Reply to Is McLean Really That Desirable?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Different places are desirable to people with different preferences.

If you asked me, the answer is no, it’s not desirable to me— it’s too far outside the city and car-dependent. The thought of spending that much daily time driving is simply a nonstarter for me. But obviously it’s desirable to many who live and are hoping to live there, given the real estate values. [/quote]

I went to high school in McLean and agree with this totally.  I hate being car dependent. [/quote]

Mclean downtown area is arguably walkable and has every amenity necessary for daily living, also has multifamily housing and more of it going up.  While areas like Woodley park or Cleveland park are more charming they have a lot fewer amenities accessible on foot than Mclean DT.  There is every essential need store, 3 grocery stores, 2 drug stores, lots of restaurants and ethnic food places, fancy bakeries and cafes, clothing, shoes, pet, etc. Not to mention every type of doctor's office and spa and tutoring center  :lol:  All accessible on foot. [/quote]

I have lived in DC for 20 years and can’t figure out what anyone would define as “downtown McLean”?  What are the cross streets?

[/quote]

They have to mean like Chain Bridge and Old Dominion? I think? I lived near there and shopped at that Giant and hung out at the Greenberry coffee place and whatnot. But yeah, "downtown Mclean" is a stretch, and I wouldn't call it walkable beyond the fact that you could walk around the area if you wanted to. No one does. It's easier to drive and not charmingly walkable at all. There is some good upscale retail/restaurants/etc around there -- for example The Organic Butcher is a fantastic amenity and I've always enjoyed brunch at J Gilbert's.  [/quote]

When was the last time you've been there? It's definitely seeing more foot traffic now with more multifamily buildings going up (that are quite $$$), rowhomes around there are over 1 mil and sell very fast.  It's true that it's rather ugly and mainly consists of a bunch of strip mall with generous parking lots up front.  But there are some side streets that look more urban and there are sidewalks and pedestrian intersections.  It's not a promenade type of downtown cute main st that you want to visit, it serves practical purpose for people who live in the nearby areas by providing all necessary amenities and easy parking.  There is a push to redevelop it into a more attractive pedestrian area, I suppose with more multifamily going up it might start taking shape. There are already new eateries with more attractive outside seating (reminds me of LA where strip mall restaurant patios used to local hang out places).

The point is not that Mclean DT aspires to be Georgetown or 14th st or a destination area.  The point is that it is indeed a "town" with all the amenities of a small town (groceries, drug store, medical offices, banks, clothing and shoe boutiques, restaurants and bakeries, pet stores and veterinarian clinics, some commercial offices, medspas, beauty salons, tutoring centers, some specialized retail (ethnic food stores, music/toys, etc).  If you can walk there and there are sidewalks, then it's not as car dependent as people say.  It's just logic.  If you need to commute to work or need big box shopping, movie theaters, etc, then, yes, it's car dependent [/quote]

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