NOVEL South Capitol

Great location and very helpful, 24 hr concierge team. Stephanie, in particular, goes out of her way to create a fun, comfortable and friendly atmosphere in the way she interacts with everyone. Keith is very helpful with any issues you ask him about. The maintenance team responds quickly and seems to know the building really well and be invested in keeping everything in really good condition. The cleaning folks are always cleaning. Every time you walk in the lobby, everything looks fresh and clean and it feels good to be back home. The rooftop amenities are also beautiful and well-maintained. You can actually use the amenities and shared spaces in this building because, in my experience so far, the other residents are decent, caring people who know how to share and be considerate of others. The cafe in the lobby is really convenient and has great food and coffee as well.

Absolutely five stars! (I’d give it six stars if I could) The staff at NOVEL is incredible. Stephanie at the concierge desk is so kind and helpful—she goes above and beyond to assist residents and does everything with a smile on her face. Becca, Maty, and Lexi are fantastic managers who truly make the community a welcoming environment. They handle everything with professionalism and a personal touch. They are always an email or call away. Highly recommend this community!

I lived here from 2021-2023 and absolutely loved my experience. My favorite part about living at the Novel was Stephanie who works at the front desk. Walking home after work or a night out I could always count on her welcoming me with a chat and a smile. Seeing Stephanie every day made the Novel feel more like home and I’m so thankful for her help and support! ❤️

Favorite Person to See! Stephanie at the front desk is fantastic. Her friendly demeanor and genuine conversations make our apartment feel like a true home. I always look forward to our daily chats, and her presence adds a warm, welcoming touch to the building. Thanks, Stephanie, for everything you do!!

We love living at the Novel. The amenities are great and well kept and you can tell they care about their residents with all the events and happy hours. The front desk staff are amazing as well, especially Stephanie who is always incredibly helpful!

Edited May 2024— Unfortunately I have to modify my experience to this building since my move out experience. Upon move out I was charged for a carpet replacement from “seepage” that simply could not have been mine as my bed covered the entire carpeted area of the studio apartment area. Fought me over $380 when I was a loyal and responsible 3 year resident paying them almost $100k in rent. Doesn’t matter what they say about wear and tear when there is strictly an impossibility the damage was mine. Be better. Sad ego driven response. Don’t live here unless you want a headache upon leaving I guess. Concierge was great. —— I’ve lived in many different cities and buildings and this building has by far been the best. I absolutely love the staff (Becca & Michael you rock!), the concierge team (Darren and Stephanie are always so caring and helpful), the amenities, and I always feel very safe. It is always clean. The rooftop has one of the best views in the city hands down and the community of friends I’ve made here has been a huge part of the enjoyment. Apartment layouts are some of the best (where else can you fit a king bed in your studio and have a cute sliding barn door ?) and there are so many amazing places within walking distance. My dog loves it and they love her! 5 stars!! They put on the best events and comedy shows!!

I have lived at Novel for 4 years and it has been wonderful. One of the highlights of living here is the staff, specifically Stephanie. She is incredibly helpful, friendly, and reliable. I’ve needed help many times; from being locked out, picking up a package, or simply having a question, and I know if Stephanie is working, my problems will be solved quickly without any issues. I’d recommend living at Novel to any considering residents.

All the staff at Novel are wonderful, but I have to take a moment to brag about Stephanie at the front desk! She is such a wonderful and important part of Novel! She takes the time to learn residents by name and story, and she is a fan favorite of the dogs at Novel too! Most nights, there is a line at her desk of dogs waiting their turn to get their treats and pets from Stephanie! I feel right at home when I walk through the front doors and Stephanie is there to greet me!

I was one of the earliest residents at Novel and moved in shortly after the 13th floor was completed. Honestly, even though I don't live there any longer, Novel was easily the best place I've ever lived for so many reasons and I miss living there now! Here are a couple of highlights: -Everything is designed thoughtfully. Like, everything. Friends were always so surprised when I told them that my apartment was only 650 sq. ft. because I had a huge kitchen space with cabinets for days (important because I have lots of appliances and cook a lot) and an awesome walk-in closet. I truly don't think anyone could have designed another space that better fit what I needed at the time. You can tell that everything from the apartments to the club rooms (yes, there are two) to the other amenity spaces were designed to truly be lived in. I've toured other apartments where there's a nice-looking kitchen island, for instance, but the island is so low/high that you can't comfortably sit at it. Novel doesn't have any of those issues. I also thought my apartment was noise insulated really well. I lived on the top floor, so I didn't have any issues with sounds from above and also virtually never heard anything from the neighboring apartments. -The staff are awesome. Darren, the daytime concierge, is fantastic and friendly and always brings a smile to your day. The leasing team (there has been some turnover recently, so I don't know all the newest people but shoutout to Maty and Marianna!) are also great and really accessible. The maintenance team responds fast, and I never really had issues in that area--one of the maintenance team was so diligent that he would let me just text him to update on whether something was back working properly. -The rooftoppppp. Oddly enough, I traveled ~50% of the year pre-pandemic, so I didn't get to use it as often as I would have liked (booo), but you really get some of the most enviable views in the District. You can see clear to the Capitol, Washington Monument, Southwest DC--you can even see the Monument from the gym. I loved the cabanas around the pool and the little dipping chairs that let you be halfway in the pool while reading a book. Again, designed for people to actually use them. In the spring/summer when I was home during the pandemic, I would go work on the roof for an hour or so in the morning, and my clients would comment on how nice it looked up there, even though they only saw it through a screen! The rooftop is absolutely sprawling, so it's easy to find a little nook to eat or read a book or whatever. -The events. The Novel team throws great events, and I was one of those residents who actually really liked to go to things and meet my neighbors. We had rooftop parties (insert "lit" emoji here) with a DJ, food, and top-shelf drinks, trivia nights, champagne & cupcakes in the lobby just because...they were always planning different things. I've lived now in three different buildings in Navy Yard, and I can say the Novel neighbors were easily the most welcoming. You actually make friends in the buildings that you want to hang out with. -The community. I felt like my neighbors were just generally a lot more friendly than at my old building in Navy Yard. People would speak to each other in the elevator and whatnot, and I actually got to know people, which was a nice change. In fact, I'm going to dinner with a former Novel neighbor friend tomorrow! -ABC Pony. Charles, Chef Armani, and the whole team are awesome. It was ridiculously convenient having a restaurant right in the building because you could order online or drop downstairs to place an order and have it ready in short order. They also have a "house account" you can sign up for, where you basically have credit that you can spend down. I had a reasonably large house account and was, err, at ABC Pony kind of frequently. Haha I tried to think of cons because I feel like apartment reviews that are only positive look suspect, but I really couldn't come up with anything. I ended up moving from Novel, not because I didn't really enjoy it but honestly as sort of a kneejerk decision after some changes at work. BUT not gonna lie--I miss Novel. I still wear their facemasks and look forward to visiting friends there and saying hi to the old team!

I've been a resident of Novel South Capitol for three years, and during this time, I've experienced repeated attempts by management to add fraudulent charges to my account, amounting to thousands of dollars. Whether it's a deliberate scheme to exploit tenants or a reflection of poor leadership by Matty, the result is the same: unjustified charges with little to no evidence. On more than one occasion, I've had to escalate the issue to the Regional Director to get the charges dropped. Another troubling experience involved the maintenance team pressuring me to file an insurance claim for a simple issue with my dishwasher's gasket. After some research, I found the replacement part online for just $2, proving that the claim was completely unnecessary. I had to argue my case to avoid the hassle and cost of filing a claim over such a minor repair. Important advice for anyone planning to move out of Novel: the negative stories about their move-out process are, unfortunately, accurate. I opted for the "Smooth Move" package, which promised to handle all the cleaning for a fee. After moving out, however, I was hit with over $1,000 in charges. They cited damage to the carpet and walls, providing pictures that clearly showed normal wear and tear after three years of living there. Worse, they had ripped items from the walls themselves and blamed me for the damage. If you're moving out, be sure to document everything--take photos and videos--before you leave. This kind of fraudulent behavior needs to be exposed and addressed.

Truly the worst move our experience I've ever had. They are attempting to charge us for damages not mentioned during our move out inspection, that are part of normal wear and tear after being in the apartment for nearly 4 years

Do NOT bother renting here. Novel has acquired a new general manager, Maty, and she has been continually implementing ridiculous policies and procedures. She recently imposed child-like amenity rules, refused to issue me the pool passes that I am PAYING for, and she overall lacks the professionalism required of a supposed "luxury building". Tenants of this building are paying thousands of dollars each month for a luxury experience--some are paying upwards of $7k a month. Maty clearly does not understand how to run a luxury building or how to retain high paying tenants. If you want a decent luxury experience, with staff that respect the value of your dollar, then RENT ELSEWHERE. Novel looks great, and it once was great. However, Maty has destroyed that! I've known so many people to not renew their lease because of Maty and her policies. Afterall, anyone who forgoes nearly $70k in annual rent revenue over nonsensical internal policies that negatively affects tenant's living experience, isn't a great business manager. Furthermore, I'm sure the corporate owner would not approve of that poor exchange, and would rather retain the $70k a year.... *Note: Stephanie, Bryce, Becca & Vasil are all awesome! There truly are some great people at Novel; however, Maty, being the general manager, ruins it for them all! As such, do NOT bother wasting your money here.

Visited here while looking for apartments in DC. The staff was friendly, welcoming and helpful. The grounds are lovely and the amenities are amazing! This will be the place for us!

Mice in the parking garage. Rats in the moving garage, dog park, and near the back entrance. Maintenance team and concierges are very kind but nice is nice. Management really struggles to do anything effectively.

We've signed two leases and have lived in two different units at Novel & never once second guessed our decisions. Everyone from the cleaning crew to maintenance to the concierge to leasing & property management staff are incredibly attentive & awesome. Take the tour; see it in-person (you can't beat the views from the roof) and you'll *want* to sign a lease! (PS- If you decide to move in, drop my name so we can share in the referral bonus :)

I really enjoy living here! Beautiful amenities, friendly staff, responsive maintenance, very convenient location. I also love that there's a fantastic restaurant (ABC Pony) in the lobby!

I love living at the Novel. It's in a super convenient location in Navy Yard. All the apartments are soundproof. They put on monthly resident events, even with social distancing.

I have lived here for over a year and about to renew my lease! Despite COVID, I appreciate how the management does their best to make you feel you are part of a community. From virtual baking or cocktail competitions to holiday gifts from the staff, it's nice to be treated! All the staff members are friendly and there are an array of wonderful amenities, including a dog park and library to take advantage of. They are always kept clean and well-maintained. Highly recommend living here!

Don't Move Here! Everybody wants to be comfortable and receive what they pay for. Unfortunately that's not the case here. When I toured, I was told the units with a view of the monument was a great choice and were quiet. In fact, I was told the windows were sound proof. After a few nights, I noticed it was very loud.. I could hear every truck, car, motorcycle and even bikes with bells. I provided feedback to the leadership hoping for resolution besides them telling me to get noise cancelling curtains. The construction team was dispatched to my unit. The leasing manager, construction manager and I were told that the units that face South Capitol were NOT sound proof at all... Moreover, the architect never planned for the units to be soundproof despite sitting right on a major DC thoroughfare! I was told to move to a courtyard unit which would cost me a ton of money and hard work to hang art, TVs, etc. Needless to say, the Bozzuto team does not care about their false advertisement or their customer's experience. Other reasons not to move here: 1. You have to come to the lobby to get your guest(s), there is no way to allow your guest access to the elevator. You can allow your guest access to the lobby with a virtual key, but that's as far as they'll get! The Bozzuto team does not seem to want to change this process. Instead they'd rather you risk it by leaving food on the stove while you go to the lobby or force to you go up and down several times for multiple guests. They claim the concierge will let guests up, but the concierge isn't always at the desk-and sometimes they just don't want to let people up. 2. The garage door has been broken at least 3 times since this place opened. Currently the garage door has been broken about a month. There are security guards at the door, but they don't do a check on people because they are usually in their cell phones. Furthermore, there is not a formal checkpoint for drivers... you drive right by them. 3. The grills on the rooftop haven't worked properly since they opened. They like to charge amenity fees for amenities you can't use! Overall, it's not worth it! There are other buildings that are true luxury properties for the same price or less. More to come for this review...

I moved into Novel a couple of weeks ago. The leasing office was incredibly helpful and responsive. Specifically, Jack did a great job of answering all my questions and getting me all set up. The rooftop is great, and my apartment was clean and in great shape when I moved in. The location is also very convenient.

Reasonable, responsive, and professional. Outstanding experience so far. Had a few bumps in the road but nothing the Team couldn't overcome.

I've lived at Novel for over a year and the building is great. The rooftop has one of the best views of the city! The units have great layouts and nice finishes.

Great building, incredible staff, perfect location. The 1br w a den floorplan that we went with is incredibly spacious, and we have had zero complaints about the living space. Amazing rooftop pool deck, too.

I have lived here for two years and compared to some of the other buildings in this area this is by far and away the most well-managed building. The staff is extremely friendly and maintenance is extremely quick and efficient. Highly recommend living here.

Love living in this building - they are incredibly responsive and have great resident events! The front desk staff is especially helpful and are always willing to solve whatever problem you have. Very well run building.

The units are nice - good quality appliances/ good fit and finish, concierge is excellent and friendly, amenities are top quality, although you cannot use the roof after 11pm, they are rather strict about noise complaints starting at 11pm even on weekends without much detail around what actually constitutes acceptable vs unacceptable noise levels, overall though, very nice place to live and convenient location, also great if you are a dog owner, overall, I would recommend living here!

Wonderful place to live with amazing staff & amenities. The restaurant (ABC Pony) in the lobby is also convenient for great food.

I moved in a week ago and I continue to be blown away by the management team's exceptional customer service. They go out of their way to make sure you feel happy and comfortable in your new home. The apartment building itself is very luxurious and modern. Moved from Arlington and not a fan of the traffic noise from the expressway, but it's just part of living in the city and living higher up helps alleviate some of the noise. They also have a top-notch rooftop -- looking forward to pool days with killer views this summer!

From leasing, to concierge, to maintenance, everyone clearly takes pride in their job and works hard to exceed expectations. Can't think of a single outstanding complaint, and any complaint I've had has been quickly remedied. For those posting negative comments, I would encourage you to try to live somewhere else. Other mgmt companies are committed to providing the bare minimum required by law and slow to redress issues. Bozzuto does more than they have to, but it's appreciated.

I moved into Novel this weekend and the building feels like a hotel. The design is modern with a lot of character. The concierge team has been great and Zubair from the leasing office has been amazing and so accomodating from the first day we toured.