Anonymous wrote:How is downtown Bethesda or downtown Wheaton compared to downtown Silver Spring these days?
I used to live in downtown Silver Spring and now live in downtown Bethesda (and go every now and then to downtown Wheaton). I love Bethesda and feel safe there. It's pleasantly walkable. I walked everywhere when I lived in Silver Spring, but it's not as pedestrian friendly. I feel that there was a period when SS had gotten a lot better, especially when they opened Ellsworth, the fountain, and all the shops and restaurants there. But it hasn't been able to continue on that trajectory and it still feels economically fragile - I hope things turn around once the Purple Line is finished. Wheaton has revived a lot from its previously run-down and very unsafe atmosphere, but it's still very much a working class neighborhood.