Review History for anonymous

The Berkshire


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anonymous

Resident 2000 - 2009

8/8/2009

Former Resident--Great for those just starting out, but not for more established professionals

I am a former resident who lived from 2000 through 2009. Whether the Berkshire is desirable to you depends on what stage of life you are in. At the outset I am going to say that, if you're young, right out of college, a young professional, or someone on a budget, the Berkshire is for you. Otherwise, if you're older than 30, a professional with a decent salary, and price isn't your main concern, I'd look elsewhere. The building first opened in 1950. It was once one of DC's most prestigious apartments. The late Senator Dirsken and the late Congressman William Natcher lived there. The building once had a doorman, a very nice store, and other amenities. At some point in the decades that followed the ownership of the store changed and the doorman disappeared. The population basically consists of two groups: AU students and elderly retired residents who stay there due to rent control. There are few families and working professionals in their middle ages there. I've seen a few small children and maybe a few high school kids living there, but they are a very small minority. The advantages to the neighborhood is that there is frequent bus service on Massachusetts Avenue (N3, N4, N8). It is also near AU and restaurants off of Wisconsin Avenue. The Tenleytown Metro is a less than five minute drive away. It is also in Upper NW within Ward #3. Parking is generally not a problem as long as you are home by 7 or 8 PM. All residents can park in the main lot for free. To park in the building's internal garage costs money, though I'm not sure what the exact cost is because I never used it. I think that it may be around $150 per month. Parking is easier over the summer, when AU students are on vacation, or during major holidays when they are at home with their families. Otherwise the Berkshire's location is its greatest advantage. The disadvantage to the Berkshire is the AU population. From Thursday through Saturday they can get rowdy. During the summer, when most of the AU population is away, it gets a little quieter. The same happens during the major holiday breaks. Ultimately the level of rowdiness depends what section you live in, though. Where I lived they really didn't get noisy. However, in other sections, they can have really loud parties. The police have to come there occasionally to break up parties. The building itself is in reasonably good shape. However, in my time living there, I would often run into a few problems. One of the biggest problems was the laundry room. Enough of the time I'd load up my laundry card and wash my clothes, only to find out that either the washer or dryer was broken. I'd sometimes then have to spend another $1.50 and waste another 30 minutes of my time. What I also found annoying was that the laundry card machine didn't accept one dollar bills or credit cards. In addition I would sometimes find that the button for my floor in the elevator was broken. Minor inconveniences like that would sometimes irritate me. The gym in the building has a few cardio machines and some weight lifting machines, but wasn't special. And sometimes one or two of the cardio machines was broken. The convenience store was pretty good for non-perishable food and snacks. It also has some household cleaners and other quick items that one would need in a hurry. The dry cleaner there was pretty good, though because they sent the clothes elsewhere to be cleaned, it would mean waiting a few days extra to get your clothes back. The one downside is that the ATM was in the store and thus wouldn't be accessible late at night or when the store was closed. The salon is no longer there because the previous owner couldn't make any money. The dentist there is pretty good. The other problem was the AU student population. As I was once an AU student I understand that they want to go out and party. I partied when I was younger, but I didn't bring the party back to my building. Some of the AU undergraduates bring their drunken behavior back. In essence they bring the party back to the building. Sometimes, on the weekend, I'd find vomit in the elevator or half-drunk beer cups or cans and bottles. Or at other times I'd find that the trash room was dirty and that residents didn't throw their trash away properly. Not all AU students are inconsiderate like this, but enough are that they sometimes can have a negative effect on the building. One example is that, while the rooftop was open to residents, behavior from AU students led to management cutting off access. I stayed there mainly because of rent control. I first moved to the Berkshire because I was going to graduate school. It was next to AU and the rent back in 2000 was cheap. I recently moved out because I finally bought a condo and didn't want to live in a studio any more. After being there for about nine years I wanted a change and wanted to take the next step. So, as I said, if someone asked me whether I'd recommend the Berkshire or not, my answer would be that it depends. For the student attending AU, the young professional out of college in his or her first job, the person willing to tolerate the excesses that come with living with college students, or the person whose first concern is affordability, then my answer would be yes. The Berkshire is a great value for someone just starting out who may be on a budget but still wants to live in Ward #3. Otherwise, if the person is a working professional above 30, making good money, and affordability isn't the main concern, then I'd suggest looking elsewhere at places like 4000 Massachusetts Avenue or Alban Towers.

    Review 143 out of 226

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