The Donaldson Group

although the building is older, the environment is very safe and student friendly. It is near American University's campus in upper NW, but my drive to HUCM is consistently 20 minutes, maybe 30 with REALLY bad traffic. Garage parking is a 200 dollar fee, but they have many deals and I was able to have that fee waived.

The Berkshire overall is a great place to live! It is close to campus and a safe area. The building is always clean and the staff is very attentive. The only problem is that occasionally roaches come out of the drains. There have been 2 incidents of this in my year living here. They do have pest control to help with this. It can be difficult for graduate students too because many undergraduate students live here so it can get pretty noisy.

Its an old building which is fair, its the cheapest in the area but it does the job.

It’s a 10 minute walk (if that) to campus each day and in a pretty safe neighborhood (especially since it’s neighbors with Homeland Security). The staff are quick to respond to any questions or needs, and the other residents are friendly (many of whom are other AU students!). Highly recommend!

Apartment complex is infested with roaches. Management is aware and has no solution. The apartment complex is unresponsive to tenants and has lost mail multiple times. The fire department and police are consistently at the building. This complex takes advantage of AU students knowing they have very little options in the area.

The Berkshire is the perfect location for AU students and the price is competitive given the included amenities.
But, it’s an older building and the management is unpredictable.

Great Housing Close to Campus

So far so good. The gym and laundry facilities are convenient. There is also a small grocery and deli shop.

The apartment is nice. It is modernized in some areas. It is definitely in need of maintenance in other areas. The building management turned on the heat back in October when it still regularly got up to the 70s and 80s so that was not appreciated.

My living quality is not bad.

Well, it turned out to be one of the cheaper options (!) in the area and it’s proximity to campus is unparalleled. The occasional bug in the kitchen is off putting but manageable. The leasing staff were extremely helpful!

On one hand, the location is great. On the other, we have a recurrent rodent problem and neighbors can be noisy. Management is not effective.

I really like this building! Some of the units are very dark and small but my studio is large with lots of light and tons of closet/storage space. The kitchens are tiny but I've been able to make it work with just myself living here. The management is super responsive, and having someone sitting at the front desk makes the building feel secure. There is also a nice roof area. I don't like not being able to control the AC/heat myself, and it definitely gets hot on the higher floors in the winter, but it's tolerable with windows and fans. The location is super convenient to GW! There is some noise from undergrad buildings and not a ton of food/grocery options nearby but it's workable and I like being close to my classes more than anything.

The Berkshire is close to AU and is one of the most affordable options in the area. The location is very convenient, being walkable from campus, metro, a supermarket, and having a bus route right by the complex (even if it only runs every half hour).

The amenities aren't anything special, but access to a small gym and a (though overpriced) convenience store that's good for emergencies is nice.

As the complex is mostly populated by AU undergrad students, it can get loud on Friday and Saturday nights especially, though management tries to respond to complaints.

The pest problem is impossible to get rid of due to the building's garbage system, but I have found that keeping a clean kitchen and managing personal garbage well keeps roaches a fairly rare sight.

Overall the Berkshire is not an incredibly stunning living space in any way, but the location and manageable price for the area make it a satisfying option for anyone who cares more about price and efficiency than luxury.

Fine for first apt