I moved in in 2007. It was easy to get into (low sec. dep, accepts cats, no monthly cat fees, no pet deposit); however, I had to qualify salary-wise, and because I own a property elsewhere, I had to have a co-signer and had to provide that person's financial information, as well.
Shortly after I moved in, it began - entry into my apartment without notice, poor quality plumbing in the kitchen began to leak, I couldn't figure out how to turn on the A/C in the antiquated single-pipe HVAC system (condensor under windows, 1950's-era thermostat), so the apartment temperatures would reach nearly 100 degrees by late afternoon. When I asked the front desk staff about it, they said they'd have a maintenance person come around to look at it. Two hours later, someone shows up (had already gone home for the day and had to come back in). I was fit to be tied. Shouldn't be that hard to operate.
Started receiving notices that the construction would begin in about October 2007 that windows would be replaced in December 2007 and there would be some noise, scaffolding, and staff would occasionally need access to unit interiors. Daily after that, work begain as early as 7:50 but never later than 0800, and included hammering, jack-hammering, power-sawing, etc. The scaffolding traveled up and down the building side, past our windows several times a day, so regardless of whether you were still getting ready to work and despite the fact that you live on an upper-story floor and wouldn't otherwise be concerned about people looking in your windows, that was now a concern. I found workers in my apartment when I came home early one day...there was no Property staff representative with them, so who knows if/what they may have gone through. I had jewelry out on my dresser, as well as my jewelry box, laundry sorted on the floor ready to go into the wash when I got home...essentially, I was not prepared for someone to come into my apartment without me there. I went to the management office to complain and point out Va State Code requires a minimum of 24-hour notice for all entry other than for an emergency. The Management representative reminded me of the letter they had sent the residents when this began (several months before) that stipulated the workers would need to access our units periodically. I was gobsmacked. They were using that as their interpretation of 24-hour notice.
The contstruction has continued (on my side of the building) until just recently (started dwindling about a month or two ago, only to pick up on the other side of the hall, not to mention the renovation of the apartments above and around mine). I think someone else mentioned in his/her review that if one is sick, not to think of staying home. So true. I have migraines, and it is quieter at work than at home - and with a migraine, all a person wants is quiet, dark, cool, and no disturbances.
It's hard to put up pictures and things on the walls, much less curtain rods and the like. The walls are, like, cinder block covered with plaster, so once you drill through the plaster, you hit cement - it's easier just to not even bother. There is no storage other than the closets in the apartment - no basement storage available to new tenants, at least. Older tenants seem to be grand-fathered, but the new policy is to not provide basement storage space, so either you keep everything in your overpriced, atiquated apartment, or you rent a storage space for an extra $60-$100 a month on top of the $1500 or more you pay for rent. The wood-tile floors are in poor condition from the frequent water leaks from the condensor units under the windows - which happened shortly after I moved in. I came home from Guard drill - it was around 1:00 AM, and went into my bedroom to find about 20-25 wood tiles floating on a bubble of water. I turned off the unit, then a couple of hours later when the maintenance staff was at work, I went down and told the front desk person, an older woman, who scolded me that I should have told them about it immediately. As it was, the maintenance guy just set up a dehumidifier in my bedroom to draw the water out of the tile - a fairly passive means of dealing with the situation. I told him the tiles were floating on water and that they were going to mold - they needed to be replaced. He said, "No problem, it'll be ok. Hey, I live on the _th floor...you wanna go out sometime' Here's my number - call me." Yeah, right. By the way, the tiles are now a lovely shade of blue-green under the verithane - mold!
At the end of my lease, my rent I was expecting a letter or some notice to renew my lease or something. I kept going down to the office and the staff acted clueless. Finally, they told me that after the initial lease, everyone goes on a month-to-month basis - that makes it easy for them to kick you out if you cause them problems. Anyway, my rent went up from the initial $1380 to almost $1500 - as the letter stated, "to continue to provide the high quality of life available at Potomac Towers." Ahem.
So to sum up, I moved in but continue to live out of crates, never felt at home here, never made it nice and comfy, constantly feel intruded upon, the management staff is sub-par and lazy (never budge out of their office), and the property has been a construction zone for a year and a half - which, if I had been told they were starting construction within 3 months of my moving in, I would have looked elsewhere. It's only because moving would be a hassle that I've stayed this long, but I'm at the point where I've got to get out of here. My tolerence level is pegged. So, don't move into this building...it's just not worth the rent you'll be charged.

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