The Carlton, A Condominium

I have been living in the Carlton for about 15 years. It is a diverse and friendly community. If you want to live in an area with a pin drop silence… aa ah annn, rethink. Buy a single family house.
This is a condominium community where upgrades, renovation, and families live and thrive!
The association has enough funds for more upgrades and improvements. The new association manager is helpful and understanding… hoping he does useful things for my condo and the general upkeep.
Healthy place to live, enjoy, and thrive.

I have see this building come a long way in the past several years… they are trying to update, remodel and make positive changes. I have heard and see the difference for the units I have there…

Great location in an up-​and-​coming section of Arlington. It is an older building showing its age but there are several improvement projects that have been completed recently and many more planned, both for cosmetic and infrastructure renovations. I worked nights the first four years I lived here, coming home past midnight, and never had an issue finding parking, even during blizzards.
The issues mentioned with pets, pests and crazy neighbors are hard to avoid in a building with 504 units. There is a cleaning crew here seven days a week, and any cleanliness issues are due to irresponsible residents.
I have done several improvement projects in my unit, including a completely new kitchen, and comps appraised in the building show that my value has grown more than 40 percent.

The only great thing about the Carlton is location location location! I have seen lots of improvements since the new GM came. It’s a diverse place to live. Hallways and elevators need updates overalls great location!

Pros: Probably near the lowest renting units in Arlington. Large units compared to others in the area. Two free spots per unit (I think). 24-​hour front desk.
Cons: Old building, so elevators, power, and water go down more than is acceptable; allows smokers; lots of barking dogs; not a lot of visitor parking; move-​in/​move-​out schedule is difficult (no freight elevator after 5 PM or on Sundays); no in-​unit washer/​dryers.
EDIT: I had originally given them 2 stars because they usually don’t turn the AC on until May 15, no exceptions. I came home today to find that they turned it on a week early. They get an extra star for listening to their tenants this year and saving us from a miserable week of being hot.

I moved in to this building 6 months ago, and promised to write a review (which I usually don’t do). I was a little bit anxious after reading some reviews (which were pretty old) but needed a place ASAP. So, here is what I can say… Building is doing a lot of renovations. The lobby was recently renovated and looks like 5 start hotel now; game room is under development as well. Management staff and concierges are very nice. It’s very safe area and building because of the cameras everywhere. I loved their gym!!! It’s huge and people don’t bump to each other. Can’t wait for pool to be open as well. I’ve seen some reviews about the parking. Honestly, have no clue where those reviews are coming from. I go out a lot, and often get back home pretty late, and never ever parked on a street or somewhere else. It’s very convenient location because you are very close to DC, Arlington, Old town Alexandria, Shirlington. I take my dog and we go for a walk and some beer to the Shirlington village. It’s not 5 mins walk but very good exercise for me and my little doggy. There are a lot of stores in an area: grocery shopping — Safeway, Giant, Harris Teeter, Trader Joys; TJ max, Ross, Marshalls, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, and many other stores. So, I vote for Carlton: great location, good people and very reasonable price for very large unites.

I bought my unit in February 2002 and have seen some major changes at The Carlton. I think some of the reviews posted here are a bit short-​sighted to say the least.
The Good
The community has invested over $ 4 million in infrastructure improvements over the past five years. New boilers and chillers, new pipes, new roof, and many other smaller projects that have resolved some of the criticisms posted in other reviews. On top of that the community has developed a comprehensive architectural renovation plan. The main lobby and recreation rooms will be completed in September 2013. Hallways, party room, and other areas to be completed by 2015. And all of this without a special assessment or major condo fee increase.
The property sits at the corner of Four Mile Run Drive and Columbia Pike, across the street from where a Columbia Pike streetcar station is planned.
The Bad
While I have never had pest control problems I understand that some have. The community has a very aggrressive association-​funded plan, but there is no substitute for common housekeeping and periodic maintenance by the occupant. Parking in the common lot can be a problem, but where in Arlington is it not? The elevators are due for an overhaul and the HOA board of directors is planning to start in early 2014. Last but not least, the community has common laundry facilities and needs to develop a policy to permit the installation of washer-​dryer units in individual units.
These problems are an annoyance and not all that uncommon for a building of The Carlton’s age. And all of these problems can be solved over the near term.
The Ugly
The very few but very vocal resident owners who are a bit eccentric. Hardly a problem, but I had to put this issue in some category! The building needs to upgrade its emergency generator; the one they have now provides lighting but not enough power to energize an elevator so residents are left walking the stairs in the 12-​story building during a power outage.
Conclusion
Columbia Pike is the last major area in Arlington to be an opportunity for rejuvenation and improvement. There’s lots of potential for new stores, new restaurants, new shops all along Columbia Pike. Shirlington Village is just a mile away in the opposite direction.
The Carlton sits in a great location for residents to enjoy the benefit of all these new projects. The property presents one of the best value propositions in Arlington: there is far more upside potential than downside risk. Most units coming on the market are due for some interior renovation and redecoration which allows for new owners to put their own unique touches into their home.

Worst mistake of my life (well at least worst most expensive one). Do not under any circumstances buy here. I feel the unit was misrepresented by the seller. I am scrupulously clean and yet I still find at least one or two roaches in my unit each month. The property management company is incompetent. I’ve even been stuck in an elevator. Can’t decide if I should rent this place out and move back to the city or just try to unload it at a loss to someone who doesn’t mind living with bugs and poor management by both the board and the management company. Sad.

Either the power or water is out constantly and by constantly I mean once or twice a month. It may not seem like much but when these modern conveniences are down for an entire day it gets extremely annoying and bothersome.
No parking available at night: if you get off work late in the evening forget about trying to park. They set aside too many spaces for guest parking and guess what, they will not let residence park there even if the lot is full. However they WILL let anyone else park in those spaces as long as they get a temp parking pass from the office. Again, this does not apply to residents.
Also, the Carlton has the tendency to allow construction vehicles (long tractor trailers) to take up several spaces at a time and for months on end, which limits the parking even further.
As a resident I am highly offended with how they treat their tenants with regards to parking.

If you get off of work at 12am or later DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT MOVE IN HERE.
There is NEVER parking in the lot OR on the street and the best they offer is «You can park in front of the doors until 6am.» What?! So I have to get up in four hours and move my car and then try to sleep again before my early class? What the hell is wrong with these people. Tonight will be the 18^th night that I’ve had to do this.
Also, NO MATTER HOW CLEAN your condo is you will ALWAYS find roaches eventually. We are psychos about being clean and I find roaches in the bathroom or kitchen at least once a month. I pity everyone who buys here. I pity myself for being locked in for a year. If it wasn’t for my wonderful roommate being one of my best friends, I’d pack up and leave.
If late night parking and bugs are not an issue for you, you will love the place. The apartments are not too big, not too small. They are somewhat quiet. The view could be worse. The vertical blinds are a cinch to remove and replace and you can paint to your hearts content…
Unfortunately, none of these things make up for the parking and bugs for me. Both of these things have changed the way I live.

The Good: I like the diverse community that is the Carlton Condo. Everyone is friendly and easygoing. I’ve always felt safe walking from my car to building late at night. The front desk is effective at doing their job. The condo is located right next to the bike trail. We have Tennis Court and it was just remodeled! I believe the older structure of the building does provides better wall insulation barriers between condos; hence I don’t hear my neighbors. Our pool is way bigger than the Brittany! It is a very convenient drive to DC. The washer/​dryer is cheaper than my last apartment. Interior renovation 2013!
The Bad: When the power goes out the elevators stop working. If you are elderly, out-​of-​shape or disabled this could be a serious problem, especially if you live on the 12^th floor. The back door is not wheelchair accessible. Most people will probably see one cockroach within the first 2 years of living here. I’ve lived here 2.5 yrs and seen 2 roaches. (They do send pest control once a month to check for evidence of infestation.) Most condos have old sliding glass window/​doors that aren’t efficient. No Dog Park (although they have the land for it).
The Skinny: Most people are attracted to the Carlton because it’s a cheap place to live. If you you want to save money, you have to be willing and able to put up with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Therefore, I think if you are a type A, or perfectionist, or pessimistic type character, the Carlton will not fit you and you will want to pull your hair out! Yet, if you are a type B or optimistic character, you will be able to tolerate the imperfections of the condo and see the good.
Impression: Yeah, I’m a fan but it’s not for everyone.

This is my fifth year leaving in Carlton. I’m renting directly from owners and have not had any problems. I read the review below about rats… Personally, I don’t have any rats and have never saw or heard of them. I know that Carlton has a pest control coming twice a week to treat units. Carlton is located very close to Pentagon, Ballston, Shirlington, DC. I have to commute every day to DC, and I just take a bus (just across the street). I like about this place that my friends don’t have to look for parking on a street b/​c guest parking is always available (as a concierge downstairs). All big packges (FedEx, UPS, USPS) can be picked up from downstairs and you don’t have to worry about going to the post office. I have two parking spaces, and never had a problem to park. I go to the gym downstairs regularly and never seen a machine broken. Also, Carlton offers game room where my friends and I play pool. I’m considering to buy a place in Carlton in a few years. Check with the owners, see a place, and make your decision. You won’t regret that you live here.

Third review. They caught a rat in my apt, in my wall and there are more, because I can still hear them. The building association is not doing anything. The building is rat infested according to two pest control companies I have had over. There is a strange smell when you enter the bldg and the pest control rep that came out today said it smells like rat urine and droppings. Don’t move here unless you want to deal with this type of problem.

I was a resident of the Carlton for 7+ years and never had any problems. The place is clean, convenient, accessible and above all affordable. The community is a mix of cultural/​socio-​economic backgrounds — my parking neighbor was a Capitol Hill staffer — and the staff is attentive and responsive. They have great amenities –pool, gym, party/​rec rooms, washer/​dryer on every hallway (4 total per floor) — and close to great restaurants and transportation.
You want to live in Arlington? There is no better deal in town than the Carlton!

I have lived at the Carlton for approximately 3 yrs now. I RENT from an owner that does business thru Century 21. The owner has been MORE THAN FAIR in not increasing my rent that much despite the yearly raise of the condo fees. Although rather affordable, the Carlton leaves little to be desired.
The AC/​Heat system is regulated by the mnmgt despite the fact that the electric bills are included in the condo fees. There are designated dates that they «switch the system over» every year. VA weather is NOT condusive for this. SO there are always a few days everyone is sweating it out or freezing to death! AC and Heat cannot be used at the same time either!!!
I have been thoroughly disappointed by the staff that works at the Carlton and their nonchalant attitude about everything.
I had my car vandalized INSIDE the garage last yr, and nothing was ever found out about the vandalism. Several other cars were messed w/​also.
I am now staying at a hotel (at my own expense) b/​c my apt is infested w/​bed bugs. I have red bites ALL OVER ME. Several other apts w/​in the highrise have had the same issue but they do not feel the need to post this anywhere to keep ppl informed or fumigate ALL apts as a precaution.
If you are looking to BUY a condo, don’t do it here! I will be moving out as soon as my lease is up OR sooner if I can help it!

Great place for the money, the neighborhood is under redevelopment and will be walking distance from Columbia pike light rail. There’s a nice gym in the basement, ample parking at the complex and on the street. The building was built in the 60’s but management is repairing the aging infrastructure. Over all a great place to live, one of the last affordable places to live in Arlington.

I bought a condo at the Carlton last spring. It was affordable — a rare thing in Arlington. Just outside the building, there are bus lines that go everywhere (MTA and ARTBus lines) you need them to go, including lines that take you directly to a Metro, and an express bus that runs on weekdays which heads straight in to DC. The convenience store is just that: convenient when I need something fast. The management has been incredibly responsive, the concierge staff has always been kind and very helpful, and I’ve never seen any rats in my unit (disgusting)! The condo fees are pretty high, but I was told this place was basically run by monsters years ago, and now we’re having to pay for their mistakes. However, it’s not bad when you consider that all of your utilities are also included in the fee (s). I have noticed small improvements even in the last 6 months, and am looking forward to the new things that they are working on. Something I’d love to see: A dedicated Carlton Community website, where we can see online copies of board meeting minutes, have a «marketplace» in which residents can buy/​sell their things, and any notices of what might be coming up in our building. I’d also love it if the community were more involved since I really don’t know many people there, but that’s more because I am very social and one of those people that likes to know my neighbors. I haven’t had any issues while living there, at least not yet. On weekends if it is a little loud later at night? It’s the freaking weekend – let people have fun.
I’m really happy at the Carlton and I’m glad that I made the choice to move here.

I’m going to go with not QUITE as bad as the review above. If only, as an owner since 2003, I can vouch that this place was worse a few years ago (oh, if only I had continued renting), and it is in ways getting better.
The upside: affordable for the DC area and convenient to NW DC and Downtown, Shirlington is within walking distance, the current management company is somewhat responsive, and the condo fee includes utilities.
The downside: the condo fee is ridiculously high because of past mismanagement, the elevators breakdown rather often, a lot of people in this building are noisy very late at night, there’s a lot of DIY renovation noise (at least at my end), barking dogs (and police lights rather often) late at night if you face Columbia Pike, the onsite convenience store is not currently well run at all, and it’s a rather unengaged community.

Ever seen any of those Law & Order episodes where someone goes to a skeezy hotel in Queens and ends up dead, and then Lennie Briscoe has to come investigate and make bad jokes? That was my first impression of The Carlton A Condominium. I don’t think anyone was murdered there — at least not in our year’s residence — however, the long, somewhat poorly lit hallways (often with either squished bugs or bugs on the walls or bugs lurking somewhere just out of sight) give that impression.
I lived in The Carlton A Condominium for a year. Let me tell you — I am so very happy to never have to go back.
Good things about The Carlton A Condominium:
— Mostly nice people at the front desk
— Convenience store (with dry cleaning) in the ground floor
— Reasonably good fitness options, including a nice pool in the summer. Unless you like doing cardio, because the machines break a lot.
— Access to the W&OD and Four Mile Run trails, but that has more to do with the location than anything about the building.
Bad things about The Carlton A Condominium:
— Roaches. I suppose there are downsides to any large concentration of people — however, this was the first time I’d encountered that many bugs.
— Messy ass people leaving their trash in the hallways, in the parking lot, on the elevator. Maybe it was just our floor? I doubt it though. If there’s any question, see the previous item.
— Broken elevators. All the time. With no warning, and with no signage.
— «Freight» elevator is a misnomer. Enjoy moving in, especially if you live at the far end of one of the hallways (see above).
— Invariably one or more of the washers/​dryers on each floor were broken.
All of that said, our apartment was perfectly nice, but we were renting from an individual owner, and she was a fantastic landlord. However, beware The Carlton A Condominium. I guess it was really nice when it was built 40 years ago? It’s not what I’d call «really nice» now.