Senate Square

We lived in Senate Square for over 2 ½ years and only moved out when we were reassigned overseas for work. My 5 star rating is in very large part due to the building’s management under Mr. Mark Hannan. Without fail Mark was quick to respond to inquiries and concerns from the residents and he treated the community as that– a community. We noticed a definite uptick in community activities, suiting varying interests. Senate Square is pricey, but committed professionals like Mark Hannan helped us to justify the expense.

Been living here for 2 years. The place was GREAT at first but after the honeymoon period… Before you move in, make sure that you do your homework. The place is beautiful but.
Rent is out of control (, there is a turnover with all staff. They once had «TOP A» staff but now in the leasing department they are so far removed. They are called the F — group. They are horrible, unprofessional and at times I would say the elevator goes to the basement and never goes up! The monthly statement that you receive is about 75% wrong amount and even though you address the issue, nothing changes. The ink cartridge is either out or no paper. Right now there is a sign that says «Ink Catridge «. They don’t even know how to use spell check… Really!!! The pool sticks have never had points. Why pay for a pool room that doesn’t have working equipment. Really, does it cost $ 3000 to buy these small items.
Crime in the building continues to increase. I was in the leasing office and someone was expressing their concerns about their car being broken into and nothing was sent out to the tenants. How many times does this happen? If the car is in the garage how is this happening?
PS try to get some sleep and that would be a miracle. You hear the noise above you at all times of the day and night.
Ever since the old team has left, this place continues to go down hill. With all the money that comes into this establishment, you would think that the residents would get all that they are promised!

I have been living at Senate Square since 2009 and it has been great for me. They have over 80 different floor plans to choose from. I should know because I lived in 4 different apartments here. And everyone gave me something different that the other one didn’t have. I love going to look at the new apartments that have been built in DC; however not one makes me want to move. Senate Square apartments are large with beautiful finishes like grohe faucets, French door refrigerators, beautifully designed kitchens with under cabinet lighting and large bathrooms. And of course, you can’t forget the most popular rooftop in the city with historic views. My apartment is located overlooking the courtyard and the view is very nice from my floor to ceiling windows. I feel as if I am living in a fortress. I also love the fact that Senate Square is located in one of the most popular areas to live — NoMa — with its thriving nightlife, restaurants and shopping. And let’s not forget being directly across from Union Station. You can’t get any better than that! The staff in the leasing department are all very nice and very responsive to my requests, in particular, Johana. She is quick to resolve any problems I may have. Unless I plan to buy a home soon, for now I call Senate Square «HOME!»

I am a current tenant, and I’m disappointed to say that it has not been a good experience living here. This is not a well-​run building. The staff, while friendly, is poorly trained and has made mistakes that are costly to my family and me. The building feels unsafe. We have had a couple of break-​ins and stolen bikes. The front door to the entryway is constantly broken (literally every few weeks or so) and not fixed for days on end, contributing to the sense of insecurity. The garage door to the building was broken for a couple of weeks last year, and while management purportedly had someone guarding the door, that person was usually nowhere to be found at night.
The floors of lobby area, elevators, and hallways are often filthy. The dog park, while a nice concept, is pretty much constantly littered with dog feces, both from irresponsible owners and from management who is not doing a good job of cleaning up. On weekends, the party scene is at times out of control, with drunken non-​residents smashing beer bottles from the roof to the sidewalk below, and throngs of drunken people making a lot of noise in the hallway (fun if it’s your party, but disruptive when you’re just trying to get some sleep.)
In sum, this is not a great place to live and I do not recommend it.

I moved in about a month ago. My experience has been very subpar.
CONS
**Hallways are consistently dirty because of dogs and bikes. (too many pet owners and not enough rules to pick up after themselves)
**Services Requests are very slow for a luxury apartment. In-​fact one basically lied and said he fixed an appliance and didn’t even enter my apartment.
**No Visitor parking what so ever. (u can park at giant for 15 $ a night i was told)
**No garage access if you do not pay for parking. (they told me you have to use the elevator if you want to park your bike in garage.) Yes I am that guy that bring a large bike in the elevator everyday. (very annoying for me and all tenants)
**No loading dock for moving in.
**Management seems stingy about charging for everything.
PROS
**Beautiful apartment with nice hardwood floors.
**Noise very insulated.
**Secure building
**Mostly adults tenants
**Excellent Roof Top
Will update if things change;

I’ve lived at Senate Square for a year now. I will not be renewing my lease because the rates have risen and it’s becoming difficult to afford. I’m also planning to leave because I no longer feel safe in the neighborhood renting as a single female. I don’t know that this is necessarily something others feel but in the past few weeks there have been at least three violent murders within a 5 block radius. Unfortunately Senate Square can’t control this but I would be cautious if you are planning to rent as a single woman in this area.
The apartment itself is beautiful — very high ceilings and good natural light, very well built (I NEVER hear my neighbors), good modern appliances and a very responsive and kind staff. The amenities are great but this is an expensive building to even start a lease with — $ 700 amenity fee and a $ 500 non-​refundable deposit for pets with an additional $ 50/​month fee for each pet.
Others have mentioned the problem with the pool — it’s really an issue that makes enjoying the pool on the weekend nearly impossible unless you are up on the rooftop before the masses of 20 something interns stumble their way up there. Having been a 20 something lover of all things party and drinking I can understand why the pool and the rooftop are such a draw for our younger residents but it’s frustrating that I work hard to afford a 1 bedroom apartment and have to share the (expensive) amenities with tenants who don’t respect noise levels, who continuously bring glass bottles into the actual pool itself and who insist on playing loud music.
This spring we had a repeat burglar in the bike room and my expensive road bike was taken. Senate Square did a great job of alerting all other residents and reminding others not to let strangers without keys into the building, I think residents are getting better about watching out for the building’s safety but it makes me feel uneasy to have to literally watch my back when entering the building — again there’s nothing Senate Square can really do about it, the neighborhood isn’t fully «there» yet as far as safety goes but I think it will be in a few years.
This is a good apartment complex with some problems (out of control interns ruining the amenities, unsafe city streets and very high amenity fees) but the staff is really fantastic, very responsive and quite friendly. I would think twice about renting as a single woman in this area in the next 2 years or so but Senate Square shouldn’t be counted out as an option.

We lived in Senate Square for 3 years before relocating and overall had a very good experience. Our apartment was nice with new and high-​end finish outs. The apartment manager and staff were friendly and always responsive and the location was very convenient.
Cons: While they pool is a selling point, it is total chaos in the Summer, so unless you get there early, probably not going to get a spot. The concierge is not a good as when we moved in, the service went downhill.
Pros: Good neighborhood, convenient location, good service.

I’ve been living at Senate Square for 1 month, and so far so good, I had a couple of maintenance issues and they were taken care of within 24 – 48 hours. I love the property, the concierge is very professional and friendly and so accomodating.

Back in 2008, H St. and NoMa were basically desolate areas for so called luxury apartment buildings. Senate Square was able to fill a need for people looking to live close to the Hill in a bourgeois setting. Fast forward to 2014 and the neighborhood is chock-​full of «luxury» buildings (some Bozzuto properties), but it does still have some major draws among the newbies. 1. The views from the roof– not only do you have 360 degree views of the city but on holidays firework displays can’t be beat. 2. Directly across the street from Giant. 3. Transportation– Union Station is only 5 minutes away and multiple bus lines in a two block radius. Maybe the street car will start running while Obama is still president. 4. Mostly courteous neighbors who are dog friendly. 5. The units were originally supposed to be sold as condos so much better quality than some of the other properties in the area. 6. Staff are beyond helpful and will go out of their way to assist you. I can’t even count the number of times I forgot my keys while walking the dog and Zubair gave me the spare key to borrow.
Now for some of the less than desirable attributes. 1. Big divide between post-​college and working professional crowd. There are some well-​distinguished individuals living in the complex (hello former DC mayor and senators). On the other side of the spectrum you have «adults» (term used very loosely here) who are maybe a year or two out of college but still act like they haven’t left the undergrad party scene. In the summertime, you remember that wonderful rooftop, becomes a trashed space with beer cans scattered all over. Plus watch out for the vomit and broken bottles in the front on I st. There’s a lack of common decency with that crowd, like clean up when you’re done– there are other people that use this space it’s not your own private penthouse. 2. Fees for pets. Bozzuto capitalizes on the fact that not many buildings in DC allow pets. This means that not only is there a non-​refundable $ 500 deposit but you pay $ 50 per month per pet. You already pay a premium for living at Senate Square so this added amount is a bit egregious. 3. The gym is located in the basement and smells as though gym socks from the 1980s were stuffed in the vents. Even when the gym is empty it wreaks.
It’s a nice community that lives at Senate Square and the Landmark Lofts, but I feel that as rents keep spiking up more of the original tenants will leave for the newer properties popping up on H St. and around NoMa.

I’ve been living at Senate Square with 1 roommate for a little over a year in a 2Bdrm/​2Ba so I thought it would be a good time to assess my experiences thus far.
PROS:
+High quality amenities throughout –I’ve yet to see another apartment that has such a nice, sturdy feel with the granite countertops, hardwood floors, and little details (like the marble (?) partition between the bathroom and the bedroom). My first thought when I toured the building was that it felt like a luxurious hotel.
+In-​unit washer/​dryer
–Generous square footage — my friends who visit usually comment on how airy and spacious my apartment is.
+Good sound insulation within the apartment and the overall building. I’ve never had a noise complaint and i suspect that there are a good number of mid-​20s people pre-​gaming in these buildings every weekend…
+Excellent rooftop space — so spacious and well maintained with grills, chessboards, dog exercising paths, a lounge pool, plenty of seating, good views of the city, etc…
+Proximity to redline metro @ Union Station (0.3 miles or approx 5 minute walk) — so easy to get to BWI airport on the Marc or Amtrak or hop on a Bolt Bus or Megabus to take you wherever you need to go! Plus Union Station is basically a very grand but small mall.
+Well maintained landscaping in the courtyard and around the perimeter — I like feeling enclosed in this upscale, serene sanctuary whenever i return home.
+Complimentary dog-​poop bags around the perimeter — this apartment is super dog-​friendly, even taking the trouble to offer a dog park atop the Concord building!
+Friendly concierge and mail service — I love being able to pick up and drop off my packages at any hour with the concierge, who are usually very obliging
+Very efficient maintenance service — whenever i put in a service request, whether it’s for a light that’s gone out or a sink that won’t drain, the service personnel have always addressed it within the day. Sometimes they do a less than stellar job and you have to call them back, but they’re always very responsive and prompt.
+The online portal for requesting maintenance services, asking your fellow residents for help, putting things up for sale, etc. is very handy!
+The gym, the clubroom with pool table and fireplace, the movie theater, and the business center are all nice to have access to… though I don’t use them that frequently…
+Giant grocery store right across the street
+Harris Teeter grocery store less than a mile away
+Walking distance to Capitol Hill SE area (i.e. Eastern Market, Pennsylvania Ave SE, & Barracks Row restaurants)
+Walking distance to H St. bars and restaurants (though it’s not the most pleasant walk between 5^th and 12^th st. NE if you’re walking alone at night…)
+Street parking available if you get a Zone 6 DC resident permit
+Underground garage parking available for $ 150/​month
+Monthly events for residents, such as whiskey tastings, painting + wine, etc.
+Barre class offered in the 3^rd floor clubroom every Monday
CONS:
–The garage feels like a car accident waiting to happen with the extremely narrow «2-​way» ramps
–Glitchy movie theater… the remote control is very confusing and there have been at least two times when we had to leave without being able to watch our movie because it was impossible to figure out how to make it play and the concierge couldn’t figure it out either.
–Can’t use the clubhouse after a certain hour… my 2 friends and i were quietly playing pool in the clubroom at 3am on a weekend and the concierge made us leave saying it wasn’t allowed. I don’t know why we can’t take advantage of this wonderful space if we’re being respectful and peaceful and not disturbing anyone — especially since it’s its own separate building & not attached to anyone’s apartment.
–There have been several misunderstandings with the leasing office about rent/​parking fees where we go back and forth through email… a bit tedious and tiresome.
–The freight elevator (which I use bc it’s closest to my door) tends to smell like trash…
-$ 750 «lease change» fee — this includes if you want to add a financially responsible roommate to the lease after the initial lease signing. Otherwise, you can simply pay a $ 75 application fee to «add an occupant» to the apartment, but then the new roommate is not legally responsible for paying rent. I guess it’s not a big deal as long as you trust your roommates to pay the bills!
-$ 50 monthly pet fee PER pet
–Can hear the neighbor’s dog Unilocaling from time to time
–Rent raised $ 100+ every year
OVERALL:
This is a fine, upscale place to live that is a decent value compared to other options in D.C. (esp NW DC). I would like to continue living here as long as rent prices don’t become financially prohibitive. I’ve been very pleased thus far!

I have been a resident of Senate Square for more than a year. Before that time I was a resident of another Bozzuto Property. The neighbors are great. Mark the manager has been really good to us. Neighbors are mostly good. Location is excellent. However …
Jacqueline Moore is by far the most unprofessional concierge I have come in contact with. Linden is amazing along with the concierge in the Lexington building from 4pm — 8 pm. Not only has Jacqueline Moore insulted me, but also my 16 year old son to the point that he does not want to pick up his dry cleaning for school from the front desk because he must encounter her. I have never dealt with a more condescending person than she. I am displeased with the response of management as she apologized to my son and me while rolling her eyes and looking away. My name is not sweetie as depicted when signing for deliveries nor should my son have to wait aside while she assists other residents with respect while the come and go with their deliveries as she watches. I do not pay over 4K a month to listen to her rants as she disrespects and degrades my family. I will follow up tomorrow and speak with as many neighbors as I can to see if any other minorities have dealt with this. I don’t care to hear her swear to her lord or god when all I want is customer service at the front desk after a long day at work. I did not move into a building with 24 concierge to avoid going to pick up items a certain times while a certain concierge is working.
My son come into contact with ms Moore twice tonight (as in the past) each time displeasing. I wanted to a bag of baby clothes to a neighbor. Told them I would leave them at the front desk for them. Sent my son down for the second time tonight (after his drycleaning). He was told to call the neighbors because she had too many packages. He is a child. We were trying to help a neighbor by giving clothes. We had no idea it would be another hassle and conflict. We have no idea why there is a tv screen and email alerting people of deliveries if we are required to call neighbors to alert then. Neighbors that we really do not know other than meeting in the hallway and at the buildings BBQ.

Don’t move here. You can pay less and live FAR better in lots of DC’s truly upscale buildings. Senate Square is like a bad frat house. Loud parties all night, immature dirty neighbors, vomit and even excrement in the halls, chicken bones on elevator floors, service staff that leaves things broken in your place for months, stinky elevator and garage, ROACHES in trash rooms… I could go on and on. It’s just not worth the money and DC has too many other great buildings to offer.
Edited to add that I really wish I’d read AEK’s review before moving here. It’s spot on.

I have lived in Senate Square for 8 months and I absolutely love it. I have not had the same problems as some of the other reviewers. I have always seen the common areas clean, actually very clean. I haven’t had a problem with noise from neighbors but I am usually gone on weekend nights. I did hear that there was a new property manager hired in the last year so maybe it used to be different. Although expensive, everything in this area is, and compared to other apartments that have less amenities, I see the benefit for living at Senate Square. The gym is an actual gym, with several machines of all types, I have never had to wait for something very long. They also have a separate room attached to the gym with a TV and DVD player which is great because my boyfriend and I do the insanity videos which is perfect for that space. The rooftop pool is amazing! Not the pool itself which is basically a 3 foot lap pool, but the entire space of the rooftop with the pool, grilling areas, lots of seating, etc. It’s wonderful. I also had to move apartments 3 months into my lease (by choice) and the leasing office was very accommodating to helping my transition be as smooth and painless as possible, which I was very appreciate of. I also park on the street and can usually find a spot within a block of my building so I can’t really complain. Overall, I am very happy here and very much love living in Senate Square.

I’ve lived here for 2 years and just signed a lease for a third. They don’t rip you off by hiking up the rent a billion percent like other buildings when you resign and the ammenities are fantastic. I love my wood floors, granite counters, and huge windows. The apartments are a great size and very comfortable. The maintenance staff and leasing office are very prompt and friendly with any concerns I’ve had. The best part, by far, is the roof. The pool, grills, and view are unbeatable. They aren’t the cheapest apartments in DC, but they are one of the best deals I’ve come across. You can’t find all these ammenities and comfort for less!
Looking at the review below, I’m a little stunned. I’ve never had any pest problems and my neighbors have always been considerate about noise and trash. I think you get exactly what you expect and pay for and maybe even more now that there is a 24-​hour grocery right next door!

Full disclosure: I’ve been dating a lovely man who has lived in Senate Square for a little over a year. While I’m not a resident, I spend at least 3 — 4 nights a week here, so feel I can speak to the experience of living here.
The first few months here were quite lovely — the building was quiet, the amenities were fantastic (roof top pool w/​grills and lounge area, fitness and business centers), and just an overall sense of luxury. Luxury that didn’t come cheap, mind you, but luxury nonetheless.
Recently, however, we have experienced a series of unfortunate events that are quickly driving him from the building. After resigning his lease (with a significant monthly increase), we have been subject to all night raves, empty beer cans, the vestiges of late nights snacks and even vomit around the common areas — all things that you would experience at a frat house, not a community that boasts housing members of congress.
Furthermore, the elevators and parking garage consistently smell bad, (I’m not sure why as they appear to clean them daily), the business center is unusable (the printers and copier never have ink and paper), and now there is a rodent problem.
So unless you enjoy paying a premium for living in a low rent version of Animal House, I’d avoid Senate Square. Top price, low quality.

I can only comment as a guest who has visited friends that live here, not as an actual resident. But from what I’ve seen, I really like this place. It’s fairly luxurious, and the amenities are fantastic. I’ve seen the indoor gym, rec room (with kitchen, fireplace, couch, and pool table), and their movie theater. Yes, they have a movie theater — and it’s awesome. So jealous. The units are pretty nice as well. All modern features, as would be expected. And they don’t feel cramped or claustrophobic, as with other «luxury» apartments in DC. Quiet, clean, and the desk staff that I spoke with when trying to locate the room for a birthday party was very nice. One aspect that is often times under-​appreciated. This location would also be considered within walking distance to the metro. Union Station or New York Ave.
My only reasons for giving it three stars instead of four are 1) street parking sucks!, and 2) these apartments are EXPENSIVE. I refuse to pay for it, but I can’t hate on the people who do. Like my friends… who I can visit for free.