AVA H Street

I’ve lived in several apartment complexes in different states across the country, and I have seen how much quality can vary from building to building. The year I spent at the AVA is by far the best experience I have ever had. Here are a few reasons why:
— The staff is outstanding. Maintenance requests were immediately addressed. I was instantly notified if I received a package. Everyone knows you (and your pet!) by name. Dennis and Charles were especially helpful on every front — move in/​move out, shipping, coordinating with guests and dog walkers. This level of customer service orientation is rare among building managers.
— The building is young — but not too young. Most folks are between the ages of 25 – 40 and are working professionals. We had a lot in common with our neighbors and enjoyed the buildings social activities, but it never felt like college with loud drunk people blaring music. The common areas are trendy and very clean.
— It’s a better deal that comparable complexes in the area. If you want to be right off H Street and a few blocks away from Union Station, this is the best bang for your buck. We have friends in nearby complexes who pay much more than we do for only slightly fancier amenities. Unless you plan on going to a pool 50x a year or you feel passionately about living in a building that is BRAND new as opposed to VERY new, you should live in the AVA vs Station House/​Senate Square/​etc.
I think some of the negative reviews are from folks that just don’t understand how living in an apartment works. Yes, you can hear your neighbors sometimes — but I would not say the walls are especially thin. Yes, you have to rent some of the common areas in advance — if you wait until the last minute, they might not be available. Yes, if you have a package delivered at 8am, the leasing office will probably be closed. Best of luck finding any complex in DC where folks don’t complain about these things, because that’s what happens when you live in an apartment!
The AVA is fabulous. You should live there. That is all.

We had a phenomenal experience at AVA H Street. Dennis, Charles and Jay are the absolute best building staff — they made our time there super fantastic. Dennis was incredibly helpful during our move, as we were coming from across the country and couldn’t be there when the movers arrived. He was able to let the movers into our apartment and get everything situated, which was so amazing and unexpected. He and Charles have been so on top of it from the second we arrived, and have made the building really feel like home.
As far as location, you can’t get any better than this building — it’s one block off of H street, one block from the Giant, and a 5 – 10 minute walk to Union Station metro. Tons of restaurants/​bars/​coffee shops are within a few blocks, there’s a dog park just a few blocks away as well.
The apartment itself was new, modern in a fun way, and so bright. We had a one-​bedroom with a huge living room/​kitchen (open concept) and it made entertaining really easy and fun. In addition, the outdoor fire pit, grills, and lounge areas make it a really great place to have friends over. We found the other residents to be fantastic, and made a number of friends during our time there. It’s also one of the best apartment buildings I’ve ever seen for dogs — our dog made a ton of puppy friends who we would see regularly. Our dog’s favorite part of the building was the jar of treats in the main lobby — he ran straight to them after every walk.
All in all, we had an incredible experience here and will really miss it — the only reason we’re moving is that we purchased our own home. The staff of this building are amazing and we’re so grateful to them for everything they’ve done for us!

While I enjoyed living here (it was like a college dorm which made for a fun environment), the management of this building was so terrible it that it negates all the fun. I couldn’t trust management to do a thing right. Where it was charging me the correct rent, finding packages that had been delivered, confirm reservations for the freight elevator, or correctly refunding my security deposit. I would never live in another Ava because you cannot trust management to do their jobs.

The apartment building itself is beautiful, decently close to the red line and very dog friendly. The design of the place is very unique and has a very European vibe. The courtyard is also very nice and the location to the grocery store and non-​chain restaurants is great.
The only issue is the noise. Although the noise is not an issue for us, the leasing office has sent us repeated noise complaints from the neighbors below us – not for loud music or too many people – but for «walking too loud». We have been forced to tip-​toe around our place and feel like strangers in our own home. We hear everything above us – which does not bother us – but I assume the people complaining below us are also in the same shoes and do not take this as well.
We get very official letters in the mail reprimanding us for our steps – making us feel as if we are constantly breaking the rules/​being bad neighbors even though we are just walking around in our apartment in a natural manner.
Asking around, a lot of my friends living in the building have some kind of issue with how it is built too lightly and how sound travels so extremely.
If you are sensitive to noise or you aren’t a silent walker, don’t move in here.

I lived at AVA from ⁸⁄₂₀₁₃ — ⁶⁄₂₀₁₅. My experience was positive. The apartment is nicely situated right off H street near a giant and bars/​restaurants. I liked being able to walk to the grocery store or get a drink. There is also a bike share in front of the Giant which gives you quick access to Union station and the rest of H street. I found the staff fine, especially Jay who was on-​site maintenance. I had a roommate that complained about thin walls that allowed and noise and drafts through but I did not experience that. The only negative I had was receiving/​picking up packages the leasing office has to be open which is pain b/​c they are 9 – 5. I just got in the habit of calling from work and asking them to drop it in my room.

My partner and I recently went to look at this place and loved what we saw during the walkthrough. We immediately put in an application to hold a place, and within 3 days it was accepted. As we’ve started to go over the lease, we’ve also been looking through reviews. Suffice it to say we are less than thrilled with what we’re seeing. Is anyone who currently lives here able to connect us with some residents that live in the building? We’d love to ask a smattering of people what they think and have a few meaningful convos before we sign anything. Would be much appreciated.

Please know what you are getting into before signing anything with the Avalon Communities! I processed an application with Ava H to hold an apartment — they were very nice and helpful through the entire process. They even reassured me that «I had plenty of time to find a roommate» by two of the leasing agents. I was not able to sign my lease because of a family issue and not being able to put the time to find a roommate. At this point Ava H blind sided me by charging my card for 10 days of rent for an apartment that I never even saw! There process is unfair and unorganized. I have lived in other Avalon Communities in the past and have never had an issue until dealing with Ava H!

Do yourself a favor and do not live here. It’s a nightmare, let me tell you about my personal experience here.
I have lived at AVA for 19 months now and even renewed my lease. That was my second mistake. My first mistake was not reporting the unprofessional and hostile behavior from our community managers. When I first moved in Winter 2013 was running the building it was the hot spot to be in the neighborhood. It was affordable and the community events were always fun — local vendors would come in like Zipcar and Relay Foods and you had the opportunity to meet your neighbors. Well now we are under new management. Here’s what you can expect from your Lazy Leasing Office
1. They do not show up on time. They are in charge of our packages signing for them and disbursement of said package. Good luck picking up a package on Friday at 4:50PM — they are long gone.
2. When I was considering renewing my lease, the office sent me a total of 3 inaccurate leases. The first lease had the wrong total on it, the second lease had the wrong year, and the third had the wrong roommate.
3. You will always see your leasing office manager who out of common courtesy left unnamed — sprawled out on the couch watching episodes of Friends or the History channel. Are we paying for our community managers to watch television ²⁴⁄₇. I sure as hell hope not.
4. An apartment (pictures are attached) had a shattered glass down overlooking the patio. It shattered May 6^th and being an apartment that is situated on the 4^th floor — provides a significant safety hazard. When this was brought to the. attention of our community manager, he started interrogating and trying to hold us accountable. It’s quite comical — seeing as our wonderful maintenance supervisor The maintenance supervisor even brought in a glass specialist who attributed the shattered glass to a change in temperature. After the heated debate the community supervisor disregarded this claim as «a condition that is habitable» and refused to offer rent waived for the month of June. Its now June 7^th more than 30 days since the sliding DOOR (not WINDOW) that is well above 40 feet in the air. Their behavior is disgusting and repulsive. The maintenance supervisor reported the incident to the community agent and it is still not replaced. They are violating 14 – 701 of the DC Municipal Regulations and Registrar of the Housing Code that are all structures located on the structures should be maintained in good repair. They are also in violation of 14 – 705 of the DC Municipal that each window and door should be easily openable and in good condition. The funny part — doesn’t the Avalon Communities have insurance to cover this. Has anyone been reimbursed for a months rent? NOPE. The community manager even accused us of shattering the window.
You are not safe here. The community manager will not advocate on your behalf. It’s just a matter of time till this apartment complex gets shut down because of violation regulations and poor management. How much are you willing to pay for the quality of your life? Spend more somewhere else.

I have been living at AVA H for about six months and can’t say enough good things about my experience.
The apartments are nicely designed and the appliances are good. The location can’t be beat: about ½ way between Metro’s NoMa and Union Station stops, less than ½ a block from the market (Giant), near restaurants and H and K Street buses, Union Market, the Capitol, etc. etc. The prices seem fair for DC, too.
AVA’s real strength is it’s amazing staff. Dennis and Jay, and our newest member, Jean, are very responsive to the needs of residents. They have always been flexible regarding repairs, mail delivery, and other needs related to the building (i.e., confirming visitor parking when it was last minute or providing information about administrative issues). In fact, they go above and beyond and really make the community a great place.
Sure, the noise (in my case from the common areas or the street) can be enough to wake you and keep you awake, but that’s part of city living. The things that AVA H Staff can control and make better matter to them and they work hard doing so. The communal and personal spaces are modern, comfortable and inviting. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in moving here.

I have been living in the Ava H Street apartments now for about a year and I plan to renew my lease. I am renting one of their studios. While my studio is small I think they have made good use of the space. It came furnished with a lot of creative, customizable storage options in the form of baskets, hooks and shelving both on a gear wall as well as in my closet. The studio design offers a much larger walk-​in closet/​bathroom area than a lot of other studios I have seen. It’s true that the apartments are by no means cheap but cheap apartments are becoming harder and harder to find out here as Northeast is becoming «cool» again. I find it more important that I think it’s still a decent deal.
As mentioned in previous reviews, it’s true that the insulation is minimal and you certainly hear when people walk down the hallway. Personally this has never been an issue for me because I work unconventional hours and often feel as if I have the building to myself. I can see where if you are particularly sensitive to sound it may bug you but I suppose that has all to do with your tolerance level. I find that DC is a noisy city in general… I’ve often referred to the din created by all of our sirens, horns and self-​important loud cell phone talkers as our «Dc» lullaby. One positive sound related comment would be that at night, the neighborhood is VERY quiet and with your windows open you can enjoy the sound of the trains at Union Station from a distance.
The amenities are about what you will find in any comparable building. The courtyard is nice and I enjoy the fact that the gas grills are hard-​lined so you never have to worry about it running out mid cooking. As someone that tents an apartment that faces the courtyard, I would totally agree with the other reviewers complaint that some nights the courtyard can get really loud but within the past few months the leasing office has been great about cracking down on the posted nighttime quiet hours and it’s gotten a LOT better.
The neighborhood is great! Tons of great food/​drink options. It’s a very bike friendly area. You are a short ride from a variety of different neighborhoods as well as two metro stations. The MBT is also close.
The leasing office guys are fantastic. Rommy and Nick are always MORE than accommodating. I am someone that tends to go on late night online shopping binges and probably receive more packages than any normal human should. I definitely get my money’s worth out of those guys when it comes to bugging them all the time yet they are always happy to help. I’ve only had a maintenance issue once but the crew guys were prompt, friendly and helpful.
It may not be the quietest building but I would recommend it in a second for someone looking for a cute little hip apartment in a great up and coming neighborhood. The grocery store is literally across the street. The place isn’t perfect but who is? I can confidently say that I’ve always felt welcomed and well taken care of here.

I lived here for the past 14 months and have just recently moved out. This review is probably going to echo a lot of what has already been said about this apartment, but I wanted to give my perspective as well.
Let’s start with the positives:
1. The neighborhood around this apartment is great. There is a Giant almost next door, and if you prefer there is a Harris Teeter a little more than a 5 minute walk away. Also, it is right off of H Street so you can easily take advantage of all of the great restaurants and bars that it has to offer. Finally, being so close to Union Station is wonderful if you want to take the train or bus anywhere up and down the east coast.
2. The communal areas here were very nice. The lobby has plenty of furniture and has multiple TVs that you can control and use to watch anything on the big screens. The fire pit in the courtyard is wonderful on cool nights. The two large grills are also great if you ever want to do some grilling. The gym is ok… a few free weights and about 3 machines and then some cardio equipment. Nothing special, but it will get the job done in a pinch.
3. The appliances worked pretty well in each apartment. I never had a problem with anything in the kitchen, the washer and dryer were just fine and a common size for an apartment, and the bathroom fixtures always worked as well (the water pressure was a little low, but once again that seems to be common with apartments).
Now for some not so positive aspects:
1. The apartments offer pretty much no sound proofing, inside or out. Thankfully, I was in and end apartment so I did not really hear much hallway noise. However, the amount of noise that I heard from the people upstairs MORE than made up for that. I could hear a pin drop upstairs and it sounded like an anvil. Every step they took at any hour of the night would keep me up even over my fan which I run every night for the white noise. I could even hear their phone vibrating from my apartment. Also, since there are no actual doors to the rooms, there is little privacy even inside of your own apartment. There is about an inch gap between the door and the wall so any and all sound will come right into (or go out of) your room. Also, the glass is translucent at best, so if your roommate is in the living room with the light on, it is like midday sunshine in your room.
2. The noise in communal areas is awful at night. As many other residents have said, the noise in the courtyard is unbearable at times. We complained multiple times about the noise, and the management sent out emails telling people about quiet hours, and being courteous, etc. But, since there was no one working at the apartment during the night hours or on the weekends there was no one there to enforce these rules so after a few weeks it would go back to how it was before. This was especially troubling one Sunday, when I went out to grill dinner. The courtyard was completely taken over by a large group of people playing loud music, playing beer pong, and making it uncomfortable for anyone else to be on the patio. In addition, the courtyard also reeked of marijuana even though it is a «smoke-​free» community.
3. The fact that there is not someone in the office other than standard business hours makes it almost impossible for someone with a 9 – 5 job to be able to pick up any packages that are delivered. Also, because the same people that are accepting packages are also the same people giving the tours to prospective tenants, I had multiple times where I got notifications that my package was not delivered because someone was not there to accept it.
All in all, I loved the neighborhood, but the apartment was not a good fit for me. It was very small, offered no privacy, and the communal noise was all too much.

The website makes it seem as though electricity is included. it ISNT. I wouldnt have wasted my application fee if I knew this. I found better and cheaper in a better/​safer part of the Capitol Hill with utilities included.

There are some good things about this place (i.e.: nice patio, nice layout of the apartments), but it’s increasingly hard to get ahold of the management office, and there are some problems with the building. You can hear every single step of the person who lives above you. The closets are meant to be modern and efficient, but they break easily; furthermore, there were a lot of issues with the structure of the building, forcing them to often come into all the apartments to remedy. And the water fees have dramatically gone up since we’ve moved in, even though our usage has not changed at all.

I love living at the AVA. There are very few truly safe places to live in Northeast and this is one of them, especially with the increase in police presence. It’s also about a 5 – 6 minute walk to not one but two metro stations. I’ve personally found the office staff to be very accommodating. If something is broken, it is fixed within a few day if that. The gym is exceptionally nice, and is never very crowded. The actual units are inviting and comfortable. I’ve never had a problem with parking or with any of my guests parking. Also, cable and internet run super fast. Everyone in the community is friendly and easy to get along with. All in all I’ve been very happy here. The location is great, and I don’t really have any complaints.

I am completely over this place:
1. Noise due to residents: It is so loud at night with drunk college-​age looking kids partying and yelling in the courtyard until late at night (luckily the cold has kept them away for most of the winter months). You’ll often hear them making a racket even on weekday nights and the noise, yelling, and carrying on frequently lasts until the early hours of the morning. Ava management has sent one email (possibly two) out to residents about the noise problem in the 12 months that I’ve lived here and has not taken any further action to mitigate the issue. Noise is a major reason that I’m choosing not to renew my lease here.
2. Noise due to poor construction: The walls are paper thin… so much that I can even hear the water sweep through the pipes whenever the people upstairs flush their toilet when I’m laying in bed. Gross. Also, there is a huge issue in the building with noise traveling between floors. They told us that because it’s only a 6-​story building, there is no concrete in between the floors and ceilings. If you have ballerinas living above your unit you’ll probably be fine. I evidently have elephants living above mine. They have woken me up by walking (stampeding?) through their apartment numerous times — and I sleep with earplugs in.
3. Energy wastefulness: with utmost irony, Ava leasing agents will brag about how the building is constructed using materials that meet certain LEED standards, but will turn the 10-​ft courtyard firepit on and leave it running throughout the day although there is no one outside to enjoy it. I understand that they want to showcase the amenities and I think a more appropriate way of doing that would be to show prospective residents how to turn it on and off during tours of the property. In addition, if your unit faces the courtyard, you will hear music blasting during the course of the day, again without anyone outside to enjoy it. This has been going on since day one, and it is indeed audible even with your doors and windows closed (again, assuming you face the courtyard like I do). In short, I don’t understand the point of wasting resources for the enjoyment of no one.
4. Hot and cold customer service: Extremely annoying is a woman named Jax who is sometimes here on the weekends and will tell you in front of prospective tenants that you need to wait for her to finish her tour before she will let you pick up a package. One day she made me stand there awkwardly like an idiot for close to 10 minutes while she finished talking to a prospective resident. She tried to do it to me again today and I completely lost my cool and said that I don’t pay over $ 2000 a month to put up with this. There is no excuse for it; it is simply poor form. She then reluctantly opened the storage closet to retrieve the package, proceeds to announce that there is no package waiting for me. Nice.
Also, there is no one around at all to release packages on Sundays.
On the flipside, maintenance is very responsive and is, for many, the community’s saving grace.
5. Overall cheaply built apartment: The screen door behind my sliding glass door has never been set in its track properly and maintenance hasn’t been able to fix it – understandably because fixing it correctly requires someone to assist from other side (3^rd floor). My pots and pans are constantly falling down because the particle board shelf was cut about a half inch too short and it always caves between the pegs that support it. The sliding doors — I get that they save space but they are so loud and sometimes jam/​come off their tracks. The wooden sliding door between my bedroom and bathroom doesn’t close all the way and stays open about a half inch toward the top… if you’re living here with a significant other, be ready to hear everything you never wanted to hear them do in the bathroom because that’s what’s about to happen.
6. Appliances: You don’t get a full size washer and dryer in your unit… I didn’t realize it during the tour, but the washer and dryer are really small. I think it’s unreasonable to ask so much money in rent and not provide full size appliances.
Notable, but not really an issue for me: I would say about 70% of the dog owners in the building are very good at following community rules, which are basically to pick up after your dog and keep your dog on a leash if you bring it into the courtyard — simple and fair. I could see the 30% being an issue either for people who don’t like or are afraid of dogs, or dogs that don’t do well around other dogs.
Overall, it is just not a peaceful environment.
My 1-​bedroom apt and parking space and all the additional fees they throw in at the end of the month comes out to about $ 2150 (my base rent is $ 1920). And they’re hiking it up another $ 80 if I want to renew my lease. No thanks.

I’ve lived in other luxury apartment buildings in this area. AVA was cheaper, so we moved here. The units are small, but we don’t need that much space, and the big closets were a huge draw.
After moving in, you notice a few more things than on an initial tour:
1. It’s cheaper for a reason, other than square footage. Maybe the materials are eco-​friendly, but the appliances, fixtures, etc. are also of lower quality. It would be borderline to call this a luxury apartment. Things are a little off kilter, misaligned, whatever. It’s not a huge deal, but something to keep in mind if that bothers you.
2. The staff is really friendly. Unlike some other buildings, where concierge is friendly and the leasing office screws you over, this is all rolled into one role, and they’re pretty approachable.
3. Every few months, there’s been some improvement they need to make that they didn’t think of when first building the place, and you need to move stuff in your apartment all over so they can do the work. It wasn’t a huge deal the first time, but a few more times, and I’ve taken hours rearranging my stuff for this. Probably wouldn’t be a problem for new people moving in. I understand that this is legally acceptable, but it’s never anything I’ve had to deal with in any other building.
4. With the water/​sewage/​trash fees added, it’s considerably more than the «cheaper» advertised price. I understand that this is common among most buildings. But the fees were higher here than in more «luxury» luxury apartments I’ve been in. So much for the initial draw.

I have lived at AVA since December of 2012. Although I have lived in the DC area since 2001, I do not have a lot of experience living in rental properties in the area as I have owned homes over the majority of this time. Law school necessitated the sale of my most recent property and the move into an apartment. I can honestly say that the DC area does not have a plentiful selection of good quality affordable apartments. AVA is not cheap for what is being offered. The apartments are small and the layouts require some imaginative furniture placement to make them livable. The doors to the apartments are also not soundproofed so noise from the hallway is clearly audible.
The staff at AVA is absolutely wonderful! They are pleasant and very receptive. The location is also great as the restaurants of H ST are literally a short walk away and the new Giant grocer is practically next door. The underground parking is fantastic as the area’s street parking is quickly depleted with all the new residents. The lobby is also very clean and nicely outfitted.
AVA has an outdoor courtyard with grills and ample seating that is also very nice. However, I have an apartment that faces the courtyard and some weeknights the noise from residents can keep you awake well past midnight. Also, the courtyard has music that plays automatically everyday from around 11AM to 6ish. Again, if your apartment faces the courtyard it is likely you will hear it. Not a problem usually, but occasionally I work from home and the music can be a bit distracting (it’s just not my favorite genre). I would imagine that the apartments that face away from the courtyard, or are on higher floors, likely don’t hear much noise from the courtyard.
Also, the majority of residents at AVA are relatively young, which was quite a surprise given the cost of the apartments. Not necessarily a problem, but just surprising.
So, although AVA is certainly not cheap, it is a bit cheaper than most apartments in the area, such as The Flats on M ST NE, Senate Square, and 360H. Not sure if I will remain here once my lease expires, but if I do decide to leave, the reasons for leaving will likely be a need for more space and a bit more of a quiet living environment.

Let me first say… I don’t live here. I am apartment hunting and went to visit the place.
Pros:
1. The staff are really friendly and helpful.
2. The residents seem real easygoing and friendly.
3. Great location. Many things to walk to.
4. The gym is nice.
Cons:
1. The units are small. For the same price, you can walk one block over to 360 H Street and get a bigger apartment.
2. The units are not very inviting. They look just like the rooms at the Aloft Hotel.
I decided not to live here. The price and the hotel-​like look didn’t do it for me.

I have to say given that I’ve lived in 4 different apartment buildings AVA has been my favorite thus far. It’s close by Union Station metro, there’s a Giant grocery store being built right across the street, and in the mean time Harris Teeter is within walking distance. I love the sliding doors, which creates much more space and sometimes gives the feel of a studio apartment given that if you want you make the bedroom and living room one open space. you can My fiancé and I have a two bedroom and it’s great. We painted how we wanted, we have two dogs, so obviously it’s a dog friendly apartment, and the neighborhood is not entirely bad. Don’t get me wrong… I would not recommend walking down H street at by yourself at ill advised times but as long as you’re smart and taxi when you need to taxi you are fine. I walk my little dogs around the neighborhood all the time, which is fairly well lit and it’s not a problem what so ever.
One thing that I can’t stand about AVA is the price. I get it’s DC… I get it’s an expensive area but with base rent, a dog fee, and a parking spot you’re looking at paying a hefty sum. And the reason we went with the two bedroom is because the one bedroom felt like a rabbit hole it was so small. The basic design is a space conscious area with hugh closets, which I love, but unfortunately smaller bedrooms. We still do manage to fit a king size bed in the first bedroom but it’s still tight. We went from living in Tysons Corner where we paid $ 2500 for a luxury two bedroom, dog fee, as well as two underground parking spots. I think H Street is still up and coming with way too many kinks in the neighborhood to be going for what it is. Prices should be lowered but then again if they can find people like me, who love the eco friendly building, they’ll sell like hot cakes. But one flaw I see in AVA is their too cool for school attitude as well as price. This place is geared to «hipsters» or really they should say young people with jobs who still feel a sense of coolness from college they can’t quite get over. No one in the building is over 35 and from the apartment get togethers it seems like a lot of men. But then again it’s early in the apartment’s life and that could change. Basically real hipsters would never be able to afford these apartments. They’re renting the back alley townhouses with 3 – 4 roommates.
All in all AVA has it’s kinks but I do like it. Will I stay here after my 7 month lease is over (that’s the shortest lease they offered and since we were unsure of the neighborhood we went with the shortest amount possible) I’m not sure. The gear wall, or place to put all your crap is nice, but I can’t get over the price of it for such an up in the air location. Somedays you walk down H street and feel safe and others that’s just not the case. All in all if you’re into a cool apartment but not so put together neighborhood I’d say try it, if not pay the same for a one bedroom in Dupont or Georgetown and call it a day.