First off, let me be blunt. Lived here for FIVE years, and the place is a dump. The only reason to live here is proximity to Pentagon Row and the fact that it used to be cheap. Note I said "used to be."

No more. Cafritz Company sold to Charles Smith this year, and their first order of business was to raise rents on the order of 25-30%. It now isn't that much cheaper here than across the street at Pentagon Row. Don't believe some random internet reviewer' Check out the other Charles Smith buildings across the street. Exact same rents, you say...odd.

What everyone has said about the management is true. They are straight out of Congress Heights, and they don't give a mad fark whether you stay or go.

The fixtures are ancient, the paint is peeling in the apartments. Parking is NOT adequate, and the garage situation is a joke. Up until last year, they were getting cars broken into left and right every other night from the kids across the street in the mall. Noise, pests, bad maintenance. There really isn't a plus here, other than the fact that it USED TO BE a bargain.

In short, if you pay these people what it costs to live in a real building, you are a fool.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/25/2007
Charles E. Smith does not own the Riverhouse.
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/25/2007
Anonymous response of 8/25/2007 is not entirely correct. VORNADO/CHARLES E SMITH, an affiliate of Charles E. Smith DOES OWN THE BUILDING. And the reviewer is correct. RENTS ARE GOING THROUGH THE ROOF, EVEN WHILE MICE ROAM THE HALLS. The apartments are ancient, poorly maintained and have have horrible plumbing problems.
From: riverhouse1717	Date: 11/29/2007
I am the same person who wrote a review on 09/23/2006. And, I still work in the property management industry. I have to tell you I haven't been very happy since the last time I made a posting. Yes, I still live here, but I am only staying for a few more months as we are preparing to buy a house. My month-to-month status gives me a bit of flexibility. Much of what the previous reviewer wrote is true. Being in the business, I heard some buzz that Charles E. Smith was buying the River House. I asked the on-site team about it, but they dismissed it (which is normally the case). I wasn't too surprised when a few months later we (the residents) received a letter stating the community had been bought out by Vornado (which is now Vornado/Charles E. Smith). Basically, it's Charles E. Smith commercial division, which in essence is a very close cousin to Charles E. Smith residential (Archstone-Smith). It???s same big company, but a different division. In the last four years, my rent has increased about $500 dollars. This past year, I had a rent increase of $143 a month, which equates to almost $2000 over a year. And, it will continue to increase because they know they can at the moment. It may be a move to drive people out so that the value of the community goes up (if people are willing to pay the premium). Hence, the value of the property will also improve. At some point they just might convert it to some sort of commercial project (retail or office space). Keep in mind who purchased to community, Vornado/Smith (commercial division) not Archstone Smith (residential division). I don???t know for sure, but that???s my hunch working in this business. When I first moved in to the River House, I honestly thought it was a good deal. Being in the business, I'm always thinking of value. With the increasing rents, I don't value the location as much as I used to. It still is one of the least expensive apartment communities in Pentagon City, but it's also one of the oldest. Don???t think in terms of price (bottom-line alone). I think it???s the biggest mistake people make when searching for a quality place to live. Here are some items to think about before moving here. 1) This is not a luxury building, it???s actually a pretty old building (for a little more you can live in a luxury building) 2) There is no washer or dryer/dryer in your apartment. (If you think about it, you end up spending more toward rent because of it) And, you have to go to a laundry room to complete your laundry. 3) It is rumored that parking is going to go up significantly 4) Although not often, you vehicle is at risk of being burglarized on the surface level lots (there are even signs in the elevators pointing this out). Trust me, the previous writer is correct when expressing that the courtesy patrol is useless. They???re mainly there to give the perception that they are helpful. Much of the time they are talking on the cell phones or watching DVD???s in their patrol cars. 5) There are rodents in the building. Try not to live near a trash chute or on the lower floors. I found out that a rat had chewed up my power steering hose for my car (which is in the garage) and it cost me a lot of money to repair. 6) The above brings me to my next gripe. They don???t clean the garage or main areas as frequently as they should. This attracts rodents and insects. As a matter of fact, it was almost a full week before garbage and debris were cleaned up in the garage level a few months ago. Now that the leaves are falling down, there is a pile of leaves in the garage. It???s been about three weeks and the garage is filthy. 7) They are continually shutting the water off to make repairs (remember this is an old building) 8) For what you pay for, the commitment to service has been lacking. 9) I have to request that they paint certain parts of my apartment every year because the pain continues to flake (again old building). 10) I have requested that my toilet be fixed due to a slow leak several times. Someone has definitely come in, but the problem still persists. Not only is it a waste of water, but also it will drive cost up in the long run. 11) Don???t believe the 62% approval rating. I think that someone in management has been posting positive ratings weekly. Keep in mind the platform. When I wrote a response in September the approval rating was close to 33% (where it should be for this type of format). But, there is a lot more competition out there now. More new communities offering very attractive move-in incentives. So, now they have to be a bit more competitive. A higher rating would appear to make this place seem that much more attractive. I will write more in the near future. I am not finished. Just out of time for now.

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