Clarendon is one of Arlington county's urban villages. There are 12 neighborhoods in Arlington designated as urban villages. These villages are unique in itself with some located close to metro stations within the orange line system, and a few away from the stops but still offer easy access to transportation.
What's unique about Clarendon the neighborhood have its neighborhood association, Clarendon Alliance. Not an HOA (home owners association) but the kind of organization that pulls together business owners and residents. It is a public-private partnership to market the community. There are two citizen associations in addition to the Alliance: one is Lyon Park Citizen Association and the other is Lyon Village Citizen Association.
Walkable to Metro:
Ballston, Virginia Square, Clarendon, Courthouse, Rosslyn, Crystal City, and Pentagon City,
Away from the metro - but still easy to catch mass transit:
Shirlington, Lee Highway, Columbia Pike, Westover,
We're going to look at the four things that make up a walkable neighborhood: getting in and out of the neighborhood via transit services (rail, bus, car sharing), places, parks and trails, and walkscore.
WALKABILITY
This is probably the best indicator for an urban neighborhood. Although Clarendon is considered Washington DC suburb, when you live around the area, you don't feel like it.
Walkscore: 92. It's a walker's paradise.
You can see this yourself why the neighborhood is a walker's paradise. The neighborhood is very unique, you have mixed use, commercial strip mall - mom and pop stores - mixed in with residential housing. Apartments, condominiums, and single family homes.
Wilson Boulevard corridor was named as one of '10 Great Streets' in the US by American Planning Association.
GETTING AROUND - IN AND OUT OF THE AREA
From transit perspective, this place is heaven. There two metro stations with stops serving the neighborhood: Clarendon and Virginia Square. So, you won't have problems with transportation. The choices include buses, trains and car sharing aka Zip cars. Some people bike to metro station and take the train from there. The metro stations around here do not have park-and-ride places. It's either street parking or underground parking. Paid parking, of course.
Parking, is a big issue in this hood.
Because of its proximity to some of the popular hangout places (bars and stuff) and Wholefoods of the world, multiple big boxes like Pottery Barn, Barnes and Noble, etc. - if you don't live here but want to visit the neighborhood - take the metro, please. Although, you have the option of parking underground. That's not the point of living in a walkable neighborhood, though. As much as possible, car free or carless.
PLACES
What do you feel like eating, doing? Nightlife? They have got it all. From shopping, entertaining, dining, live entertainment, businesses You name it. The choice is yours. The place is truly like a mini United Nations. All kinds of food choices is available. From the usual Chinese to Thai, Afghan, Greek, Italian, Indian, French, Marocco, Irish and more. From franchisees, chain to private ownerships. Mister Days is a popular neighborhood hangout place. So is the new Liberty Tavern, Spider Kelly, Hard Times. Cheesecake Factory. Faccia Luna. Boulevard Wood Grill down to locally-owned restaurants like Whitlows on Wilson.
The big boxes also is equally represented here at Market Common at Clarendon. Pottery Barn. The Container Store. Barnes and Noble. Apple. Your Starbucks coffee. Too many to list here, so check out the links below.
List of live entertainment places here.
You might want to check this site for a variety of things to do, events and such in Clarendon. A couple of big events, Clarendon Day, CSC Invitational - a series of high-speed bike races - to Mardi Gras parade hosted by the Clarendon Alliance and held in February each year. For mobile community, check out also this site, Arlington Unwired.
Farmers market: Open on Wednesdays around 2 to 7 PM at the Metro station. And on Saturdays and Sundays from April to November 8 AM to noon at Courthouse parking lot.
PARKS & TRAILS
There's a small park adjacent to the metro center entrance. It's right there at the heart of Clarendon. If you're looking into bike trails, you will have to check into Arlington systems of bike trails, lanes and routes maps - front and back.
WALK SCORE
At this time of writing there are 162 home listings slated in the zipcode 22201, in which Clarendon is part of it.
3133 9th Road, #3133, Arlington, VA 22201. Listed for $1.089M.
It said that this one is an eco-friendly property. The eco-friendly thing is on the appliances and source of energy. Not sure if this is applied to the whole house. That is the information I gathered from Homes Database. This property has 4 bedrooms and was built in 2010,
Walk Score: 88, very walkable (not paradise).
1020 Highland Street, #421, Arlington, VA 22201. Listed for $379k.
A one bedroom condo located at the Phoenix, a throw's stone from the Metro. Well, a couple of short blocks from there.
Walk Score: 88, very walkable.
This walk score is not correct, because according to the methodology the difference between a walker's paradise and very walkable is - pretty slim.
90 -100 = walker's paradise > daily errands do not require a car.
70- 89 = very walkable > most errands can be accomplished on foot.
Which technically is almost the same, in my opinion.
1504 Hancock St. N, Arlington, VA 22201. Listed for $1.6M.
A 5 bedroom single family home Arts and Crafts. Probably was either rebuilt or completely renovated.
Walk Score: 85, very walkable.
MARKET TRENDS
According to the info on Altos Research, as of July 11, 2010:
- Median price of single family home: $729,773
- Still a buyer's market
- Average days property on the market is 118 days
- Median price per square foot: $292
(Note: The price per square foot for $292 is kind of low. But what am I to say. Just my comment)
There's more info about Clarendon if you are really interested. Go to Arlington County website and Commuter Page site for more information.
Did I miss anything?
