I have lived here for a year. And I regret doing so.
Despite the already high rent, they increased my rent to an exhorbitant amount.
The management staff is super rude and more than half the time not present. They are just not interested in helping you out.
Try calling the leasing office number and 9 times out of 10 you will reach the answering machine.
The shuttle service is not regular and so many times I remember walking to the metro station with other residents early in the morning as it wouldnt show up at time.
Parking is a big problem inside the gates and its impossible to get a spot after 5 pm. Maintenance is another problem and they take their own sweet time to respond cos according to them nothing is an emergency.
And to top it all, I was given a huge bill on move out for god knows what repairs despite cleaning the place ---- and span.
I will not recommend this place to anyone. Better rent with Ridgeleigh next door.

User Responses
From: Fallen1	Date: 03/02/2009
How often did you need to call the office? I have had to call them maybe twice -- after hours -- in all the years I've been there. It's best not to exaggerate. It's not "impossible" to get a parking space at any time, let alone after 5p; if this were true, I would never get a parking space. Couldn't comment on the shuttle since I never used it, but you don't say which times the shuttle didn't show up at all (the traffic may have been such that it might be late on certain runs). There's a Fairfax Connector route that runs down Crown Royal, so I'd have looked at its schedules for backup times just in case. (In the end, walking *to* the metro is not bad; walking *home* is the pain in the ass, assuming you choose to do so. (No one ever has to walk or take a cab up until 10p or so at night when the Connector buses stop running.) As for lower rent at Ridgeleigh, yes, sure, but then there are issues there as well. I too intend to move out because of the increase from last year's $$ to this year's given the abundance of rental options on the market. I get the impression the recent (re)sale of the property and now, switch of property managers, may have something to do with the renewal offers being sent out. I expect that someone will be disappointed by how many folks choose to move elsewhere (though the folks who have tons of stuff and have to spend a considerable amount to move may bite the bullet and stay). As for any bill with which you were presented, I'd write a professional/civil dispute letter in response and send via traceable means and refuse to pay/tell them to sue you for it, then show up and defend yourself. Whether you did or didn't avail yourself of the statutory opportunity to be present at a walk-through, I hope you took pictures. (Worth noting that I had a tenant once who would swear she left the place "clean", but that couldn't have been further from the truth. One man's clean is another's filthy.)
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/26/2009
I dont think the shuttle service is bad at all. In fact its the one thing that makes the rent price worth it. If its saving you four plus dollars a day waiting a few extra minutes isnt the end of the world. I feel like the way traffic is around this area, we have to be patient.
From: Anonymous	Date: 09/14/2009
I too regret renting an apartment at Park Place at van Dorn. The management is very unprofessional and is quite rude.The maintenace staff, however are "the best" in the area and are very cooperative and aim to please the tenants.I clearly give a "thumbs down" to this complex.

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