Alexandria Housing: Key Towers vs. EOS 21 (apartment, crime, income)

[jmanand2]

Hi all,

I am trying to decide between these two locations to live at as a single professional who is about to move into the area. They are relatively close to one another, so I'm mainly interested in figuring out the pros/cons of the community and apartment units themselves.

Thanks!!

[The Dissenter]

Both can have their problems with parking. I lived nearby off Yokaum and it is extremely tough to find parking after 7-8 pm. Key Towers is especially close to a low-income complex on S Whiting St. EOS 21 is very close to S Reynolds St which I remember seeing on Alexandria crime reports quite often. Personally I'd just flip a coin since these two are two sides of the same coin or whichever one is cheaper.

[jeff22152]

Both complexes are located in a congested part of western Alexandria with considerable socioeconomic and demographic diversity. That area is marked by dense suburban sprawl, and it's not particularly desirable relative to other areas in the region. With that said, crime in the area is usually petty; serious offenses are generally confined to a couple of specific problem complexes.

I don't think you'll find much difference between Key Towers and EOS-21, except that Key Towers is high-rise apartment living and EOS-21 is garden-style apartment living. I lived in EOS-21 (then called The Alexandria) when I first moved to the area 15 years ago. It had a free shuttle to the Metro, and I could walk across Van Dorn Street to the grocery store, CVS, and the gym. It was fine for a couple of years as I established my career and got a greater sense of the surrounding region.

Good Luck.