Jefferson Marketplace

Stayed with my cousin here last weekend. Rooms are spacious and modern. The building is lovely, and the staff in particular are very helpful and accommodating. Convenient location with lots to do and see nearby.

As a Washington, DC native, I am so pleased to have Jefferson Marketplace enter the Shaw neighborhood. It is long overdue to have such a wonderful luxury apartment to have finally arrive! I couldn’t ask for more… with great amenities such as (well lit) parking garage, roof top pool, «state of the art» community room, business center, gym… and shops just minutes from my door step!!! I have lived at Jefferson Marketplace for over a year, and I feel right at home!!! The leasing and the front desk staff are savvy in their field of property management, professional, thorough, and quick to respond to all my needs. Orran, Nicole, Paula, David, Barbara, Ayanna, Giovanni, Kia, Shawn, and Officer Rayford (sp). I couldn’t ask for a better team of professionals!!! Thank you so much for all you do!!! Please keep up the good work!
Best!

Most of the luxury apartments in the DC area serve up similar amenities: a pool, a gym, a common area, and an elevator with nice lighting. Few luxury apartments in DC offer a good value, great people, the energy of DC and great views — Jefferson Marketplace offers all of this and more.
The crew in the leasing office is a bundle of fun, as are the building operations and services team members. Barbara, Ayanna, Orran, Paula, Giovanni, Israel all get props. As does the lifeguard from the summer (I feel bad for not remembering his name). Their stories made my DC transition smoother. Their services and support helped me feel at home shortly after moving.

I’ll be moving into the Jefferson Marketplace apartments at the end of the month & I’m beyond excited. Since the beginning, I’ve primarily consulted with Orran, & it has been a pleasant experience. I’ve had a few hiccups related to my application; however, Orran saw to it that those matters were resolved. He went above & beyond what was necessary to explore why my application was being held up. I couldn’t have moved forward without his help. Needless to say, my apartment unit is amazing & I’m way too excited to move in. Thank you, Orran, for your help!

Garbage collection at 6:40 this morning!?? I have begged management to do something about this. The result? It’s even earlier than before!
5 days a week (Saturday included!) you will get woken up at this «Luxury Building» sometime around 7 am and endure 20 minutes of banging and crashing and bottles and giant metal dumpsters being raised in the air and beeping of the trucks (sometimes there are two different pickups so you get to enjoy it twice!). The entire back side of the building is impacted as the garbage collection area is in the middle of the building in the alley. As the building goes right to the alley, the noise travels straight up to your windows. Even on the 4^th floor.
Ask yourself, is that worth $ 2750 a month?
You can hear your neighbors having a conversation (and their pets) through the very thin walls. I can hear my upstairs neighbors walking around («It’s a concrete building, it’s super quiet,» they said) and a constant slamming of the unit doors (you would think that that heavy of a door would keep out the hallway noise, but not so much).
I’ll refrain from going on about amenities that don’t work.

The management of this building leave MUCH to be wanting. Nicole the manager may not even exist. After living her for 9 months I have never seen her. In her office or walking around the building. Paula, the assistant manager, who apparently runs the place is incompetent and will lie to you if she is too lazy to fix or address a question you have. Currently the «resident portal» is down so there is no way to pay our rent but they just suggest we bring in a check or money order however we’ve been down to the office 4 times to do so during posted office hours and neither Paula nor Nicole have been there. No one has any urgency to fix anything or help you. We’ve put in two service requests about our water heater and haven’t heard back however we will get an email from Paula at 5:50pm on a Wednesday night saying they will be barging into our apartment at 9:00am the next morning to check the smoke detectors.
Enter at your own risk.

It should be a testament to how horrendous this building is by the posts below, DO NOT move here.
To reiterate, the appliances and apartments may look nice, but they are incredibly cheap. The «wood» floors are just thin laminate and my roommates and I wash our dishes by hand now because why waste water in the dishwasher if you’re going to have to wash them again anyways.
We have had nothing but trouble with the management. We reserved the freight elevator to move in, but it was «not working» the day we moved, which only made moving in more difficult thus adding to how much we had to pay our movers. While the front desk people are incredibly sweet, the leasing agents and management are beyond incompetent. They expected us to know housing codes and could not speak to the specificities of our lease, would not return any emails regarding questions about our lease, and are just rude. They do a good job selling you on the place, but it’s not worth the headache of dealing with them on a daily basis. They have made multiple promises to us, include a month of free rent if we signed the lease by a specific date, that were then retracted because it was a «miscommunication». I’m embarrassed that I trusted these people with my housing.
Enough people have commented around the thin walls, but I just want to say they are 100% true. In our 2 bedroom unit, there is a vent connecting the 2 bedrooms that both allows light and sound in between rooms. Say goodbye to your privacy if you choose to live in a 2 bedroom.
It’s not worth the money it costs to live there, the lack of sleep due to thin walls, or the pain of dealing with management to live here.
I am so disappointed in this, as we were very excited to live here. Given how many great buildings are going up in this area, it would be wise to look elsewhere!

I know for a fact I won’t be the first or last person to leave this building with a horrible taste in my mouth… Please reconsider moving into this building. Don’t let the pretty fireplace in the lobby fool you, trust me.
The building is aesthetically appealing, but is essentially rotten otherwise. The management is appalling, we were lied to repeatedly by the «leasing professionals», emails to the management company were «lost» or «misunderstood» and we ended up breaking our lease and moving out within 6 months because of continual instances of incompetence with the management company — it was really pretty hellish. I hate to trash businesses but I couldn’t ignore the truth on this one.
The apartment building itself is deceiving– other reviewers before me have noted the shocking thin-​ness of the walls and I am here to tell you– my roommate and I got into the habit of blessing each other when we sneezed from the other room with the doors shut– that’s how bad it was– you can hear every single noise. We both bought earplugs immediately after moving in and still had issues getting through the night due to other people walking through the hallways, the alleyway outside, neighbors dogs barking etc.
Two days into our lease, my roommate’s bathroom ceiling opened up, causing a week of delay for management to send someone in to fix it… and this was supposed to be a brand new apartment!
The other issues were pretty endless, but I’ll leave it here so I don’t keep ranting. The price is way too high for this building, and spare yourself the trouble of attempting to work with the management staff– it’s simply not worth your time or energy.

This has been the worst living experience I have had since relocating to DC 5 years ago. The walls are thin and the construction is cheap in every way. I have been dealing with a barking dog next door for the past 3 months, often for several hours a day and management has repeatedly ignored requests for something to be done. I am currently enjoying hour 2 of non stop barking which has had a major impact on my quality of life in this building. On top of not doing anything about the situation the rent in the building has soared after one year. This is a great neighborhood, but there are several better options for a quality home in the area.

I had initial problems with the buildings managment as it was a new building. However, the managment has gone a long way since I first moved. This is an updated review, I am much happier with my experience living here. Problems arising now are solved in a timely manner unlike before. I am very glad with this improvement!

I have yet to meet anyone who is happy to live here. The building is poorly designed and poorly managed. Be prepared for a 10% increase in your lease price each year.
The units may look nice, but everything is cheap. Be prepared to hear every sound your neighbor makes. The granite countertops are not properly sealed. The carpet is already coming up. You’ll have to wear an eye mask and earplugs to deal with the light and sound from 7^th Street.
Don’t expect any information from management, unless you count alarms at 7:30AM on a weekday telling you that the elevators are out of service.
Low-​income tenants are allowed to monopolize the common areas — subject to a $ 400 «amenity fee». You will be hustled to let people into the building and then into the elevators, despite the rash of gunshots on 7^th street. I must admit, though, playing «gunshot or firecracker» can be a fun game in July. I lived all over cheap neighborhoods in Manhattan for 7 years, but never felt as unsafe as in this building.
The pool? Tiny, with about 12 chairs for a building with 280 units.
Outdoor deck? One of the two BBQ grills (for 280 units) has not worked all summer.
So, basically, if you want to feel like you’re living in a nice college dorm where no one cares if you’re happy, while paying $ 2200+ a month, come to Jefferson Marketplace.

Two bedroom apartment. Has MAJOR soundproofing problems. You can hear noises above and in the second bedroom. Repairs take forever and when spills happen in common spaces they take a long time to be resolved.
Overall not worth the price!!!

A warning for all potential tenants:
We moved into the building in February after being sold on the location, features, and amenities. As of now, however, the building is a lemon. The apartment units were built with water heater/​hot water systems that are too small for the apartments’ needs. (Or there’s some other issue with the hot water system). As a result, the hot water runs out after just a few (3 – 5) minute shower and you’re left with lukewarm temperatures. In our 2 bedroom/​2 bathroom apartment, 2 people can’t shower within 30 minutes of each other and we certainly can’t use the 2 showers at the same time, or use any other faucets or appliances around the same time as one uses a shower. The large soaking tub in the master bathroom can’t even be filled given the low supply of hot water. Everyone in the building is apparently dealing with this — including the property manager and maintenance supervisor — but the management company/​owners have yet to do anything to correct the problem. Jefferson Marketplace advertises «luxury» apartments, but there’s nothing luxurious about a cold shower.

The Jefferson Marketplace is a fresh, chic new apartment complex ideally located in Shaw. Eclectic, cutting edge designs make the common areas appealing to residents and guests. A wonderful rooftop and outdoor giant tv are a few of the benefits of living in the new Shaw. Around the corner from a great supermarket, and down the street from great restaurants and bar options, it’s all a walk away.
The leasing personnel are superb and professional. My Lessing experience was actually enjoyable, which was a rare find for me in my apartment hunt in DC. Most definitely recommend this fast-​filling residence just two blocks from the metro.

My husband and I signed a lease for unit #803 on ¹⁰⁄₁₉ for a move-​in date of ¹⁰⁄₂₇. On ¹⁰⁄₂₁ we received a surprisingly nonchalant call from a Jefferson Marketplace leasing agent that the brand new unit we leased was completely destroyed from flooding caused by a burst pipe. They could not provide an estimate of when it would be repaired and habitable. The leasing agent added that there were no other floor plans like ours remaining but they could offer only one unit close to what we were seeking. The alternate unit wasn’t a good fit in terms of dimensions and the price was not justified so we decided to move-​on from Jefferson Marketplace, which left us sort of scrambling for a new place since we needed to vacate our sold condo the following week. No apology was ever offered or even a simple ‘we are sorry for the inconvenience’.
At that point we had paid Jefferson Marketplace a total of $ 890 for the hold deposit for unit #803, the application fees, and prorated rent for the month of October. Jefferson Marketplace did not object to this figure when I requested it over email and said we would receive our refund within 10 business days. 10 business days came and went. Seventeen business days later we received the check and it was $ 100 less than expected, which, after inquiring, we were told was due to the $ 100 application fee.
The entire Jefferson Marketplace experience post flood, including interaction with the leasing agents and community manager, can be characterized as unpleasant and unhelpful. Their staff is patronizing and not familiar with the concept of customer service. Looking back we are so glad we have nothing to do with this building and consider ourselves lucky to have dodged a bullet.

Pros:
It’s brand new.
The front desk staff are friendly and helpful.
It’s a pretty quiet place to live.
Maintenance will fix things very quickly.
Proximity to Giant and metro
Cons:
Unfinished amenities — The terrace and pool that I’m sure a leasing agent will mention to you were supposed to open at the end of the summer and they are STILL not open. Do not believe them when they say things like «any day now» and whatever you do, do not pay the amenity fee.
Cheap appliances: Electric stove is such a pain for cooking and cleaning and every other appliance is clearly bottom of the line.

I am a current tenant and I sure hope these are just growing pains. We moved in on a Sunday a month ago and knowing management wouldn’t be there called to make sure they left the keys that morning (because they wouldn’t give them to us the day before). Not only did they forget and make us stack up our belongings in the hall, but they were an hour late to work.
Since we moved in, a month later, around half the amenities we are paying for are available. Some of which ended up costing me money and significant time.
The staff is consistently an hour out two late, don’t respond to emails or direct requests. The management company outsources their concierge so they can only do so much.
Be wary of signing up here, a brand new place must be number one on your list in order to deal with the rest.

I am a current resident and I would like to say that my roommates and I have had nothing but problems!
For move in, I scheduled and confirmed the 9:00 am to noon time slot to use the freight elevator and sign our lease on Friday, August 1. At 9:30 on Friday morning, when I arrived with my moving company, the leasing agent informed me that the elevators were not working. I understand the building is new and that these problems are bound to happen. I spoke with my movers and they agreed to walk an entire apartment of furniture up two flights and down a long hallway for an extra cost. BUT at this time, the leasing agent refused to let me in the apartment because the lease had not yet been signed. However, he did not have the lease ready to be signed! I sat for 2.5 hours past my move in time, with movers being paid by the hour, until another leasing agent finally allowed me to enter my apartment. He let me into my apartment with his key fob. I was still not given keys at this time. It was also at this time that I realized we had been triple booked for move in. As a result, three apartments were using the stairs at once. When I asked the leasing agent why there were 3 apartments booked at once, his response was to blame the other leasing agent.
I took until 1 pm for him to have the lease ready. There were several mistakes I immediately found on the lease, including the rental price agreed on. He told me to come back later and sign a revised lease with no mistakes. The second time I cam back, I still found mistakes. So, I only signed the pages with correct information. I still have yet to receive a complete and correct lease. This makes it difficult for me to obtain a DC driver’s license, plates, etc. It was not until late that night that I was able to receive my keys, that did not end up working and needed to be reprogrammed.
I have been in the building for over a 3 months now and I continue to run into problems almost daily, usually regarding key fob functions or AC/​unit issues.
BE WARNED! Everyone here is extremely rude and unhelpful! They never compensated me for the extra cost of my movers or the inconvenience for all the things that have not worked in our apartment! Half of the amenities in this building are not even open. No grills. no summer pool. no 7^th floor club room. Don’t make the same mistake we did!

Just took a tour of the «Marketplace» and I can confirm that complimentary diabetes is included in your extortionate rent!
Yes, the reception desk features a plate of cupcakes (I think they’re real — maybe just plastic?) and three kinds of red candy. If you eat about 300 cupcakes a month (assuming the market price of said cupcakes is about $ 3), maybe you can justify living in this overpriced plastic-​boutique-​style-​hotel-​apartment building-​monstrosity on steroids.
Diabetes is not enough? Well, you can walk through the gym to play video games in the strangely-​situated «game room» in the middle of the small-​ish gym.
But, wait, there’s more.
Once you take the elevator to your $ 2,000/month studio apartment, you can enjoy the incredibly-​cheap fixtures and finishings. I felt like I could rip the dishwasher door off the unit with one hand. Want the apartment look «lived in»? Some of the units I visited on my tour already had some nice scrapes on the walls. Cabinet doors are cheap laminate «wood.»
And, don’t plan on sleeping, because unless your neighbors consistently close their apartment doors all the way by themselves, the doors slam shut. When you’re paying $ 2,000/month for a studio, you should probably be able to let your door close on its own without slamming. (The leasing agent said most people will do this, but what if they have groceries? Or they’re just excited about dropping off their things and running downstairs to gorge on more «free» candy?) The cheap padding around the door frame — which, had I wanted to, I could have pulled off with my pinky finger — does nothing to cushion the door. (But if the slamming doors won’t keep you awake, the noise from the beer garden 50 feet from some of the apartments may do the trick!)
DC has a major problem in which new housing is predominately being built for the «luxury» segment (although these apartments are most certainly NOT luxurious), but not for the middle class and working poor. The «amenities» of this building — cyber café, Play Station «game room», bocce ball court, roof deck, Jetsons-​style furniture in public areas, gas fireplace in reception for those chilly August DC nights — are all really freaking cheap to add to an apartment building. But, by adding them, the corporate landlord can — at least try to – justify significantly higher rents by promoting the «value proposition» of your own personal bocce ball court! Woohoo! The problem is that most people don’t want to pay $ 2,000/month for a tiny apartment and a bocce ball court — they’d rather have a decent place to live and some money leftover for other nice things. (FYI: for $ 2,000/month in Berlin, Barcelona or Paris, you could be living in the center of some of the greatest cities on the planet in truly charming historic buildings — with two or three bedrooms — and even wash yourself with a bidet!)
And, by the way, in case you’re worried about being shut out of this overpriced plastic building, the leasing agent said that only about 35 percent of units have been rented at this point. So, it looks like the prices are way too high — even with all the «amenities.» My advice, if you really want to go Jefferson, is to wait a couple more weeks — or months — until the signing bonuses — currently about 1.5 months free rent — are even more lucrative.

This building has been plagued from the beginning since construction is way behind schedule.
Jefferson Marketplace advertises that its 2 bedroom units pricing begins at $ 2460 (C1 floorplan). However, they fail to mention (unless you deeply inquire) that the building only has two (yes TWO) C1 units available for lease on the open market, while the rest are Affordable Dwelling Units.
Thus, anyone looking for a 2 bedroom, you should completely disregard the laughable advertised $ 2460 starting price. Rather, a 2 bedroom is going to run you $ 3,145+.