Majestic

The last review for this building was nearly two years ago and it doesn’t reflect my experience at all. I’ve been living here for around 6 months and have really loved it, for these reasons:
1) I have a lovely view of NW DC, including the National Cathedral. Gorgeous sunsets every night.
2) Paying rent is super easy through their online system
3) They have been very responsive to maintenance requests (also handled through online system), including promptly replacing a broken refrigerator.
4) They started concierge services so there’s someone at the front desk late at night, which is really handy for someone who works late and needs to retrieve packages at 9 pm. They’re also incredibly friendly and warm, which is a pleasure to come home to.
5) They’ve organized a couple of parties for tenants to mingle. They served food and booze and gave prizes. Great fun all around
6) It’s a beautiful building with a nice old feel, including charming wood floors in the apartments.
7 The location is great. There is a bus stop right out front that is serviced by several lines going down 16^th St. I never have to wait more than a few minutes. The Columbia Heights metro is also a short walk away (which also means Giant, Target, Chipotle, Starbucks, Washington Sports Club, Panera, IHOP, Bed Bath and Beyond, Best Buy etc etc. These things are nice to have within walking distance but they’re not so close that it feels like you live in a corporate nightmare.)
8. On the other side you have Mount Pleasant, which has a very local, very family-​friendly atmosphere. Farmer’s market is on Saturdays, just steps away. A couple close places to grab coffee, a great pizza place, some Thai food, some Mexican food. 20 minute walk to Adams Morgan.
9. The library is right across the street, and it’s really nice inside. Never pay for another book!
10. The tenants are a great mix of people, young and old. Nobody is pretentious or rude.
Sure it’s an old building without fancy amenities. But I looked at 7 other buildings before I found this one and they just didn’t feel as right. The Majestic has been lowering the rent because of all the competition nearby, so it’s a good time to check it out.
PS) It might not be the best place for someone who works from home because there’s a school next door and the kiddos are quite boisterous during recess.

The location of this apartment is pretty convenient. There are several bus lines on 16^th Street, and the Columbia Heights metro station is a short walk away. That’s pretty much the good part.
The management company is dressing up the lobby with a TV and a fresh coat of paint, but the apartments themselves are pretty old. The stove and range are electric, and the fridge is definitely 90s at best. I had one replaced because it died, and the replacement barely works and doesn’t keep things cold. They refuse to give me a new one because it «still works». They also have a problem with mice, and it took them two days to come out.
There is a homeless outreach center nearby, and many nights during the week I’ve had to deal with screaming drunks outside who are sleeping in the park. You’ll hear everything for hours.
Be super wary when they call the unit «rent controlled». Under DC law they can charge CPI-​W + 2%, so the increase for 2013 was 5.6%. This was a higher percentage increase than I had in Courthouse and Clarendon in VA, and those were much nicer properties with pools, gyms, and in-​unit W/​Ds. Essentially, this place has no amenities. There’s a roof top deck in the most literal of senses. It’s surrounded with a chain link fence.