I've lived in the Kenmore for almost 2 years (June 2005 - present). I've lived in both the Studio and 1BR units. My overall experience has been slightly above neutral.

The good:

The concierge desk is very friendly, and available 24 hours. They are helpful with mail, dry cleaning, and even provide cookies on Thursdays. My wife and I had almost all of our wedding gifts (via online registries) delivered here, and nothing was broken or lost. The maintenance team is very responsible to simple requests. The building always alerts residents of planned outages/repairs well in advance. The neighborhood is residential - very safe, quaint, walking distance to everything that you need. The Van Ness metro stop is a short bus ride down Connecticut Ave., and the Friendship Heights station is a 13 minute walk, slightly uphill (good when weather is nice). I've only had 1 power outage in 2 years, one of which was a t-storm, and the other only lasted 10 mins. The building is relatively quiet, as many residents are older. The rent is average for what you get.

The not so good:

The building is older, and in need of some repairs/updates. If you're looking for amenities, look elsewhere. Security isn't very tight - anyone can walk in the front door without much of a fuss (sidedoors have better security). The ATM in the lobby (one of few amenities) is frequently out of service. If you aren't careful about keeping your unit clean (esp. kitchen), BUGS WILL BE A MAJOR PROBLEM. The trash room and outside dumpster are frequently full. The laudry room usually is overcrowded. Kitchens in the 1BR are very small. The garbage disposal is poor. There are no balconies. The "picnic" area is a joke - dirty, often flooded when raining, small, tucked behind the building. The hallways frequently smell - sometimes bad (trash), sometimes good (residents cooking). Closet space is fair to poor, but not terrible.

The "X" factor:

The building may be purchased and tenants may lose their rights to live there in the near future. Tenants have organized an association to protect their rights, which is good. Unfortunately, I don't many details about this because I don't care (moving to Chicago in 1 month). CONTACT THE LEASING OFFICE TO GET INFO ON THIS SITUATION BEFORE CONSIDERING THE BUILING.

Overall:

I could go either way on the recommendation. I would recommend at least a walk-through of The Kenmore, BUT...shop around before signing up. Many other places offer a better deal (better locations, better price, better amenties for comparable units).

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