The Woodner

The Woodner may not be fancy, but I don’t understand all the negative reviews it receives. I lived there from 2012 to 2014 and never had an issue. There are some odd residents, sure, but the rent was great and almost everyone I met was pleasant. The rent started to rise as I departed, so I could see there being less bang for your buck in 2016; if you need a cheap studio and don’t mind living halfway to Silver Spring, however, go take a look!

Leasing office was very nice except for the condescending racist guy attending the office… JUST AWFUL… Pretty Woman was treated nicer walking in the store.

As the say goes — you get what you pay for — and then some. Yes, there are amenities that are nice: grocery store, cleaners. However, this is a business first and foremost, and the buyer must beware before they sign that damned lease:
First off, and this is why I am furious, and writing this review — plan on moving out only on the 1^st of the month. Oh, you can move IN whenever you please — they’ll take you anytime. However, if you must vacate with limited notice as I have, leaving on the 15^th of the month necessitates you giving a month and half’s notice in order not to be charged for entire extra month. Most contracts state 30 DAYS NOTICE. Here, it’s the 1^st. Because I did not give them a month and half’s notice ahead of time, I’m responsible for the entire next month; not to mention that I’m sure they’ll just rent out the unit and make 1,5 times the rent for that month.
Second, when your lease is up, they don’t bother alerting you to re-​sign. They just start charging you the full amount per month as opposed to the «discount» rate you get when signing a 6 – 12 lease. Of course, they’ll honor a new extended lease, but the hassle of going down to the office to go through the motions of «oh, so you want a new lease?» «yesssss…» is a minor irritation.
Third, and perhaps your most important concern: BED BUGS. At first I thought I brought them with me from NJ. Nope. The young woman down the hall told me we had em all down the hall. She was so disgusted and incensed that she rode out the remainder of her lease and then got the heck out. It has taken me most of the year to be rid of them completely. And only after I bought my own industrial products to spray and sprinkle excessively all around my bed, since their lax attitude towards proactively addressing the situation left much to be desired.
It’s always telling when the people that work here tell you to be wary of living here. the excessive amount of section 8 and/​or undesirable people who walk about really make you feel like you’re living in the projects. The leasing office is beautiful — clean and smells nice. Check out a few of the floors though, and you’ll see stained carpets that haven’t been shampooed in years, smells emanating from various apartments that smell like bodily excrement, dead bodies, rotting food, and dogs.
Movin’ ON!

I like to do a little rating of the apartments I live in at the beginning and end of my leases just to give people a full picture of the place. I’ve only been living here a few days, so here goes:
My new apartment, specifically, has a couple of issues. I was told there would be carpet but got wood floors instead (I know most people like wood floors, but I don’t. Just a preference that I felt misled about.) Also, the previous residents left behind a strong curry odor that I can’t get rid of and frankly, have had to complain about. Management has sent in housekeeping to deodorize the place but if that doesn’t work, I’m going to request a different unit, as it really is a strong and unpleasant stench. Stove didn’t work right off the bat, and after maintenance failed to fix it, I got in there myself and figured it out.
The location is pretty alright. It’s right up against 16^th St, which is typically very busy and lively. It’s also on the back-​end of Rock Creek Park. While the immediate area seems fine, I have found some of the surrounding neighborhoods a bit uncomfortable. The further you go from 16^th St, the more worn-​out the buildings look and the more you see semi-​questionable/​shady gatherings late at night on street corners.
Transportation on 16^th St is pretty great compared to other areas of DC and Arlington. I’ve never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus and they sometimes arrive only 2 minutes apart. Also, the Woodner has a shuttle that will take residents to the Van Ness Metro Station.
The neighbors have been quiet and polite so far. While there are a couple of slightly odd people milling around, most residents have been cordial, welcoming, and helpful. I get regular «hellos» and chitchats and smiles. And I haven’t heard a peep from my neighbors yet.
As far as amenities go, I’m fairly impressed: doctor’s office, dry cleaners, grocery store, video rental, housekeeping service, metro shuttle, and dental office. Laundry is shared but people have been considerate. The pool is very nice, the workout room is small but adequate, and the floating terrace is pretty awesome.
I don’t have a car but I’ve experienced the parking situation just a bit from moving in with some help from people with cars/​trucks. The garage is crowded and parking is tandem. The attendant was prompt about helping but did not seem overly eager or cordial about it. Granted, it can’t be the most interesting job in the world.
I’ve heard about bug problems, but I suppose this is an issue more for people who live on lower levels. I’m up high and so far I haven’t seen a sign of anything.
Management and resident services has been fairly great. Any time I’ve come into the office, they smile and seem excited to talk to me. Already called maintenance for one minor issue and the guy showed up in the next hour.
The rent is really a bargain. For a studio, I pay $ 1199 for everything. This includes gas, electricity, water, sewage, etc. And so far, I don’t see the «you get what you pay for» aspect of it. It’s no better or worse than some apartments where I’ve paid more.

I cannot be more happy with Woodner Building than I am right now.
Awesome maintenance, quite neighbors, NO BUGS whatsoever!
On top of that the rent is ridiculously low for a building right in DC. It takes me 40 minutes ON FOOT to get to Dupont circle. And if you want to use the bus or metro– the bus stop is right in fron of the building and the Columbia Heights metro station is 10 minutes away.
Giant is also quite close so you can do your groceries there and you can use the Woodner shuttle that takes you to giant and brings you back for free.
It is a great place to live in.

I lived here for one year in a studio apartment. I found the location to be convenient enough, with a bus stop right in front of the building that took me almost directly to my job in downtown DC. The apartment itself was pretty bare bones but it was relatively cheap and got the job done.
I would have rated the place higher, but I had lots of cockroach issues and basically couldn’t leave any food out or dishes in the sink. I did ask for pest control to come, and they did help, but still it did not eliminate the problem.
Also, I moved out in the end of September and still haven’t gotten my security deposit check back. They claim to have mailed it November 6, but it never arrived. Hopefully they sort that issue out soon.

We lived at the Woodner for a number of years and really enjoyed our time there. We loved our apartment that have a view of Rock Creek Park and used the pool quite a bit during the Summer. While it is an older building, the staff there did a great job of keeping it clean and when I needed maintenance they did come to my apartment quickly. This is a great place to live in NW. The bus stops right in front of the building and there is a shuttle van to the Metro. The prices were reasonable and we had an overall great experience there.

I moved in here with my partner at the end of August. The move-​in process was OK. The loading dock was not occupied and the parking garage guy was pretty helpful at the time. The only complaint I have about that is its a far walk from the dock to the B-​side apartments so I was all hot and sweaty after moving in all our stuff.
Parking (unreserved) is $ 150 a month and you have to leave your key with the attendant because it is tandem parking. I have had pretty good experiences and really horrible experiences with the attendants. On the good side, there is one attendant that is very nice and helpful. However if you have the you the unfortunate need to use your car any time on Sunday you’re S.O.L. here is my story with him:
I returned from running errands and parked in front of 2 other cars that were close to the apartment entrance (everybody does this). While I was backing up he gives me the dirtiest look and yells and motions to me to park in another spot. I let the incident slip by and moved on with my day. On another occasion I left in the early morning and returned to the same a-​hole attendant. I ended up parking in the same spot that my car had been when I left since it was still open. While I returned my key to him he gives me a rude lecture about how I am making him work. Wtf! It’s your job to move cars and I help pay your salary. Why the hell are you complaining about working. This particular parking attendant is one of the worst human beings I have met. Luckily by the time i moved out of this hell hole, they had hired a new tolerable weekend attendant.
On a side note about parking be warned: they don’t care about your car. I checked my car and there was a large scrape on the upper left bumper that was not there before. Nobody has taken responsibility and the apartment will do nothing about it.
Generally speaking this building is very old and the people at resident services are pretty rude. Parking attendants have a tendency to suck. The dry cleaning lady is nice and front desk is also nice. I have seen 3 roaches since I moved in and I often see exterminator vans downstairs. I would not recommend living here.

My official move-​in was about 2 months ago so I thought it was about time to leave a review, as I found the ones others left to be extremely helpful.
MOVE-​IN PROCESS: I showed up at 9:30 on a Sunday morning and there was no one else taking up the loading dock. I hired movers because I have heavy furniture and they knew the building very well, so the process was very quick. The security people that walk the hallways were very helpful and told me how to get a key to lock the freight elevator.
MY UNIT: I usually take a few days to clean an apartment before moving in but mine was pretty spotless. The kitchen seemed to be new, mine has the same fridge, stove, cabinets, and counters that is seen in one of the pictures someone posted on Unilocal.The counter space is very limited, but I had space enough in the kitchen «hallway» to fit one of those counters on wheels you can get at ikea and I LOVE the extra space and storage. The bathroom had new light fixtures and the toilet was one of those new ones with the flusher on top. I have no issues with getting cold or hot water. The bathtub I have is longer and deeper than newer ones which I LOVE.
THE BUILDING: The grocery downstairs is super convenient, it is cash only but if you’re desperate and don’t mind paying extra, there is an ATM also. If that doesn’t work for you, the Target and Giant in Columbia Heights aren’t too far. I personally prefer heading to Trader Joes downs on P between 14^th and 15^th. The Woodner also has a dry cleaners’, and the lady there is very nice.
MAINTENANCE ISSUES: Calling does nothing, but you’ll get a response – sometimes within hours – when you follow the directions and submit a written work order. When I first moved in I had three issues, all of which were corrected within 24 hours (some even just hours later!!). My shower head was kind of sucky, the toilet wouldn’t fill up, and my front door had issues opening and closing (I imagine this was one of those things I could have gotten used to once I figured out the trick, but as I’d just moved in, I figured I might as well mention it!). Within 24 hours I got a new showerhead, they replaced some toilet part, and when I came home the next day my door opened and closed perfectly easily.
ARE THERE BED BUGS?: As far as I know, no. I had read one of the bed bugs reviews and was extremely paranoid and vigilant about monitoring ANY bite I got. I’d gotten a few mosquito bites from keeping the window open, but one day about a month after moving in I found three bites in a row and PANICKED. There were no signs on my bed or anywhere that I could see (and I did SO MUCH research), but per a friend’s recommendation, I thought I’d get in contact with the building anyway to see what they had to say. I got a letter from the building saying that they were coming to inspect in a few days, and that if treatment should be required at that time, they wanted all my clothes and stuff in bags etc. Well everyone I knew thought I was being paranoid, but I followed the directions anyway… but low and behold – the exterminator put some chemicals down, but found 0 dead or live bed bugs. So… lesson learned is that they take any complaint very seriously. During this whole time I have also asked several people I’d be with in elevators on my floor and others, and they all said they never had any bed bug issues. Some said they once had mice or roaches but that was in the pst and the building exterminated everything.
SAFETY?: I am a single mid 20s female and have not had any issues to date. There are people who have lived in this building for years who think of this building as their community, so I guess if you’re not the «meet your neighbors type» then that’s strange to you. But this place feels safe and there are tons of families and young professionals.
PRICE: Prices are extremely reasonable considering that on a good day, U Street is only a 10 minutes bus ride away. The only fee you pay is rent, and that includes all utilities except cable/​internet. Your choice there are Comcast or RCN, and let me tell you the RCN install guy is super nice! The building is rent controlled so even if you get a good move-​in deal, they’ll only increase your rent 5%.
PARKING: For parking there is a garage and indoor/​outdoor reserved spots, all available for a fee. Garage parking is under 24 hour surveillance. If you do unreserved garage parking, just be sure to leave 5 – 10 minutes earlier (unless you’ve thought ahead and left a note on your windshield with your time of departure) in case your car has been moved to the back. The parking guys are really good about not putting more than 2 cars in front of any other car, so it’s really not that big of a deal when you think your car is safe/​not going to be covered in snow!
LAUNDRY: So far so good! Lots of machines! People are generally considerate!
Good luck! If you’re on a budget but want to be in a good area close to nightlife, this is the place for you!

I moved into the Woodner a couple weeks ago, and so far I absolutely love it. The office was a huge help moving in and accommodated us when we had car trouble and couldn’t arrive until after the office closed. We love our apartment – the one bedroom is HUGE, big enough to convert the living room into a second bedroom and still have a small living area. No signs of bugs of any kind yet, and everything works perfectly.
I had some trouble getting a parking pass (the person who does it is in the office 9 – 5 and that’s when I’m at work) but Livia Hall ended up helping me out tremendously and was absolutely wonderful. Everyone I’ve met so far has been lovely.
The Woodner is the perfect place for a recent grad (my roommate and I are both 22). It’s affordable but still nice, and in a convenient location. It’s a bit of a walk to some places but so far we haven’t minded at all. The bus is extremely accessible and in my opinion the DC bus system is way underrated.
Will probably update this review when we’ve been here a bit longer, but so far no complaints.

Just moved out (unfortunately). I LOVED living here! Very convenient, clean, everybody that works here is so friendly! I would’ve stayed longer had I not moved out of state! Only complaint is that my first week living here, the lady in the drycleaners that accepts all of the UPS packages lost 3 boxes of mine by giving them to other residents… so frustrating and I could never reach anyone to get compensation for them since The Woodner claimed they weren’t responsible for her negligence. One of them was returned, the others weren’t but no bad experiences after that and I get a ton of packages. Highly recommended!

Coming from the ‘new parent’ perspective, I was a little worried about the earlier reviews, but we have lived here for a year now and while I hate how expensive it, I don’t think there is anything cheaper/​better in the neighborhood.
Pros (especially with a baby) — long hallways to wander down during snow days, lots of little kids to find in the hallways, very nice security and quick maintenance people (at least to the baby and I, less so to Hispanic husband), indoor grocery (clutch during freezing cold early morning milk runs), bus stop right in front, easy access to Rock Creek running trails and the park up at 16^th Street, also, my husband used the shuttle a lot for a job he had over by AU and found it really convenient, but our overall favorite isthe pool. We go to the pool nearly every day that it is open and she loves it.
Cons– we have had various infestations of these tiny little roaches, but have managed to get them under control, we are right in front, so traffic can be so loud that you don’t want your windows open during rush hour, and, the bane of my existence.
They only give key cards to the side ramp/​door to people with cars. Not the people lugging all the groceries home in a stroller or with a baby on the back of a bike, so you just have to wait until someone comes by which certainly defeats the purpose of having the security to begin with and makes me crazy angry every time. People with cars didn’t have to push their groceries over a mile through the city. They should have the energy to walk to the front door. The exhausted lady with the baby needs the key card.
Overall, for our personal financial situation, we probably shouldn’t have stayed in the neighborhood because it is just too expensive, but I have really liked our big sunny apartment and would recommend it if you make more than a teacher.

I have lived in the Woodner for a little over a year. I am moving out next month so I felt I should write a review. The Woodner is not fancy, but it gets the job done. It’s affordable and the apartments are just as nice as any of the other buildings along 16^th street. Its a bit farther North and a walk from the metro and grocery store but it is very convenient for the bus.
I have never not felt safe in the Woodner. I lock my door at night and when I leave, just as i would at any building. Likewise, the neighborhood requires you to be vigilant and smart.
The bad things: the management and front desk people are not the most helpful. Noise issues will pretty much go ignored. they charge too much for laundry and the machines, when not in use, don’t work very well. The store downstairs is convenient but also a bit overpriced and cash only.
In general, if you are looking for an affordable, relatively convenient apartment, I would recommend the Woodner. It’s far from perfect but you won’t find much better in this neighborhood and you’d pay more going a bit farther south.

I lived here for 6 months before moving for a new job. If I did not have a new job, I would have renewed my lease to go month-​to-​month.
Pros:
— Low rent. All utilities included except Internet, I paid $ 1195/​month for a 400 square foot studio.
— Concrete walls. I heard almost NOTHING from the units above and next to me. — Trash chutes on each floor so you don’t have to walk your trash down
— Honest and quick maintenance. Maintenance will come either the same day of the request or the next day. I’ve never had anything missing from my apartment and they’ve always come while I was at work, so maintenance is very honest.
— Laundry in-​building, TONS of machines so I’ve never had to wait.
— Package service will accept packages for you and hold for 10 days
— There is a gym, dry cleaning center, and grocery store in the building. The grocery store is more for convenience, very limited, and very expensive (and cash only).
— S1, S2, S4, S9 Bus stop right outside to take you downtown
Cons:
— Pests. I did have an occasional roach from the kitchen or bath drain (about one a month). I never had problems with bedbugs, though I have a friend in the building who did once.
— Occasional sketchy people come in. I was never mugged/​robbed/​assaulted/​whatever in my six months living alone though. I did get approached by a sketchy man on my floor though, and I just bolted out of there.
— One of my packages was delivered but the Package service denied ever receiving it, even when I showed them delivery confirmation. This only happened once though.
— Concrete walls means you will not get any cell phone service unless you have Verizon. Also, the RCN installation guy told me multiple bedroom units have trouble using WiFi and often need to use Ethernet cords. Just something to keep in mind.
UPDATE (March 2014):
When I moved out, the Woodner said they would mail me my security deposit 45 days after my lease ended. I have never had a good experience getting my security deposit back (I’ve always had to threaten legal action), and I’ve never gotten it back 100% (always some $ 200 ‘cleaning fee’).
Yet, I did in fact receive my full security deposit in the mail, exactly 45 days after my lease ended. Awesome!

I went in over my lunch hour to look at the 1-​bedrooms they have available. I made the appointment with the leasing office several days in advance. I showed up and the office was closed, so I went into the apartment building and told the front desk clerks that I had an appointment with the leasing office. The clerks told me that every employee in the leasing office went to the cheesecake factory and they won’t be back until 2pm (it was 12:30pm at that point). How unprofessional and disrespectful of the Woodner to blow off and appointment like that. The clerks proceeded to tell me NOT to live at the Woodner. They said it’s completely disorganized and they are miserable. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE.

Much like Detroit, the city I grew up nearby, this apartment building is probably not nearly as bad as you’ve heard it is. So for my 600^th Unilocal review, I’m going to set the record straight about my apartment complex!
Whenever I tell people where I live, they look a bit disgusted. This complex has a real reputation for being a bit on the «funky» side. And there are definitely a few tenants here I would put barely on this side of sane. But they tend to hang out with each other, mostly in the lobby, and leave other tenants alone. You’ll never hear late night screaming (although a few people do try to throw loud parties in studios on weekends) or see people smearing walls with disgusting fluids.
What you do find is convenience. The S9 has a stop at Spring Road and this express bus makes getting to either Dupont Circle or Silver Spring a breeze (and there’s seriously a S1, S2, or S4 non-​express bus every two minutes during rush hour). Plus the 14^th Street section of Columbia Heights for shopping needs is ten minutes away. Hip places like The Red Derby and Mad Momos are a two block walk.
And views are the best ever! From the small gym on the 12^th floor (it has what I need in ellipticals and bikes) you can see the D.C. skyline. And almost all the units either overlook Rock Creek Park or Columbia Heights. I live in a cheaper unit due to the lack of a spectacular view and I still overlook «downtown» Mount Pleasant and its adorable row houses.
But what I actually like most about The Woodner is not having to leave the building at all (since I work from home). The market stocks pretty much everything from snack foods (from about ten different nations) to pre-​made sandwiches, ice cream and alcoholic beverages. There’s a video store which stocks all the new DVDs (as well as Ethiopian imported goods). Plus it sells lottery tickets. If you want to strike it rich and move to a nicer apartment building.
I have seen a few bugs (mini-​cockroach looking things) in my apartment, but they do come through and exterminate them quickly.
For the price, it’s a great place to live. All utilities being included makes budgeting so easy that I never want to live without that perk again. Yes, I probably got scabies from the carpeting here but all in all, this place is okay in my book. I’ll probably even be living here when I write my 700^th review.

I lived at the Woodner for five years. It was the Best of Times, it was the Not Too Bad Times. I moved out because I couldn’t justify paying over $ 1100 for a studio there, but then again I am a BOOMER. Had vermin problems in the beginning but exterminators took care of that completely in the first year. Loved the mini-​mart, dry cleaners, and video store in the lobby! I had the most amazing view of Rock Creek Park (Snowmageddon was amazing to watch). No car needed because Metro bus stop is right outside the building (besides parking tickets on 16^th Street at rush hour were $ 100). Neighbors? The Cuban drummers next door only practiced on the weekends and never past 7pm – I loved their music. I’ve read otherwise but Resident Services and Accounting always treated me with respect.
Would I move back? No, not at current rent rates. I AM a Boomer and that’s just plain crazy!

I am allergic to the Woodner.
The first apartment that I had at the Woodner was infested with black mold, which I initially expected when I was coughing all the time and my eyes were burning at an increasing rate. The Woodner sent «mold experts» up to the apartment who said that it was not mold, but when I went out-​of-​pocket and hired my own «mold expert,» it took him less than a minute to identify that my airconditioner was filled with black mold and that I was inhaling black mold every day.
When I showed his findings to the Woodner, they were very nice and gave me a new apartment. However, I am having new and different allergic reactions to this new place, where my lips are peeling considerably, my skin is itchy all the time and my eyes are incredibly puffy. I am now spending about $ 300/​week to live out of a crappy hotel room in Springfield, just so I’m not in pain ever day, while I look for a new place to live.
The staff and employees are very nice at the Woodner. However, there is something not right with this place. If you value your health at all, DO NOT move in here. It may be cheap, but your health is more important.

Going into this building, I understood it had a long history, changed ownership many, many times, and the makeup of its residents has shifted tremendously. I just finished living there for a full year and can say it has been one of the better apartment complexes I have lived in or visited since I moved to the DC area.
In my year there (April 2012 — April 2013), in that short time span, the make-​up of its residents has changed drastically. What I would have previously pinpointed as perhaps ¼ of its tenants being young professionals is now creeping to ½ (granted, this is just by my way of observation). The other half of the building is made up of young families and the sincerely elderly who I would venture a guess will live there until their last days. Given the amount of times I have seen Ambulances carrying away elder individuals (a nearly daily occurrence), it seems to be the case.
However, don’t let that deter you. The rooms are large for what you pay. Its not the cheapest apartment complex in DC by any stretch, but its reasonably priced and you get a heck of a lot of space for what you are paying. All utilities (except internet/​cable) are included in monthly rent.
The market in the building has expanded their selection, including adding beer and wine, but they still have not added any ability to take credit/​debit. I would have shopped there almost daily if it hadn’t been for their cash-​only policies. They do have an ATM machine, but with a $ 2 fee (on top of whatever your bank may charge), it just isn’t worth shopping there unless you desperately need something.
The management and leasing office has friendly staff, but are otherwise slow in responding to some issues and at times don’t seem to be on top of all the paperwork. There were a few maintenance requests that went ignored until my 3^rd request. More importantly, the initial requests I made when I moved into the room were ignored entirely. Nothing that changed how happy I was in the apartment, but damages from a prior resident I didn’t want to get charged for once I moved out. So far no charges, but given how other apartment buildings in DC will screw you over in an instant, I remain cautious…
That being said, I do highly recommend living here. Columbia Heights is a great neighborhood and has improved dramatically over the past few years — and is still improving! You are steps from Mount Pleasant, on the major 16^th street bus lines, and its not as far north as you may think.
People have complained about bugs. I never saw a single spider, roach, or big bug anywhere in my apartment. There were the occasional fly, but that’s not terrible. Some people have complained about noise. At times noise echoes through the hallways, but it was never oppressive and it never ran too late. Granted this really is all based on who else lives on your floor and if they are loud.

Very cheap with all utilities! This places needs a lot of improvements. The people that work here are very incompetent and try to get every penny out of you. If your door locks, they charge you 20 dollars to open the door with their master key. The secretary do not do anything there, it’s just for show. If you order packages, be careful, I known people who lost their packages at woodner. They never feel like looking or checking for your package, and they would give you an attitude about it. I had a few packages that was delivered for days and they wouldn’t check for it, even when I told them UPS or USPS told me it was delivered and signed by woodner.
Safty is another issue! Since I’ve moved in with my girlfriend, SHE’S BEEN ROBBED ONCE JUST HALF A BLOCK FROM THE BUILDING, AND WE WERE ROBBED while we were sleeping in OUR APARTMENT. How crazy is that!