Review History for Otto_Stirlitz

Congressional Towers


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Otto_Stirlitz

Resident 2009

8/22/2009

Fake luxury appartments without reliable air-conditioning

The complex pretends to be a luxury one, with building keys and gym and swimming pools. It has internal and external appearance of a good hotel. The carpets were recently changed in hallways, elevators redecorated, and new bright lightning installed in hallways. Management makes all efforts to improve visual appearance and attract new residents, but does not care about residents once they moved in. The main trouble is the central air-conditioning. In summer time indoor temperature cannot be cooled below 78-79 F, especially in the evening or at night. The air supply is provided by one large machine in the basement. The control unit in the apartment controls only local fans providing airflow from the central duct. The air-conditioning machine has enough power, but the building management is reducing or switching off power of the central unit to save the energy, as the result indoor temperature is cooler during the day then in the evening and at night. Ironically, they would save more energy if they reduced the intensity of light in the hallways four times. I got a new carpet in the apartment, but its quality was extremely low. The carpet releases a lot of fiber and vacuum is full with it after weekly vacuuming. The dishwasher machine was also new, but very cheap. It has only one bottom sprinkler and no top sprinkler. As the result washed dishes are dirty on top. Gym and swimming pools have no direct disabled access from the complex, despite the fact that the slope for wheel-chairs and baby strollers can be easily built parallel to the stairs. There are three swimming pools. Two of them 1' and 3' deep are for small kids with fountains and slopes, but water in the swimming pools for kids is really cold, especially in 1' deep swimming pool for toddlers, but in the deep adult swimming pool water is too warm for me, but fine for small kids. The dressing rooms in the swimming pool have no changing tables for small babies. The management really does not care about their residents. In the case of the planned tree spraying, the notice to move the car at 8 AM next day is given during the previous day, in the afternoon less than 24 hours in advance. "No parking" signs were not installed in all needed places also less than 24 hours in advance. The terrace level of the building got carpet like all other floors, but the hallway is still stinky. The grounds are very secure, but the keyed access to the building is an obstacle for UPS and FedEx. You would not get your mail under the door - UPS and FedEx have no building key. Your mail goes to the UPS pick up facility in Laurel (about 25 miles away). When you are moving in, watch carefully for hidden defects of the apartment. Management prefers not to fix, but hide them. ---------------------------- Conclusion: You cannot notice the defects of the apartments before you move in, but after you move in you will notice more and more troubles. The really major problem is almost non-existing air-conditioning and laud ventilation fans. I moved in Spring, but noticed this trouble only in the summer . I would even recommend the complex (if you have 10% NIH discount) before I discovered the trouble with air-conditioning. The building itself is good, sound isolation between apartments is great, but the management is really cheap and thrifty.

    Review 434 out of 474

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    Congressional Towers

    March 2024

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