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Reviews of Washington DC Corporate Apartments
The Bureau of Human Resources has entered into a contract with Oakwood Apartments to provide housing for employees on PCS orders for training at FSI. This housing will be provided to Department of State employees on a first-come/first-serve basis with priority given to employees on longer term training who are accompanied by eligible family members. Participating employees will not receive the lodging portion of the per diem allowance; HR will direct these funds to pay the contractor directly. Email hrpclodging@state.gov for more information.
Oakwood Falls Church
First review by Matthew Beh, State Department
When did you stay at the apartment? For how long?
May 2004 through (projected) April 2005
Is this a good place to stay with children? Are the schools, play areas, etc. acceptable?
Great schools, play area small but fun for kids, pool good for kids.
Kids would really be the reason to
stay here -- singles and married without kids would do better to stay
at one of the higher-end corporate apts. in Rosslyn.
Can you get by without a car at this complex? With just one car?
Not without a car -- this is the suburbs. And although there is a shuttle bus to FSI, it will not help anyone. It is no fun to be stranded at FSI when the last Oakwood shuttle has gone. For instance, Oakwood's shuttle might work out if your already know your FSI classes will always end at 4:10 or 5:15. But if you find your classes finish at 5:30--such as the many Chinese, Arabic and other languages--Oakwood has refused our request to add a shuttle, or delay that last shuttle by 15 minutes.
First, they asked us to "prove demand." A number of us signed
a list of interested tenants at the front
desk. After that, we met with the manager. After four weeks of unreturned
phone calls, we received
varying messages back, but all snide, including, "if you don't like
it, you're welcome to leave."
Other apt. complexes do have a 5:30 shuttle. The Oakwood manager told me he pays $1700/mo total for all his shuttle services. I do not how what his marginal cost would be to add another shuttle, but clearly it's not worth it to him, though I alone have spent $14K here in just six months...
Do the rental rates fall within per diem? For how long?
I can only speak to whether the 2BR furnished rental rates are within per diem. They are not. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
Oakwood will give you a big song and dance about how they have "a person who works with State exclusively -- we have a special relationship with State." Now, as we all know, WE pay the landlord, then STATE pays US. Do NOT listen to Oakwood on this.
What this gibberish means in practice is, Oakwood will try to tell you that their nice deal of approx $4500 per month for a furnished 2BR for 2 months, then the same apartment at about half that, fits within current State per diem regulations. It doesn't. State auditors can and do come after State people, years later, for bills State decides it should not have paid, so don't think that if State pays now, it means you are out of the woods. Read the regulations, and read the letter on this topic that has gone out to recent A-100 classes. And don't sign a front-loaded lease, unless you're feel lucky. (Oakwood has copies of the letter, I gave it to them myself, but I have heard from newer arrivals that they still will not acknowledge it.)
By phone, I found that Oakwood would not rent me an unfurnished apartment
without first sticking me for a furnished one for a few months. If you're
lucky, the furnished (2BR) will cost you $3400/month. (Many State people
get the State rate of $4500/month, though.) Unfurnished 2BR will cost
1500+ per month. Maybe if you showed up in person you could talk your
way into the
unfurnished ones. Either way, be warned.
Once you do get into the unfurnished, you will pay over $110 per month
in utilities to a seeminngly
separate company. You'll pay more for Oakwood electricity in summer than
I paid for electric for my
whole house in NJ before I came here, including electric air conditioning.
And that $110/mo. includes
$20 per mo for trash services, though Oakwood lets the trash pile up as
high as the ceiling in the trash room on the first floor.
Do you have any specific advice for people who will be staying at this complex? Are some buildings more desirable than others, for example?
Yes, I have plenty of advice. In short, beware...
I don't even want to talk about the first apartment they put my pregnant
wife, myself, and our 2-year old in, unit A-101 (ironically named). It's
on the ground floor, and you'll notice if you read their leases,
there's an entire special page disclaiming responsibility. for moldy apts.
A-100's carpet was so moldy, it was actually physically soaked. When I
walked on it in bare feet, my feet stuck to my slippers later like a car
registration sticker to the windshield. The smell was like an old houseboat.
The next morning, begging on behalf of my pregnant wife netted us a look
at exactly one other apartment, to which we were ordered to move within
2 hours.
Oakwood's repair services are about par for a rental. We did have one
repairman look at the stove fan and tell my (again, she was pregnant)
wife that she would have to handwash the stove fan filter herself. And
we have given up on their ever figuring out how to fix our refrigerator
so that the light inside goes out when the door is closed -- the temperature
is too warm as a result. But all in all, their repair and
maintenance is on par for all big-building rentals.
If you do come here, beware Building B facing the south side (even-numbered apts) -- the "Eden Center," an all-Vietnamese shopping center out back, has some loud, late nights, including during the week. Avoid first floors of all buildings for the trash problem, as previously mentioned. If you're facing into the courtyard/parking lot, the constant basketball playing past 10 PM may annoy you, maybe not (my wife dislikes, I'm basically ok with it).
Oakwood is great for the sense of community among FS families, particularly during the summer, when the pool is open and going strong. It's great to come here for A-100, and meet other families. Falls Church (City of Falls Church) schools are top-notch too, though you can also access them by living in an individual townhouse or apartment rental.
But there are many downsides too. For the $14,000 of Uncle Sam's $ I have spent here over just six months so far, I could have rented a house with a pool right next to FSI, and hired a lifeguard to watch over my classmates' kids at weekly pool parties; or I could have rented a house with a pool further out in Virginia, rented a car, and hired a chauffeur to drive it.
Second review by Bill Geschwind, Department of State
When did you stay at the apartment? For how long?
I have been there for 6 weeks and am staying another 3 weeks, from early July 2006 through early September 2006
What were the advantages of staying at the complex?
I found it to be a very convenient place to stay. There is plenty of parking, it is a VERY easy commute by car to the FSI (approx. 10 minutes and traffic isn't bad even during rush hour), good amenities on-site (convenience store, dry cleaners, business center with computers with printers, gym, BBQ grills, pool, tennis courts with pro shop, etc.). About 0.6 miles to the East Falls Church metro station, which I consider within walking distance. Nonetheless there is a shuttle there and back. There is also a shuttle on weekends to a grocery store and there is a daily shuttle to the FSI.
I usually drove to the FSI, but the few times I took the shuttle I had no problems with it. If you miss the last one, you can take the FSI's shuttle to the Rosslyn metro station and take the metro to East Falls Church - not that convenient, but at least you are NOT stranded. I found the king size bed in my apartment to be exceptionally comfortable.
There are also lots of State people staying here, which is good for socializing. Also, LOTS of ethnic restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
What were the disadvantages?
Older buildings, which in some details show their age (floors and countertops not exactly level, countertop had one tile that did not match the rest, paint on walls very thick, closet door didn't close properly), but I did not consider this to be a problem per se. The furniture makes the impression of being the cheapest of the cheap, but it is functional and perfectly serviceable.
I had no problems with mold or insects or other pests in the apartment or problems with the management. My apartment, on the ground floor of building B on the odd numbered side of the hall was reasonably quiet, however I have heard from others that if you face the basketball courts or the swimming pool it can get noisy. Washer/dryers are on every other floor of the building, and I would have liked to have one in my apartment.
Is this a good place to stay with children? Are the schools, play areas, etc. acceptable?
I don't have any children, so it's tough for me to comment on this. It appears to be a kid-friendly place since there are lots of kids playing in the pool and I see lots of families with kids here. I have no idea about the schools.
Can you get by without a car at this complex? With just one car?
It is a great place if you have a car. There is plenty of parking, although the parking lot struck me as being a bit tight in some places, and there is no additional charge for parking. The nearby Seven Corners intersection can be a bit daunting during the first few days, but you get used to it and it isn't that bad. However if I didn't have a car I think I could get by just fine here as well, since the East Falls Church metro station is about 2/3 mile away, which I consider to be in walking distance, and there are shuttles to the FSI and to the metro.
Do the rental rates fall within per diem? For how long?
For a furnished one-bedroom apartment including all utilities and once weekly maid service it falls well within the per diem for the first 60 days. After that it does not. Also, after I moved here I found out that the Oakwood started a deal with State where with the right authorizations you can get them to bill State directly without you having to pay the rent up front and having to get it reimbursed with a travel voucher.
Do you have any specific advice for people who will be staying at this complex? Are some buildings more desirable than others, for example?
The Oakwood is in an ethnically very diverse neighborhood, and it is right next door to Eden Center, which is a large Vietnamese shopping center with some interesting restaurants. Since this is my first time in the Washington area I have nothing locally to compare the Oakwood to, but I found the place to be perfectly fine for what it is. There may be better places around, but there is nothing fundamentally wrong with this one. If you are going to spend a few months at the FSI it is an excellent place to be due to its easy commute.
Third review by Heather M. Pishko, Department of State
When did you stay at the apartment? For how long?
January - March 2006
What were the advantages of staying at the complex?
The shuttle to and from FSI was terrific! I was so grateful that I didn't have to navigate myself over there. Also, I was able to bring my two cats with no difficulties at all.
What were the disadvantages?
My apartment on the top floor was always too warm for my comfort.
Can you get by without a car at this complex? With just one car?
I had one car for just me, which I used when I needed to shop for large amounts. The facility offers a trip to a local grocery store once a week, as well as regular shuttle service to the Metro. There are no grocery stores within easy walking distance.
Do the rental rates fall within per diem? For how long?
I was there for 61 days, and the rate was easily within per diem.
Oakwood Falls Church
501 N. Roosevelt Blvd.
Falls Church, VA 22044
(703) 922-0550 or toll free at (800)888-0808
Corporate website: www.oakwood.com