Lava Lofts

After living in a single family home for decades, I wasn't sure how I would like an apartment. After a year and a half at Lava Lofts, I can say that I am 100% sure I made the right decision! This is a wonderful place to live, with residents ranging from college students to retirees. There is a sense of camaraderie and community thanks, in large part, to the wonderful staff. Concerns, comments, and requests are all handled efficiently and cheerfully by the wonderful team of Kim, Lindsey, and Mark. They also host seasonal events throughout the year which add to the lovely atmosphere. All apartments are a beautiful blend of historic and modern features. I originally moved into a ground floor apartment which was comfy and cozy! I then decided that I needed an extra bedroom for guests and moved to a second floor unit which is sunny, spacious, and just perfect for me. This is a pet friendly building and my dog loves his new friends and the park just across the street. Not sure he feels the same about the dog wash, but I love it :-) One of my main considerations while looking for a new home, was the walkability of the environs. Within just a few blocks, there are at least 10 restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries. Expand that radius to just less than a mile and that number jumps to at least 25. Two small groceries, a pharmacy, and a full-service grocery store are also found within walking distance. Chimborazo and Libby Hill Parks, a dog park, and the James are in your backyard and festivals and other community activities abound. With so much activity, you may think that parking would be difficult but that is far from the case. Street parking is plentiful and there is also a lot for Lava Lofts residents just steps from the building. All in all, this is the 'best of the best' if you are seeking a vibrant community, a chill city location with green spaces, a walkable neighborhood, a great building and staff, and neighbors that can't be beat! Come join us at Lava Lofts!

My wife and I searched the whole of Richmond looking for the right place to live. We chose Lava Lofts for 100 different reasons and we have never looked back! Not having a backyard has never bothered us because we are literally next door to the giant Chimborazo park, where we take our dog every day. The staff go above and beyond for all the residents living here. Work orders are completed that day by the maintenance team. Kim and Lindsey downstairs are problem fixers and truly wonderful people!

We've been in the Lava Lofts for nearly 2 years now and have already signed our third year lease. I truly cannot imagine living anywhere else in Richmond. From the absolutely incredible and kind staff who make you feel at home from your first tour, to the amazing location in the heart of Church Hill, our favorite Richmond neighborhood, Lava Lofts has it all. Any maintenance is handled immediately–Kim, Lindsey, Mark and Aaron really do take pride in making the living experience the best it can be. The facilities are great and include an epic rooftop where you can see the RVA skyline, a gym, free Starbucks coffee machine, free parking, complimentary cable and internet in all apartments and common spaces and even a dog wash room. It's extremely pet friendly, and they even bring in Santa at Christmas to take pictures with your pets for free. The location is in a family-friendly area of Church hill right across from a massive park and within walking distance of 10 restaurants. Overall, we truly believe this is the best apartment complex to live in Richmond and recommend it to anyone looking for affordable and pet friendly accommodation in the area.

Beware of manipulative poor work ethics and unwillingness to work with prospective tenants by management and the owner. A living nightmare as they did EVERYTHING to keep a down payment, charge astronomical fees to accept your rental agreement and keep you from renting if you are a recent college graduate. I have never experienced such poor professionalism and lack of ethics from a leasing agency ever. Beyond this, the apartment they showed us was disgustingly filthy as the tenant sat with her dog yelping all over the place, clothes, food and filth throughout the apt. We have photos of this apartment and emails the way we were treated. Good riddance! 4/11/2018

I have been a resident at lava lofts for year now and I love it. Having lived in several buildings/ dealing with different leasing offices in Richmond for the past ten years, I can absolutely say this is the best it gets. The building is well maintained and offers many amenities. They recently replaced all of the carpet in the hallways, and have someone constantly cleaning the halls/ outside grounds. There is a dog washing room, free coffee, roof access, gym, and a club room. The building is completely pet friendly. This year they decorated the downstairs lobby with a Christmas tree with pet ornaments and offered pet pictures with Santa for the residents. They also had a Halloween and Christmas door decorating competition. Kim and Lindsey manage and lease the building and are always easy to get in touch with. This summer when my air conditioning went out in 100 degree weather, they had someone in my apartment within the hour to fix it, and even checked in with me to make sure everything was working. When my dog was sick and I was worried about him being home alone, I called leasing and Lindsey checked on my dog for me and sent me updates to let me know he was okay while I was at work. They are also great about notifying you ahead of time if someone has to enter your apartment. This is above and beyond what is required of them. The building is full of young professionals and there has never been a noise issue while I have been here.

I had never lived in Churchill before, but I could not have chosen a better location. The actual unit was quaint, but more than enough space to live. My unit had a better kitchen than most houses I have been in, plenty of storage space, washer & dryer, and I never had an issue with any aspect of the unit. The building is in a safe part of Churchill, hardly a block from the park. Other tenants are a mix of yuppies and stoic forty-somethings. I never had an issue with any of my neighbors, and no one was ever loud past a respectable hour. There is a coffee/hot chocolate machine in the lobby, a dog wash(lots of dogs!), conference room(great for events, watching sports or your favorite TV show, or getting away to relax), and my favorite, the rooftop observatory with the best view of Richmond I have seen in my 27 years. Shockoe Bottom(entertainment hub of Richmond) is only a fifteen minute walk away. There is a corner store only a few blocks away, and several low-key, delicious places to eat. The building itself is modern, secure(key fob) entrances, very dog friendly, and there is always something fun going on( Halloween door contest, Christmas toy drives) and the gym while compact, has everything even the hardcore gym rat would need. Kim & Lindsey are typically in the front of the building M-F during traditional business hours. It was clutch to be able to walk into their office if I ever needed anything. Both women are exceptional at what they do, they were always helpful and swift to address a concern, and they were more than accommodating during my tenancy. As long as you take care of your unit and clean it thoroughly, you can expect a full deposit return and none of the games many rental companies(Metro Properties) like to play. I moved out only because I am moving out of state, I have zero trepidation suggesting Lava Lofts to anyone, and will likely be moving back myself once I return.