The Aspen

Current Resident 687727

Resident • 2004

Flyer under my door..

so I just received the flyer under my door just now, and I'm glad to see it. I smell a revolt! Anyway look, this place isn't the worst, but it could be a lot better. There are roaches everywhere, the pool guidelines are ridiculous, the guest parking is ridiculous, the front (door) is locked, the manager IS rude, etc etc. These are minor things, and they can be changed. I'm glad to see a lot of the tenants here are trying to make a difference.<br>I have no bad feelings for anyone that works here, I just think there could be improvements made.<br>

Current Resident 722974

Resident • 2004

Thumbs Up!!

I'm enjoying my apartment:<br>nice view from my balcony, the apartment is Spacious, rent is surpizingly reasonable, Great Location, it's clean, and the Management has been great.

Current Resident 729639

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Decent

the good: I've been here about a year now and generally like it. The rent is reasonable. I have a great view of the Potomac and the size of my 1 bedroom is good and roomy. I take advantage of the gym after work and the pool on the weekends. The parking for residents is also good.<br><br>The bad: Parking for guests is absurd. They give out something like 10 passes a day...FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING. That's just crazy. Also, here's a thought...check for a guest pass on the dashboard PRIOR to towing the car. Also, God forbid you loose your pool pass...they won't replace it. It's a darn little piece of paper and you have to keep it all summer, if you misplace it, acidentally throw it away...no pool for you.<br><br>the ugly: The mold growing on my air conditioner. The building could potentially have a class-action law suit on it's hands if this stuff turns out to be dangerous. Just something the management may want to think about.

Current Resident 893753

Resident • 2004

Ok so far

I've recently moved in and for the most part its been ok. There are small roaches in my kitchen, we'll see what happens to them after they spray (only on Mondays). There were two things that needed to be fixed, and both were completed the same day I noted the problem. <br> <br>Guest parking is a problem, but they tell you that up front. Rent is reasonable for what you get. Having the dry cleaner/grocery store right in the building is nice. <br> <br>Overall its ok. You get what you pay for. Plus the view from my apt is wonderful.

Current Resident 65524

Resident • 2001 - 2004

Would Generally Recommend

My husband and I just signed on for our 3rd year. We considered moving, because we wanted to rent a house, and looked around a bit, but you just can't find this kind of space, view, and amenities for the price we're paying. Utilities are included, which is v. nice. Our rent only went up $20 this year, which is the cheapest amount I've ever had my rent raised of anywhere I've lived, and I've lived in the DC area for 11 years now. <br> <br>To the people that have complained of roaches ... from what I understand, that is a lower floor problem only. We do have some baby ones up in the trash room (I'm on the 16th floor), but they bomb it regularly to keep them under control. When I first moved in, a few roaches came into our apartment. We laid down traps and had the exterminator come in. That was the end of that problem, pronto. The way I see it, you will always have pests of some sort in a multi-family building. I've never lived in an apt. building that didn't have a pest problem to *some* extent. <br> <br>To those who complain of maintenance and rude staff: wow, that's so different from our experience! Even the staff member who most people can't stand has ALWAYS been perfectly nice to us. She is a stickler for the rules, yes, so if you have a sense of entitlement about your "special case", then you will be sorely disappointed. I have found that if you operate within the structure they have set up, you will have NO problems. Maintenance has always been more than adequate in their response times. Those guys work hard for their money. <br> <br>The gym, library, and convenience store are nice amenities. We've never had an issue with not finding parking, although you may have to park on the farthest end of the lot if you get home really really late (like, midnight or later on a weeknight). <br> <br>The place is VERY quiet. You can hear noise in the halls if people are loud going up and down the halls, but you cannot hear your neighbors usually. This may sound macabre, but the woman who was killed on the 11th floor? Someone I know lived right above her apartment, was home at the time she was killed, and never heard the gunshot. So, they're soundproofed. Maybe a little *too* well. <br> <br>BTW, regarding the murder: it was an isolated incident. The woman knew her attacker. She let him into the building and into her apartment. We never found out what relationship she had with her killer, who killed her, or why, but it was not a random crime or a house invasion or anything like that. See the Alexandria police dept's website and search on murders for this year and you'll find the information easily. I feel safe at the Aspen, to a reasonable degree. You're not totally safe anywhere, so just use your common sense and you'll be fine. <br> <br>Now, to be fair, the downsides: <br> <br>The building is old, so the insulation is not that great. You will be cold in winter and hot in summer unless you take some common sense precautions. We close our curtains during the day to keep the hot summer sun out. Likewise, in the winter, we close them at night to keep the cold winter winds out. <br> <br>The A/C and heat break from time to time. Not too often, though. And they do get those back online fairly quickly. <br> <br>The elevators are also old. I was one of those people stuck in the middle elevator a few weeks ago in the middle of the night. What was most annoying was not the fact that we were stuck, because security and maintenance were on the problem and helping us; it was the people we were stuck with! They freaked out all over the place, and when the doors finally opened, one of them actually PUSHED me to get out and then blocked my way out of the elevator, with the risk of it malfunctioning again. I had to push her butt out of the way just to get out of the freakin' thing! How rude is that?!?!? Just goes to show that in an emergency situation some people can be counted on to do the right thing, but some people definitely can't. In general, however, the people who live here are pretty nice. <br> <br>The mailboxes are small and if the mailman is on vacation or sick, the fill-in mailman does stupid crap like shove packages that say "fragile" into the boxes. This has been a source of some ire. What kills me is they finally installed large package boxes in the mailroom, so they don't have to cram them in or make you go to the P.O. to pick them up, and the fill-in mailman *still* shoved something in that he shouldn't have. I'm irked by the mail situation, it is my 2nd biggest peeve about the place. However, I am generally happy with our usual mailman. He's pretty nice and goes out of his way to deliver a package to your door if you are home. And he gets to know his customers. <br> <br>My biggest peeve is: A couple of times a year some stupid kid might pull the fire alarm for grins. Last time it was 10 pm on a sunday night. They pulled it on 3 successive floors. Everybody and their cat evacuated, in their pajamas. The people who do this sort of thing need to be taken out and shot. Or at the very least, forced to stand directly beneath the alarms so their ears can hurt as bad as all of our pets' ears. You never heard so many crying kitties in once place! I hope someday they install cameras near the pull alarms and catch the little buggers. Thankfully this doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's a major pain in the a**. <br> <br>Finally, I don't like that you have to give 60 days' notice to get out, either. But I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes. Otherwise, I don't really have any major complaints about the facility. As a matter of fact, I have recommended it to many people who are very happy living there. There is only one person who hated it (that I know of) and she lived on the fourth floor, near the trash room, and had roaches. <br> <br>So if you live here, go for the upper floors, I guess! In general it's a nice place to live and the price is right, the view is gorgeous, and you could certainly do worse.

Current Resident 138281

Resident • 2002 - 2004

Quite Happy

I have lived here for two years now and have been very pleased overall with my apartment and the facilites. The gym is small, but convenient and kept clean. I never have to wait too long for laundry. I have rarely had to call for any service/maintenance, but when I have the response was immediate. I have had very little reason or opportunity to interact with the staff, but, while not overly friendly, they have always been polite. I feel safe in my apartment and the building is well kept. I have never had a problem with pests of any sort. <br> <br>I will be signing another year's lease.

Current Resident 255461

Resident • 2004

I'm pretty happy :)

I've been here a lttle over a month, and I really don't have many complaints. I am right by the elevator/trash room and my apt has this weird odor...coincidence? mmmm...not sure.. can't quite trace where it's coming from, but I will figure it out one of these days <br>I don't really need to talk to the management as of yet, but I can't imagine them being that rude.I haven't used the pool yet, but I was wondering why it closes so early?? The sun doesn't go down until like 9 during the summer, seems stupid to close it at 7. <br>I haven't met ANYONE here yet either. It would be nice to have some sort of 'heya', 'how are you'. but the elevators are usually pretty quiet. And oh yeah they were in service this week and I saw a bunch of people stuck in the middle one the other night, for 15 minutes, it was pretty funny. <br>(well not for them) <br>Anyway, it's my first apartment, I live by myself, it's not that expensive so it works for me!!!

Current Resident 450389

Resident • 2001 - 2004

I am in my third year here at the Aspen. I haven't seen a bug since there was major construction two years ago. When I leave a note for maintenance in the AM, it's done by the PM when I get home. The office staff is fine; not extraordinary, but fine. The one bedroom is bigger than most apartments. The laundry rooms are clean. The noise level in the hallways is a little loud, but only once in a while. The parties on the balconies sometimes get too loud, and nothing every seems to be done about it. I'm all for a good party, but at 4 AM when someone is screaming on the balcony, it's time to shut them up. The pool is quite nice and not crowded at all; hence the ridiculousness of paying for guests during the week. I can understand on the weekend, but not during the week. The reading room and fitness room is nice, but the fitness room could use some up-to-date items. The only reason I'm considering moving is to drastically lower my rent to save up to buy something.

Current Resident 504980

Resident • 2002 - 2004

18 months and I have yet to see a cockroach

maybe it's being on the 15th floor, maybe the previous tenant(s) put traps down... i don't know, but i've never seen a cockroach in my apartment. Very reasonable price, especially considering all utilites are included. Good off-street parking (2 spots for a 1 bedroom). No noise, Gym, Pool, convenience store. Full kitchen - microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal etc. <5min to 395, yet in a quiet residential neighborhood. <br> <br>two complaints: <br>1) having to pay money everytime a guest wants to use the pool (it's never crowded, why charge?) <br>2) I echo other statements about the management. They're competent but don't expect them to go the slightest bit out of their way to help you

Current Resident 575815

Resident • 2004

Violation of Virginia law

According to Article 55-248.13 of the Virginia Landlord-Tenant handbook, titled 'Landlord to maintain fit premises', the landlord should comply with the requirements of applicable building and housing codes affecting health and safety. <br> <br>I've seen a lot of dead and alive cockroaches and water bugs inside our apartment, on the hallways, in the trash room and laundry room, and on the staircase leading to the side exit. <br> <br>It is unhealthy and unsafe!

puma_blues

Resident • 2004

Great place aside from my mysterious skin condition

I moved into the 11th floor several months ago. The whole murder thing doesn't bother me in the least. By the way, i'd like to say hello to my neighbors. I never see any of you in the hall, so I have yet to get to know anyone. I've been half tempted to knock on doors and say hi, but I don't know what reaction that will get. Ah well. <br> <br>As for my experience, I get a beautiful sunrise. It was very nice in the winter, but it is quite hot now, and while the huge windows are beautiful, they do make it impossible to get the room cold with the AC. I get by though; it cools down at night, and I have my fan running all the time. Thankfully Target and the theater are close by if I'm getting too hot ;) <br> <br>I think the neighborhood is beautiful; you could do far worse. It feels nice coming home amongst brick houses and families. True, Mt. Vernon can be a bit iffy, but I walk home from Braddock Road metro to the Aspen quite often and I have always felt very safe. Its very relaxing actually. And the little pocket of Del Ray with the restuarants and shops makes me feel like i'm out of the city and back in a small town like the one I grew up in. <br> <br>The location is very convenient to the highway and shopping, but like everyplace around DC, certain places can be pretty busy. Also, its just far enough from the Metro (Pentagon or Braddock) that you have to take the bus, but there is an extraordinarily convenient DASH stop at the bottom of Aspen St. My problem is catching it on time though. <br> <br>I have yet to see any roaches, only the occasional fly orspider after i moved in. My work orders have always been fixed very promptly. I have yet to have a rudness issue with management; they've been pretty pleasant so far. THe elevators are usually extremely fast, but sometimes they get tied up in the morning. <br> <br>I have noticed a lot more cars in the lot lately, and one night I almost didn't find a spot which irked me quite a bit. However, it was after midnight. <br> <br>I only have two real complaints: 1) its not a very social place, which I was kinda hoping for. Some people are friendly, but other times you get that stony silence on the elevators. I wish I saw or heard more of ym neighbors...its a strange complaint, i know, but sometimes the place is a little too quiet. 2) After I moved in I developed a bad case of excema (generic term for very dry skin). I've never had this problem before, and the coincidence is too great too ignore. I've been to a dermatologist, bought a humidifier, and went to a family doctor, and still my dry skin is getting worse. This has been going on for months with no relief yet in sight, and I didn't have this problem when I was living in Kingstowne (Alexandria, near Franconia-Springfield). I don't know if its the carpet or the air or the water or what. If anyone else has had this issue, please share. <br> <br>So, that is my review in full. A pretty good price, bad wallpaper in the kitchen, ugly ceiling fans, great views, bad AC, good building in general (very clean, well kept, pleasant to walk in). The store is very convenient. The gym could use some nicer equipment. Great neighborhood. Pretty nice people thoughout the building. I have yet to meet anyone that scared me or weirded me out.

Current Resident 678766

Resident • 2002 - 2004

Great place to live

I have lived here for over two years and I like it. Convenient to several major highways, safe and clean. Prices are reasonable and they offer nice amenities. Also a lot of friendly people in the building, always very quiet.

Current Resident 759738

Resident • 2000 - 2002

Recommended

I lived here for 2 years (2000-2002) and I found the Aspen to be a very nice place to live--spacious 1 bedrooms with nice views from the patio. The staff was very good as well.

Current Resident 789498

Resident • 2000 - 2004

obnoxious management but good value

Good location, good price, nice sized rooms, quiet... <br><br><br> <br><br><br>BUT THE MANANAGEMENT IS UNHELPFUL AND OBNOXIOUS!!!! <br> <br>Another resident said in their review: <br> <br>..."the management works exactly to the rules and will never go even slightly out of the way for you. They are disgusting people." <br> <br>I FULLY AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <br> <br> <br><br><br> <br><br anyone have any good info on what my rights as a tenant are? Do I have to put up with the abuse in order to continue living here? Itýs convenient and I do like the building. <br><br><br> <br><br><br>Thanks for letting me vent... <br><br><br> <br><br><br>

Current Resident 862813

Resident • 2004

Roaches April 2004

The Staff in the Aspen Apartment Complex are not as rude as people claim them to be. They do have a roach problem and a water bug problem. The water bugs look like the big cock roaches but there not. Even though there not cock roaches I still dont want them in my apartment. I once had to kill 4 2 inch water bugs/cock roaches within a 2 hour span. I open my window and find them dead on the window ledge. They crawl from any and everywhere. The place is ok but not great for 1200 a month. It´s very old and I would recommend that you consider somewhere else other than the Aspen Apartment Complex. Just does´nt feel cozy and also the heating is terrible in the winter. I have´nt been here for the summer but I can imagine it´s about the same. Dont get me wrong there very spacious but need some serious renavating with electrical, telephone jacks, cable jacks and kitchen cabinets. But check it out for yourself.

Current Resident 205022

Resident • 2004

Great so far

I just moved in not too long ago and I love it. The apartment building is well maintained, the halls, laundry areas, trash rooms are all very neat and clean. So far the management has always been very nice to me - in previous reviews it was indicated that they were rude - I can´t imagine that - Amanda (in particular) has always been very friendly and helpful to me. So, I would highly recommend The Aspen to anyone looking for a beautiful apartment at an affordable rate.

liz4red

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Love it here!!

I moved in here October ´03 and so far so good. I really like it here a lot! The 20ft. balcony is great and my view of the Potomac is even better. I use the gym here about 6 days a week and it´s never crowded. The parking is never a hassel and I like the fact that entry to the building is limited to residents with electronic access. But the most convienant thing by far is the small store on the first floor that carries everything from Pepsi to laundry detergent. It´s great when you realize you need a stick of butter and you can just run downstairs. So, overall, I´m very happy here and for the price, you can´t beat it.

happy_at_aspen

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Beautiful Place!

I have lived at the Aspen since Aug. 2003 and have loved it here! I have a studio apartment with wall-to-wall windows and a breathtaking view of the Potomac River, Capitol building, and National Airport (I can see the planes take off and land, but I never do hear them)! <br> <br>I have never had any problems with management, and maintenance problems are fixed very promptly. <br> <br>The parking lot is very nice -- I´ve never had any problem finding a spot. You have to get guest parking permits to park in the lot after office hours (i.e. after 6 on weekdays), but street parking is very close, and spots are easy to find. <br> <br>I´ve only seen one roach since I´ve been here and am very happy that my apartment is virtually bug-free (although living at the other end of the hall from the garbage disposal may help). I also like the fact that there is no extra fee for having a cat. <br> <br>The swimming pool is nice (I can also see it from my apartment), and since there aren´t that many children at the complex, it´s great for relaxing or swimming laps. <br> <br>Other great features include a fitness center open all day (with new TVs that were installed a couple weeks ago), a library/lounge where you can donate or check out books for free, and a convenience store. <br> <br>One negative thing I have to say about the Aspen is that it´s not very close to public transportation. The DASH bus stop is several blocks away, and buses don´t come very often when it´s not rush hour. <br> <br>Another thing is that the huge windows don´t completely block out the outside temperature, so I sometimes needed extra fans during the summer, and during the winter, I had to move my bed away from the window due to some drafts. (However, the view more than makes up for this inconvenience!) <br> <br>Other than that, I highly recommend living at the Aspen!

Current Resident 367516

Resident • 2003 - 2004

I live in the infamous apt

So, yeah, I live in the apartment where the woman was killed (yes, she knew him, isolated incident, etc.). You´re probably thinking, Is she crazy?? Well, I know the apartment had a serious going-over (it was a crime scene, these things are required by law), so it was probably cleaner than any apartment you could lease. Also, the floor-to-ceiling windows/sliding doors were amazing, and so is the eastern view of National Airport and the river. <br>I´ve lived here six months, and I really like it. I never hear my neighbors, I never struggle to find parking, I don´t pay utilities, I have a roomy 1BD ... you can regulate the heat/AC by adjusting the temp or turning it off if you don´t want it on. <br>Any maintenance requests have been handled the same day, and I´ve never found the management to be rude. As for pests, yes, there are a few roaches that shinny up the disposal system, but it´s not overrun and a can of Raid does the trick. <br>So, let me put it this way: I knew about the murder, I knew it was even THE apt I was looking at, and I still moved in. And I don´t regret it.

Current Resident 709485

Resident • 2003 - 2004

In response to "Murder"...

Get a grip - it was someone she knew - an isolated incident. You don´t need to avoid The Aspen because of it - geez you´re making it out to be the center of crime in Alexandria.

Current Resident 734099

Resident • 2001 - 2002

there was a MURDER here

I thankfully moved out before this happned, in 2003 there was a lady murdered in her own apartment, it was on the news and everything, you can probaly search this address and "murder" in a search engine and find out for yourself.

Current Resident 968676

Resident • 2003

heat, roaches and rude management

this is basicly what the aspen has to offer,, roaches are every where you can´t do anything to stop them, the apartments let in alot of sunshine in the summer and the a/c will not cool a bit, and last the mangement is very rude they are only nice to you when you are signing the lease after that they treat you like s*#T, they also take advantage of people of people who dont know their right... <br>safe yourself the troube and get a real aprtment <br>

Nicole131

Resident • 2000 - 2003

Great Place

I´ve lived in The Aspen since 2000. From 2000-2002, I rented a studio. From 2002-2003, I rented a spacious 1-room apartment. The strengths of the building are that it´s very quiet, offers great views, spacious apartments, large balconies, great management team, ample parking. Whenever i had a maintenance problem, it was fixed the same day. I´ve never had a problem with parking even when I came home late at night. The disadvantages are that the AC/heating is not controlled by the tenants, occasional roaches (I´ve seen about 6-8 a year). Overall, it´s a great place to live at an affordable rate.

Current Resident 116515

Resident • 2003

Good place

I moved into the Aspen about 2 months ago and so far I really like it. The rent is great for a 1 bedroom and the utilities are included. I have a 20 ft. balcony facing the Potomac which is great. My commute is a little longer than before but for the money and location (close to Old Town) it´s great! Also, it´s quiet and I haven´t had trouble parking yet. I would definately recommend it.

Current Resident 134681

Resident • 2002 - 2003

Good Building

Sorry to contradict you guys but . . . This is a good little building. Rooms and closets are large, upkeep is good and mangement responsive to resident needs. My guess is that all those complaining are the ones who were causing problems and were asked to leave. <br><br> <br><br>