Re: Combined Properties Insurance Fire at South Alex?
Posted by:
FfxU armchair thoughts
()
Date: February 11, 2020 08:16AM
You know me as. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had to drive past the site today. It looks like
> they are tearing everything down to the ground.
> They had a jackhammer tearing up what looked to be
> the concrete elevator shaft.
>
> It looks like the place next door still has units
> available.
That would likely be the SHelby apartments built new in the past 3-4 years.
I have a friend that lives there, small apartments but NICE on the inside. They DO get a lot of riff raff with the lowish income Southern Management Kings Gardens right next door. I will ask if she has more pics of the fire to post.
The commenter with the gentrification comment is correct, it IS a gamble. They will win eventually it will just take time. HOpe they are patient!
The commenter with the "black people" angle is partially correct- since it is the first exit off 495 from Prince Georges County, a LOT of the area blacks DO come to this area to shop at the walmart as that IS the closest option for them. The moms shopping while the children come back to rob and pick fights with the existing black population on the Virginia side. So yes it is true you will see more "hood" black people than the norm. Most are NOT Virginia residents though.
IN terms of actual residence however. That portion of Route 1 (groveton,hybla valley) seems to also have a lot of hispanic and middle eastern peoples packing into the apartments on that end of the highway (meadow woods where someone recently got shot, holly court, laffayette (sp?), cherry arms, kings gardens as mentioned, etc.) IN that event any violence is usually gang or drug related.
I would say this, live at those apartments at your own risk. I personally looked at some of the apartments in person a few years ago for my son who was working in the area. They all looked decently maintained, it is simply the element in the area. I would say if one HAD to live in the area I would pick mount vernon square- classic BRICK apartments and a bit nicer and not as much riff raff- or the shelby or groveton further down on the right by the shopping center with the lowes.
I will also say- if you see ANY brown person as a threat- then you are too scared to live here because they are EVERYWHERE. Not ALL are bad its the gangs and people coming from Oxon Hill messing it up for everyone. Don't start none won't be none basically and common sense lock your car etc. but it's nowhere near southeast. Its just a higher concentration of non-white people (of ALL ethnicities).
The "hood black" people that USED to live in that part of route 1 have (mostly) moved further down into woodbridge, Stafford, and even Fredericksburg as the rents in this area climbed above $1500/month average for 2 bedrooms. They are being priced out anyway, if that is your issue then waiting is the game. I believe the area will get better, the fort belvoir renovations being a big catalyst for the gentrification of the entire stratch of the highway from the 495 bridge all the way down to where the junkyard is/95s/woodbridge route 1 split.
TL;DR Gentrification in progress, in the meantime gangbangers gonna bang and thieves gonna steal b/c they see new rich people moving in the area. If Ffx PD tightens up in the area like Alexandria does to its section of the highway it will be ok.