Archstone Wisconsin Place

patrickabrowne

Resident • 2020 - 2026

Solid location, everything else is slipping.

About Me: I've lived at Wisconsin Place for about six years. I'm a single professional, and I recently moved into a different unit within the building. I wanted to like this place and for a long time, I did. The Good: The location is genuinely great. The neighborhood is safe, quiet, and well-connected to Metro and bus lines. If you're not looking for nightlife, the area is convenient and walkable with nice parks nearby. The front desk staff deserve a specific shout-out. They're consistently friendly and helpful, which is honestly rare for large managed buildings in this area. As a managed building, it's what you'd expect: expensive, but relatively maintenance-free living. The Bad: Over the last year or two, there's been a noticeable decline. When I transferred to a new unit within the building, it was poorly cleaned, the dishwasher and dryer didn't work, outlet covers were missing, and drywall patches hadn't been painted over. Getting these basic issues resolved took repeated follow-ups, escalation to the property manager, and more pushback than any resident should need for move-in-ready basics. Management is pleasant enough face to face but tends to deflect and divert rather than actually address concerns. The most recent issue is packages. The building replaced its prior system with a single open room where packages for what must be hundreds of units sit on unsecured shelves. There's no logging, no delivery notification, and every resident has access. The room is fob-accessed, but it's unattended — if someone gets through that door late at night, there's nothing stopping them from walking out with whatever they want. It doesn't feel secure. My Recommendation: I used to genuinely enjoy living here and would have recommended it. At this point, I doubt I'll renew my lease. The customer service and attention to resident safety have slipped enough that the premium rent doesn't feel justified. If you're considering Wisconsin Place, the location is excellent, just go in with realistic expectations about management responsiveness and building security. Maybe shop around to the other managed buildings on Willard Avenue or North Park.

Former Resident 181673

Resident • 2016 - 2019

Turnover with management has been a problem (went from excellent to below average). One of the major positive elements that kept me here was the responsiveness and ability to stop problems with noise and debris and maintenance. The replacement bldg mgr refuses to do anything to address problems.

Current Resident 482680

Resident • 2015 - 2016

First of all, this place is not Archstone anymore. It is conveniently located and decent (not the best) building quality. However, HUGE downside is the front desk staffs. You will be treated as if you are at DMV especially by Brenda. She will be always on the phone with her friend talking about her personal stuff while you are waiting IN FRONT OF her. When you want to interrupt and get your stuff done, she will give you huge attitude. The management should really replace her.

bauh99

Resident • 2015 - 2016

First of all, this place is not Archstone anymore. It is conveniently located and decent (not the best) building quality. However, HUGE downside is the front desk staffs. You will be treated as if you are at DMV especially by Brenda. She will be always on the phone with her friend talking about her personal stuff while you are waiting IN FRONT OF her. When you want to interrupt and get your stuff done, she will give you huge attitude. The management should really replace her.

Current Resident 845330

Resident • 2013 - 2015

Pros: big units, suburb living. Cons: poor amenities, unpredictable pricing. My time living here was ok, but it seems like the building has a pricing problem. The rent you pay vs what your neighbors pay is highly variable. For example, many people pay under $2000 for the larger 1 bedrooms and even get price reductions when they renew. Others have to fight the leasing office to keep the price hikes under 20% a year. My renewal on the bottom floor apartment was priced higher than the website price for penthouse apartments and a 15 month contract!!! They won't budge because they gamble that your too tired to move out and many people accept these tactics. This is ugly behavior at best. Seriously, what is up with the leasing staff? They are not your friend, I can definitely say that. If you want to roll the dice and hope you are getting a fair deal, go for it. If you want consistent fair pricing, year after year, look somewhere else.

Current Resident 23245

Resident • 2013 - 2014

We've been residents of the Archstone Wisconsin Place for 15 months, after downsizing from a large Chevy Chase home. At first, it was meant to be an interim step, but then, like other residents we've come to know who were in our same situation, we decided to stay. It's a very unique building compared to others in the Greater Washington area because it is a real community of residents who interact well, are great and interesting neighbors, has a wonderful staff and a location that can't be beat for convenience and accessibility. Staff try their very best to accommodate residents requests and concerns in a timely manner, and keep us informed of upcoming maintenance issues in advance. The quieter, private setting with a park area in front, grassy, treed courtyard in back with benches in both, building is set back from the street and away from the hustle and bustle of main street traffic, genuinely pet friendly, close proximity to hospitals, medical care, stores, restaurants and metro are some of its many pluses. Yes, it's pricey, but staff works with renters to meet their budget needs. We are glad to recommend the Archstone Wisconsin Place for the excellent quality of life it provides.

Current Resident 933657

Resident • 2009 - 2014

This used to be a very high end rental that was well maintained- We lived here a total of 5 years and maintenance was incredible. Recently, management changed and they fired all of the old people (literally the general manager, maintenance staff, etc) and now the place is POORLY managed- service requests take multiple days and all management is interested in is the rent check.The worst part is that they charge manhattan rent with awful customer service- In our 5 years we went through 3 general managers and at least 7 assistant managers. It is listed as a non-smoking building but everyone smokes and again management does nothing about it and really doesn't care as long as they are collecting rent. We moved out after we discovered we had a mold issue in our unit!!

Current Resident 228167

Resident • 2013 - 2014

Based on proximity to downtown Washington DC and the metro I was very excited to find this place. On my only visit it seemed nice enough since I was in NJ prior to the move. I had to communicate with the property managers through email but their long delayed responses and the numerous errors in the document should have been a clue to the poor experience I was about to undertake. Upon moving a week in a leak appeared in my apartment ceiling which I immediately reported, this fell on dears ears a week passed no response and the leak spread to the point of destroying large chunks of the closet ceiling. At this point they saw the damage but provided no resolution for two weeks. During this time I smelt toxic chemicals, dank air and inability to sleep in the bedroom from lack of ceiling. I had enough calling a locale housing authority for assistance. Finally I got a resolution of moving to another apartment that was smaller, lower floor, at the same price. I said are you kidding me? Finally I got them to reduce the rent by only $50 for all the hassle and a month of no resolution. This was especially tough with a new job, far from others to help and adjusting, the building didn't help. As time passed the noise of neighbors the foul smell of pot in the hallway, the unfriendly community made me resolve I need to move. As I tried to move instead of following my lease policy they raised my rent by $300+ dollars and made me stay two more months. The worst prt of this was they fired and replaced their entire staff with some if the worst , surliest, and least cordial people available. The worst of which is a lady named Brenda. Over a course of ten days I had to interact with her ten times. First she never remembered my name, she lost my dry cleaning, my amazon package, my renters insurance, nod several other items. All of this things made me hesitant about leaving my key with her at the end if my lease. So I asked for some level of assurance it would be acceptable to leave they key with her besides a half empty spoken promise. I asked for an email and instead of saying I understand or just okay, she snapped and sent me off in a rude aggressive manner. I was taken aback. The 13 months there were some of the worst experience I have had with renting.i use to dread staying at my place beyond sleep and dreaded living in DC. Since moving I have realized I enjoy DC and Ike being at home. I can point directly to this building and the staff as my reason for hating living in DC and now removing them has improved my quality of life greatly. I would suggest avoid this property and it's high un reasoned costs if possibly, the location to the metro is not worth it.

Current Resident 385041

Resident • 2012

I say proceed with extreme caution if you are thinking of renting an apartment here. The leasing agents and building staff are wonderful. Will, the leasing agent that I dealt with, was excellent and helped me to get one of the special deals. My move-in was smooth, and even though all the elevators were booked on the day and time my move was scheduled, the staff made arrangements for my furniture to be delivered to my apartment. Throughout the year that I have lived here, the staff have been wonderful. I moved from New York, and it took a while for my stuff to get here, so I made liberal use of a screening room that can be rented (free of charge) by residents. And I have really enjoyed the fantastic location: access to Whole Foods, the classes at the Montgomery County Recreation Center etc. Now that the time has come to renew my lease, I am in a state of shock. My rent was raised almost $600/month off the base price. The new building manager, Jared, is really slimy. After a 20-minute conversation, he basically told me that based on the occupancy rates, he didn't see any reason to negotiate. I persisted, and he brought down the increase to $300/month. Also doesnt answer any questions directly. The end of the lease and the attitude of the management has really ruined the experience. I would only recommend this building if you were 100% sure that you will leave within a year. On a final note, I am disappointed that the management lacks integrity in the way that they communicate with residents. Its shocking that if you speak with a manager for fifteen or twenty minutes that you can possibly negotiate your rent down. I'm not quite sure what is going on. Completely unpleasant experience.

Current Resident 982975

Resident • 2010 - 2012

Don't believe the review posted on June 30th. It was written by the building manager. The review was essentially taken from building marketing materials. The fact is management was substandard and rental increases are excessive, especially if you moved in during a peak move in season. When we moved out every single mover we interviewed said they were intimately familiar with the building because they have moved so many people out, most of whom asserted to them the reason they were moving out were the excessive rental increases and how people did feel suckered by that when they moved in. It's not a terrible building but I am giving you one star because of your lying review that you posted.

Current Resident 951324

Resident • 2010 - 2012

I loved living at Archstone Wisconsin. The building is modern and the entire staff is exceptional. The business center is a great convenience and the gym, while small, just got all new machines and I never had a problem with wait times. Management worked very hard to meet any needs throughout my residency. Rent increases were minor though I did not receive incentives so I did not fall under the market rent increases cited by other former tenants. The building became non-smoking in March which I liked since I don't smoke. The location is fantastic for walking neighborhoods, getting groceries, dining and metro access. It is expensive, but so are many of the buildings in the area which do not offer similar amenities or service. I highly recommend it.

Current Resident 568102

Resident • 2012

A poster child for why rent control is needed in Maryland

Our experience was decidedly mixed. It was a nice building but like many residents we got suckered in by the great specials and then were victim to repeated unreasonable rental increases. Unlike most buildings in the area our first increase was not based off the special price but off the market rate so that was a significant jump and then each year after they wanted to raise our rent as much as 12-15%. Some building managers seemed to put more effort than others to negotiate with the residents when they complained but they basically hid behind the nonsense justification of "well, our shiny computers said the market optimization rate is blah blah blah." We reached a point where after going up almost $700 in less than three years that, in spite of the great location and everything, we could not justify paying what they were charging. Other observations: *The front desk staff and the leasing agents were, with rare exception, extremely professional and friendly. The on-site management, however, was another story. They turned over quite frequently and were by in large lazy and incompetent. You never got the sense they cared about giving the residents anything more that lip service especially when it came to dealing with the outrageous rental increases, for example. *The location is phenomenal. You can access the Metro from the parking garage and there is plenty of shopping and restaurants right there. You are on top of a Whole Foods and you even can say hi to the Wisconsin Place on-site managers as you tend to see them there more than in the apartment building. *Our unit was in pretty good shape. We never had anything more than minor maintenance issues. *The internal walls do a pretty good job of keeping out sound. You have to have a really obnoxious neighbor who is really making an effort to disrupt the community like blasting a sub-woofer to the max in order to be really disturbed by the noise. Unfortunately, we had one neighbor like this and it took an unacceptably long time for on-site management to address the issue. *The external windows are very thin. You can hear everything outside especially on a higher floor and a lot of cold air seeps in in the winter as well as hot air in the summer, which is annoying when you are paying the utilities. *Utilities are a rip off particularly the water bill, which is run by a shell company out of Archstone. *The parking garage was well lit though it seemed like residents liked to litter an awful lot. *The building is a little too pet friendly. I now have the habit of looking down whenever I enter an elevator because too many times there'd be a little puddle of joy left behind on the floor. With so many dogs they really need to designate a pet elevator. *The gym was okay. It is not uncommon for several cardio machines to be down for months at a time. *The screening and party rooms were fine, though there was always one Section 8 housing resident who always hogged the TV and would even barge in to try and watch the TV even when we had the room reserved and had an event in progress. *Very high resident turnover rate. I think this probably has to do with the ridiculous rental increases. In the end, it's a great place if you only want to stay a year, but Archstone is not a community, it is a price gauging company taking advantage of the fact that they do not have to abide by rent control restrictions.

Current Resident 826551

Resident • 2012

Looks are very deceiving: Imates running the asylum

The main issue with this property is that TOTAL lack of customer-oriented management. I moved in and found my water didn't work and the carpets were loaded with pet dander. I asked for cleaning but never recieved a reply. Management turns over often. The leasing office will flat out lie to rent an apartment. Other mention the add-ons. You'll pay a shell-company of Archstone for "hot sewer, cold sewer, heating, cooling, etc" in addition to PEPCO. Someone tell me what "hot sewer" is? None of this do they disclose up front. They also play with the metered PEPCO charges some the new tenant pays for the vacant period. I was walloped with a $600 electric bill for the service covering the year though I moved in Fall. You can basically book yourself in a hotel for what you'll pay. Yet the service level is poor. All but one front desk person has major attitude. Ask for the simplest assistance/consideration and they'll quote a rule that prevents it. Move-in/out is a pain since the WI Place controls security access and has blocked tenant's service access. There's a security guy who stalks you as you try to use this access. Archstone corp mgmt must have insulated themselves to the point where they're clueless about what's really going on. Move on an avoid the cost and hassle!

Current Resident 578582

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Overpriced!

The rent is very expensive for what you get. You can hear a lot of noise from outside even in you are on a higher floor. I could hear one of my neighbors a lot. It was difficult to sleep bc of noise on one side of the building coming from the street level. Management did not respond to emails or return calls regarding questions or concerns. It was a dog park in the lobby with small dogs literally running around. The gym is small and you do have to wait to use certain cardio machines. There is no guest parking. There is barely anystorage in the apt itself. Appliances are ok; nothing special. The front desk staff is very nice.

HappyArchstoneWisconsinPlace

Resident • 2010 - 2012

"A-"

I've been a resident at Archstone Wisconsin Place for two years and I absolutely LOVE my apartment! The washer/dryer in the apartment is really cute and extra convenient. The new printer in the business center rocks. These are very, very cute and stylish QUALITY metro apartments with clean design lines and great amenities. Here's the skinny: Everyone in the building pretty much minds their own business. Most neighbors are not friendly, but on occasion some can be cordial. Guest parking can be a SHEER AND UTTER NIGHTMARE. Guest parking should be less than the current discount rate. The administrative office team is good. And now that the concierges who were way too great of celebrity and status for the job have been replaced with new team members who are not as intimidating and pithy, I've increased the staff rating from an EXTREMELY UNPLEASANT experience of one star to three stars. At least the new concierges are professional enough to actually be the FIRST to greet and acknowledge residents and guests withOUT discrimination. Sometimes the short-term residents and hotel suite guest can get noisy and the children can get a bit rowdy, but usually complaints about noise are resolved immediately. Although there is a weight limit on pets, there are a couple of pretty nice fellas/gals who are huge (I'm talking Marmaduke, Great Dane, Newfoundland huge) no big deal but every once in a while you'll hear'em talking (barking) to their buddies in the quad which AMPLIFIES THE noise decibels. Can you say loud ? The "minus" on the A is due to the building cleaning staff. The cleaning team will look directly at residents and barely acknowledge them or speak. I see/hear the cleaning staff just standing around chit-chatting and laughing with each other; talking on their cell phone; or texting on their phones. But when they notice a resident they'll pretend to get back to work. Also, one guy on the cleaning team is a bit creepy.

Prospective Resident 444928

Prospect • Visited 2010

Pricing

I looked at the apartments, which are small but nice. But the pricing is not dependable. There have been the same set of nine 1-bedroom apartments sitting empty and available for the past month, but each week the price has gone up. One apartment that was $2600 a month ago is now $3200 and is still empty. I am not sure about rent ingthere given how whimsical their pricing is--who knows what the rent would be when you renewed your lease. The fact that the apartments remain empty indicates that their price increase does not reflect demand.

dissapointedgirl

Resident • 2010

VALUE FOR UR MONEY

I have been here for two months and i loooovee the place. Fabulous people, great maintance, responsive crew in every respect. I get my coffee and hot chocolate as and when need arise , internet cafe full of up-to date aple computers, an exclusive and professiona business center with enough computers where you can print, fax and get your office work done in peace. I could not ask for anything more. NOTHING MATTERS MORE THAT HAVIGN A RESPONSIVE AND FRIENDLY TEAM ON SITE FOR 24HRS. I INTEND TO LIVE HERE FOR AS LONG AS MY BUDGET CAN ALLOW.

Current Resident 188378

Resident • 2009 - 2010

SOOOOO expensive

I lived at Archstone Wisconsin Place for 18 months. It is a well run building with great amenities but the monthly fees are outrageous. You pay $125 for parking, $50 for each pet, a quarterly fee that covers water and something called 'connections' which is usually about $45, up to $175 extra for a storage room (which one needs because the apartments are small), your own electric and phone - AND all of this is monthly. The monthly rent quoted is high but gets a lot higher if you want heat and air conditioning, or if you want to park, store anything or have a pet.

Current Resident 532112

Resident • 2010

Very Nice place

Very nice place to live in, the staff is always kind loved to live here. Bathrooms are large, wished they were a little smaller and the closets bigger, the kitchen has a great size and the floor to ceiling windows are beautiful. One step away from the metro and shopping and WholeFoods will open May 18th.

aprilbday12

Resident • 2009

Excellent quality all-around

OK. This may actually sound like a commercial, but I am a resident here, and I just have to gloat. First of all-it is a brand new building. Brand new and state-of-the art. It was suppose to be high-end condos, but the economy issues hit! Now, I benefit from living in pure and ultimate luxury. I'm paying for it for sure-this is not cheap-actually nothing about it is cheap-not the price and not the quality of living life here-but you get what you pay for, and here you get a lot. This is such an amazing place to stay. First of all-the pure quality of the apts-huge oversized bath tubs,expensive counter tops, floor to ceiling windows, state-of-the art kitchens! Then- the roof-top pool with wet bar! The view is amazing. Oh-the gym downstairs! Individual monitors on each cardio equipment. Yoga room!!! Also, there is the business center where I can do my faxing and reports for my additional part-time business. The lounge with free quality coffee, cappucinos, lattes and teas! Ignore my spelling! OH! The big screen movie room with an entertaninment catering kitchen! The metro is right across the street! Whole foods is coming up next door! Bloomingdales, Lia's, Tiffany's, Jimmy Choo,Cartier, EVERY THING RIGHT HERE. Even parking spaces-which are only 100 bucks a month which is reasonable because when I lived across from the Cathedral in NW, I was paying 175. The high-end shops-my daughter LOVES the new Sephora and Mac! Any requests are done in a day! 24 HOUR desk service. Bike storage. I can not list everything, but I can say that I am very very pleased and happy living here. Quality enriched personnel who talk professionally to you, listen to your concerns and questions, responsive and quick, and are all so well dressed and professionally mannered. I don't see myself EVER moving. Not ever. UNLESS.. they get sloppy and allow the place to go down. This is the ultimate luxury apt with everything anyone could ever want. I do mean ANYONE from surgeons, lawyers, teachers, business, models, peace workers,make-up artists, diplomats,CEO's, housewives, cashiers who are paid an incredible lot of money to afford it! My point is that ANYONE would love this place. SO BEAUTIFUL! AMAZING PLACE! I work hard and feel like I have something to show for it now. I wish I had done this sooner instead of penny-pinching myself in a 600 square foot apt Washington, DC where I had to deal with broken laundry, parking and maintenanace issues. Oh, my view there was a brick wall of the next door apt. So-this is THE place to be for sure. I LOVE IT! I don't think it is the place for kids, so I would not recommend it for families with small children. It is way too high-end and if the kids damage anything, I am sure the cost to replace the expensive features would deter any reasonably thinking person with kids from wanting to live here. Plus, I doubt if management would want to put up with the potential complaints about smudges on the beautiful walls, running in hallways and all of the cute things the little tots bring with them. This place is wonderful. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. As close to DC as anyone can get, just walk a block or so across the street.