Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

gator_fl t1_j29qdix wrote

Nice and seems super convenient.

Downside is that there are virtually no rowhomes or single family homes and is very much a transient community. You may like apartment/condo canyons, but some like quieter streets, back and front yards with sunshine, gardens and not paper thin condo/apt walls.

No real hardware/department stores (Walmart is different).

Also no trees or real parks....just small parks without trees, fountains, etc. Got a dog? Good luck with those two small and nasty dog parks.

Also a neighborhood with high traffic and those drivers ain't slowing down.

Restaurants and bars there are expensive (Hello $12 cupcake and plain 'ole coffee at Baked and Wired) most are not full-scale restaurants and lack the character of a neighborhood restaurant. Where are the regulars , the neighborhood vibe (Even Chinatown, Penn Quarter lacks that)? Most importantly, liquor in a ketchup dispenser a la Dan's Cafe)?

Greet neighborhood, but essentially a pop-up neighborhood and the maybe 2 thousand more units coming next year gonna make things more dense. And if you have 3 kids...where you gonna live?

42

dangubiti t1_j29vwcj wrote

The rowhomes directly north of it are nice if you want a neighborhood feel while still getting the amenities.

I’m still upset that City Vista priced out the hardware store that used to be there though.

13

gator_fl t1_j2a72nj wrote

True, but that is not Mount Vernon Triangle.

Damn landlords jacking rentals up 2x or more.

3

violet-shift t1_j2bdy5b wrote

> I’m still upset that City Vista priced out the hardware store that used to be there though.

I know! It's been an empty storefront ever since, too. (It was very briefly some sort of golf place, but unsurprisingly that folded almost instantly.)

2

Emmy5018 t1_j29rpb5 wrote

Agreed. I love mvt but it does feel pretty transient and you don’t get as much of a neighborhood vibe as other neighborhoods. But as you pointed out, you can be in a your choice of different neighborhood within minutes.

Sometimes there’s road closures and traffic from events at the convention center, but I have lived here for a while and the African leaders conference was the only real inconvenience and it wasn’t that bad.

4

gator_fl t1_j29ufc1 wrote

Yes, true. But all those streets have heavy traffic and getting worse.To be fair, they are mostly major thoroughfares, but drivers don't slow down and pedestrians and bikers, even with bike lanes, can't cross streets without worry.

0

celj1234 t1_j2a3e7t wrote

3 kids in the city sounds expensive pretty much anywhere you try to live.

1

gator_fl t1_j2a6t0r wrote

True. But OP never mentioned price.

What I mean is that it's pretty much built for singles or couples w/o kids or maybe one kid. No rowhomes or SFH where you can have roommates, build equity until you can afford to have kids.

Speaking of price. I'm guessing that the price per sq ft is much higher there in all units. Met young professionals getting support from mom and dad to live in expensive units for great convenience, amenities, etc.

Also the noise....man, I love a raging party but not where I live (NIMBY ha ja).

2

celj1234 t1_j2a7o6f wrote

The downtown areas of most major cities aren’t built for people with kids unless you’re bringing in a big time paycheck. I don’t blame MVT developers not caring about families at all.

There are number of row homes on the other side of of NY Ave. Idk where the exact cut off of MVT is.

Agreed on the noise. Don’t move here is some weekend partying by neighbors bothers you.

4

gator_fl t1_j2ae3r4 wrote

Those rowhomes north of NY Ave are not MVT.

OP posted about what they liked and asked for feedback. So not really an urban design discussion.

But if you want to discuss that...DC Planning got played by the real estate developers who built up MVT. Most of them from influential property owners/developers over generations who got their way and built specifically for maximizing revenue. How? cough Campaign finance cough planting their former employees into MVT BID cough greasing government players, etc.

Almost all of the apts/condos were supposed to be built not just for singles or DINKs. But developers got their way to make most bang for their bucks (it is America, big businesses get their wish).

It is what it is. Though DC loves getting resident tax/etc. revenues, they know density challenges a city in the long run).

You're right about.knowing not to move to noisey areas. Leasing agents love to give tours during quiet times for a reason.

Not hating on MVT. But DC government knows mistakes were made and notice new massive developments are being buit differently...not just for short term profits and tax revenues.

−2

GenericReditAccount t1_j2adfrx wrote

This was our impression when we were buying a few years ago. I liked a condo we found in MVT, so we did a pro/con list for the area. Lack of greenery, highways for local roads, and no where peaceful to stroll, were all big strikes against. I don’t know about now, but at the time, lots of people were talking about MVT becoming a young family neighborhood. I just didn’t see it.

1

gator_fl t1_j2afeoo wrote

Exactly! Just posted a few minutes ago what DC Planning and urban design folks know- Developers essentially got their way and built maximum profit condos/apts without thought to amenities. Even the BID was stacked with former real estate developers.

DC government didn't plan well and now they are trying to build new developments with long term objectives in mind.

Definitely not a family neighborhood. Can't even think of one playground or nice park to take a kid or dog or just have a picnic. Manhattan has better parks than MVT.

2