevy Chase because its walkable to urban parts of Takoma and Silver Spring is currently undergoing huge development at Walter Reed that will make it more retail friendly. Also, you can get a lot more for $1m, plenty of street parking, and very diverse neighborhood (albeit not much in terms as SES as it has always been a historically upper class, black and Jewish neighborhood of DC.

and is nowhere near metro or much else. It is beautiful but suburban and you will be driving a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With that budget, I would move near Brent on Cap Hill.

With that budget, I'd explore the Ludlow-Taylor zone on Capitol Hill. Highly-regarded school with solid middle school feed. Very vibrant, walkable part of the Hill.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Palisades doesn't feed to Deal.

But this PP is correct about Deal feeder neighborhoods. If you like Silver Spring, Takoma park area, you can look across the street from Takoma Park in Shepherd Park DC, also across the street from Rock Creek Park (one of the only two neighborhoods that feeds to Deal that are east of the Rock Creek Park). It's not as urban as Georgetown, but more than Chevy Chase because its walkable to urban parts of Takoma and Silver Spring is currently undergoing huge development at Walter Reed that will make it more retail friendly. Also, you can get a lot more for $1m, plenty of street parking, and very diverse neighborhood (albeit not much in terms as SES as it has always been a historically upper class, black and Jewish neighborhood of DC.

and is nowhere near metro or much else. It is beautiful but suburban and you will be driving a lot.

Not PP, but I live here and have to agree. I have some neighbors who are close to Georgia or esp. Eastern Ave., and they're in much more walkable locations for Metro and downtown Silver Spring. But aside from that narrow northeast corner of the neighborhood, the rest is not as walkable, and most families have two cars. That'll change as the upper Georgia Ave. corridor continues to develop (cranes and construction everywhere now), and with Walter Reed redevelopment on the horizon, but that's not anytime soon. Pretty neighborhood, but very suburban feel overall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Palisades doesn't feed to Deal.

But this PP is correct about Deal feeder neighborhoods. If you like Silver Spring, Takoma park area, you can look across the street from Takoma Park in Shepherd Park DC, also across the street from Rock Creek Park (one of the only two neighborhoods that feeds to Deal that are east of the Rock Creek Park). It's not as urban as Georgetown, but more than Chevy Chase because its walkable to urban parts of Takoma and Silver Spring is currently undergoing huge development at Walter Reed that will make it more retail friendly. Also, you can get a lot more for $1m, plenty of street parking, and very diverse neighborhood (albeit not much in terms as SES as it has always been a historically upper class, black and Jewish neighborhood of DC.

and is nowhere near metro or much else. It is beautiful but suburban and you will be driving a lot.

NP. I live in Shepherd Park and have a 10/15 minute walk to Silver Spring or Takoma Metro stop on the Red Line. Unless you are obese or decrepit, a mile walk is nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With that budget, I would move near Brent on Cap Hill.

With that budget, I'd explore the Ludlow-Taylor zone on Capitol Hill. Highly-regarded school with solid middle school feed. Very vibrant, walkable part of the Hill.
Good luck!

+1 We made the big move 5 years ago with two kids, into the Stanton Park area. Our kids are happy at Ludlow-Taylor and we love the community. We love the proximity to Union Station (metro), as well as Eastern Market and H Street. It's definitely worth a look.

Several have mentioned the middle school issue on the Hill. LT, Watkins and JO Wilson feed into Stuart-Hobson, considered the strongest public middle school on the Hill. (But hard to get in there if you're outside the feeder schools...) Otherwise, if you buy anywhere on the Hill, you will likely try the lottery for various public charters for middle school, such as Basis and Latin.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry - is anyone still hysterically laughing at 1 million and Georgetown?

I love when we get people from out of town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lizziewhit wrote:Wow... this is all so helpful! I feel like we have honed in on Georgetown b/c of its name familiarity. I like the suggestions of where we can get more bang for our buck. I will start looking around some of these other places. And I would like being near a metro (and had no idea Georgetown is not good for this). So again, thank you for your replies!

If you want to be near metro, definitely do not buy in Georgetown.

Georgetown is not all its cracked up to be. Its too many college kids, tourists and old people. Not nearly as many young families as would like for your kids. CP is much better and must more accessible. Or live in bounds for Janney closer to Tenleytown metro. Honestly I would take G'town off your list if you are looking for a super kid friendly location. Cap Hill is great if you are in Brent Elem. But over half the students are gone after 4th grade because there is still not a strong middle option.

Agree to take Georgetown off your list. It's "urban", but in a small town kind of way, with cute stores and without metro access. Also, the reason Hyde is a somewhat lower performing elementary school (compared to Upper NW options) is that most kids in Georgetown traditionally went private. Similar to Cleveland Park in that way, as a historically wealthy neighborhood, and different from areas in Upper NW (like AU Park) that are historically more middle class even if they are expensive today.

She's from Texas, Applebees and BoConcepts is EXACTLY what she's looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best recommendation is to rent for 6 months to a year to figure out what works for your family. DC can be very complex especially if you haven't spent some time here. The east coast begins here so it is extremely different than the south. Neighborhoods and blocks matter a great deal. I recommend viewing the region as "inside the beltway vs outside." Better to be patient than sorry!

This, this, this!

You need to visit. You need to walk around. And possibly the most important thing you need to do your commute during both morning and afternoon rush hour from your prospective neighborhood.

Moving to DC from Texas is like an episode of House Hunters International with people who move to Europe from Texas. $1 million here is not $1 million in Texas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lizziewhit wrote:Wow... this is all so helpful! I feel like we have honed in on Georgetown b/c of its name familiarity. I like the suggestions of where we can get more bang for our buck. I will start looking around some of these other places. And I would like being near a metro (and had no idea Georgetown is not good for this). So again, thank you for your replies!

If you want to be near metro, definitely do not buy in Georgetown.

Georgetown is not all its cracked up to be. Its too many college kids, tourists and old people. Not nearly as many young families as would like for your kids. CP is much better and must more accessible. Or live in bounds for Janney closer to Tenleytown metro. Honestly I would take G'town off your list if you are looking for a super kid friendly location. Cap Hill is great if you are in Brent Elem. But over half the students are gone after 4th grade because there is still not a strong middle option.

Agree to take Georgetown off your list. It's "urban", but in a small town kind of way, with cute stores and without metro access. Also, the reason Hyde is a somewhat lower performing elementary school (compared to Upper NW options) is that most kids in Georgetown traditionally went private. Similar to Cleveland Park in that way, as a historically wealthy neighborhood, and different from areas in Upper NW (like AU Park) that are historically more middle class even if they are expensive today.

She's from Texas, Applebees and BoConcepts is EXACTLY what she's looking for.

But is she also looking for a 900 sq ft $1.5 million house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lizziewhit wrote:Wow... this is all so helpful! I feel like we have honed in on Georgetown b/c of its name familiarity. I like the suggestions of where we can get more bang for our buck. I will start looking around some of these other places. And I would like being near a metro (and had no idea Georgetown is not good for this). So again, thank you for your replies!

If you want to be near metro, definitely do not buy in Georgetown.

Georgetown is not all its cracked up to be. Its too many college kids, tourists and old people. Not nearly as many young families as would like for your kids. CP is much better and must more accessible. Or live in bounds for Janney closer to Tenleytown metro. Honestly I would take G'town off your list if you are looking for a super kid friendly location. Cap Hill is great if you are in Brent Elem. But over half the students are gone after 4th grade because there is still not a strong middle option.

Agree to take Georgetown off your list. It's "urban", but in a small town kind of way, with cute stores and without metro access. Also, the reason Hyde is a somewhat lower performing elementary school (compared to Upper NW options) is that most kids in Georgetown traditionally went private. Similar to Cleveland Park in that way, as a historically wealthy neighborhood, and different from areas in Upper NW (like AU Park) that are historically more middle class even if they are expensive today.

She's from Texas, Applebees and BoConcepts is EXACTLY what she's looking for.

But is she also looking for a 900 sq ft $1.5 million house?

No idea, but having just sold a 1000sq foot 1.2 million dollar house, I'm telling you, most people from outside of DC (and NY) are not really prepared for our "urban"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Palisades doesn't feed to Deal.

But this PP is correct about Deal feeder neighborhoods. If you like Silver Spring, Takoma park area, you can look across the street from Takoma Park in Shepherd Park DC, also across the street from Rock Creek Park (one of the only two neighborhoods that feeds to Deal that are east of the Rock Creek Park). It's not as urban as Georgetown, but more than Chevy Chase because its walkable to urban parts of Takoma and Silver Spring is currently undergoing huge development at Walter Reed that will make it more retail friendly. Also, you can get a lot more for $1m, plenty of street parking, and very diverse neighborhood (albeit not much in terms as SES as it has always been a historically upper class, black and Jewish neighborhood of DC.

and is nowhere near metro or much else. It is beautiful but suburban and you will be driving a lot.

NP. I live in Shepherd Park and have a 10/15 minute walk to Silver Spring or Takoma Metro stop on the Red Line. Unless you are obese or decrepit, a mile walk is nothing.

NP. I am neither obese nor decrepit (there is a decent chance my 10k time would beat yours) but I am not willing to walk a mile to the metro. First, that walk will take me a lot longer than my current 5 minute drive to the metro. Second, I often make that ride with kids and/or lots of other stuff. That not only slows the trip tremendously, but makes it a big pain in the butt. The trip is even less pleasant in lousy weather.

Please enjoy your mile walk, but I'd rather take a very quick drive with my kids and all their/my crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Palisades doesn't feed to Deal.

But this PP is correct about Deal feeder neighborhoods. If you like Silver Spring, Takoma park area, you can look across the street from Takoma Park in Shepherd Park DC, also across the street from Rock Creek Park (one of the only two neighborhoods that feeds to Deal that are east of the Rock Creek Park). It's not as urban as Georgetown, but more than Chevy Chase because its walkable to urban parts of Takoma and Silver Spring is currently undergoing huge development at Walter Reed that will make it more retail friendly. Also, you can get a lot more for $1m, plenty of street parking, and very diverse neighborhood (albeit not much in terms as SES as it has always been a historically upper class, black and Jewish neighborhood of DC.

and is nowhere near metro or much else. It is beautiful but suburban and you will be driving a lot.

NP. I live in Shepherd Park and have a 10/15 minute walk to Silver Spring or Takoma Metro stop on the Red Line. Unless you are obese or decrepit, a mile walk is nothing.

NP. I am neither obese nor decrepit (there is a decent chance my 10k time would beat yours) but I am not willing to walk a mile to the metro. First, that walk will take me a lot longer than my current 5 minute drive to the metro. Second, I often make that ride with kids and/or lots of other stuff. That not only slows the trip tremendously, but makes it a big pain in the butt. The trip is even less pleasant in lousy weather.

Please enjoy your mile walk, but I'd rather take a very quick drive with my kids and all their/my crap.

Uh you're not doing the mile walk because of other factors not because it isn't walkable. Yes, if my kids were little I would not walk. For most adults traveling solo to work, a mile walk isn't that much.