Woodner Apartments

I came in for an inquiry for a studio and I had the pleasure of meeting the leasing manager (Lily Yoseph). She made me feel very welcome and provided a great tour of the property with great details and amenities. The studio units that I looked at were all amazing and different, there is a market that is really convenient and useful. I loved the location of the building and security details. After the tour I expressed interest in one of the units and immediately completed an application. I would like to say with all the current events, status of the world and politics, it was great to see that good hospital able people still exits, Im grateful for Lily and The Woodner Appartments staff for a great introduction to a potential future home!

I can’t stress enough how amazing Ms.lily is! She gave us a whole run down of the building & helped us tour a couple of studios. She was so welcoming & had the best customer services I’ve experienced while touring for apts! She made the process so much easier on us! If you ever have the pleasure of stopping by, please ask for her :)

My stay at the Woodner Apartment has been fantastic. The location is great, with easy access to local shops and public transport. The staff are friendly and always willing to help. My apartment was clean and cozy, with a nice view. I especially enjoy the amenities, like the fitness center , swimming pool and the lovely courtyard. Overall, the Woodner offered great value for the price. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a pleasant stay! Tracy M.

Just moved in a couple weeks ago. Every step by Kester and Carmela has been on point, from assistance on cosigners to perks of securing 2 months free rent (and lenient with not being pro rated but instead taking 2 months free of my choosing, unlike most buildings), etc. The move in from beginning to end with them has been sharp and fluid. Not to mention the unit is beautiful with brand new appliances, cabinets, and marble kitchen flooring, and at a fantastic price for the central location with all amenities included. The building is kept very clean and maintenance is at your door within hours if any issues arise. If thinking of a new apt, I highly recommend inquiring with them both on the Woodner.

Let me say first, Ms. Katrina Bannister took real good care of me. When I had questions of any kind, she was very helpful and patient. Her staff was assisting me too. I really love my apartment!

Mr. Kester is by far more than a leasing manager. He is Mr. Make things happen. Not only did I appreciate the excellent customer service. The fast turnaround to have me well rested in my new place was beyond belief. If you’re thinking of moving to the Woodner, this is your sign.

Myself and my husban have been living at The Woodner for 6 months it has been a great experience so far. Maintenance have been responsive and the leasing team Kester and Carmela have really been amazing and helpful. Thank you both for the warm welcome always.

The tour was really cool with Kester, he was so patient and attentive the whole time, he helps a lot!! And I have to thanks Carmela she helped me to fulfill my application, both of them were so friendly!!

I liked the place but we got bugs like cockroaches or bed bugs and then when you ask for fumigations they make the asshole because they say they will make fumigate and they don't make it is just that

I lived in this building and recently moved out -- I would not recommend it to anyone. While the location and price might seem convenient, the conditions inside and around the building are unacceptable. The building has roaches, and I even had a mouse in my unit. The AC unit was unreliable. The hallways reeked of wet dog, and dog feces were regularly left in the hallway without being cleaned promptly. Outside the building, a tenant or neighbor regularly feeds pigeons, which has led to an infestation of birds and droppings around the entrance. Drug activity occurs in the parking lot, and security is completely ineffective -- they would allow other people to park in my reserved spot when I wasn't home. Instead of enforcing rules, they were often seen smoking, sitting around, and eating meals at the front of the building. Inside, package theft was common, and nothing meaningful was done to improve building security. Worst of all, I had a disturbing interaction with one of the building's staff -- after offering to help me with something, he said, "Now I know where you live in case I get lonely at night." That comment made me feel incredibly unsafe in my own home. When I reported it, there was no follow-up or action taken to protect me as a tenant. This building is not just poorly run -- it feels unsafe, unsanitary, and unprofessional. Moving out was the best decision I made. If you value your safety, comfort, and peace of mind, look elsewhere.

We have live at the Woodner Since 1993. Now that we are about to retired, The Leasing Manager Kester Sanchez has diligently help us find a bigger apartment that serves our needs and budget. His staff has been kind and helpful. The cleanliness of the place is impeccable, We feel secure for there is a 24/7 Security Service, a professional Resident Services, A package receiving room that is open 7 days a week, A laundry room that is open 24/7, a convenient grocery store, a beauty salon, terrace, and a big size swimming pool. It is pet friendly, they let us have Bella for 16 years they never complained about her. If you are looking for a safe place to call home for many decades, the Woodner is the place.

The woodner is just nasty REALLY NASTY DONT LET THE POSITIVE REVIEWS FOOL YOU ITS ALL A LIE THEY ARE FAKE AF if you hate yourself this is the place to live. I have been living here since July and it is the worst apartment complex in the history of apartments I fell for the 4stars reviews please dont make my mistake this place is disgusting the workers are disgusting. nobody has your best interest at heart or even remotely want to do their jobs LIVE ANYWHERE BUT HERE WISH I COULD GIVE IT NEGATIVE 10000 STARS SAVE YOURSELF

I visited the Woodner and was assisted by Katrina Bannister. Her courteous assistance, professionalism and honesty far exceeded my expectation. A coworker resides in the building and recommended it as a potential relocation choice. I felt comfortable, confident and certain the Woodner would be in my top two choices. Ms.Bannister and her staff were extremely knowledgeable and displayed a sincere and genuine willingness to assist me in making a selection; and I felt compelled to advise anyone seeking residental selection assistance to be certain to request her personal assistance.

Excellent staffing and all around support by well trained personnel. Enjoy this hotel converted to state of the art apartments.

Do not live here! Live here only if you're willing to risk your health. I live here currently and I will soon move out. Management for years has failed to address molding within the apartment. The apartment was not even move on ready after documentation through was submitted for them to address the issues. Currently I am experiencing severe molding within the HVAC unit and vents yet management has ignored my calls to address the issue fully and instead considered that it was mildew. The issue is intact mold based on the lab results. Management is so terrible that they've even locked me out of my apartment because of their failure to have accurate information within my file as the authoritized occupant. No accommodation is being granted over the mold or the lock out. It is as if the building is actively seeking to poison me with mold. If you move in here, inspect your apartment fully and document everything as I have. Document every maintenance request and take pictures so you won't have to worry about loosing the slips as I have. Document every email too. But most importantly do not live here. It is a hazard to your health.

Anita was amazing!! Gave a wonderfully informative and thorough tour of this great building. Thanks!

It's a slumlord apartment. You might look at the room price and think you're getting a good deal but you'll end up paying more in the long run because this place makes you sick, and I'm not just talking about the routine COVID outbreaks among residents and employees. I've lived here for a few years and have dealt with constant pest and bed bug issues in that time - the savings evaporate real quick when you're having to buy new mattresses, trust me. Take it from me, you'll be better off just about anywhere else.

I've been looking for a place to move for months. I've dealt with suspect people on Craigslist and FB, boutique apartments with barely any guidance, and large apartment buildings with unsatisfactory service. I called The Woodner and Caleb answered my call and scheduled a same day tour. He was nice, timely, and gave me lots of good information. Mainly he was nice and treated me like a person who has been searching for apartments for months. he was a breath of fresh air and on the tour I decided I'd move in once approved because the level of care displayed here tops anything I've seen so far. Caleb was awesome!

The leasing office is constantly lying. Prior to moving in they kept selling the parking lot as a feature, as soon as I signed the lease, they said there haven't been available spots for years, and there is no waiting list. The apartment I moved into has a HUGE hole in the shower, the windows DON'T lock, trash on the floor in the hall has been there since I moved in. The laundry room uses card access for payment, but the machine hasnt worked since I moved in. My next-door neighbour has yelling fights at 2:20am in the morning. And no one is willing to help

What kind of trustworthy, reliable, professional operation has to obnoxiously post the same ads over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, all at the same time, swarming over and blocking out all other ads from people trying to promote their units? The answer: There isn't one. There clearly are reasons for their obnoxious desperation. (I posted a bunch of screen shots, it looks like they may not be attached to this review for reference as I'd intended.)

I moved in to the Woodner few months ago I was pleased with the prices and location but I had a issue in my unit I went to management office I was helped by Katrina and she went above and beyond to help me and stayed in touch with me every day until my issue was fixed and got me an emergency transfer to a different unit and I ended up with a way better studio than the first one. honestly I've never experienced something like that. thanks to Katrina, and I'm definitely staying at the Woodner as long as I'm leaving in DC and will definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking for a nice, safe, affordable home.

How can I start well had appointment to see the model unit at 11am last Saturday get there at 10:50 am the rental office door had a sign which said open so I just thought they were out showing apartment call a number answering machine came on left messages so I waited until 11:20am before I decided to leave. Keep in mind they say they are open Saturday and Sunday sign everywhere went back later that afternoon still no one so i went back Sunday still no one.. So I call Monday spoke with the leasing office about my appointment and was told so what do you want us to do now. Not I'm sorry just very RUDE. But as I was walking down 16th street stop at another moving there 7 1 2021.. The Woodner Leasing Office and Security desk need a lot of training in customer relations.

I have lived in the woodner for almost two years now and my lease is up in September so I am moving out. Here are some of the Pro's and Cons I have experienced here: PROs: -Laundry, Convenience Store, Pool, DRY CLEANER and Small Gym on site -close to the metro and right in front of bus stop -decent neighborhood with plenty of food choices around -good value for the rent AT FIRST (rent increases about 3 percent each year so after a few years its not such a good value) -good maintenance staff your requests are handled within 24 hrs -Apts are nice and studio have good storage in them. Huge windows and plenty of light. -Never had a problem with my rent payment being processed. - ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED!!!! (except cable and internet) CON's: -Constant Police Activity: The worst part is that the staff are instructed to remain quiet and not tell you what the issue was. Sometimes they have to issue "letters" to all residents due to media reports. -Laundry gets stolen constantly: This problem is getting worst and worst and management does not seem to care. I had my towels and sheets stolen TWICE and last time I went to do my laundry someone entire LOAD was STOLEN. WHO DOES THAT???!! That tells you a lot about some the shaddy characters that live in this place. I tried to look at security camaras but they could not tell who it is was and management did not care to find out who it was. It seems like this problem has been happening for awhile and they have no solution for it. Either the dryers need a code to ensure that no one can get in there or there needs to be a security guard while the laundry room is open at all times. This is one of the reasons why I am moving out! -Fire alarm goes off in your apt frequently -security is a joke -limited hours to get your packages from package room -roach problems. although they have gotten much better lately Overall, I would say The Woodner is a good starter apartment if you are new to the DC area and don't want a far commute from the downtown area. For the price you are paying it is really not that bad at all. I paid $1,249 when I first moved in two years ago for an updated/remodeled studio apt (aprx 425 square feet) but now the rent is about to go up to $1,329 if I would have stayed... not such a great deal anymore considering there are better options out there for a little more.

I visited a friend here and security seemed clueless, I saw trash on the way, and we saw black mold in her apartment. The elevators take forever, and when we pick her up, it always takes so long for her to leave. Seems like a shitty place for the price tbh. I worry about her health.

This was a very beautiful and unique building. Mark from the leasing office gave us a lovely tour and gave us lots of helpful information about the building. I also thought it was pretty cool this building used to be a hotel in the 50's.

I have mixed emotions about the Woodner. Hold on to your iphones or computers. I had an apartment at the Woodner from 1969 to 1971, two of the most memorable years of my life. At that time the Woodner was only 17 years old and had a congress person or two still living there. It also already had a very storied past at that point. At that time it was known as the Woodner Hotel since it also had about 200 hotel rooms accompanied by all of services one might expect of a reasonably upscale hotel. But it had well over 1000 apartments. I am told it had about 1500 apartments at the time. As well as the ammenities listed today, it also had a coffee shop and a club with nightly entertainment. Remember, I'm giving this review 62 years after I actually lived there. II was single at the time and my monthly rent was a whopping $105 per month (or about) for a studio apartment with extra for a garage parking space (I can't remember how much the parking space was). The Woodner got an A+ for convenience. I was a first year music teacher at Adams Elementary School (directly behind and adjacent to the Washinton Hilton Hotel where I met a man at a convention there who was to become my very best friend until he passed away a few years ago). As a single man in an unfamliar city at the time, the convenience factor was critical to me. After reading the posted reviews I related to a couple of the cons. I had a problem with cock roaches early on and more than once but the problem was handled with reasonable efficiency as well as I remeber. My largest con was with the parking space in the garage. My space was no more than 30 feet from the security station which was supposedly attended 24/7. One day I discovered my radio had been stolen out of my car. I complained to no avail. A reasonable person would think that the Woodner would have reimbursed the replacement of the stolen radio but not a chance. I decided to sue the Hotel. It went to trail soon after, a trial in which I lost largely due to the posted sign stating to the effect that the hotel was not responsible for items left in vehicles. Interestingly enough, after that incident I was very well known in a positive way at all of the public service venues in the building so something good came of it after all. Overall I gave the Woodner 3 stars for its reasonable price and for its super convenience, 16th Street being a straight shot to the Federal Triangle, and also for the many memories of a 24 year old first year teacher and the lifetime of friends I have gained from the experience. John G.

I posted a negative review earlier and an employee posted a response that at first seemed promising. Since then, the problems I mentioned have just gotten worse. Five times I've contacted management with my concerns and all they do is nod and smile. I know of other tenants who have likewise been ignored, including female residents who have seen sexual harassment by employee go incorrected. And the elevator problems and early-morning false fire alarms continue.

This apartment building needs to be shut down. There is a building wide cockroach infestation, rats, mold, and more - and I have reached out the management several times about the roaches and they either schedule a useless pest control treatment (I had two services in my first two months that did nothing) or they ignored me completely. My other complaints have been ignored as well. Management for this building is rude, negligent, and unresponsive. The people in the leasing office are super nice and lovely to deal with, which makes sense considering they are dealing with prospective tenants. Resident Services and management is a nightmare to deal with - IF you can get them to answer the phone or respond to email, everyone I have ever dealt with is rude and dismissive. The attitude is like tenants are lucky that they get to live in this dump, and they can't be bothered to put in the time or the money to implement long-lasting, effective solutions to this building's many problems. This place isn't just "getting what you pay for" - these conditions are uninhabitable and unsafe, and no one should have to put up with this. I hope that anyone contemplating living here finds another place to live. They only care about getting paid and do not care for their tenants at all.

The service was great and staff were great. Jonny was professional and courteous. Amita pleasent and helpful with the application process.

When me and my partner moved in, the place was perfect. Half the year past and mice and roaches started to pop around. There was a lot of mice poop that i felt like i could not keep my dishes under the sink. Later on, we took the stairs and found homeless people sleeping in the hallways and stairwells....i felt unsafe. Some security guards don't even do their jobs so i guess homeless people can sneak in and out. There are stain in the hallways, it's whatever. The indian lady who work at the package area can be very lazy and sassy sometimes. Now coming to the end of our lease. The bathroom blew up on us 3 times and flooded the bathroom/closet which lead to the floor popping up into some weird hills. We have suffer many nights from "fire alarms" when there wasn't anything going on which was frustrating. There were always fire trucks in front of the place. December came in and me and my partner started being itchy all day everyday when we lay in our bed....so i don't know if they are bed bugs or not...... They say you can't have dogs, but theres a little pet area on the side of the apt and i seen many residents with dogs/cats. The bus is in front of the place which is good. Some of the laundry machines do not work. You can walk to metro, restaurant, grocery stores, clubs, and there is even a little shuttle that takes you in front of giant and a metro stop which is not bad. If something happens the staff does take care of it right away which is very good. The little store they have it good if you get hungry or forget to buy something. overall its an okay apt for what you pay for.

The price for the area and the square footage is unbeatable. There is a pool and a nice patio and most importantly a convenience store inside the building. I have lived here for a few years and specially after 2020, the management improved immensely. The building is old and has the problems of all old buildings: like the AC needs fixing sometimes and the pipes get clogged but the 24-hour maintenance on site solves every problem usually within hours. Woodner's charm for me is the history of it. The building is quite diverse: you see how the demography of Columbia Heights has changed over the decades and how old neighbors live smoothly with the younger hipster ones. I don't know I have fond memory of this building and at the very least for the sake of nostalgia of my 20s, i give Woodner 5 stars and recommend it to other young professionals.

Been living here for over a year now. I recommend to not even consider looking here. Building Management here is absolutely terrible. Their contracts are sketchy and very shady in how they explain them. They treat you like they are doing you a favor when you reach out to them, instead of doing their jobs in a professional and respectful manner. Oh where to begin: There are mice issues (they wouldn't take care of them I had to do it myself (twice). Cockroaches...galore. Also for the past 3 months we have been sending requests for them to check out this BLACK Mold that has been spreading in the ceiling. Time and time again (4 requests now) they completely ignore the requests. Still nothing. I think I'm going to reach out to the health department at this point. Maybe that will grab their attention. Oh and the hall ways have the strong odor of urine, vomit and a pungent hint of decay. Please don't live here.

Amazing tour! Caleb was super informative and this building has a lot of historical charm.

Leasing office gave the apartment I signed for to another individual, although I had signed for that exact address--moved me to another apartment without telling me and I had to fight to choose another. Bathroom ceiling collapsed and apartment flooded--took over a month to fix because they forgot about it. Water leaked from the wall outlet in the kitchen--tech said the wires behind it were not insulated. Thanks goodness there was not a fire. Security is an absolute joke. Come and go as you please, anyone, anytime. Residential services often unhelpful. Fire alarm trips often due to old system that has not been updated--few times at around 3 AM. Apartment was treated for cockroaches only months after moving in. Getting security deposit back took nearly forever. Beautiful view of Rock Creek if you live on the backside. If you contact the owner of the building things will get done faster. Generally quiet. Utilities included.

This is actually one of the worse places to live. The neighbors are obnoxious and never told to not have parties at 3am every other day. Also, the smell of weed is constant and when it's gone, you'll generally smell pee. The whole building is old and you can hear the elevator from every room. The fire alarm in you apartment will go off at anything that you cook, whether it be the oven of you stove. There's also only two settings on your stove, high and off. Don't even think you can cook anything in those apartments. There's also dusk coming through the heater constantly. I got severely sick during the first couple of months because I didn't know that it was clogging my lungs, so I had to move my bed to the other side of the room. The staff are extremely rude and don't care about anything other than money. The security is laughable. The front desk is not trained in anything other than sitting there and staring at you. They aren't polite in the least. Don't even get me started on the roaches. The basement laundry room is crawling with spiders and roaches. The laundry machines almost never work and no one cares to help you. Getting your mail is also bad because my mail got "lost" extremely often. The constant maintenance is obnoxious; however, nothing gets fixed except for putting marker caps into our fire alarm to make it stay locked in. Yes, getting to the bus is easy, but if you don't have a car or don't want to spend transit money to go to get groceries, be prepared to walk 20 minutes each way. They do have a shuttle that runs at odd hours and sometimes never shows up, but depending on what driver you get, you may fear for your life. Also the front entrance is not handicapped accessible. I wouldn't go near that place with a ten foot pole. I'm currently having to fight them to get back my deposit.

I've only been here a month and I already regret choosing this place. Rude staff that would ignore you, answer your questions perfunctorily, and can't manage a smile. Plus. I have already seen a cockroach and had a mice problem, and I live on the higher floor! I'll see how I feel after a one year's lease. On the plus side, the grocery store and location of this building is pretty convenient. The maintenance crew is awesome and very responsive. ----------------- I wrote the above after I've lived here for a month. Now that I'm about to renew my lease, I'm going to add a few more things. It is a convenient location and the store downstairs is very useful. To be fair, not all staff are mean and rude. Overall, I would have been content with my experience here EXCEPT my long-term battle with the mice!! My boyfriend and I could not figure out where the mice were coming from, we contacted the maintaince, and all they did was leaving two glue traps and put a rock in the hole. However, even after the hole was filled, we still saw mice running around and chewing things at night after we turned off the lights. I have to say, keep catching mice with mouse traps (we caught 3) and not being able to figure out where they were from was mentally frustrating and exhausting! Eventually, we noticed the they were going into different rooms through the AC tunnels. How gross is that? And I know this for sure because we have witnessed them coming out of there and tried to jump back...yucks. We duck taped the wholes under the AC, and the mice never showed up again. But it was a horrifying experience. Why am I still choosing to renew my lease after all? Because it is the cheapest in the area..I haven't been able to find anything cheaper and has the same size.

I have lived in The Woodner for six months and I have no major complaints. Although it is an old building (which was a hotel before) is well kept with a nice lobby, sometimes decorated depending on the season, and a well maintained garden, gym, pool and other facilities within the building. I have heard from residents who have lived there for many years that the building is nothing like it was before, that has changed for good. It is more secure, in fact if you go with someone who is not a resident you must notify to the front desk. To enter the building you must pass a card, and if you don't have your card to access you have to go to the front desk person, where there's always a security guard. I have not felt unsafe at any time. My only complaint so far is that some residents are poorly educated and have often thrown trash in the elevator and hallways, like soda cans, calling cards or receipts, but at least the next day is clean. Also the hallway carpets are a bit old, but nothing alarming, I suggest they remove these carpets and leave the floor plain like is in the first level. About my apartment, which is a studio is very spacious with a renovated kitchen with new cabinets and sink, new stove and new refrigerator, all this at a great price, not to mention that the building is really well located with a bus stop right in front of the building.

Do Not Stay Here!! Trust Me. You are getting what you pay for, which is a roach, bed bugs, knats, and every other kind of bug you can think of. I am currently living here and I regret it every day. I have another 6 months of hell left and I am looking at all possibilities in getting out of my lease. Do Not let the cheap rent and all utilities included fool you. Spend the extra few dollars elsewhere, trust me. I would rather be apartment broke then not being able to sleep at night because of a bug infested apartment. I basically threw away all my furniture and packed my clothes in bins because of the bugs. Look elsewhere!

Was given a tour of a few apartments by Trent. Very nice guy, knowledgable and was able to answer all my questions. The apartments look great!

I've lived in the building for years and the security is driving me to move out. A few months ago, the building beefed-up the security presence. By and large, the security staff is incredibly rude and condescending to the residents who pay their salaries. There is no consistency with rule enforcement. There is clear profiling. No one is safer due to their presence. Security's aggressive demeanor makes me anxious about entering my own building. Save yourself the hassle of being constantly disrespected in the name of security theater -- don't move here.

The leading officer today provided me with a well rounded and through tour . I enjoyed my tour and I really like the way this environment is.

They do not deserve 1 star. Do not stay at the Woodner. We live in NY and due to my daughter having college in D.C. , we had to get an apartment for us to live near her for a few months. We paid a security deposit of 1 month and also the 1 month of rent to save and get an apartment in Woodner in October. We got the 6 month lease and it came with a free month. We stayed until the end of December and broke the lease. We paid a month rent if security deposit, and paid each month we stayed on time and an extra month of rent because of breaking the lease and that being the fee for it. We did everything right, but Woodner did not give back our security deposit. We contacted them for months from NY via phone and email. No one picked up the phone because their "phones were broken". They barely replied back to email. We went multiple times in person and every time they kept sending us back by saying no one is in the office right now and we'll have someone contact you. They did this for 1.5 years and still not given the security deposit back. 1 month rent is a lot of money so it's not something we can just let go. We went back in person for 1 last time and they said the security deposit is only $99. They are never giving us the security deposit and they made it clear. This is very unprofessional and terrible management. Do not stay here at the Woodner.

Went on a tour today and the staff was very helpful! I was able to schedule a tour right away and view multiple units.

I lived at the Woodner between 2011-2015 (I moved out of state). I didn't have a bed bug problem, I did have a few tiny roaches in the beginning but I put traps out and they died out. I figured since there were 1100 units, you're going to get a few roaches. My main issues were my bathroom ceiling above my shower falling in--which happen twice, 2 years apart of each other. Maintenance were quickly to clean up the mess, and the ceiling was eventually fixed completely within 3 weeks. I was not injured either. Other than that, great place to live.

I loved the place.....what can I say. Maybe I'm ghetto. Maybe I'm not. I think it has wonderful views to Rock Creek Park. It's convenient to everything, it has a shuttle to metro during weekdays. Good for the price in an overpriced city.

Love living here! We have everything we need in our building from a grocery store to a cleaners! With all utilities included, can't be that! - Cruz

The Woodner is affordable and convenient but the reputation is true -- its infested with roaches. No matter where you are located in the building too. At some point you will see them -- and again. People hate to cop to it. I am also guilty. And I think the closer you are to the lower level, the side of the building by the park or neighboring a Woodner lifer - the worse they are. I would see roaches crawling on the hallway walls in the corridors sometimes, when I would come home after work. Not so much in my apartment because I'm a neat freak but one time too many (3x's). Save yourself some stress and choose another building in DC. With all the rules, pest problems and poor management, it's worth paying an extra dollar or two.

I moved in here with my partner at the end of August. The move-in process was OK. The loading dock was not occupied and the parking garage guy was pretty helpful at the time. The only complaint I have about that is its a far walk from the dock to the B-side apartments so I was all hot and sweaty after moving in all our stuff. Parking (unreserved) is $150 a month and you have to leave your key with the attendant because it is tandem parking. I have had pretty good experiences and really horrible experiences with the attendants. On the good side, there is one attendant that is very nice and helpful. However if you have the you the unfortunate need to use your car any time on Sunday you're S.O.L. here is my story with him: I returned from running errands and parked in front of 2 other cars that were close to the apartment entrance (everybody does this). While I was backing up he gives me the dirtiest look and yells and motions to me to park in another spot. I let the incident slip by and moved on with my day. On another occasion I left in the early morning and returned to the same a-hole attendant. I ended up parking in the same spot that my car had been when I left since it was still open. While I returned my key to him he gives me a rude lecture about how I am making him work. Wtf!! It's your job to move cars and I help pay your salary. Why the hell are you complaining about working. This particular parking attendant is one of the worst human beings I have met. Luckily by the time i moved out of this hell hole, they had hired a new tolerable weekend attendant. On a side note about parking be warned: they don't care about your car. I checked my car and there was a large scrape on the upper left bumper that was not there before. Nobody has taken responsibility and the apartment will do nothing about it. Generally speaking this building is very old and the people at resident services are pretty rude. Parking attendants have a tendency to suck. The dry cleaning lady is nice and front desk is also nice. I have seen 3 roaches since I moved in and I often see exterminator vans downstairs. I would not recommend living here.

DO NOT MOVE IN HERE! Security will make you feel unsafe and unwelcome. Staff mostly treats residents with contempt. There is no accessible loading area, so moving in and out, or even unloading groceries is next to impossible.

I am allergic to the Woodner. The first apartment that I had at the Woodner was infested with black mold, which I initially expected when I was coughing all the time and my eyes were burning at an increasing rate. The Woodner sent "mold experts" up to the apartment who said that it was not mold, but when I went out-of-pocket and hired my own "mold expert," it took him less than a minute to identify that my airconditioner was filled with black mold and that I was inhaling black mold every day. When I showed his findings to the Woodner, they were very nice and gave me a new apartment. However, I am having new and different allergic reactions to this new place, where my lips are peeling considerably, my skin is itchy all the time and my eyes are incredibly puffy. I am now spending about $300/week to live out of a crappy hotel room in Springfield, just so I'm not in pain ever day, while I look for a new place to live. The staff and employees are very nice at the Woodner. However, there is something not right with this place. If you value your health at all, DO NOT move in here. It may be cheap, but your health is more important.

Much like Detroit, the city I grew up nearby, this apartment building is probably not nearly as bad as you've heard it is. So for my 600th Yelp review, I'm going to set the record straight about my apartment complex! Whenever I tell people where I live, they look a bit disgusted. This complex has a real reputation for being a bit on the "funky" side. And there are definitely a few tenants here I would put barely on this side of sane. But they tend to hang out with each other, mostly in the lobby, and leave other tenants alone. You'll never hear late night screaming (although a few people do try to throw loud parties in studios on weekends) or see people smearing walls with disgusting fluids. What you do find is convenience. The S9 has a stop at Spring Road and this express bus makes getting to either Dupont Circle or Silver Spring a breeze (and there's seriously a S1, S2, or S4 non-express bus every two minutes during rush hour). Plus the 14th Street section of Columbia Heights for shopping needs is ten minutes away. Hip places like The Red Derby and Mad Momos are a two block walk. And views are the best ever! From the small gym on the 12th floor (it has what I need in ellipticals and bikes) you can see the D.C. skyline. And almost all the units either overlook Rock Creek Park or Columbia Heights. I live in a cheaper unit due to the lack of a spectacular view and I still overlook "downtown" Mount Pleasant and its adorable row houses. But what I actually like most about The Woodner is not having to leave the building at all (since I work from home). The market stocks pretty much everything from snack foods (from about ten different nations) to pre-made sandwiches, ice cream and alcoholic beverages. There's a video store which stocks all the new DVDs (as well as Ethiopian imported goods). Plus it sells lottery tickets. If you want to strike it rich and move to a nicer apartment building. I have seen a few bugs (mini-cockroach looking things) in my apartment, but they do come through and exterminate them quickly. For the price, it's a great place to live. All utilities being included makes budgeting so easy that I never want to live without that perk again. Yes, I probably got scabies from the carpeting here but all in all, this place is okay in my book. I'll probably even be living here when I write my 700th review.

It's only been a few days, but i love it! +s Cheapest prices in the area Great location... S1, S2 & S4 buses stop at the door Metro stop 6 blocks away Big living areas Great closet space All utilities included Pool, Gym, Grocery Store, Beauty Parlor, Laundry Cleaning, Souvenir Shop, Dentist Office, Restaurant & Bar with music box & pool hole... all this in the premises! -s There are a few weirdos in the building... but, this is outweighed by how nice and helpful the rest of the residents in this community can be :) And it is still pretty safe. Tips: there are some roaches... get a Combat right when you move in. It has kept them away!

I cannot be more happy with Woodner Building than I am right now. Awesome maintenance, quite neighbors, NO BUGS whatsoever! On top of that the rent is ridiculously low for a building right in DC. It takes me 40 minutes ON FOOT to get to Dupont circle. And if you want to use the bus or metro- the bus stop is right in fron of the building and the Columbia Heights metro station is 10 minutes away. Giant is also quite close so you can do your groceries there and you can use the Woodner shuttle that takes you to giant and brings you back for free. It is a great place to live in.

I just moved out and still give the Woodner a solid 3 stars. Overall great price for decent space. The staff is very friendly and there is definitely a community vibe if you've lived there long enough. What's also cool is that because the Woodner is SO BIG and affordable, whenever you take a cab, 90% of the time the drivers recognize the name Woodner or at least the address 3636--it's definitely a DC institution. Last recommendation, definitely get a reserved spot outside as close to the building as possible.

Going into this building, I understood it had a long history, changed ownership many, many times, and the makeup of its residents has shifted tremendously. I just finished living there for a full year and can say it has been one of the better apartment complexes I have lived in or visited since I moved to the DC area. In my year there (April 2012 - April 2013), in that short time span, the make-up of its residents has changed drastically. What I would have previously pinpointed as perhaps 1/4 of its tenants being young professionals is now creeping to 1/2 (granted, this is just by my way of observation). The other half of the building is made up of young families and the sincerely elderly who I would venture a guess will live there until their last days. Given the amount of times I have seen Ambulances carrying away elder individuals (a nearly daily occurrence), it seems to be the case. However, don't let that deter you. The rooms are large for what you pay. Its not the cheapest apartment complex in DC by any stretch, but its reasonably priced and you get a heck of a lot of space for what you are paying. All utilities (except internet/cable) are included in monthly rent. The market in the building has expanded their selection, including adding beer and wine, but they still have not added any ability to take credit/debit. I would have shopped there almost daily if it hadn't been for their cash-only policies. They do have an ATM machine, but with a $2 fee (on top of whatever your bank may charge), it just isn't worth shopping there unless you desperately need something. The management and leasing office has friendly staff, but are otherwise slow in responding to some issues and at times don't seem to be on top of all the paperwork. There were a few maintenance requests that went ignored until my 3rd request. More importantly, the initial requests I made when I moved into the room were ignored entirely. Nothing that changed how happy I was in the apartment, but damages from a prior resident I didn't want to get charged for once I moved out. So far no charges, but given how other apartment buildings in DC will screw you over in an instant, I remain cautious... That being said, I do highly recommend living here. Columbia Heights is a great neighborhood and has improved dramatically over the past few years - and is still improving! You are steps from Mount Pleasant, on the major 16th street bus lines, and its not as far north as you may think. People have complained about bugs. I never saw a single spider, roach, or big bug anywhere in my apartment. There were the occasional fly, but that's not terrible. Some people have complained about noise. At times noise echoes through the hallways, but it was never oppressive and it never ran too late. Granted this really is all based on who else lives on your floor and if they are loud.

I lived at the Woodner for five years. It was the Best of Times, it was the Not Too Bad Times. I moved out because I couldn't justify paying over $1100 for a studio there, but then again I am a BOOMER. Had vermin problems in the beginning but exterminators took care of that completely in the first year. Loved the mini-mart, dry cleaners, and video store in the lobby! I had the most amazing view of Rock Creek Park (Snowmageddon was amazing to watch). No car needed because Metro bus stop is right outside the building (besides parking tickets on 16th Street at rush hour were $100). Neighbors? The Cuban drummers next door only practiced on the weekends and never past 7pm--I loved their music. I've read otherwise but Resident Services and Accounting always treated me with respect. Would I move back? No, not at current rent rates. I AM a Boomer and that's just plain crazy!!

The good: - Great location, on the S1, S2, S4, S9 bus routes (42 nearby) and easily walkable to Columbia Heights Metro on GR and YL lines; easy access to Target, Best Buy, Giant etc. - CHEAP RENT. If you're a student or intern and you want your own place but make little money, this place has the cheapest rent in DC (at least in a location you won't get killed for being white, anyway). - No utility bills. - Dry cleaner, movie rental, and other shops in the building are convinient. The eatery isn't too bad with cheap and reasonably good food. The grocery store is nice but the owner randomly decides to close it at a whim with no warning and they don't take plastic (annoying). The hair salon is another nice perk but if you're a guy the woman will practically scalp you with the clippers! - The pool is actually really nice and barely used, so it's easy to take a swim during the summer months without too many kids in the way. - The building has had new windows put in that are very nice and let in a lot of light. There are some awesome views depending on what floor/side you're on. THE BAD: - The management is friendly and helpful up until about 5 days after you've signed your lease. After that, good luck getting anything from them. They are completely incompetent with even the simplest requests. - The building is full of crazy weirdos, most of whom stink to high heaven and don't speak any English. I had a lady old enough to be my great grandmother ask me to have sex with her in the elevator - I have never been able to look at old people the same way. - The elevators are a death trap! Seriously, I got stuck in the elevators twice in the 4 months I lived there. They are small, frequently broken, dirty, stinky, and slow. Take the stairs if you can. - The AC units tend to leak, badly. Mine leaked so bad that it rotted out the floor. The management failed to respond to my requests for repair and I ended up living for a month with a rotted out floor and a damp, mold-growing AC unit. If you get an apartment and see that the tile in one area does not match, DO NOT GET THAT UNIT, ask for another one! That's how you'll know the AC leaks and floor will have mold underneath it. - The building is dark and dirty. The corridors make you feel like you're walking down a prison corridor. Everything is dirty, it's always poorly lit. Nothing matches from one floor to the next. The doors are all very narrow so good luck getting any normal sized furniture in your apartment. Basically, if you're willing to put up with a lot of crap, just to save $500 a month, GO FOR IT. Personally, I was not. The first incident that made me want to move was when they lost my rent check, asked me for a duplicate, then cashed both! Then after all that they had the nerve to charge me a late fee and a returned check fee, plus all the expenses for overdrafting the bank charged me. I probably lost at least $350 on that screw-up. Then once my floor started rotting out and they refused to fix the AC or the floor, I was fed up. I'd been hit on by old ladies, shuffled around by the incompetent staff, and just generally annoyed with it all. I moved in to the building to save money, and save money I did... but it wasn't worth it!