Spring Garden Apartments

Pros

• Spring Gardens Apartments is a good place to live if you are serious about making multicultural living.
• They do not tolerate illegal drugs or damaging of the property.
• The community helps each other.
• The location is on the bus line.
• Everything is included in the rent.
• They have 24-hour security guards on the premises.
• Very good place.
• The office staff are very prompt and professional.
• Safe place to live.

Cons

• The area has a high crime rate, making it not the best place to raise children.
• Maintenance is slow to address issues, with broken items often repaired temporarily rather than replaced.
• There is little new in the units; things are not upgraded, and replacements are rarely made when needed.
• Residents report rude, unhelpful, and unprofessional staff with attitude problems who are reluctant to fix problems.
• Pest problems persist, including mice and roaches.
• Parking and visitor spaces are terrible, and some reviews say the management is not worth the rent.

Review

Spring Garden Apartments surfaces in many ways through the voices of people who have lived or spent time there. Taken together, the remarks paint a picture of a place with a real mix of strengths and problems, where some residents praise the community and convenience while others wrestle with maintenance, safety concerns, and inconsistent management. On one hand, there are residents who feel the property is well-kept on the exterior and that grounds and common areas are tended to, giving a sense of upkeep even if the interiors feel dated. On the other hand, there are frequent notes about aging fixtures, a patchwork approach to repairs, and a sense that certain things should be replaced rather than repaired, contributing to a sense of frustration for some tenants.

The condition of the apartments themselves seems to be a central point of contention. Some reviewers acknowledge that things get fixed when they break and that maintenance is responsive, but they also describe a pattern where nothing brand-new is installed unless absolutely urgent or "up," and where items that should be replaced end up being cobbled together to hold things together. One sentiment that recurs is a feeling that ten-years past, certain units or systems ought to have been upgraded or retired, yet replacements are slow or incomplete. This sense of aging infrastructure runs alongside a perception that the property management prefers quick fixes over longer-term renovations, leaving some residents feeling like gaps in safety and comfort persist.

Neighborhood safety and the surrounding area emerge as highly charged topics. Several reviews describe the area as not ideal for raising children, mentioning crime and a sense of instability in the neighborhood. The sentiment about Gum Springs - once seen as rough and now uncertain in terms of current conditions - suggests that those who grew up nearby may carry memories of the neighborhood's rougher days. Yet there are also residents who counterbalance this with a different tone, noting the property's multicultural character and a sense of community that can transcend the area's rougher headlines. The reality, then, seems to depend heavily on personal experience and the particular block or unit.

Management and staff experiences vary as dramatically as the headlines about the neighborhood. One thread of reviews accuses the rental office of unprofessionalism and rude attitudes, with complaints about being harassed or ignored and about policies that feel punitive or inconsistent, especially in difficult personal circumstances. In contrast, other reviews speak highly of office personnel, calling them friendly, prompt, and professional, and even thanking management for addressing needs with care. There's a notable anecdote about a painful interaction surrounding a security deposit and December rent, where a family member's health crisis and the procedures around moving out led to disputes and a sense that issues with the office lingered. The range of experiences underscores that management quality is not uniform across the property.

Value, rent, amenities, and practical living details also split opinions. Some reviewers emphasize that the rent includes many utilities or amenities and highlight a location on a bus line with 24-hour security, which would be attractive to many tenants who want convenience and a sense of safety. Others lament that the rent is not worth the market value for the conditions inside some units, pointing to problems like pests (mice and roaches), limited parking, and the need for renovations. There are mentions that pets are not allowed, which can be a deal-breaker for households with animals, and there are mixed sentiments about parking and guest access. The overall message is that while there are concrete advantages to location and inclusions, there are also significant cost and condition considerations that prospective tenants must weigh.

Community vibe and daily life add another layer to the narrative. Some voices describe the complex as a supportive, multicultural community where neighbors help each other and where the environment could be a positive place to live for those who engage with their neighbors and the building's routines. Others describe the ambiance as uneasy or challenging, with stories of mistrust around repairs, maintenance delays, and inconsistent enforcement of rules. A recurring motif is that the building's greatest strength may lie in its people - the residents who contribute to a sense of community, share information, help one another, and try to create a better living environment despite the structural and administrative shortcomings. The presence of long-term residents who declare, "Been living here for 7 years now? I love it!" coexists with those who express disappointment after years of dealing with the management and the conditions.

In sum, Spring Garden Apartments emerges as a complex, multifaceted living environment. For some, the location, schedule-friendly transit options, and a feeling of a multicultural, neighborly community offer real appeal, especially for those who can tolerate or navigate the ongoing maintenance and management tensions. For others, the combination of aging interiors, pest issues, inconsistent responsiveness from management, and safety concerns in the surrounding area makes it hard to see the place as a long-term home. The long arc of opinions suggests that anyone considering moving there should visit with a critical eye, ask pointed questions about maintenance and renovations, and weigh the tangible benefits against the potential challenges that recur in the housing stories told by current and former residents.

Hospitals

• Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Emergency Room (0.5 miles)
• Inova Mount Vernon Hospital (0.6 miles)
• Fort Belvoir Community Hospital (3.9 miles)

Physicians

• Diagnostic Radiology (0.5 miles)
• Patient First - Alexandria (2.9 miles)
• Telegraph Corner Family Medicine (3.6 miles)
• Mount Vernon Medical Group (7.3 miles)
• Williamsburg Square Family Practice (7.3 miles)

Restaurants

• IHOP (0.7 miles)
• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Taco Bell (2.2 miles)
• Wendy's (2.4 miles)
• McDonald's (2.5 miles)
• Five Guys Burgers & Fries (3.1 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (3.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Wegmans (4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.5 miles)

Parks

• Fort Hunt Park (2.5 miles)
• Springfield Forest Park (4.8 miles)
• Waterfront Park (5.1 miles)
• Huntley Meadows Park (6.2 miles)
• Lake Accotink Park (7.9 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (3.6 miles)
• Starbucks (4.2 miles)
• For Five Coffee (4.8 miles)
• Starbucks (4.8 miles)
• Mae's Market and Cafe (4.8 miles)
• Starbucks (5.2 miles)
• Junction Bakery & Bistro (5.8 miles)

Transportation

• Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station (4.3 miles)
• Van Dorn Street Metro Station (4.7 miles)
• Amtrak (4.8 miles)
• Franconia-Springfield Metro Station (4.8 miles)
• King Street - Old Town Metro Station (4.8 miles)
• Braddock Road Metro Station (5.4 miles)
• TSA PreCheck (7.8 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Hoffman Center 22 (4.4 miles)
• Regal Springfield Town Center (5.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Pohick Church (6.2 miles)
• St Marys Catholic Church (6.9 miles)
• Saint Bernadette C (6.9 miles)