What’s wrong with Ashburn?

[Anonymous]

The schools aren't very good in Ashburn. I used to teach there. Even the top kids mostly aren't aiming for ivies or any elite schools other than UVA. Lots of kids talking about how "rich" they are, then they turn around and say they can't afford anything but community college or VA state schools. No one is rich, they're all just middle class people trying to look rich on credit card debt and HELOCs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About 30 min from Ryan Rd to Kalorama. You should try it.

Hilarious!

In Covid, you could do this easily in 35-40. The Greenway / Toll Road are fast.

It's still covid times and no it's not 40 mins. Not during the week.

It’s 7:30 on a Sunday, during COVID, and google maps says it’s 45 minutes + tolls to get from Ryan Road to Kalorama Park. This is just never a 30 minute drive.

I will never understand why people who live 45 minutes from the western edge of DC think they live close to DC. You really don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About 30 min from Ryan Rd to Kalorama. You should try it.

Hilarious!

In Covid, you could do this easily in 35-40. The Greenway / Toll Road are fast.

It's still covid times and no it's not 40 mins. Not during the week.

It’s 7:30 on a Sunday, during COVID, and google maps says it’s 45 minutes + tolls to get from Ryan Road to Kalorama Park. This is just never a 30 minute drive.

I will never understand why people who live 45 minutes from the western edge of DC think they live close to DC. You really don’t.

East of CT in Adams Morgan? Even this Ashburn poster knows that’s not Kalorama. It’s 35 min from the Greenway and Ryan to Mitchell Park. It can take as long from CCDC to Capitol Hill.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t ashburn in West Virginia? That is not close dc all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because location matters and old growth trees are nice.

+1. We briefly looked at Ashburn about 9 years ago now. Aside from the cookie cutter houses, I couldn’t deal with the lack of trees. There are none. It’s insanely hot and bright in the summer with zero tree shade. There’s also no natural beauty. We have friends who live there and love it, but we ended up buying an older home in larger lot for trees, birds, and sidewalks. Best decision we could’ve made for our family. To each his own, I guess

[Anonymous]

Eh, I have friends that live in Ashburn. It’s fine. I’m glad we chose to stay in Fairfax County, personally. But it works fine for them. None of them work in DC.

But, hey, we keep seriously considering Prince William County as it is actually closer to my husband’s workplace and my new one in mt Vernon area.

[Anonymous]

It's in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Ppl who live in Ashburn typically work in VA not DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't those toll roads insanely expnesive?

I love Ashburn's modern community planning (wide streets), new homes, planned communities. But, I hate the toll road. I have a hard time thinking friends would visit if they had to pay $10 each time.... in addition to the gas. Plus, I wouldn't want to pay the tolls all the time. It jacks up the actual price of living there.

We ended up in Vienna after looking hard at Reston, Chantilly and Ashburn. I like the houses and the general spaciousness of roadways better in Reston, Chantilly and Ashburn compared to Vienna. But in the end, the proximity to workplaces and secondary workplaces plus good schools won out. (Had no issue with Ashburn schools, but did have some concerns about Reston). We had to spend a lot more, and got a much smaller lot in Vienna, with an older house (not terribly old, but older than the others)... but it has worked out better. Commuting from Ashburn and Chantilly would have been harder. Of course with the covid shutdown, the commute hasn't mattered much. I think I would have fit in better in Ashburn (Broadlands, really), but Vienna has ultimately been a good situation for us.

[Anonymous]

Ashburn- very Stepford wives, cookie cutter, suburban on STEROIDS- no culture or charm. Lived there for three years and had to move back to Fairfax. Very, very boring. No good restaurants (unless you like chain restaurants). Moved back to Fairfax County and enjoying the diversity, restaurants, amenities, and being closer to the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who else remembers when Disney was (very briefly) scouting Assburn?

It was in Manassas. They wanted to do a history themed theme park.

Actually it was Haymarket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't those toll roads insanely expnesive?

I love Ashburn's modern community planning (wide streets), new homes, planned communities. But, I hate the toll road. I have a hard time thinking friends would visit if they had to pay $10 each time.... in addition to the gas. Plus, I wouldn't want to pay the tolls all the time. It jacks up the actual price of living there.

We ended up in Vienna after looking hard at Reston, Chantilly and Ashburn. I like the houses and the general spaciousness of roadways better in Reston, Chantilly and Ashburn compared to Vienna. But in the end, the proximity to workplaces and secondary workplaces plus good schools won out. (Had no issue with Ashburn schools, but did have some concerns about Reston). We had to spend a lot more, and got a much smaller lot in Vienna, with an older house (not terribly old, but older than the others)... but it has worked out better. Commuting from Ashburn and Chantilly would have been harder. Of course with the covid shutdown, the commute hasn't mattered much. I think I would have fit in better in Ashburn (Broadlands, really), but Vienna has ultimately been a good situation for us.

Wide roads are not modern community planning. That's worst practice of suburban hellscape planning. Modern community planning is medium and high density mixed use buildings with streets that are safe for pedestrians, bikes, children, and pets, and don't kill the environment by requiring you to burn 3 gallons of gas to go anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone out there thinks they are rich because they make $250k and live in a $1m house. In Arlington or McLean, that’s poor.

It's true. I hate it when people call it Cashburn. I was surrounded by much wealthier people when I lived in Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ashburn reminds me of parts of dc, like Cleveland Park. It’s a bit suburban but with an urban feel.

There's nothing urban about Ashburn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who else remembers when Disney was (very briefly) scouting Assburn?

I remember this. They were planning a patriotic themed park and there was a huge uprising against it. I went to 2 meetings. They brought in slick lawyer types who wore expensive suits and expensive Italian loafers. They were the wrong people to try to convince people who wore conservative suits with wingtips. They had no idea who they were dealing with. I don't think it was planned for Ashburn. I think they were going to build it out 66 where the Nissan Pavillion is.