Marketing Hyattsville as a cheaper but equal alternative to U Street, DC -- EYA advertisement.

Marketing Hyattsville as a cheaper alternative to U Street, DC -- EYA advertisement.
Originally uploaded by rllayman

Although I've been told that the obscure diner at the corner of Gallatin Street and Route 1 in Hyattsville is pretty good, it's definitely puffery to claim that this particular housing development offers the same things that attract people to living in the U Street corridor in DC:

(1) an amenity rich neighborhood (restaurants and culture and developing retail)

(2) a subway station within a couple blocks as well as frequent bus service on both 14th and U Streets

(3) it's part of the center of the city and within walking, biking, and transit distance to the Central Business District and other attractive areas of the city (Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights).

By contrast right now the Hyattsville location of the advertised housing has:

- walking distance access to one restaurant and a couple coffee shops, and a cool gift shop with a great beer selection

- one of the worst walking environments of any major thoroughfare in the region -- Rte. 1 between East West Highway and Farragut Street in Hyattsville

- the nearest subway station is about one mile away, and the bus service along Rte. 1 is about one bus per hour in each direction + the UMD bus, maybe, but I think they discontinued this route

- although a commercial development is coming, to a location across the street, and the Prince George's Plaza Metro Center and shopping center within about 2-3 miles is full of a variety of shopping and restaurant options, plus a cinema.

Still, I think this is puffery.