Moving to Washington DC advice?
vinylstalker
397 Posts
Wassup strut.
So my wife just got word she landed a very cool teaching position
@ the Kennedy center in dc. We have decided to accept and move
the family up there this summer. I visit dc every 15 months or so,
my father and sister live on the city, so I'm vaguely familiar.
Questions :
Anybody work in theater there or know someone who does?
I'm a theatrical live sound engineer looking for a gig.
Shit is crazy expensive in the city. Maryland or Virginia for housing?
Who lives in dc? Who used to? What say you?
Any other anecdotes or info appreciated.
Thanks!
So my wife just got word she landed a very cool teaching position
@ the Kennedy center in dc. We have decided to accept and move
the family up there this summer. I visit dc every 15 months or so,
my father and sister live on the city, so I'm vaguely familiar.
Questions :
Anybody work in theater there or know someone who does?
I'm a theatrical live sound engineer looking for a gig.
Shit is crazy expensive in the city. Maryland or Virginia for housing?
Who lives in dc? Who used to? What say you?
Any other anecdotes or info appreciated.
Thanks!
Comments
"DC is the home of northern hospitality, and southern efficiency"
couldn't be more poignant. it has gotten a lot better over the last few years. nothing is really all that cheap regardless of location. basically it boils down to how comfortable you are being robbed. if not so much, you'll probably need to commute.
Not worried about crime. We're moving from Nola.
So if I can stand some gulliness, where do you recommend?
Dad lives on 14th and Newton. Colombia circle I think?
That area seems mostly Latino, and maybe cheaper,
so I'm starting my search around there.
Schools? The kid will be starting eighth grade when we move.
Oh and I will say I'm super stoked on DC from what I've researched.
If you want a good school district you will have to live in northern Virginia.
pfffffft. if schools are an issue i'd look in silver spring. montgomery county public schools are the best in the area.
That's Columbia Heights and is also where I live. It did used to me mostly hispanic, but the rapid development has brought in the yuppies and it is not really that cheap anymore. Cheaper than some of the fancier neighborhoods closer to downtown, but still not cheap to rent. Or are you looking to buy? The market in DC is one of the strongest in the country. But for the 8th grader I would prob want to be in Northern VA / Arlington / Alexandria or in Maryland I would look into Takoma Park. It's kind of a hippie community, but borders DC and is affordable and nice. Silver Spring is also a good bet, but is pretty sprawling and feels more like the burbs. Bethesda is nice too, but pricey. You could also look in DC, but I would stick to the charter schools, of which there are many. Some great, some less great.
I don't, but i do frequent the Kennedy Center for stuff and uhrthing there is union. Maybe get in touch with The Shakespeare Theatre Co. here in DC. I see a lot of youthful folk working there.
Also on schools, don't forget Duke Ellington as an option - ellingtonschool.org
A bunch of my friends went there and I too was supposed to until we moved and I got a lack-luster Virginia public school education :/
I lived in Dc for about 8 years, and loved it. However, it was expensive, and I didn't have a wife or any children. Petworth was an option to live a bit more reasonably (I lived in Adams Morgan), but that was 4 years ago. Not sure what's happening now, really.
looks great. At this point, we really want to live in the city, but understand that may not ultimately be practical. We do fine, but nobody's getting rich working in arts and education., so I'm looking into surrounding areas like takoma and silver spring.
Who has lived in the city without a car? Would be lots cheaper, maybe help ease big city costs?
I really hate suburbs.
DC is quickly becoming this.
Metro is a mess on the weekends, but you can def get by in dc proper without a car. We've got zipcar if you need a car for the weekends every now and then. I wouldn't want to be carless in Silver Spring or Takoma unless you were in walking distance to the metro. But DC is pretty manageable.
Most def. I was thinking along the lines of taking the car to the Metro and parking there. Forgot about Zipcar, and yes, Metro is pretty full of tourists on the weekends.
I grew up in Virginia (Nothern-related), and I turned out fine. Virginia is a beautful state, Yes, the politics are pretty shit, but there's more to life than politricks. Just sayin'.
This is my current quandary.
And it looks like takoma has more of an urbanenvironment and culture than silver spring, at least looking on the internet. Is this accurate?
Also, your wife could just take the metro to Foggy Bottom and take the free shuttle, or walk the 7mins to the Kennedy Centre, if that's where she ends up. I don't own a car. Neither my girl. One thing you'll learn here is that the district's parking enforcement is very good at revenue retrievin' even in the residential areas.
I think you mean Columbia Heights -- if you are really in the thick of it, street parking is a pain. But if you won't be driving everyday or if you have a spot with your apartment or no car at all, it is manageable. Might make more sense than the driving - parking - metroing combo and you will spend less time commuting and have more amenities within walking distance. Certainly more of a convenient place to live, although I would avoid right in the middle of the DCUSA shopping center.
Metro is not cheap and parking twice will add up very quickly. You'd have to do the math to see what is more cost effective, but I bet it is pretty close.
I would also look into Mt. Pleasant in DC -- it's right next to Columbia Heights and imo, a nicer neighborhood, especially for a family.
Takoma Park, especially near the metro is pretty nice. It is definitely a more contained community than Silver Spring, but downtown Silver Spring is much more developed. But once you are out of downtown, you are in the sprawling burbs. Takoma Park = quaint local businesses mostly, Silver Spring = suburban / urban mini city (chains + local businesses). Both are diverse, but I would rather raise a family in Takoma Park. People seem to be really proud to live there.
I have lived in VA and OK.
Lived in DC, Chevy Chase, but left in 1975 when I was 19.
I would recommend moving close to family first year while renting. Then once you are there you can sort stuff out.
DC is so expensive, but it also has the best museums and tourist stuff all for free.
Good luck.
Good to know it's still there. I remember getting doubles of Voodoo for like $2 each.
everyone here recommending columbia heights and takoma park obviously never attended dc public schools. also, i would never want to live in dc without a car. most townhouses in the city have alleys with private parking behind them.
Takoma Park is Maryland, my dude! Mont County school system. tons of charter schools too in DC (of varying quality, I'm sure)
yeah takoma park, md
lots of nice park bike areas.
but as far as schools go: basically langley park/wheaton ... MS13 runs wild that area and there's no train. the red line and all the good restaurants are over in silver spring.
If we choose Dc,, I'm sure we will do private or charter schools.
I have found dc really easy to navigate, but I love Paris.
Silver spring is looking more suburban the more I look into it.
Takoma park, with the schools, proximity to dcand more laid back vibe
seems the best place to start.
Mt.Pleasant and columbia as the city options.
Why so adverse to no car in dc Tom?
Some really informative responses in this thread, thanks!
There is a TP MD and a step away TP DC.
It also boarders on PG county. I would bet realtors are quick to call Langley Park homes Takoma Park.