This is for all you pet owners and pet lovers. This is a lesson I learned the hard way:
I currently live in a unit I purchased in this building about 4 years ago. Up until this point, I have not had an issue with the building. I loved the amenities and the building has a very active social committee, including monthly happy hours, weekly movie nights, and various cultural events. Every year the Home Owners Association Board changes, and with that policies fluctuate and change to reflect that Board's thought process at that time. Currently, the Board is interesting in "upholding" policies, which includes a very skewed pet policy, which states that "pets are not allowed to be leashed, carried, or crated through the lobby. Now, this wouldn't be an issue if every resident had a garage parking space (as the garage is a pet access area), however they don't. The parking is such that the larger units came with garage parking, and smaller units granted parking on the parking deck. If you have a smaller unit and have two cars, it's possible that you may only have one parking space allotted to you, which can become a problem, as now residents with two cars cannot park the other car in guest parking for more than 30 days. Something to consider if you're looking to move here and have more than one car and/or are looking to purchase another vehicle.
I have my gripes about the parking, but the pet policy is absolutely ridiculous and something that is now being "enforced". I find it somewhat ironic that my small dog is allowed to go into almost any non-food establishment in Old Town, yet not allowed to be leashed, carried, or crated through my own lobby....same place where I pay a mortgage and condo fees to. Additionally, if you have friends visiting with pets, you have to have them meet you at one entrance, hand over the pet, then have them go to the front to get a parking pass, and then try and find parking. Basically, it's an annoyance and will cause visitors to not want to be bothered (with either the parking or bringing their pet).
I find that the HOA (like many HOAs) is a bureaucracy, complete with petty, senior citizens willing to revive some portion of their adulthood heyday by investing uncessary time and energy into developing and/or enforcing policy for simple issues. Personally, I find that safety is of more concern to me than controlling what animal walks (or is carried) through the lobby.
So note to those looking to rent and/or buy in this building: this is NOT a pet friendly building. If you have pets and are moving here for that reason, I recommend reading over all the policy statements regarding pets, visitors,etc. But know that this building is anal about silly things, and this doesn't mean it improves management or how the building is run and operated (because it doesn't). I recommend checking into condos in Old Town, Alexandria, or Watergate at Landmark, which tend to have more lenient pet policies (or choose not to focus on such menial issues). read more