Rhode Island Row

Don’t Move Here! I Read In A Previous Comment That The Fire Alarm Goes Off All The Time And It’s TRUE!!!
I’ve been living here for 1 month and the fire alarm has gone off 2 times! About 2 weeks ago at 10pm — due to a water leak And Right Now At 6:15am! Not only is this scary (being woken up by the alarm) but it’s annoying and could be a big problem if there were actually a fire and being that this happens so often, people ignore the alarm. There was no fire and no one exiting the building! Who wants to deal with this.
After complaining multiple times about the door to the parking garage not being secure, a new problem came up (not surprising). Someone stole my boyfriends bike from the bike storage room. The Jumped the gate to the parking garage, cut the fence to the storage room and took the ULock & Bike (see pics). This place isn’t secure. It’s a JOKE. Everything I read in previous comments are TRUE!
Do yourself a favor, move to an area where you are not woken up by buses starting at 5am every morning. If you work from home, want to sleep in or just have a general piece of mind — This is not the place for you.
The 1 star is due to the metro stop being right across the way. Cant wait to get out of here!!!

This is the third review I am writing for this place because mine keep getting deleted *somehow*.
DO. NOT. LIVE. HERE.
Seriously. I lived at RIR for 2 years, and it was the worst experience. They lied about the amenities available for dog owners. The fire alarms go off CONSTANTLY, sometimes several times a day, sometimes for up to an hour at a time. They refused to allow me to put a lock on the door to my second story balcony because no one would ever be able to climb up 1 story to break into my apartment, right?
One day, after the fire alarms had been going off for over an hour, my poor dog tried to escape and opened the (unlocked) balcony door and was seriously injured. I complained to the building and rather than apologize or behave reasonably, they tried to evict me! They told me that someone would be coming over to install a lock on the balcony door, so when I heard a knock on the door I answered it (usually I wouldn’t have because the neighborhood is so bad and I didn’t want to get stabbed). Instead of coming in to fix the door, I was instead served eviction papers (they claimed we failed to pay rent, despite the fact that they had cashed a check every month since I moved in). When I very reasonably brought up the point that retaliatory evictions are illegal, and that I know that because I am a lawyer, they quickly back pedaled and said that they didn’t mean to evict me! It was just a mistake! A mistake that is on my record now, and one which will need to be explained to every employer for the rest of my life.
They then jacked up the rent for the following year– significantly increased it, despite the fact that most of the restaurants we were promised never materialized, or that the security in the building is a joke, or that there was basically no space on the property where my dog was actually allowed to be. We couldn’t get out of there fast enough, and now you couldn’t pay me to live in a Bozzuto building ever again.

The only reason I can give this place a One Star is because they are conveniently appointed next to the metro, and decent sized apartments for the price.
My roommate and I lived here for two years (April 2013-​April 2015). There is another review from S. B which sums up my review, but I will go into other details as well.
*Leasing Office: the word Unprofessional doesn’t even sum up how incapable the office is at even the smallest details. The response from the management is painstaking slow. There have been several times when emails were sent to residents with no letterhead or signature with the words «EVERYONE EVACUATE THE BUILDING» or «WHEN YOU HEAR THE ALARM, YOU MUST LEAVE THE BUILDING», and even «COME HAVE WINE LATER IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM». That sentence is literally the entire email (all in caps) and has no email signature, so your thoughts is the email is spam.
* Concierge: This is a joke. The desk is supposed to be open 24 hours, but several times i have arrived home after being out late and found the desk person sleeping on a desk. Only after knocking on the office door did I wake them up and have them give me attitude about having to help me.
*Keys:This is the most annoying issue. This apartment does not have a normal key fob, they have what would be comparable to a hotel key. The doors lock after ever time you walk out, there is no option to keep the door unlocked. As you can imagine its almost commonplace to leave your key in the apartment, especially when you take the garbage out or maybe your pet. Well for you sake, hope its between the hours of 10:30am-6pm (M-​Sat), because any other times or day, you will be expected to pay $ 25 for the concierge to let you into your apartment. There are even times when the system goes down and you cannot enter the building, and worse yet, your apartment since there is no backup key process.
Fire Alarms: They go off all the time, ALL THE TIME, to the point where you just ignore them.
Atmosphere: Some residents in general are disgusting. They leave trash bags on the floor of the trash room (too lazy to put them down the chute 10 feet away), the dog park is a joke. The dog park is a pile of gross mud and dog feces located behind the dumpsters and is re-​mulched once a year.
I will say the gym, and a majority of the building is kept well. They do keep the floors clean, walls painted, and maintenance is amazing at responding to request. The pool is open until 9pm, and allows drinking, which is great if you have a get together (all though you only get 1 guest pass for the pool).
Fees: $ 150 for parking, $ 500 pet deposit + $ 50 per month, $ 500 amenities fee each year (crazy), and $ 25 lockout fee.
I know this seems a little harsh, but being a firm believer in top down management, this community could use a makeover in the management department. With a little change, and focus on upkeep, modernization, and dedication to making their residents happy, it could be a great place. The community was created to transform the Brentwood area, and its letting that promise down. I would love to see the building have a major overhaul, and be a pillar in that area, setting a trend for more new buildings to come in and change the neighborhood like NoMa.
Typically, it takes a lot for me to provide a one star. Several occasions these comments were spoken to with management, and like several others mentioned, there was no response or care of change. This is the death of a business, refusing to accept their issues, and making a change. If you choose this place, I do hope that you see a major difference than what I experienced.

I lived here for 2 years between 2012 – 14 more or less.
Pros: it was brand new when moved in so the apartment was perfect and set up roommate style which was ideal for us. It’s also at the metro which was convenient. We never had any mice/​bug issues but again, the building was still being built when I moved in that’s how new it was. Common areas were nice.
Cons: things fell apart quickly in the apt. The management was awful and pretty clueless. The elevators just happen to not work on both the day we moved in and the day I moved out –with no notice. The walls are paper thin and I would hear the neighbors next door and upstairs constantly– this was not helped by the fact that there are many college-​aged students in the building who are extremely loud (things would actually fall off the bookshelf because of our upstairs neighbors). It’s next to the metro so there’s a higher chance of crime — my boyfriend was mugged right outside the building and cars were broken into frequently.
I was pretty happy to be out of there.

This place needs a lot of help.
Let’s begin with the most important matter. It is infested with mice! Regardless that it is a new building it is not too much different from living in any projects.
The elevator is always out without notice, so don’t plan to move anything heavy without checking first.
The parking is not secured since it’s ran through colonial my car has been tampered with more than once and nothing has been done about it.
They expect you to pay a $ 500 non refundable deposit and an extra $ 50 on top of rent for your pet, yet it’s not pet friendly. The only place your pet can go is pretty much in your apartment. Oh and if you have a dog they have a dirt spot by the garbage that they call a «dog park.»
And if you face the row be prepared to wake up every morning to some homeless person screaming or yelling at themselves at the crack of dawn while the police just sit and stare.
Besides metro being literally outside your door, and a few nice people that work the front desks… this place is not worth the stress.

Whatever you do, DO NOT sign a lease here. Do not listen to anything they tell you when they take you on a beautiful tour, tell you all about the awesome pool and awesome 24 concierge services, and about how everybody here sits around and soaks up each other’s awesomeness.
I’ve lived here for more than a year and I am finally moving out. Here’s what you need to know:
1) Leasing office/​management: Flaky, slow to respond, typos, condescending, constant revolving door of personnel. They ordered us to surrender a copy of our lease 6 months after moving in… implying that we had made a mistake… they are shadier than a white van drug deal. Misprints of rent checks (multiple times). They are open 7 days a week, yet it is typical for them to take that long to respond to an email (if you remind them twice)! They give residents no notice of any changes. For example, they didn’t notify residents of scheduled elevator maintenance at least 3 times during my stay here. They didn’t inform residents that they would charge $ 25 to let residents into their apartments after business hours. Most recently, they didn’t inform me that they no longer allowed U-​Hauls into the parking garages for incoming/​outgoing residents, effectively tripling the time/​distance required to move in/​out of the building. They nickel and dime you for anything and everything.
2) Concierge: Hilarious what passes for a 24-​hour concierge. They constantly lose packages. They apparently don’t track when a package from a unit has been picked up, which causes headaches if you live with other people. No apologies, ever. They once lost my perishable package, which expired. Residents can give the concierge permission to let in certain people (significant others), and they delete permissions for people they don’t like. Super rude if you DARE point out any of this.
3) Amenities: NOTHING EVER WORKS. Elevators, gym equipment, keys, etc. I’ve been locked in stairwells and outside of the building, not to mention my apartment. On the other hand, my key can be used to open almost any apartment in the building, so there’s the upside. The pool? It’s open until 9pm. The fun pretty cool spaces? You have to pay $ 100+ to rent them, unless you’re friends with the concierge. The business center? 10 cents a page to print.
4) Fire alarms: If a fire alarm goes off in any of the businesses in the community (Chipotle, CVS, Jersey Mike’s — who, incidentally, will email you with offers on subs even though you don’t remember giving him your email address), so will the alarm in your very own apartment! All day, every day, at every hour of the night. 90% unannounced. Panic always ensues. If you’re lucky, concierge will send an email, the subject reading «EVERYONE EVACUATE THE BUILDING NOW» causing widespread panic. It’s great. If you work a 9 – 5, enjoy a 1am wakeup call.
****IF YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT ANY OF THE ABOVE THINGS, NOBODY REPLIES TO YOUR EMAIL****
You can get more for your money in a safer, more accessible part of town. The convenience of Chipotle cannot make up for the suffering we’ve endured here. PUMPED TO BE LEAVING. Heed my words, naïve DC renter. It’s not your fault.

My roommate and I were residents for two years. We renewed after the first year mainly out of laziness, but after two years decided it was time for a move. Overall, we had a decent living experience.
Safety/​Neighborhood
If you’ve lived in DC long enough or done your research, you’ll know that this is a developing neighborhood and also isn’t the best area to be walking or jogging around at night, especially alone. That being said, while RIR should do its job in ensuring resident safety, residents should also use common sense.
Specifically for the 2350 building, it can get very noisy being near the metro and a main road. It used to be a big nuisance to us, but we grew accustomed to it. An advantage is — you’re an easy walk away from the metro.
Building and Amenities
It’s a very nice (and new) building and has a modern feel. I will say that the 2350 building’s layout is so confusing that even the leasing agent who showed us around two years ago got lost. In any case, after a while you’ll be able to figure out your daily route.
Since we moved in, both buildings (2300 and 2350) have changed a lot, for the better. CVS has always been here, but now there is a good variety of restaurants, a nail salon, retail (mobile carriers), and the DMV. It took over a year for these places to open up, but future residents will actually be able to benefit from them. Home Depot, Giant, and TJ Maxx are also a short walk away.
The gym in the main (2300) building is small, but it’s functional. (There is a «gym,» though I’ve never been to it, in the 2350 building, but it looks small and isn’t on the main floor.) The pool is nice and it’s good to take advantage of the grills. Beware though, the gas tanks for the grills run out quickly in the summer due to high usage. Looking at the general area, it’s easy to see that it isn’t very pet-​friendly since there aren’t a lot of green, open spaces for your cat or dog to run around.
Management
As I’m sure most apartment management companies are, RIR was either slow at responding/​getting back to you, or they just can’t seem to get you the information you need. It’s important to note that Bozzuto/​RIR has seen a variety of leasing office employees come and go. When the former PM (who was recently replaced suddenly) was still at RIR, it was difficult to get in touch with the office regarding account information or receiving information in a timely manner. They’re also very strict when it comes to your lease agreement, so read the fine print. Be sure to keep written records of any correspondence, because you might be working with more than one person on a specific inquiry. However, the recent staff transition has brought us a new PM and Assistant PM, both of whom I hope help improve customer service and its relationship with residents. The front desk and maintenance staff are usually very helpful and friendly.
Apartment
Rent is reasonable for the apartment quality and the area. We moved into a new unit and the 2BR units are spacious. Everything is modern and sleek — perfect for a first apartment. The washer/​dryer in the units is a great plus, and all the appliances work well for us. I had recurring issues with my bathroom making some noises, but maintenance finally nipped it in the bud. The walls are sort of thin, but it’s bearable. Like I mentioned previously, the 2350 building is more prone to outside noises (metro/​traffic).

CONSUMER ALERT! Colonial Parking has set up a predatory «ticketing“scheme where they have placed parking signs that look deceptively similar to DC Government/​DDOT parking signs. If you don’t pay, say because you think you’re exempt due to a special zoned parking pass or disability placard, then BOOM, they issue you a fake ticket for $ 25 then threaten to report you to a collection agency or hire an attorney if you don’t pay up.
If you have received one of these“tickets,» then you should dispute it and report Colonial Parking to the Better Business Bureau via the following link:

I was one of the first tenants at RIR in Jan. 2012-​Sept. 2012. On moving day (from out of state), I was worried. I hadn’t been to DC before moving and found RIR online. The space looked great and I was excited about the retail (sadly none ever opened during my 8 months there), but i didn’t realize how isolated this place was. Living here was fun at first, there were only 25 or so of us at the time and we got to know each other at the resident events. The only thing I really disliked was the fact that the red line is notoriously bad and would 20 mins on the platform most Saturdays, but didn’t know that prior to moving. The walkability is also bad, closest bar is 1 mile, which I would walk to on a summer day, but not at night. I understand there is a bike share there now. When I lived there Kelly was our concierge and she was so, so nice and sweet. My wallet fell out of my pocket one day while walking my dogs. Someone picked if up & walked off with it before I realized I dropped it and she waived the $ 80 fee for a new key. I cut my lease short and moved downtown because I felt like I was too far out living here.

Beautiful apartment in an extremely dangerous neighborhood. I agree with Sarah E., there needs to be a secure access place to walk dogs. Too many females have been placed in danger by leaving this building late at night. I would love to move here for the interior of the building, but not at the risk of stabbing or being robbed at gunpoint when I need to walk my dog. I was shocked to find this was a Bozzuto — managed building.

This place is very impressive when taking a tour, and my bried stint here thus far has been wonderful.
Its brand new, and sits on top of a red line metro station. Its not in the middle of a night-​time hot spot, but you can metro anywhere you want or take one of the 15 or so bus routes out front, or hop in taxi at the taxi stand that is basically out your front door. The gym is really nice (though the pictures make it seem twice as big as it is since the take a picture including the giant mirror wall). The pool and grill area are beautiful. You can play billiards all you want in the rec room. Very upscale.
The sales people are very friendly and seem very experienced, and my move-​in went very smoothly. I have not lived here long, but the the maintenance staff seem very competent and my requests have been handled quickly. Thus far, I have zero bad things to say.