Working on Fort Meade; Two city choices... (Baltimore, Columbia: middle-class, where to stay)

[swedishsnooze]

Hello everyone,
I will be working on Fort Meade. I've been reading the forums, and based on some of my personal choices, I'm looking at Columbia or Silver Spring to live in, but leaning more towards SS.

I know that SS is a rather large area, so does anyone have any recommendations for a 'safe/safer' ZIP code to live in? Or perhaps the name of a neighborhood community?

I've also heard 'Adams Morgan' is nice.

-How is the traffic commute to/from from both SS and Columbia?

Here are some parameters:

-Single/no kids/no pets
-Really enjoys downtown/busy areas with shops/nightlife (can compromise on all this)
-Needs a safe place with a garage
-Can tolerate about 60 minute commute to/from work
-Nothing wildly expensive

Thank you!

[swedishsnooze]

bump


If no one has a response for the above post, perhaps someone could point me in the direction of a great realtor for Silver Spring area? I am looking to rent

Thanks!

[RamblingMan]

Swedishsnooze,
I don't know Silver Spring well enough to comment, but I do know Adams Morgan. It is a great neighborhood and your commute would probably be ok given that it would be a reverse commute. Rents are expensive, though. If you check out Craigs List, you'll get a sense of what apartments are going for in Adams Morgan. Also, parking is very tight in that neighborhood and you'll either need an apartment with a parking space or plan on spending a lot of time looking for parking.

[RogueMom]

I was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, and also lived for over 8 years very close to Fort Meade (Gambrills/Odenton area, and Glen Burnie), and also worked in ALL of those places. I also worked close to Columbia, and my closest friend from High School lived in Columbia for a while, as did many of my co-workers.

I would choose Columbia over Silver Spring in a heartbeat. Have you actually visited the areas? The commute from Silver Spring will probably meaning using that God-awful Beltway (495/95). You can probably commute from Columbia via some back roads for the most part.

Columbia is a beautiful, unique planned development - I really liked it. Many of the houses are kind of contemporary '70s style, kind of cool. The Silver Spring area is, well, kind of divided between the haves and have nots, granted I have not lived there for a while. I worked near the Silver Spring metro station and breathed a sigh of relief each day upon leaving the area. There are some beautiful, historical areas in Silver Spring, but they are pretty pricey. Now, perhaps they have developed some more middle-class areas since I was there, I'm not sure.

Anyway, if I ever moved back to Maryland, I would not mind moving to Columbia. I also owned a home in Pasadena, Maryland, in Anne Arundel County. It was a nice area, and the commute to Fort Meade would be easy from there as well. It was not as congested as Montgomery County. Hope this helps some!

[RogueMom]

Also want to add, Anne Arundel County was not as "pricey" house wise as Montgomery County either.

[carroll4628]

Being single, I think you're best best would be silver spring because of the proximity to DC. You're commute will be worse, but what are you going to do on the weekends in Columbia? If you were married (or had a family) I would definately go with Columbia (Howard County) because of the schools, community, etc. (that's where I live with my tribe).

[AmberEyes]

Having lived in Silver Spring and on Fort Meade, I would suggest SS for you as a single professional. You'll find more diversity, nightlife, and cultural activities, as well as easy Metro access to the city. The commute to Ft Meade is not that bad since you can do back roads like Rt 198 or Rt 29, and you can use the Beltway or 295.

If you were married with kids, I would absolutely recommend Columbia or Crofton. Much more family oriented community.

Good luck!

[850_branded]

I used to be stationed on Meade. If that's where you're going to be working, and if petro costs are a concern to you, I'd personally recommend Columbia. it's closer to the post, and until you learn the back ways around the B/W Pkwy (that is, MD-295), you'll find that road gets congested A LOT (but then, so does just about every other primary traffic artery in the B/W area during peak times). As for the being single bit, consider this: Columbia puts you a little more equidistant between Baltimore and DC (actually, B'more is probably about 10 minutes closer from Columbia, whereas Silver Spring is pretty much right outside of DC). You could choose nightlife in either place and have a good time (though I will throw this out: DC nightlife is more expensive...but it's also a good lit livelier than Baltimore). I experienced both for a whole year, enjoyed both places. Here's another other thing: about five minutes outside Ft Meade is the Arundel Mills Mall. Many people go there, and you can find some mighty nice deals up in there. There's also another nice mall in Columbia--although that one's more family-oriented, and you're more liable to see more high-school-aged kids up in there.

The thing about Silver Spring is that, being that it is practically on the DC border, you're more accessible to all that goes on in and around the District. There's a WHOLE LOT of young professionals down there to rub elbows with--and many of them are all about networking. (Don't be surprised if any of them decide to hold a conversation with you that ends with them sliding you their business card. It's common around there.) One thing I will say about that though is this: some of those young pros can come off as a bit "snobbish"--its a common perception that many folks in DC are either "stuck up" or too quick to flaunt their money. There is some truth to that, but I don't think it's near as bad as some may make it out to be. There's also much to see and do right there in Silver Spring. Cost-wise, its about a push--you just have to know where to look. (And where to stay out of.) The only major drawback I foresee about Silver Spring, though, is that commute. There's several different ways of getting to Meade from there...but just about all of them will involve traffic tie-ups, unless you leave early enough in the morning to avoid it.

All in all though, either place would suit you just fine; I'd just think it to be more practical to scope out Columbia. MD-175 will take you straight out of Columbia right to Ft Meade. (So will 32, but you'll need an on-post decal to get in that back gate.)

Best of luck in your search and future living situation. (I really do wish at times I was still back there...LOVED that area.)

[HumgBird]

Originally Posted by 850_branded

The only major drawback I foresee about Silver Spring, though, is that commute. There's several different ways of getting to Meade from there...but just about all of them will involve traffic tie-ups, unless you leave early enough in the morning to avoid it.

I thought from SS there would be a reverse commute to Ft Meade.

[850_branded]

The funny thing about it is...to be honest, no matter which way you're going, there really is no such thing as a "reverse" commute when involving Meade. Most folks are headed either towards Baltimore, towards Annapolis, or toward DC-and all three form something of a triangle around Meade. So no matter which way you're going, you're going towards some highly-populated zone. Meade itself is a highly-populated zone, and will only become more so with BRAC moving more people into the area.

All of which is to say this: traffic is just a way of life around there. This is the best piece of advice I can offer right now, though: if you can do so, stay AWAY from the B/W Parkway between 3-6 p.m. if you don't want to sit in a bunch of traffic. (32 just south of the post can get bad, too, because of all the NSA folk.) because of all this, many of us (when i was still at Meade) would stick around work 'til after like 1800 or something just to avoid getting stuck. Many of those people lived up in Aberdeen, some lived in Alexandria, some in Silver Spring, some out in Annapolis, and a whole lot right there in Laurel (pretty much right next to post). Those who lived in Jessup, Columbia, Odenton (me) and Glen Burnie had it a little easier since all those places were pretty much right outside the gate.