AVA Ballston Square

We moved here about 7 months ago, and we are very happy with all the amenities that are offered. The building is nice and clean, the gym is very convenient, they have a secure mailroom, all the people are nice, and best of all, maintenance is responsive and addresses any issues you may have within a day or two. There are always people at the front desk, and there has never been a time where I felt unsafe. The location is ideal, only a 2 minute walk from the Ballston metro stop and about the same from an underground food hall kind of thing (the Ballston Quarter). Truly, I don't know why I would ever have to leave a 10 minute walking radius of the apartment, that's the diversity of restaurants, shops, and amenities around this apartment. If it weren't for the noise, this apartment would definitely be five stars. That being said, I would not recommend moving here until after 2024 if you work ANY part of the time at home or are home between 9-5 or if you have pets, children, or partners that would be home between 9-5. They are doing balcony construction on apartments, meaning that they lock EVERYONE'S balcony (no, you won't have access to it at all) and every weekday from 9am-5pm there is heavy construction noise on the apartment. Saying that there is "construction noise" is misleading -- it's more than that. The sounds go through your bones and rattle your skull, making your ears ring if you're brave enough to leave them uncovered. The vibrations of jackhammering (or whatever they're doing) travel through the metal of the building and into your apartment no matter how distant they are from your apartment (for context, I'm on the third floor and am still disturbed by construction on the 20th). You have to yell to be heard by anyone, and earplugs and noise cancelling headphones don't work because of the sheer volume (I know because I've tried three different kinds). The one redeeming grace is that they offer four work from home rooms on the ground floor and a partnership with a nearby office building that you can go to in order to work and escape the noise. However, for me (and my partner) that defeats the whole business of working from home, to have to leave home to work. In total, if you're a single person with no pets who does a traditional 9-5 work day, then this construction noise won't bother you and this is an amazing place to live. However, if you plan on spending ANY time at home during the work day, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Do not rent here! For the next two years there is going to be consistent drilling. You won’t be able to sleep work. Not to mention you won’t have access to a balcony or be able to open any windows or doors. They raised rent during the construction they are only giving you a 100 dollar credit if you don’t have access to a balcony. They charge a 600 for new or a 500 for amenity fee for living here. You get kicked out of the courtyard at 10pm For reading a book and the TVs no longer work. The lifeguard will kick everyone out of the pool at random times. They will also take away benches. When you ask about the noise you are told leave or put up with it.

Do not rent here!!!! They have been “renovating apartments” for over a year with no end in sight, the entire building sounds like a war zone every day Monday - Friday. No matter how many residents complain their solution is "deal with it or move out". Meanwhile things in the rest of the building (elevators, printers, door locks, lights, gym equipment, etc) are constantly breaking and never updated yet on top of overpriced rent they charge you an extra $500 yearly for “amenity fees”. And please please trust me when I tell you the parking garage is an absolute NIGHTMARE.

24 year old kid murdered in his apt here in January, no security upgrades, still broken gates that dont lock in courtyard, no cameras in garage, and no suspect found..still. Rents go up exponentially every year, now amenity fee is annual..despite all amenities being closed with no plan in place to re-open (bike locks on grills, courtyard "closed at 8pm" gym and pool locked up). Paint chips all over everyone's balconies (lead dose anyone?) And leaks and concrete falling in garage on people's cars. This place is a mess and managed so poorly. Now management treats tenets like children and punishes us by locking down courtyard...so many nicer newer buildings in this neighborhood...keep looking friends .

Lived here for years and every year things get worse and worse. Rent is hiked up unreasonably every year, amenity fee is now every year ($500) and so far they have no plan to re-open the gym or pool...and courtyard now gets locked down at 8...so there goes your amenity fee for nothing. The apartments are mostly outdated except for the renovated units..which often get redone while you live there (and this is not optional)...work is rushed and the finish on construction is very shotty. The only positive about this location is the maintenance staff...they are very nice and extremely quick to respond. I would not live here again...too many options that are much newer and nicer..and managed MUCH better.

In addition to all the other negative reviews regarding AVA Ballston Square, a resident was murdered in his apartment on Friday, January 18, 2020. Since this an open investigation, the Arlington County Police have revealed very little information about this homicide, except to say that the victim suffered a trauma to the upper torso. At a community meeting held on Saturday, January 25 with representatives from the Arlington County Police Department, numerous residents gave examples of significant weaknesses in the security system at AVA Ballston Square; and in fact it was noted during the meeting by a representative of AVA Ballston Square that on the day of the murder the security camera system in the building in which the murder occurred was not working. She additionally stated that the security camera system was not repaired and back in operation until four days after the homicide. We have lived at this complex for many years, and in that time we have seen AVA Ballston Square change from a safe, pleasantly decorated, and competently managed property to one that looks like a college dorm, with unprofessional management who cares more about extracting the maximum profit from the residents rather than providing a restful atmosphere, tasteful décor, high-quality service, and above all security for those who choose to live here. If safety is a principal concern, then AVA Ballston Square should be avoided at all costs.

I would give this place negative stars if I could. DO NOT LIVE HERE. They have the WORST customer service, WORST amenities (or lack thereof) - especially for the ridiculous rates they charge. I lived here for 1.5 years and the building and experience was so bad that they allowed me to break my lease and move out 7 mons early. First, abt 1.5 months after I moved in (and paid a $600 amenity fee) they gutted ALL the public spaces - removed the lobby, gym, pool, mailboxes, community center, etc and started doing a major renovation project, which they didn’t inform me of when I moved in. It’s 1.5 years later and NO progress has been made, and they “say” it’ll be at least another 6 months before it’s done. The construction is EVERYWHERE, there’s no lobby/hallways/etc it’s all a dangerous construction zone. It’s loud as hell all the time - including 8a every Saturday and Sunday morning. To get to the “concierge” you actually have to go outside. Which means to get oversized packages I have to lug them BY MY SELF around an entire block, or through a parking garage. And the front desk and management refuse to help even though this is all due to inconveniences they put upon residents. There’s also no entrance to the building - you have to walk through a shady back entrance which smells like trash all the time. Then, about 4 months ago, my laundry machine stopped working randomly. They came and fixed it, but a week later, when I was doing laundry at 9p for a work trip the next morning, it magically broke again and flooded my ENTIRE apartment. Their “on call 24/7 maintenance” person took over 2 hours to get there to fix it. He then proceeded to laugh at me and make fun of me, and then took ALL MY TOWELS and mopped up the mess with them. Threw them in my sink and left. And said no one will be able to fix it for another 3-4 days. To say sorry they gave me a lousy $50 gift card to Macy’s, which is across the street On top of that, every few days they turn the water in the building off for some unknown reason, so if you’re working from home or studying from home during the day, you’re forced to go buy a days worth of water - and can’t shower or go to the bathroom in your own apartment. I could go on and on and on about how horrible this place is, but you get the idea. Seriously, do yourself a favor and DONT MOVE HERE unless you like hating your home (and paying a ridiculous amount for it)

I loved the place at first but until they start caring and listening to their customers I would never live there or any Avalon location again. The clean sweep is a scam, use a professional carpet cleaning service. The Good: At Avalon Ballston Square, the staff was very friendly and gave 110% to their work. The maintenance staff dealt with issues in less than 24 hours! The apartments were nicely renovated, and they have plans to make it look even better in the future. The bad and worse: Expect SEVERE charges upon move out. I was billed for over $1000 on questionable damages and was never allowed to speak to the staff who identified the alleged issue so it could be explained to me. My preliminary inspection report was squeaky clean, but then they decided that they wanted to replace the entire carpet and put it on my dime. The corporate office is AWFUL; instead of listening to my concerns and explaining their decision to replace the carpet in any meaningful way, they are pressuring me to pay immediately without ever seeing an inspection report. They are also threatening to ruin my credit report by sending me to collection even though they are unable to produce common documents to prove that the charges are valid. I asked for a final inspection report and instead, they sent me the itemized bill for the carpet. I paid for the full clean sweep service and yet instead of trying to clean the carpet they just replaced it. Avoid Avalon Bay or you will end up paying for it afterward.

If you are looking to rent at this Avalon community please stay away. Apartments units are extremely outdated with old appliances and carpets and for the price you are paying to reside here it is not worth it at all. Be warned that the carpets will be need to replaced upon move out and they will upcharge you significantly for the replacement instead of just converting to hard wood flooring. In addition, they will charge you for fees and services you don't even need or will ever use so get ready for that too. Staff is rude and impolite, the odor from the trash removal room reeks throughout the entire bottom floor of the apartment complex. I have been double billed for utilities on 3 separate occasions and had to get transferred to Avalon bay national center to get it resolved. Also, your rent will increase at years end there is no lock-in period. They try to advertise themselves as a world class apartment community but this is nothing of one and a terrible place to live. Stay away at all costs.

I enjoyed the beginning of my lease, and love some of the employees like Mo at the front desk, but have had a horrible living experience ever since. When we signed our lease, we were promised several amenities which are no longer available: -library within the building -computer lounge within the building -party room within the building -sauna in the gym -mail room within the building -large presentable pool area -outdoor courtyard -lobby About halfway through our lease, Avalon Ballston Square began construction on the building and took these amenities away from its residents. We have endured unbearably loud construction noises that you can hear from your living area that begin around 8am. Many building entrances are not available, which is especially unfortunate when it is raining. The elevators are constantly under construction which has been very frustrating. The entrances and elevators that are available often smell like dog urine. Many hallways are not available on the main floor. I have to walk outside and around the block to access my mailbox. There is an overall messy appearance (exposed wires on ceilings, etc.) from constant construction and our water has been cut off several times in the morning which has prevented us from taking showers in the apartment before work in the morning. None of these issues where brought to our attention when we originally toured the building and agreed to sign our lease. The property management team has not been helpful in resolving any of our issues. Overall, it has been a horrible living experience and I will not be renting with Avalon again.

They get you to sign a lease that is lower in price and then sky-rocket the price at renewal. This year they even charged us an amenity few upon renewal of $600 even though there is and will be construction for an extended period of time. The staff doesn't greet you. Coffee machines are empty. It seems as if they just want residents to vacate so that they can further increase rental prices. Construction started at the beginning of summer and all amenities are unavailable except the pool which is directly in the middle of the construction debris and the gym which was relocated in a different building that you have to walk outside and around the construction to get to. Elevators are always broken and it's a huge issue for such a large building. Parking garage spaces are impossible to park in and often leave you vulnerable to dings and scratches. The only option for overnight guests is to pay $20 for an overnight pass.

I have lived with Avalon Communities for over 3 years in different properties. This, by far, was the worst experience. Late into 2017 renovations began, and so did the nightmares. Imagine paying $600 amenity fees to find out that the renovation will be taking place for almost 2 years, meaning you will only enjoy the living experience by, in best case scenario, 2020. On top of that, you will have to live with the following trouble: 1- Continuous water shut downs ( 6 times in the past 6 months ) 2- No courtyard ( BBQ, Dog walking areas) 3- No ADA ( non Handicap friendly ) 4- No Coffee machine 5- A pool surrounded by boards and demolition ( a must see ) 6- A disfunctional " temporary Gym " 7- No business center 8- Maybe Wifi ? and a lot more that I cant include in here. The community did not even try to offer renewals on the same rate, or some sort of incentive to keep current residents. Instead, they continue to send out renewal letters with absurd increases, and effective 2018 new renewals will be assessed amenity fees each year ( not a joke ).

It's a shame what happened to this place. I've lived here for two years and I have never seen a residential building go from so good to so bad in such a hurry. When I re-signed my lease last year, the leasing office made no mentions of the upcoming renovations (probably because I would not have renewed my lease if I knew). They tried to spin it as a "temporary inconvenience", but their idea of temporary has been quoted as between 14 and 19 months. Doesn't seem "temporary" to me, but the woman I spoke to at corporate said the definition is subjective. I asked her what time limit she would consider to not be temporary, and her silence made me think I could be birthed and die at this property and the continued renovations would still be considered "temporary". Here is a list of some of the grievances going on and what can be expected for the next 14 to 19 months: -"Temporary" garbage bag walls...which have already been around for months -False fire alarms -Water shutoffs without any notice -Lack of access to courtyard and grills, which were highly touted when I paid my large amenity fee when I moved in. Not sure if the large parts of dirt are considered a new amenity or not -Exposed wiring throughout the hallways and elevators -Lack of any common area as they are demolishing the lobby and hallways which connected the two buildings -Elevators that require you to hop off on the 2nd floor -If you have a dog, there is pretty much no more green areas to take them for a walk. Even the small individual trees and blocked off by boards. Look, I get it...apartments want to make money. There are a couple of brand new buildings that are popping up in the area increasing competition so they need to renovate this place to keep up with the competition. But they are doing it at the current residents expense and will be doing so for quite a long time. I'm sure this place will be nice in 2021 when all the renovations are done. Until then, do yourself a favor and skip this place, unless you want to deal with all the headaches mentioned above.

Please be aware that if you submit an application, you'll be charged $50 for the application and, if you cancel it, another amount for the time that the apartment was held (north of $60 for 1 day). That's $100 for a place you're not moving into. This happens even if the apartment you're looking at isn't even available for another 6 weeks. This happens even if you talk to them. This happens even if you end up applying for and moving into another one of their lovely places. Be aware.

Watch out, they charge hidden fees for everything. Don't sign anything unless you're prepared to be ripped off any chance they get. Verbal confirmation over the phone doesn't mean anything, if they promise you something, get it in writing.

We are an engaged couple with a dog living in an apartment just under 800 sq ft. We have two cars and use the metro located 1 walking block down the street. The layout of the apartment itself creates countless options considering the limited square footage. There is always plenty of natural light, spacious "small" patio that comfortably fits 4 seated adults, very little neighbor or outdoor noise, young work-oriented community in the heart of an up and coming neighborhood. The amenities are in good condition (gym room, pool, vending, ATM, loading docks), common places are kept clean and the staff are helpful, responsive, and have quickly become personal friends to us. The lifestyle Ballston Square has provided us has certainly decreased the pressure to buy a home since we have everything we need!

Lived here for going on 2 years now and could not have had a better experience. Friendly staff and great amenities!

This complex offers perfect living for working professions. Great location, great rent price, and super tenants. This is a place you really feel part of the community. Fun times and even greater people.

This is a great building right by the Ballston metro stop. There are plenty of restaurants around. This building is pet friendly and there is plenty of green space in the area to bring a dog. The staff at Ballston Square are really helpful, the front desk people are always willing to help you out. The facilities and grounds themselves are beautiful and maintenance takes great care of them. There is also a pool and grills that are available for resident use. This building is really an excellent place to choose as home.

Management and staff really do a great job at trying to give this giant building a community feel. Front desk staff are always friendly, wave hello in the morning and on your way in from work, and are sympathetic to any concerns or issues. However, somewhere between these friendly faces and those that run the building, the lines of communication break down. My unit and several others were without heat for 5 days during the coldest week of the year. Fine, I get that things happen beyond our control, but management did a terrible job communicating the issue and available alternatives. The same thing happened a few months later when the A/C went down during an exceptionally hot week and apparently no lessons were learning because even less information was communicated to the affected units. Renewal time is also interesting. Month-to-month means you will pay DOUBLE, which is just ridiculous. They also go by market value on the day they send you renewal paperwork, you may be able to get a lower rate if you check in a week or two later with the leasing office. Overall, decent building, convenient area, the little pool and grill area are great in the summer. Just be prepared to overlook a few issues...