Is it just me or is Washington DC extremely underrated as a city?

[destroycreate]

It's one of my favorite East Coast cities. It's walkable, dense, historic, has excellent public transit, and the low-rise density gives it a European feel. There's so much great architecture. I don't feel like the city is talked about much beyond politics and internationally it's not as big a destination compared to NYC, LA, Miami etc. But I think it should get a lot more love and hype.

Thoughts?

[ilcapo]

Its murder rate is extremely high and has given the city a bad rep.

[chris08876]

I agree. I think its very underrated (just like Atlanta).

There has been a ton of development in the region over the last 5 years too, I mean they are pumping out the units.

Good culture, diversity, street energy (big one) and yes to the architecture. Georgetown is a very cute place.

The image of crime does harm it but once you go past that, DC and its proxies offer an urban experience that makes it stand out compared to most other U.S. cities.

My sister did her first nursing gig in the city and was always a blast to visit the place every few months. Arlington is cool.

Its expensive there but very cute homes in some areas, with character.

[Xing]

Originally Posted by ilcapo

Its murder rate is extremely high and has given the city a bad rep.

Who gave you the 1990 most dangerous cities list?

[Crawford]

It doesn't really have a "European feel", unless we're talking monumental axis-type design. It's the least European feeling of the major NE cities. DC has very wide arterials, large lots with big building footprints and is easily the newest of the big 6.

I don't think it's underrated. It's a very desirable place, at least in this part of the country. At this point, the unquestioned #2 city in the NE corridor.

[iheartthed]

It seems appropriately rated to me. I thought most people have a positive impression of DC as a city.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by Crawford

It doesn't really have a "European feel", unless we're talking monumental axis-type design. It's the least European feeling of the major NE cities. DC has very wide arterials, large lots with big building footprints and is easily the newest of the big 6.

I don't think it's underrated. It's a very desirable place, at least in this part of the country. At this point, the unquestioned #2 city in the NE corridor.

My feelings exactly. From an East Coast perspective, DC definitely gets its due and has long been amongst the most prominent metros in the US, particularly amongst those interested in law/non-profits/government.

Outside of a rather monolithic/institutional-feeling downtown, it has very charming, heavily gentrified and urbane neighborhoods. But again these features are pretty widely known at this point, given that DC is very heavily populated by transplants from everywhere.

The region really does meld "old world" East Coast-styled urbanism with the Sun Belt-styled "New Urbanism" in a way that no other major metro does.

[Xing]

I don’t see why anyone would hate on DC at all. It’s an amazing city.

The speed of growth with the metro is pretty amazing too. I can’t imagine what it was like without it.

[edale]

I don't know about underrated, but DC does seem to have some negative connotations that I think make it seem less desirable than other American big cities. It has a reputation for being somewhat sterile and boring and pretty culturally conservative (not politically). I think that's a pretty fair assessment, tbh. There's not much grit to DC, no real artsy or bohemian neighborhoods...everything feels pretty establishment. It definitely lacks a 'cool' factor.

I really enjoyed living in DC. I loved the architecture, walkability, museums, the metro, diversity, etc. But I did find it lacking in local culture outside of politics/the government, and I also found the people a bit try-hard and boring. It seems like a place where a lot of people end up for work rather than choosing to live there because they want to be in DC. Among the white population at least, people dressed very conservatively. Finally, there's a lot of competition in the NE Corridor, and DC suffers a bit from that. Hard to compete with NYC on pretty much anything.

[Crawford]

Yeah, DC hasn't ever really been "cool." And I don't think it's easy to have a romantic attachment to the area. Not too many songs referencing DC and the like. Skews VERY heavily to career-focused professionals. And quite transient outside of the AA community.

But also offers great career opportunities, high QoL, and isn't that outrageously expensive relative to incomes.

[Steely Dan]

DC's "ratedness" doesn't seem terribly out of alignment with what it delivers, IMO.

In fact, its status as the national capital of the most powerful nation on the planet gives it a much larger cultural footprint than it would otherwise have.

If any of the 4 big bos-wash metropolises are underrated, it's absolutely Philly.

[DZH22]

It's not going to get as much attention on a skyscraper site since the downtown area isn't allowed to have a true skyline. There are satellite skylines surrounding the city but it isn't the same, and nothing is all that tall. Tyson's Corner looks cool from the highway but also appears to be rather suburban.

The ~12 story height limit for me is BORING. Midrises that are all the same height can create a nice urban street level, but they don't excite me from an outsider perspective. Also, I often enjoy navigating via landmarks and (for a big city) that requires more height than most of DC has to offer.

[pdxtex]

I think word is out. It had a 15% growth rate last census. We just don't really talk about it much here. Looks pretty awesome. Think I'll listen to some Bad Brains now.

[jmecklenborg]

DC was a major hub of hardcore punk rock activity in the 1980s, but creative things dried up by 2000 when the city went from being 75% a run-down ghetto to being wall-to-wall boring yuppies.

Raise a glass to the early 90s, when DC bands used to celebrate how depressing and lawless the place was:

Kicking time on filthy streets no money left to spend Still sickened by the night before my brain is on the mend Way up ahead I see a crowd and flashing blue red light I run to see the carnage of some hooker who's been nice It's just a freak show

Never know what's goin' on just happy to exist Drunk faces on the subway cars who're riding in their piss Oh where's the space, a waste of time, a waste of energy I'm locked inside the circus with a thousand casualties It's just a freak show

Sitting disco pumped and fueled with whores in skin-tight clothes Some even have a hymen tucked inside their pantyhose I love the lights, I love the fights and poverty grotesque Come join me in my big time life and waste into this mess It's just a freak show...

As I stumble to the home I've carved out of this mess I think about the foolish ones who dream of happiness To tell the truth I'm a happy man, and happier I'll be When I awake to the freak show that is put in front of me It's just a freak show...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyKMOFuKNdc


If you want to hear a 1995 DC indie/punk rock crowd, here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhXt...c-rrY&index=15

Everything in these two songs would be cancelled and run out of town these days.

[MolsonExport]

Speaking of DC, whatever happened to dc_denizen (selfie stick vendor)?

[Bailey]

I always though DC and Vegas were the two least "authentic" cities in the United States since hey are flooded with people there for specific reasons and from other places only (DC= transient Politicians) (Vegas= Gambling + Entertainment)

Maybe i am wrong, but i hope those two start to develop a more "authentic core" of multi-generational residents.

I've also considered putting Miami in that group because of the influx of recent arrivals that have transformed into a mirage of a American City and the influx is coming from recent arrivals, and investments, from all over the world.


Those are very different than the NE cities which have a strong core built over multi-generations, no matter where they came from.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

If any of the 4 big bos-wash metropolises are underrated, it's absolutely Philly.

I agree. I've been to both Philly and DC, and I actually preferred Philly; I thought it was a more interesting city. I totally feel that Philly is underrated---and for some reason pooh-poohed. But don't get me wrong, I also liked DC.

[pj3000]

I think this is the first time I've heard the notion that DC is "extremely underrated".

Is our nation's capital, Washington DC, considered to be one of those "hidden gem" cities in some alternate universe or something?

And if we let the secret out will DC actually start attracting residents and tourists from all over the world?

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Bailey

I always though DC and Vegas were the two least "authentic" cities in the United States since hey are flooded with people there for specific reasons and from other places only (DC= transient Politicians) (Vegas= Gambling + Entertainment)

Maybe i am wrong, but i hope those two start to develop a more "authentic core" of multi-generational residents.

I've also considered putting Miami in that group because of the influx of recent arrivals that have transformed into a mirage of a American City and the influx is coming from recent arrivals, and investments, from all over the world.


Those are very different than the NE cities which have a strong core built over multi-generations, no matter where they came from.

I'd say that D.C. is among the more charming in the category of cities that were created for the sole purpose of serving as a seat of government. D.C. occupies that category with many state capitals, and a few other federal capitals. It's certainly not as devoid of identity as Las Vegas, which sits in a realm of its own in that regard.

I get where you're going by grouping Miami and Vegas together, but I don't think D.C. belongs in that particular group. And even Miami has many areas of the city with a strong identity that exists beyond the traditional tourist zones. I don't think you can really say the same for Vegas.

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I agree. I've been to both Philly and DC, and I actually preferred Philly; I thought it was a more interesting city. I totally feel that Philly is underrated---and for some reason pooh-poohed. But don't get me wrong, I also liked DC.

Agreed. Philly is way more interesting than D.C. from an urbanity perspective.

[3rd&Brown]

I love DC. But I think it's perfectly if not overrated.

I mean it is physically very pretty, especially compared to other American cities, but it very much lacks any je ne sais quois.

The people who live there...on average...are pretty by the book A types. There is almost no sense of style beyond preppy. There isn't any cultural boundary breaking cutting edge art or even technological innovation happening. It has money because it is the seat of the government and every company has a presence there as a result...but very little innovation actually originates there.