I moved into Riverside about a week and a half ago and I am still unsure about how I feel about it. When we were shown around Tower 1 everyone was so nice and helpful and everything looked new and put together. We were thrilled. We filled out paper work with the leasing office to put through our applications. About a month before we were set to move in I received a call from the leasing office explaing our application was incomplete. I asked them what they needed, and while the mentioned what we needed in conversation, this was not anywhere in paper or in any of the documentation we signed. I am not really sure who raised their voice first, but the leasing agent and I got into an argument and I was ready to back out then and eat our security deposit. I figured if the leasing office doesn't have their act in gear, what is the rest of the complex like' My boyfriend calmed me down and justified it as miscommunications happen.

So we moved in. During the move in inpection the maintanence team uncovered the following: The dishwasher, garbage disposal, and AC did not work. They said they were going to fix it. And they did. I must say everyone on the maintanence team is great. They are quick and helpful. Three days into living there, we lost power on all of the outlets in half the apartment. They called in a contracter to fix the electric. Now we are waiting on the holes in our walls to be patched. While the maintanence team did their job, and did it well, this was a newly remodeled apartment. Things should have worked. We signed the lease a month and a half in advance. You would have thought while they were painting the accent wall these things would have been checked out. To have electrical problems is a little unnerving to say the least.

As for the shuttle bus driver, he started screaming things at me about yelling at his child as I was sitting there listening to my Ipod. I started drivint to work again. He is not stable.

This one I can't really blame on Riverside, but I want to share- we bought a new couch, and it did not fit up the service elevator. If you are moving into the building a couch bigger than 82 inches will not fit up the elevator. Good luck finding one. We had to return the couch and settle for 2 love seats. Not exactly what we wanted to have to fill our spacious living room.

Parking, there is plenty of it. I am nervous about someone breaking into my car. But I mean you take that risk anywhere and that is why you have insurance.

I should mention if you call the 800 number on the Web site for Riverside, your call is directed to a call center in Colorado. I asked them how to add another person to the lease. They told me how, so I did what I was directed to do and guess what' Wrong directions. Why would anyone in Colorado be in charge of adding roommates in Alexandria Virginia is beyond me.

I ended up having to deal with the management office to add a roommate. I talked to one lady and she told me what I needed to do. Thank goodness she gave me her card because when I came back with all the information, the man who I spoke with told me no, that would not work. Talk about break down in communication.

I guess the reason they have not gone under is because of the rediculous amount of rent they charge.

So to sum it up... leasing office and mangament leave something to be desired.

Apartment is nice, if everything would work. We are really on a first name basis with maintenance.

Watch out for the shuttle bus driver.

Maintenance pretty much rocks.

And to end it... I am not sure if we are staying. Look elsewhere. We may have sunk the ship on this one.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/08/2008
Recommendation? Document, document, document. Send your maintenance issues in WRITING, EVERY time. If they can't fix in 21 days, they default on the lease (though note they'll likely try to bully you and say it's not their fault). Trust me - within 4 months, you'll be looking for anyway out of that hell hole. The "management" is a sad joke, and, yes, she does has friends on the regional level (as well as the assistant).
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/08/2008
Sums it up right. The leasing agents are really nice to you and their attitude does a complete 180 before the ink even has a chance to dry. Some agents are better than others. Don't be fooled by their charming personalities. They are in sales, it's what they were hired to do. For those of you not wanting to live in Tower 1 - the use of the Town Center is NOT included in your rent. All of the facilities available in the Town Center are included for Tower 1 residents. This information isn't shared unless you ask them. If you tour the community, ask to tour the apartments first to get the best appearance of the place. Cable - the apartments aren't necessarily wired for cable. Some apartments simply have a cable coming in through the wall and that is fished around the apartment. Maintenance on the other hand is amazing. They fixed everything that was found on the check-in sheet immediately. They are extremely nice and courteous. The leasing staff could use a lesson from them. Shuttle driver - make sure you set your watch ahead a few minutes. He tend's to leave early in the morning and arrive late in the evenings.
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/08/2008
I second those comments! The shuttle driver is indeed a volatile fellow and the resident relations office....well... the manager should have been fired long ago but my guess is that she has friends in upper management. Oh yeah.
From: Anonymous	Date: 09/02/2008
The behavior of some of the staff/managers in the business office really does need to be addressed. I've never experienced such rude and patronizing attitudes bestowed on the residents. But what can you do?

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