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Great apartment so far, and makes me feel like I'm living at home!!!
From:
CMerriman
Date posted:
6/26/2008
Years at this apartment:
2008
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2008
2 responses
*WARNING*
This review is VERY extensive for a reason. The reviews I read on this website before signing my lease were CRITICAL in my decision making process, and as such, I want to make sure I provide as much information as possible about my personal experience so that I may help others in the same way. I hope that users who read this read it in its entirety, as it is 100% honest with absolutely NO bull****. I challenge anyone who questions the authenticity of my review to go to Quincy Plaza and check it out yourself.
INITIAL DETAILS:
I extensively researched apartments in the Arlington, VA area because my job requires me to work in the D.C. Metro area. Because traffic is horrible, and my work will reimburse me 100% if I use the Metro, I decided I needed to live in Arlington and be near a Metro station (when I was looking for apartments in April, I was not aware the Metro went to Alexandria, so I neglected to look for apartments there). Just by using this website it is obvious Dittmar properties trump the alternatives, many of which are Archstone/Charles E. Smith properties. Here are some details about the apartment...
Rent - $1825 a month (I got a "special" which took $1000 off my first month rent)
Utilities - ALL included in rent
Assigned Parking - $25 a month
Guest Parking - $5 plus $50 for OVERNIGHT parking (moved to street by 8:00 AM)
*After the 12 month lease ends, you are put on a month-to-month lease. However, I was told if you resign a 12/13 month lease, you will most likely get a special deal, such as not receiving a yearly rent increase, a free month, etc...*
**Apparently as of 7/1/08 you must pay $30 for utilities**
I moved into Quincy Plaza this past weekend, 6/21/08, and I am VERY impressed so far. I am 24, and until now I have lived in Connecticut my entire life. I never envisioned myself living in Northern Virginia, but I moved down here to take a job offer that was too good to pass up. This is my first apartment I have ever rented. My house in CT is very nice, and I can say without a doubt that Quincy Plaza makes me feel like I never left! On my move-in day, half of the loading dock was reserved just for me, and I even had my own freight elevator. The staff was responsive to my questions and concerns, and I can truly say I felt they were honest with me.
NEGATIVE REMARKS:
Ok, people always want to know what the negatives are first (if you can even call them that), so let's get it out of the way right now - Rent is expensive, guest parking, or lack thereof, is a joke, you cannot store your bike on your balcony, no pets are allowed, and the pool's maximum depth is 5-6 ft. Regarding my apartment in particular - There is a small rust-colored stain on the rug approximately 8x5 in. in the corner of my bedroom, the bedroom-to-living room and bedroom-to-bathroom doors did not close all the way (you could push them open without turning the door handles), the bedroom-to-bathroom door handle locking mechanism was malfunctioning, and the central air unit was louder than normal. IT SHOULD BE NOTED that I was able to fix both doors by myself in 10 minutes, and now they stay closed and require you to turn the door handle to open them. The malfunctioning door handle that wouldn't lock was replaced 2 days after my move-in, and the service technician removed a small piece of plastic from the central air unit, and it is now very quiet! The service technician will be coming back before Friday to treat/fix that small batch of carpet in my bedroom.
POSITIVE REMARKS:
- The Apartment:
My 1 bed/ 1 bath apartment (685 sq/ft) is amazing, plain and simple. The quality of the construction materials is top-notch. Anyone that says otherwise hasn't been in one of Quincy Plaza's apartments. Noise levels are beyond non-existent for me. I haven't heard my neighbors next to me, or above/below me. The front door is very sturdy, closes automatically, and has 2 dead-bolts that both have there own separate key. The walls were freshly painted, the carpet was cleaned (twice, actually), and tiled floors, bathroom/kitchen countertops, and bathroom/kitchen cabinets were all in excellent condition! The appliances (refrigerator, microwave, oven, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and washer/dryer combo) are all only a year or two old, and work PERFECTLY. The sinks and shower also work perfectly, and the shower in particular is the best shower I have ever been in my entire life, which is saying something considering my shower back in CT was to-die-for. There is more than enough closet space (the walk-in closet between the bedroom and bathroom is HUGE), and I have more cabinets and drawers in the kitchen and bathroom than I know what to do with! The artifcial lighting in the apartment is perfect, with plenty of light switches scattered all over the place. There are plenty of electrical outlets, and there is also 2 cable TV and 2 high-speed internet connections in BOTH the living room AND bedroom, which means you are not limited to where you place your furniture and electrical appliances. The AC also works great, and there is a control panel on the wall in the living room, with settings for Heat/Cool/Off, and temperature and fan speeds as well. The windows in the living room and bedroom are very large, and provide plenty of natural light. The balcony is spacious, and seats approximately 4 adults with room to spare. Pulling the balcony door handle up when it is closed locks it, and there is also a dead bolt. In summary, if you couldn't tell, I LOVE my new apartment at Quincy Plaza. I cannot wait for my girlfriend and friends to come visit me, and I know I will have a lot of fun living here!
- The Building:
The building is fancier than most of the hotels I've been to, with the exception of some resorts in Disney World, and is in a GREAT area. All entrances to the building, including the underground parking garage, require a keycard to open. The front door also requires a keycard to open in the evening from what I can tell. The keycard can be placed in my wallet, which makes it super easy to grab my wallet and scan it by the sensor. Parking in the underground garage is assigned, and my leasing agent gave me an end-spot on the first level (there are 4), which is great because I can park very close to the wall on my right, and not have to worry about the left side of my car being hit by the car next to me. The parking garage is well lit, and you must scan your keycard to get to the elevators. Your parking sticker must be placed on the driver-side of the rear window, and I was informed that towing is STRICTLY enforced.
-Amenities:
The building includes an exercise room, business center, game room, theater room, community room, and outdoor pool. The exercise room is moderate in size, and is good enough for me to not need a separate gym membership. The business center is small, but has 3 brand new Apple PCs and a laser printer/scanner/fax machine combo. This makes it unnecessary to own a printer of my own since I can instead transfer anything I need to print onto my USB drive, and walk downstairs to the business center. The game room has 2 pool tables and a foosball table. The pool tables in particular are very nice. The theater room has big LCD/Plasma TV, and from what I can tell, also has DVD player and surround sound. I haven't gone in it yet, so I can't really make any more comments. I don't know much about the community room yet, but it looks VERY nice. You must reserve it well in advance, and I think it requires a $300 deposit. I am not 100% sure how far in advance it must be reserved or what the exact deposit amount is. However, as long as your friends don't destroy the room, you get all of your deposit back, and the room itself can easily accommodate 30 people or more. The pool is on the 2nd floor - It is very nice, and has plenty of seating around it. I have yet to actually swim in it.
- The Neighborhood
The location is superb. The apartment is 2 blocks from my Bank of America, 3 blocks from 2 different Orange-line Metro stations (Virginia Square-GMU and Ballston), 3-4 blocks from the Ballston Common mall (which is large in size with 3 floors, and has tons of great stores), and 4-5 blocks from Giant Food supermarket. The surrounding area is VERY trendy, with lots of stores and restaurants. I recommend Bailey's Bar & Grill which is located in the Ballston Common mall. The roads and sidewalks in area are in very, VERY good condition. I wish I could say more about the area, but I haven't much time to go exploring yet. I will say I feel VERY safe walking around at night, as many surrounding buildings have police or security officers (yes, I have seen actual police officers stationed at specific buildings) that are posted near the sidewalks.
OVERALL:
Quincy Plaza has really blown me away, and I could not be happier to live here. I must say that while the rent is EXTREMELY high in comparison to other areas of the country, it is actually a great value when compared to other apartment buildings in Arlington, VA. Here's what personally sealed-the-deal for me on Quincy Plaza after considering all the other apartments I researched in Arlington:
-$1,000 off 1st month rent "special"
-ALL utilities included
-Cheaper monthly assigned parking
-Proximity to the Metro and Ballston Common mall
-2 year old building with new appliances, modern construction and sound dampening, and NO BUGS
Other comparable apartments in Arlington were maybe $60-$100 cheaper, but they were not offering any specials/deals, did not include utilities, and charged MORE for parking (any non-Dittmar property charged $50 or more). I would rather pay at most $100 more in rent, but not have to worry about getting screwed on my utility bill each month, which I've heard averages at least $125 a month for a 1 bed/1 bath apartment with normal usages in Arlington. Even Quincy Plaza now charging $30 for all utilities a month is still a great deal. Any apartments in Arlington I looked at that were $1700 a month, or less, were obviously cheaper for a reason. (i.e. Older buildings with thin walls, less amenities, and possible bug infestations). I personally would rather pay a little more (and have to live on a smaller budget) so as feel like I'm living at home, rather than in an apartment.
Because of the price, Quincy Plaza is not for everyone. However, like I said in the beginning of this review: If you have to live in Arlington, VA, need to be near a Metro, and don't mind paying more so you don't have to live in an apartment with noise, smells, bugs, etc., then you should definitely check it out. End of story.
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User Responses
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From:
stupidspambait
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Date:
07/01/2008
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Thank you for taking the time and trouble to write such a detailed review. It is very useful.
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From:
Anonymous
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Date:
07/01/2008
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Excellent review and welcome to Quincy Plaza. I've been living here for almost a year and I agree that it is a place to die for especially if you commute to DC. You've covered pretty much everything in the review and yes the walls are sound-proof (I can attest to that too!).
I agree that a lot of people make too much of the price. It does take a sizable chunk out of a paycheck but after putting up with commuting to DC, working in the district, I too like to get back to a place I can unwind. The price to pay in my opinion is not too much.
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