Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But, if you prefer the more granular approach, white kids at Wakefield had SAT scores of 1569 in 2014 vs. 1860 at W-L, 1805 at Yorktown and 1641 at Stuart.

woah! that's really, really bad!!! did they even study for it???

They probably did, but they'd probably also been in lower-performing South Arlington schools for years, so they were behind the others.

yet that doesn't explain why WL whites scored higher than YT - WL gets some kids from SA ES/MS, but YT is entirely NA. What's dragging down scores there?

We'll see. The density is going to be overwhelming along the Pike. People were against the street car, but most people support heavy underground rail.

There's no question that there is support in Arlington for Metro. But it's highly doubtful that it will be along the politically unpopular Pike.

Anonymous wrote:I personally hope the gentrifying (chipotle, yay!) will move gently, because the diversity and variety is something we appreciate.

+100
It's a bit distressing to me to hear so many people clammoring for a Whole Foods, Pilates studio, spin classes, etc. that are decidedly not a priority for South Arlington's immigrant/lower-SES status residents. Tearing down a strip shopping center for a new Harris Teeter or for upscale shops can mean putting small family-owned establishments serving low-income residents out of business. It's like newer, more affluent residents want to remake affordable South Arlington into unaffordable North Arlington now that they got in for a discounted rate.

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I was going to say Arlington is also planning on redeveloping the Shirlington and Four mile run area. I think those body shops and concrete plant on on borrowed time

http://projects.arlingtonva.us/plans-studies/land-use/shirlington-crescent-four-mile-run/

The county needs to buy a piece of this property and build a school or two.

Add a chopt to my Pike wish list!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But, if you prefer the more granular approach, white kids at Wakefield had SAT scores of 1569 in 2014 vs. 1860 at W-L, 1805 at Yorktown and 1641 at Stuart.

woah! that's really, really bad!!! did they even study for it???

They probably did, but they'd probably also been in lower-performing South Arlington schools for years, so they were behind the others. An SAT score of 1569 is slightly above the minimum that the College Board views as predictive of future success in college, but it's well behind the scores for white students at the other Arlington schools and nearby schools in FCPS (Stuart, Falls Church, etc.)

Just to note, in South Arlington, unlike DC, you cannot quite assume that "white" is a perfect proxy for "high SES".

Ditto, I would think, for Stuart vs W-L and Yorktown.

I'm another Nauck resident. We are new to the area and bought a teardown without doing very much research into neighborhoods. I wouldn't recommend that approach per se, but we're very happy here. Our block and the surrounding ones have plenty of ugly but also plenty of nice new houses as well and lots of new neighbors with young kids. I think the Pike is kind of charming actually, in the semi-sketchy way that a PP referred to earlier. We walk up there frequently for the farmer's market, Lost Dog and the other restaurants, and the Giant at Penrose. I personally hope the gentrifying (chipotle, yay!) will move gently, because the diversity and variety is something we appreciate.

The schools are the biggest concern for most people. I have 2 approaching elementary and we are zoned for Drew. Having never had kids in elementary, I'm certainly no expert and I'm also of the mind that elementary isn't that big a deal and our kids will be fine wherever they are, so my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt. I've taken a tour of Drew and frankly I was impressed. The space is new, clean, bright, and all the walls were covered in art and social studies projects, the classrooms looked lively and well supplied, the kids seemed engaged. From what you hear on this board and elsewhere, I was expecting Joe Clark with a baseball bat at the exits. It was not that. I think what it probably is, is a nice school with a high % of low-income kids and English-language learners. Whatever. That is okay with me. Same for Wakefield, and also it has 10 years before my kids are there.

My husband and I both commute on the 16 buses into the city and they are very convenient. There's supposedly a new Metro coming to the Potomac Yard area too, within the next several years.

In sum, there are a lot of good options. Nauck in fact is probably one of the less desirable areas in South Arl, but as this thread shows, there are still plenty of us who are happy here. Good luck with your decision!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But, if you prefer the more granular approach, white kids at Wakefield had SAT scores of 1569 in 2014 vs. 1860 at W-L, 1805 at Yorktown and 1641 at Stuart.

woah! that's really, really bad!!! did they even study for it???

They probably did, but they'd probably also been in lower-performing South Arlington schools for years, so they were behind the others. An SAT score of 1569 is slightly above the minimum that the College Board views as predictive of future success in college, but it's well behind the scores for white students at the other Arlington schools and nearby schools in FCPS (Stuart, Falls Church, etc.)

Anonymous wrote:
Yeah they built the connector between the W&OD and the Four Mile Run trail alongside that neighborhood. That would help matters I think for people moving in, at least now you've got access to some urban-like amenities -- when I was there, I had all the social ills/bad neighbors of poor urban precincts combined with the car-dependence of random cul-de-sacs in Centreville, but with worse schools than Centreville.

It is an easy walk (and trivial bike ride) Shirlington (not sure if you left before Shirlington expanded) and its an easy bike ride to Crystal City and Del Ray. Not to bad to DC or to Old Town. I think it would be ideal for less affluent DINKs or empty nesters who wanted a house rather than a condo (especially if they are into cycling)- I don't know the schools.

http://www.9round.com/

9 Rounds- a kick boxing workout place will be opening near the Giant this summer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hope for the pike in the next 5 years....

In addition to Chipotle - I would love a Pilates/barre Studio at the corner of Glebe/Columbia Pike as well as a few more small cafes with (outdoor?) seating.

A Whole Foods or HT where the food star is in addition to a few different options there in terms of restaurants or even kids classes. (Expand Evolve? or a JW tumbles type place?)

Add a spin class to the above!
The Pike gets worse as you move west, which I don't think is a secret. It used to be Glebe was a border of sorts, but now that pike 3400 has gone up, it appears the line has moved back again. It's now George Mason. Turning that Food Star into a descent grocery would do a lot to improve things.
Of course now there have been increased rumblings to put Metro under the Pike. It would take decades, but would be the best solution for transportation.

Haha the border was South Courthouse in 2002, I was the only vanilla in the caramel and chocolate on the 16 buses -- maybe it'd gotten to Glebe by the time you moved in.

I lived in Dundree Knolls, the TH complex between Oakland and Quincy. I honestly don't remember what was on the SW corner of Glebe and the Pike, is that where the Chipotle, Menchie's, etc., are going in? We've got a Menchie's in Frederick too now

See, I do have fond memories of South Arlington, it's not all bad, you just gotta be careful + lucky and it seems the lucky percentage has gotten better since I was there.

Crappy neighbor's guy is illustrating beautifully just how much change has already happened.
We moved in to Douglas Park in '09- so not that recently , and I have no idea about what this guy is talking about. The area he is describing doesn't exist anymore. Although, it's very interesting hearing about what has changed.
Move on in OP. There is still time before 650k won't allow you to buy in.... But it's running out.

Anonymous wrote:But, if you prefer the more granular approach, white kids at Wakefield had SAT scores of 1569 in 2014 vs. 1860 at W-L, 1805 at Yorktown and 1641 at Stuart.

woah! that's really, really bad!!! did they even study for it???

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hope for the pike in the next 5 years....

In addition to Chipotle - I would love a Pilates/barre Studio at the corner of Glebe/Columbia Pike as well as a few more small cafes with (outdoor?) seating.

A Whole Foods or HT where the food star is in addition to a few different options there in terms of restaurants or even kids classes. (Expand Evolve? or a JW tumbles type place?)

Add a spin class to the above!
The Pike gets worse as you move west, which I don't think is a secret. It used to be Glebe was a border of sorts, but now that pike 3400 has gone up, it appears the line has moved back again. It's now George Mason. Turning that Food Star into a descent grocery would do a lot to improve things.
Of course now there have been increased rumblings to put Metro under the Pike. It would take decades, but would be the best solution for transportation.

Haha the border was South Courthouse in 2002, I was the only vanilla in the caramel and chocolate on the 16 buses -- maybe it'd gotten to Glebe by the time you moved in.

I lived in Dundree Knolls, the TH complex between Oakland and Quincy. I honestly don't remember what was on the SW corner of Glebe and the Pike, is that where the Chipotle, Menchie's, etc., are going in? We've got a Menchie's in Frederick too now

See, I do have fond memories of South Arlington, it's not all bad, you just gotta be careful + lucky and it seems the lucky percentage has gotten better since I was there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hope for the pike in the next 5 years....

In addition to Chipotle - I would love a Pilates/barre Studio at the corner of Glebe/Columbia Pike as well as a few more small cafes with (outdoor?) seating.

A Whole Foods or HT where the food star is in addition to a few different options there in terms of restaurants or even kids classes. (Expand Evolve? or a JW tumbles type place?)

Add a spin class to the above!
The Pike gets worse as you move west, which I don't think is a secret. It used to be Glebe was a border of sorts, but now that pike 3400 has gone up, it appears the line has moved back again. It's now George Mason. Turning that Food Star into a descent grocery would do a lot to improve things.
Of course now there have been increased rumblings to put Metro under the Pike. It would take decades, but would be the best solution for transportation.

I contacted several local and national franchises about what a great location it would be for them and what need there is - perhaps other people doing the same would help? I contacted Barre3, XtendBarre, SoulCycle, and a few others with locations downtown.