Shipley

Shipley is a residential neighborhood of approximately 10,376 residents located in the southeast section of the city along the Maryland state line. The neighborhood’s boundaries are generally defined as being within the footprint of the Suitland Parkway, Southern Avenue S.E. Mississippi Avenue S.E. and Stanton Road S.E. In 2010, the average price of a home sold here was only $95,250 with 18% of the homes being owner occupied. Homes here tend to be the typical “attached “row house” homes found in many neighborhoods within the District as well as a large number of multifamily condominiums and apartments.

The neighborhood is primarily a residential neighborhood and as a result you will not find any schools or places of worship. Restaurants and stores are also very limited in Shipley, so residents will want to travel to other neighborhoods for more options. Recreational facilities are located at the Douglass Community Center. Public transportation is sufficient with numerous Metro Bus stops being located in the neighborhood and the Southern Avenue Metro station being located nearby.

Although housing prices are low, crime is where the neighborhood may lose its appeal to many. Recent crime statistics indicate that crimes against people and property are frequent. As always check the most recent crime statistics and make an informed decision as to the crime risk in any neighborhood. Hopefully crime can be reduced so the neighborhood can continue to grow and more businesses can be attracted to the neighborhood.

If you visit Shipley, you will quickly notice something different about it: newer, yet still affordable, homes and apartments. This is because not long ago the worst housing projects were torn down and new complexes put up. With the “projects” all but gone, the crime rate has fallen. Those tenants needing the cheapest housing had to go elsewhere. Yet because of the way city government planned it, one can’t call Shipley Gentrified so much as improved: it remains working and lower middle class. Perhaps the strongest attribute of the new Shipley is the strong sense of community. Neighbors love to help one another out. If you have kids, a neighbor with kids might help you have a night on the town. Instead of being afraid for your stuff if you have a vacation, neighbors will keep an eye on it for you.
Unfortunately, the good parts of Shipley are accompanied by many of the disadvantages so common in Southeast: most notably, the lack of shopping. So far, retailers haven’t gotten the message that Shipley is an improved neighborhood, and so residents still have to leave the area to buy almost anything. There aren’t even so many restaurants! So long as you have a car though, the community is worth it.