Pros:
1 block from metro
safe - doorman, key cards to get in doors from outside
spacious apartments
service-- I had no problems with getting appliances fixed etc. Once I put in a request someone came to fix the problem within 2-3 days. However friends of mine had a broken microwave and were very dissatisfied with the service and length of time it took to fix the microwave.
Not many bugs. My apartment had small infestations of ants in the kitchen. Once we requested an exterminator (by going to the front office) the problem was taken care of for about 9 months.

Cons:
Kitchen floor mine was tile and it never looked clean. This is not that big, but I like my floors to look clean after I scrub them.
Fees they get you on everything. There is some ridiculous one time fee (600 dollars) to use the gym, pool, and social room. I never used the social room, I don t know anyone who has. The pool is nice. The gym is the size of a postage stamp (3 tread mills, 2 ellipticals, 2 bikes, 1 stair stepper, weights, and about 5-6 machines). If you want to use it during peak hours get ready to stand inline. On the advice of friends in the building I never tried to go to the gym in the morning, but I know that any time after 5:30 pm there was a line. I used the gym only because of the fee. There is a golds gym about 1 block on the other side of Connecticut with a whole armada of treadmills that I would have much rather used.
Inflexibility I wanted to move some small things out of my apartment before the big move. There was no parking available out front so we had to stand not a big problem, but there is never parking. But, you can t bring furniture through the lobby. So where can I bring in furniture' The basement parking garage (I didn t want to pay the 150.00 dollar parking space fee so I didn t bring a car, so I did not have access to the parking garage) or schedule a time for the loading dock. I did not schedule the loading dock for some small boxes, I didn t think I had to. There is no where close to park on the street. I knew of some parking behind the building for the condos in Van Ness North so I parked there while bringing my items down. This parking was for 30 minutes and I did stay there for a couple hours, moving the car every 30 mins or so. With the last box someone came out from Van Ness North with a violation sticker. Yes, I did park too long but there is NO parking if you want to move anything in or out of the building and you don t want to schedule the loading dock! The loading dock is a whole other story. The movers I hired to handle the heavy pieces of furniture I have wanted to move at 7am. The only times you can schedule the loading dock are from 9-12, 12-3, and 3-5. I called and asked if we could use it at 7 am for the movers. No. 7:30' No. I explained our predicament. No, sorry everyone wants to move out at 7 but we have to be fair to all the residents. If all the residents want to move out at 7, let them!
Rats/mice. I haven t seen any, but one of my neighbors (2 doors down) told me he had mice. I would not be surprised if there were rats.
Fire-some lady died in a fire in her apartment. I don t know the specifics.
Renovations Noisy. They renovated the parking garage. Biiiig nuisance, I don t even have a car. I think its over though.

Its not a bad place to live. It is safe and the lobby looks nice. The apartments are nice too if you luck out and don t have small visitors. I am not sure I would choose it again. Knowing what I know now I would probably try and find something else out there. Van Ness South is just so expensive and sneaky. I don t like to be tricked out of my money with such high fees for not so nice amenities. They do have free coffee in the lobby though.

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