Photo Tour: Brambleton (Alexandria, Reston, Mount Vernon: townhomes, landscaping, neighborhood)

[JD984]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

I know this will shock some, but believe it or not I have actually been checking into moving to Brambleton myself. Assuming all of the contingencies fall into place (Silver Line being extended to within a couple of miles from the community, shuttle service being started between Brambleton and the Metro station, more retail moving in, houses of worship moving in, etc.) I could actually AFFORD to live the sort of walkable lifestyle I seek. I could easily take mass transit to work, walk in the evenings to relax in the park or to grab a burger at Blue Ridge and see a movie. I could walk to church on Sundays and then do my shopping at Harris Teeter. Brambleton is what suburbia SHOULD be---not the poorly-planned "Oops. Our bad!" car-centric environment that is much of the rest of NoVA outside the Beltway.

I posted separately on Brambleton - to me it's appealing precisely because it's a dense settlement in an otherwise still fairly undeveloped (at least compared to Arlington or Fairfax) part of Loudoun. As a result, you can appreciate that, by building with some density in Brambleton, some of the surrounding countryside was spared. It would be difficult to replicate that in an area that was already substantially built out, regardless of whether you think parts of Falls Church off Route 50 (not Annandale) look like Tijuana.

Having said that, to suggest that Brambleton is the antidote to the "car-centric environment that is much of the rest of NoVA" seems like quite an exaggeration. People in Brambleton have a choice to walk to the village area, but I'm betting that they often exercise their choice to drive other places in NoVa not just to work, but also to shop and play. And I have to believe that local teenagers with a sense of adventure and access to wheels would often drive elsewhere for their weekend fun. It would feel too much like one was under a microscope, or in a cocoon, to stay in the village mall with the rest of the Brambletonians all the time.

[normie]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

I know this will shock some, but believe it or not I have actually been checking into moving to Brambleton myself.

Very nice post, Scran, I'm glad you liked Brambleton. You're absolutely right, it's a great place. But in your case, I'd really think twice about moving there. I don't think suburbia is the right place for you, no matter how nicely planned the community is.

Seriously, you'll be much happier finding an apartment where lots and lots of people are single and in the early 20's. You want to be closer to DC, maybe close to a college campus or some other area where the kids hang out. Clarendon, Ballston, Arlington would b a better fit for you. Or maybe even an apartment in Tyson's Corner.

[Lizasya]

brambleton is a great community for young families or families with kids in their tweens/teens. i lived in brambleton as a dink and also when we had our first child and i wouldn't want to be living in brambleton as a single person for sure.

[cdmurphy]

I know a few 20-something singles in Brambleton (straight and gay) who live in the condos here because they work out this way. They definitely go elsewhere for most of their weekend socializing (or are homebodies anyway). However, the "cougar" scene is pretty strong at Nick's Corner Grill (http://www.nickscornergrill.com/main.html - broken link). One night we saw a young guy at the bar wearing a t-shirt that said, "I Love Hot Moms."

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

I know a few 20-something singles in Brambleton (straight and gay) who live in the condos here because they work out this way.

I also know some 20-something single guys who live there and love it. But these guys also happen to like suburban living (as a lot of people do). Brambleton is a beautiful town, but ScranBarre, I don't think it's the right place for you.

[540_804]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

However, the "cougar" scene is pretty strong at Nick's Corner Grill (http://www.nickscornergrill.com/main.html - broken link). One night we saw a young guy at the bar wearing a t-shirt that said, "I Love Hot Moms."

::jots down "Nick's Corner Grill" in my little black book::

Thanks fort the lead

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by 540_804

::jots down "nick's corner grill" in my little black book::

thanks fort the lead :d

lol!!! :d

[SteelCityRising]

There's actually a lot of "cougar" activity in Loudoun County. One Saturday back in August while running on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail between Purcellville and Hamilton I had two 40-something females ride up behind me on their bicycles and shower me with all sort of flirtatious comments about my stamina, pace, physique, etc. that really made me blush and stammer a bit. Too bad I'm not heterosexual or else I might have just hopped onto one of their bikes!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I also know some 20-something single guys who live there and love it. But these guys also happen to like suburban living (as a lot of people do). Brambleton is a beautiful town, but ScranBarre, I don't think it's the right place for you.

It all just depends. I'm going to head on out there next weekend (I'll have family in town for the holiday this weekend), and give it a better look, as I've only ever really been there at or after dusk. I don't hate suburbs---I just hate poorly-planned suburbs, and I think that's just the distinction I've had a hard time trying to make on this forum. Brambleton is nearly a role model community for how you can have newer housing that caters to all tastes and budgets, a sense of civic pride, AND mixed-use zoning that permits people to curb the need to drive at least somewhat. You just don't see that much here in NoVA though, which is why I AM usually so critical of the region as a whole, ticking people off in the process who see no fault with the way the area is continuing to develop. If NoVA had more Brambletons running amok I'd be a much happier camper. Instead we have far too many soulless cul-de-sac-to-nowhere neighborhoods (if you can call them that) like the ones I had posted the satellite images of in my hotly-debated urban planning discussion thread.

Brambleton, in my eyes, is a fair compromise that will give suburbia-lovers what they want while still not irking people like me who are concerned about proper land use planning. I wouldn't move there yet, as I'm still not impressed by the amount of businesses serving the community, but at full build-out I may be much more inclined to give it a shot. I just don't understand why developers are NOT bringing more mixed-use projects to the region. People like Normie have said in the past that developers will only bring to the market what the market will bear, but if housing prices in walkable neighborhoods draw a PREMIUM due to a very high demand then wouldn't it behoove more developers to try to emulate that atmosphere to meet this unmet demand and cash in?

There's only so much land in NoVA, and once it is all developed there's no turning back. Why not build things the RIGHT way now while we have the chance instead of having to spend billions of tax dollars later through eminent domain battles to acquire property to improve the area? (Google "Transforming Tyson's")

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

It all just depends. I'm going to head on out there next weekend (I'll have family in town for the holiday this weekend), and give it a better look, as I've only ever really been there at or after dusk.

Saturday the 10th is Brambleton's Fall Festival! It's from 2-9 p.m. at the Town Center and Legacy Park. There'll be live German music (plus three other bands) in the Biergarten, over 30 vendors/booths in the Marketplace, eight food vendors, fire truck and pony rides, and kiddie carnival rides. It's free for adults; $10 for ages 3-17. It's open to the public so if you wanna check out, great - otherwise just be aware that it's going on so that you're not surprised when you can't drive through parts of the 'hood near the Town Center.