The Aspen

FIXtheDOORS

Resident • 2004

Front Door-too heavy for disabled Tenants

After the last fire alarm, the ILLEGALLY bolted shut front door was opened, and the tension on the front doors was reduced to a tolerable, but not good level.<br>Once again, the door tension has been set at a stupidly heavy level. I have watched some of the older ladies struggle to open the doors, not to mention one women on crutches who really has to struggle to get in.<br>Any of us carrying packages has the same frustration with the doors. The reason? Sheer meanness on the part of the "staff". You know who I mean. I think this is sick, such a petty thing to do. "Staff" turn down the tension on front the doors or I will report you to the fire department and the housing board. Also, the 5th floor dooors are an accident waiting to happen. They MUST have a small window installed before an arriving tenant gets their teeth knocked out by a departing tenant. THINK about the liability involved with that, "Staff".<br>Finally, I have, like the previous poster, archived many of the posts here.

Futuretenantsassn

Resident • 2002 - 2004

Tenant Association

Fellow Tenants,<br>There is a lot of discussion about a Tenants Association. It has become extremly obvious that the building management has little or no regard for tenant concerns. We are not getting the services we have contracted for. Please watch this space for information. We hope to hold meetings soon.<br>Best Wishes,<br>Concerned Tenants

safteyconcern

Resident • 2004

Elevators

People,<br>I'm concerned buy the noises coming out of the Elevators, especially the middle one (the one that got stuck a couple of months back). It makes BAD noised sometimes. I can't help but think about the student that got cut in half at my College (not a joke-I was there at the time). Don't want to see that here at the Aspen, not even to you-know-who (can we just call her VOLDEMORT instead?). The freight Elevator is LEAKING OIL through the ceiling. Office people, PLEASE fix this stuff before some horrible happens accident happens to someone. Thank You

aspen101

Resident • 2004

The building needs to modernize its interiors and appliances

This is a good value for the location and the amenities. Improvements could be made in terms of appliances and interior carpets and painting. However, the staff, particularly the head maintenance person, are pretty responsive to tenant needs and things are fixed promptly

Current Resident 608925

Resident • 1999 - 2000

Nice Place

The reason that some of you see roaches and some don't is because 90% of them are from the 5th floor down, because of the TRASH CHUTES. Move into an upper level (above 7th or so) and you'll be just fine. I lived on the 17th (top) and loved every second of it. Beautiful views from the HUGE windows. Management can be difficult at times, but not horrible.

Current Resident 606011

Resident • 2004

Great "price," but not without "cost"

Rent is really great. Neighborhood: great. But, serious bug problems (I once found one in my jacket pocket even...not to mention everywhere else...and I'm no slob)and the management is really uptight and crosses many boundaries that leave you feeling like you've been violating (e.g., come home and no one is you apartment, but the lights are on and the tub is running or just basic attitude like they can be in and out and that's ok when, obviously, this is a violation). But, I sometimes like the security (big turn over) and parking is usually ok...if you don't come home late, otherwise it's scary (especially for a woman alone). Again, though, great 'hood and great price. <br>What else does a person expect for an on the verge neigborhood?<br>

Current Resident 617295

Resident • 2004

Car parking

Has anyone noticed the new parking bays at the back of the building?<br>each bay is clearly marked *compact Car" , dont think of parking there unless you are able to get in or out of your car through the rear.<br>I can see problems here such as cars getting dents from others as there is not sufficent room in these bays.<br>What will they think of next!!!!!!!!!!!!<br><br>oh and by the way today i noticed there are 5 reviews missing from here , someone is obviously embarassed by the truth.<br>

Current Resident 615559

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Not to Par with the Americans with Disabilities Act

Please refer to the Disabilities Act for problems wit h the front door! Also apply it to the fire exits/stairwells so that people dont have to turn a door knob to access the exits. Should be using a push bar system to allow quick and easy exit.

Current Resident 623154

Resident • 2003 - 2004

I would not recommend the Aspen.

The apartment is spacious and the rent is very reasonable. <br><br>I have two negative comments. It is cold in the apartment in the winter and hot in the summer. Something needs to be done about the heating and cooling system. The windows are old and horrible and let in the cold air and wind. They need to be repalced. Also, much cold air comes in around the balcony doors.<br><br>Also, the class of people is going down hill fast. The 20 somethings play their so-called music too loud. People sit out on the balconies and talk in loud voices and talk on their stupid cell phones.<br><br>I have lived here for one year and had to renew for another year but I really did not want to. <br><br>

Current Resident 622999

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Good Value

The Aspen offers apartment living in a more rural setting at very competitive rents. The neighborhood feels more suburban than comopolitan. Close to public bus transit for easy access to downtown Wash. DC.

aspenresident

Resident • 2002 - 2004

Great Value/Location

I've lived at the Aspen for two years now and am about to renew again. There was initially a roach problem but i haven't seen one in a LONG time (there is weekly pest control).<br>I'm surprised to hear all the negative comments about the management. I've never had a problem.<br>As far as guest parking goes I'm glad there are limited visitor spaces. The tenants shouldn't have to park on the street so that visitors can park in the lot.<br>At this location and price i would highly recommend the Aspen.

Desperatelyseekingclosuretothismess

Resident • 2002 - 2004

Reviews being deleted

I too have just had my review deleted,perhaps its because one of the words was henchmen (oops!!! sorry!!! i should have put henchwomen) well we all make grammer mistakes .

Current Resident 633136

Resident • 2004

Great Apartments, crappy office/management staff

The good:<br><br>1) 2 parking spots per apartment for free! A lot more affordable than ballston, claredon or Foggy Bottom/Dupont.<br><br>2) convient to 395, 95, GW parkway, old town, crystal city, ect.<br><br>3) A lot more space per dollar than other places.<br><br>4) all utilities included.<br><br>5) beautiful view/ nice balconey.<br><br>6) VERY quite, if I hadn't seen them I would know that I had neighbors.<br><br>7) Laundry room on each floor.<br><br>8) convience store, affordable dry cleaner in the lobby level.<br><br>9) little gym, which works if you dont feel like driving to a real one.<br><br>The bad:<br><br>1)guest parking, only 10 passes a day for a 17 story building, a bit tight there!<br><br>2) pool hours are not meant for working residents to enjoy. I get home at 6 pm at the earliest, How could I get to the pool by then?<br><br>3)Cheap wiring, you have to have the lights turned on to use certain outlets. Makes using plug in in the the bathroom impossible if you dont want the light on (which if you sleep with your bedroom door open you dont).<br><br>4)Crappy carpet. There is practically no pad at all and its of a VERY low quality.<br><br>5) Drafty, despreatley needs more insulation, when I complained about this they told me there was nothing they could do. Which I tend to not believe, they just dont want to spend the money.<br><br>6)MOLD growing on the A/C. They wont check it out and told me it was because I didnt clean enough. But now I see other people have it too.I worry it may be dangerous and I am breathing in something hazardous.<br><br>7) Staff in the office. Horrible horrible horrible. They are a pain to deal with. If theres a rule somewhere that can be stretched to apply to you to be able to tell you NO they will do it. Want to be in your apartment when maintence comes to visit? NOPE they wont schedule it.<br><br>8) Maintence: The actual guys are just fine. But what they use to repair your place is cheap and looks horrible. I have bought my own balconey door opener, shower head, door knobs, ect.<br><br>9) Security Guard: This guy towed my car when I first moved here despite the fact that I had the resident temporary pass displayed. It has out of state plates and I think that was the reason. Also they invite the police into the lot to ticket cars, gee thanks!!!<br><br>Overall nice place if you are willingf to complete forgo trying to get the staff to help you ;)

jessamyn

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Overall great experience!

I am surprised to see so many negative postings about the Aspen on this site. I have had a really wonderful experience here and just renewed my lease. The apartments are HUGE and the building is in a quiet residential neighborhood. Maintenance is friendly and fast and the office staff are very helpful. I complained once about what I mistakenly thought was a change in parking policy and no one "made my life difficult over it." The building is clean and I have never had a problem with bugs or other pests, there is a laundry room on every floor, a fitness center, a convenience store, and a beautiful party room/library. Guest parking is kind of difficult since only 10 passes are given out per day, but there is always street parking available. I would especially recommend this building to anyone looking for a studio.

Current Resident 632206

Resident • 2000 - 2004

Excellent value for the money. Well run. Good location.

I have lived in four apartment complexes in the Alexadria/Arlington area since 1968 and find the Aspen to be well managed with an excellent maintenance staff. Rents are very reasonable for the size of the units and amenities: exercise room, swimming pool, convenience store on site, enough parking spaces. Management has been very helpful in solving cable problems in my unit when the cable company was slow to solve them. I would recommend the Aspen to anyone looking for a real bargain.

Current Resident 630966

Resident • 1999 - 2004

decent place....however

I have lived here for over 4 years now and it is wonderful. I have an excellent view, its very quiet on my floor and the maintenence staff fixes problems the day you report it. Everything is available in the apartment/building. Decent sized units, wall to wall carpeting, large microwave oven, garbage disposal, large oven and dishwasher, pantries, big walk in closet, working washers and dryers on every floor, weight room with two televisions mounted on the ceilings, a convenient store. Its a great place. I have never had any problems with other tenants in the building. <br>I have noticed that the management staff is rotated practically every 4 months. The building manager has been here for years and she is great. However, the others havent lasted as long. Most except for one, that left for maternity leave, need and attitude check.

julieinaspen

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Twenty-somethings

I am somewhat surprised to see so many really neagtive comments/accounts of experience. I would certainly recommend the building to most. <br><br>For twenty-somethings, most other apartments within our price range are small, dilapidated walk-ups , and are located on major roads with (maybe) window air conditioning units. For our money, the Aspen is really a gift. We have tons of space and a view of the Capitol and a variety of monuments. On a clear day, the Cathedral is easily visible. It’s easy to get to, is close to the metro, and has a dash stop at the bottom of the hill. I feel really safe. They have security guards on duty and cameras, a gate on the parking lot, etc.<br><br>Maintenance usually shows up within a few hours of a call, and everything is usually fixed to our satisfaction. If it is not, my guess is that the maintenance folks are not authorized to replace items that should be replaced due to the cost involved. The Management, though not always the most cheerful or helpful people, has made real efforts to improve some things. For example, the recently got a quarter machine, though it’s in the office, and many tenants like me leave before it opens and return after close. It’s a nice gesture though. In addition, in the past most packages from USPS would be held at the post office, and again, many of our work schedules make it difficult to pick the packages up—plus it was just a hassle. They now have lockers in which the postman will leave packages for three days, a huge relief. <br><br>The convenience store is just that—a wonderful convenience. The friendly couple who run the shop take dry cleaning for a reasonable price and will accept packages from fed-ex and UPS. <br><br>My only real complaints: The pool hours stink. It is impossible for those of us who work full time to get to it during the week. It is only open till 7:00 pm. I wish they’d spend less on ripping out still living flowers and replacing them with new ones, and use that to hire a lifeguard who’d stay until 9:00 or 10:00. Getting a parking pass for a guest is nearly impossible. A guest has to show up every day during business hours to get a parking pass for that evening. And, whenever I try to get one for a friend, they inevitably tell me that they’ve all been given out for the day. If you get locked out, you have to pay to be let in with cash, which, lets face it, if you’re stuck is just another hassle.<br><br>All in all, I love the aspen and just signed my lease for another year.<br>

Current Resident 628424

Resident • 2000 - 2004

It has been a pleasure living at Aspen House. They offer a comfortable living environment and the rates are very fair. The management and maintenance team are very friendly and helpful. I would recommend Aspen to anyone.

Current Resident 626936

Resident • 2004

i'm happy

I've been very happy with my apt in The Aspen. The price is good, I don't hear my neighbors, and I don't have to remember to pay utility bills. I've never had a problem with the office staff. The parking is fine for my single car but there is a VERY LIMITED amount of guest parking. Guests also have to pay to use the pool. But all in all a very decent place to live, much better than other apartments I've lived in.

Current Resident 634965

Resident • 2001 - 2004

Good value for the $$

The Aspen is a great deal for this area. If you want a 100% perfect living environment, you have to shell out the cash, bigtime. I have lived in a "luxury apartment" Alexandria and the major difference was monetary. At this "luxury apartment", there were ants, repairs took forever, the management there was extremely rude, the square footage was much less, and utilities were not included.<br><br>At the Aspen I have always had my repairs done in a timely fashion, they have pests, but they also have pest control, and I have never found the management to be rude in any instance.

Current Resident 634810

Resident • 2003 - 2004

OK at best...and I do mean at best

I have had my own set of problems and complaints:<br><br>1. I had a leak in faucet, instead of replacing the faucet they welded the thing up so now it looks like the faucet has a giant metal mole growing out of the side of it. I was so totally embarrased by it (I entertain a lot) that I went out and replaced it myself. I'd think with all the rent that is paid you would think I could get a new faucet. <br><br>2. The bath room shower rod hanger broke. I asked for it to be fixed. I came home to find a white plastic clip holding up the old shower rod. Why am I complaining you say? The shower curtain rod was polished metal. Once again I had to go out and buy a new rod and fix it myself out of embarrasment.<br><br>3. I went out of town for business for an extended period. My car's tag expired while I was gone. When I got back my car had been ticketed because management invites parking enforcement to inspect the cars on the property and write tickets IN THE PARKING LOT. Way to look out for your tenants.<br><br>4. We have an unfixable and it seems by managements interpretation "unreplaceable" stove/oven. If you turn on the oven, you can't turn on the stove. You have to turn on the stove first and then the oven, then stand there and pray that the stove will stay lit. <br><br>5. Management spent TONS of money to "upgrade" the decor in the lobby and hallways. It went from a pretty uniform respectable looking lobby to a scene out of my grandmothers home. The corridors were then recarpeted with some field carpet pattern that will make you sick if you try to look down and walk at the same time. Money was spent to put on a new canopy on the entrance of the building (not that the old one was so bad to begin with). The building is clearly from the 1950's-1960's style-wise with dark brown brick. The new canopy is something from a 2050 modern art museum, majority white with a big green stripe...horrid. Clearly if money was going to be spent it should have been spent renovating the apartments which are in desperate need of it. <br><br>6. Rude and seemingly uncaring management. I've gotten to the point now that I try to avoid the front office at all cost. My day is stressful enough without having to deal with management.<br><br>

Current Resident 638096

Resident • 2004

Management Challenged Apartment

The best advise I have for anyone who is about to move to the Aspen is to stay away. This is a great Apartment with fabulous view and convenient location. But an unqualified manager with lots of personal issues will make your time staying in this apartment your worst experience. Trust me, no one wants to think about home and feel more stress.

johnson479

Resident • 2004

Generally good so far...

This is rather long, because it covers a lot.<br>Just trying to give my honest assessment of the place thus far. The parking lot is large, and there is always parking, albeit, during the week, if you come home after 10 or 11 at night, you'll have to park fairly far away. I'm not a big fan of the 'one day' guest pass, and how you have to keep coming back every morning. My family recently visited me from out of state, and I had no problems getting a pass each day, and fortunately they did not get towed. <br><br>The area surrounding the building seems fairly secure and well lit. The security guard is a nice touch, although like others have said, he is often sitting in his car smoking. I have seen him late at night patrol the parking lot. I don't use the pool, but I agree that 7pm is a little early. I also don't like how the library is always locked.<br><br>The apartments themselves are fairly spacious. I live in a one bedroom and am very happy with the size. The appliances are old, but they seem to work just fine. The apartment building is old, so you need to be prepared for certain things associated with an old building. The insulation is really poor around the windows and the sliding door to the balcony. I bought some self-adhesive insulating strips for $2 and put them at certain places on the sliding doors, and they seemed to help out a little bit. The wiring is old, and it can get annoying that certain outlets in the wall won't work unless you turn on the lights. <br><br>As for pests, I have seen a small roach about once every month or two. I think the roach problem is really dependant on how close to the ground your apartment is. I live on the fifteenth floor, so that may contribute to it being a non-issue. My biggest problems were flies getting into the apartment because of the poor sealing between the sliding door and the outside. I plugged the little hole with the insulation, and no more fly problems. <br><br>Office staff: I haven't really had a problem with them yet, but i usually deal with Carol? (the elderly gray haired lady), and she's always cordial with me. I'm not quite sure which one is Marilyn, and i'm interested in knowing. <br><br>In response to the tenant that locked themselves out after the leasing office closed, as far as i know it's standard practice for them to charge you to have your door opened. They made that clear when I signed the lease, and i know this has happened to a friend of mine who lived in a 'fancier' building in Rosslyn, and he was forced to pay. <br><br>I am interested to hear about this mold problem on the A/C though. I thought it might just be my apartment. What have the rest of you been doing about it? Has management been that rude about it when you brought it up with them? <br><br>Like i said, personally it's been good so far with a few kinks, although some of the reviews below will make me keep my guard up.

Current Resident 662028

Resident • 2002 - 2004

Pointless???????????

why is this so pointless when all we are doing is telling honest facts that can be proven.<br>We are genuine residents who do not suck up to management all we want is and not asking for much is respect and courtesy from those below who think they are gods gift , "respect earns respect".<br>A lot of us have no intentions of moving out yet as as we are sure the owner will take action to remedy the problems and bring his property back up to the standard and happy complex it was before.:-)

ellenripley100

Resident • 2004

Talk to me, people...

I'm thinking of moving into Aspen, and I've read all the reviews - both positive and negative. How is the place when it comes to safety? I've read horrible reports in the Alex area about being gang infested (God knows I head enough about roach infestations - but that seems to be almost everywhere, really). What would you suggest to a person moving into Aspen and the Alex area from Chicago? Thanx for your time...