Elysium Fourteen

One star as there’s no option for 0 Stars. The issues that plague this building are endless. The shady utilities being inflated by the newly opened restaurant downstairs is just the beginning. Management swore it had nothing to do with the restaurant when hvac doubled and tried to blame increase in rates. Then when pressured admitted they had no separate meter and it was Wonder’s fault. No explanation of how these are calculated has been provided even after requesting it. Constant issues with the water pressure and hvac. Back entrance is constantly blocked by restaurants trash and the rat problem has increased since this is happening on the back of the building. Apparently, Kettler refuses to pay for the locker system in the basement and now we have to sort through boxes to find our mail like putting an extra shift for USPS. We lost our concierge service since the new management took over as there’s never someone at the desk and rarely ever someone at the leasing office. No matter how many emails you send they will never respond, it feels like they just don’t care and it’s frustrating given the premium price of the building. Honestly, if you can help it stay away.

Lived in Elysium in 2024 and moved out around the time of the switch over to new management. There were several aspects of my stay here that were shady and deceitful on the part of the building management that I've never encountered in any other rental complex since. 1) HVAC suddenly went out, and was not restored for 2 whole months. This was during the sweltering Spring-summer months. Condensation was literally forming on the ceilings. No explanation, apologies or concessions offered for this 2 month outage. Residents were outraged. 2) Move in was rocky. It took some back-and-forth for management to finally upload the official lease to sign. Management relied on lots of verbal promises, and telephone conversations. Seemed to avoid putting things in writing. When move-in time finally did come, the concierge helping us was very rude and aggressive. The elevator was not reserved and she was surprised that it needed to be for move in. 3) I moved in under a "Lease Transfer", taking over an apartment from a previous tenant. But I was deceived and surprise bills from the balance the "previous" tenant left on the apartment. Management was unyielding, brash, and claimed "tough luck" and basically told me "it's your fault now". Generally unfriendly, rude management. 4) The condition of the apartment when I took over was subpar. Very dirty. No effort made to clean the apartment before turning it over to me. The kitchen faucet was broken. Broken cabinet doors. Rust in the kitchen. Toilet was leaking. Microwave made loud static discharges and electrical current sounds. Maintenance tickets were entered for these. The "Maintenance" guy, which there is only 1 for the whole complex, is not a dedicated or trained maintenance worker but just an ancillary staff who also gives prospective residents tours. Each time he just comes in, dismisses or downplays the issue, never fixing anything. 5) Package locker suddenly went "offline" 2 months into my stay, never to come back online for the remainder of my stay. All of our packages were left out in the open for anyone to take, unsecured, sometimes even left on the busy 14th street sidewalk. 6) The lower level which includes a small gym area smells strongly of mildew/sewage. 7) Trash with rats piling out of the rear building exit, blocking the exit. 8) Water pressure fluctuated a lot and hot water was regularly unavailable to my apartment during certain times of the day. We are told the water and sewage utilities are metered collectively and basically run on the same pipes to everyone on the floor (a major con is the ratio utility billing system). The Elysium taught me lessons. It has become my guide on red flags to look for in a property. I sincerely never encountered experiences like this in any other properties I've rented in the DMV.

Kettler management has provided terrible service. Would not recommend given the high cost and low quality of maintenance and customer service. I moved in July 2024 under Bell Partners management and the experience for me was excellent - responsive maintenance, professional and timely communication, well-maintained building. I happily recommended E14 to friends and colleagues. Since Kettler assumed management in May 2025, service quality has collapsed completely. Habitability Issues: • HVAC system fails repeatedly (reported 6+ times over 5 months) - unit reaches 78-80°F despite multiple maintenance visits • Water pressure severely degraded since first-floor renovation - no timeline for resolution after months of complaints • In-unit washing machine drainage issues unresolved after multiple reports • Call box non-functional for nearly 2 weeks Security & Professional Concerns: • Unresponsive to security accommodation requests (important for many DC professionals) • Proposed lease renewal included invasive addendum granting rights to use tenant likeness/image for advertisements • Building manager is rarely present and, when available, has been rude when approached about these issues The Impact: Under Bell Partners, I actively referred friends to this building. Since Kettler took over, 3 separate friends moved to DC and were interested in living here. After seeing these issues firsthand, all three chose other buildings. That speaks volumes. Administrative Dysfunction: • Lease renewal delayed 2.5 months despite multiple requests beginning in May Not Worth the Premium Cost: This is one of the higher-cost buildings in the area, but Kettler's management provides nowhere near the quality of service that price point should command. We're long past the "management transition period" excuse for any of this. The building itself is beautiful and well-located, but current management cannot maintain basic standards or accommodate reasonable tenant needs. Update: I'll update this review if management addresses these longstanding issues.

I’m just a simple guy. I need a well run, clean, safe place to live. Nothing fancy, just solid day to day reliability. Elysium Fourteen delivered that back when Byron was running the show. Yes, I lived through the HVAC outages too. But even when things went sideways, Byron was extremely professional, always polite, and kept everyone in the loop. No, he wasn’t an overly chatty Manager, but he handled problems quickly, sent clear updates, and even checked in to make sure residents were okay. That kind of management goes a long way. I dipped into the group chat and caught the elevator talk now and then, but I left the chat because honestly, the energy was too entitled and over the top for me. I didn’t need all that noise—just a building that ran smoothly. Let’s be clear though: Bell Partners wasn’t some dream management company. They don’t get the credit for how good things were—it was Byron. Ownership made a huge mistake switching to Kettler Management and losing him in the process. The vibe has shifted since then, and not in a good way. If you lived here before, you know exactly what I mean.

As others have echoed, STAY AWAY. The building was riddled with problems before the property management companies changed, and things are still just as bad. Consistent issues with utilities, billing, communication, cleanliness, basic safety issues. Many long-time residents have either moved out or are waiting for their leases to run out before doing so.

I cant say enough kind things about the Community Manager Byron. Byron is wonderful and was incredibly helpful while I toured the building and communicated with me throughout the entire application process. The building is great as well - it's in a great location and very modern!

The decision to renew my lease at Elysium Fourteen was an easy choice to make. The common areas are always clean and the units are modern and so well insulated that I never hear a peep from my neighbors. The building manager, Byron, is very attentive and accommodating; upon renewing my lease, I told him that I was on the lookout for a bigger apartment, and he found the perfect unit for me when the opportunity arose. The maintenance/repair lead is also really nice. I highly recommend this building and the people running it.

I have been living at Elysium for a little over one month, and I couldn’t be happier! From placing an application with the building to move-in, everything was seamless. The support of Byron, the community manager, throughout the process was incredible. Byron has been such a helpful resource with his knowledge of the building and surrounding area. Nolawie, the maintenance tech, has addressed and resolved maintenance issues in such a speedy manner! The front desk staff are always friendly and are a nice smile to see at the beginning and end of each day. Finally, I can’t speak highly enough of the cleaning staff who keep the building, hallways, and trash rooms in impeccable condition. The area (14th and U) is a fun and lively neighborhood with great restaurants and shops- you really can never get bored here! You also can’t go wrong with having TJ’s across the street from the building. Living at Elysium has been a wonderful introduction to the city of DC!