There are two wings to the building, East and West. Additionally on either wing, your unit will…read moreeither be on the 50th Avenue street facing side or on the rear (Powerhouse Building, the building behind GPL) side.
The Cons:
1. During the warmer weather the wait for an elevator is seriously a pain in the ... due to the roof deck being on the West side of the building and everyone and their random friends coming over, it's a nightmare.
2. The cost of living here. And the yearly price increase. Enough said.
3. Lack of a garage for guests when they come visit or some sort of relationship with a parking garage for tenants with cars.
4. Subways are packed to capacity and with increased number of mega buildings going up the subways will be strained even more.
5. The appliances in your unit - not brand new, all used, refurbished and frankly not in the best condition.
6. For what you are paying in rent the "social events" need a serious upgrade.
7. Tiny gym. One Peloton, not enough regular bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, etc.
8. On weekends, the elevators are an issue on both sides of the building - everyone getting brunch at the same time make for frustrating elevator wait times particularly in light of the pandemic.
9. If you have an apartment that faces the street (50th Ave) - the noise and light pollution from the street is intense at night - even if you want to sleep in and can usually sleep through jackhammering concrete this place will correct you of that gift. If facing either 50th or 51st the sunlight blasting in will wake you every morning.
10. The outside trash is picked up very loudly nightly from 10:40pm-1:40am; one trash company comes to pick up Urban Market's trash, another to pick up the apartment building's trash across the street, another to pick up this building's trash, suffice it to say, they are not quiet and the windows provide little sound insulation if you're a light sleeper.
11. The 7 train construction going on across the street if you live on the side facing 50th Ave. is very loud, noisy and while they are not supposed to start until 6 or 7am, there have been times at 5am they have had guys working.
12. Note the curtains provided by the building are not fully opaque, you've been warned.
13. The vents are connected so you can pretty much hear other units in your unit.
14. Walls are pretty thin. Every day I can hear the tenants above me putting on their tap shoes and dancing (mild exaggeration). And every night I hear more noise.
15. Vents between apartments appear connected either by ducts for washer or air ducts.
16. Insulation: in the winter you will need to use your thermostat often unless you can tolerate the cold, there is minimal insulation on the large windows so you can feel a draft even while the windows are shut tight coming in from below the glass. Additionally, if your apartment faces the Powerhouse (e.g. rear building), during the summer, the strength of the sun cooking your unit will be intense even with the see-through shades down; great for indoor gardening though!
The Pros:
1. Really nice building staff wirh responsive Building Super, Concierge and Porters
2. It feels like a safe place to live.
3. Location is good
4. The waterfront is really great though it is severely crowded
5. Lots of decent nearby food and wine places to get delivery
6. Laundry room is large but some machines are better than others
7. The building is very well maintained by the porters and staff - everything is clean and orderly
8. CVS Pharmacy, Urban Market, and Black Star bakery all conveniently next door.
While it's not yet a flagrant issue, there are a few homeless men in the area likely due to the Borden Avenue Veteran's Residence nearby. One man in particular is a screamer and acts wild and this was pre-COVID, but let it be noted. While there is a police station right by the subway entrance, you should still be alert at all times as they sometimes hang out in the subway landings panhandling etc.
Overall this is a great place to live if you find the above "cons" tolerable. Admittedly this review is pointed about the cons as thorough due diligence beforehand will give you a better sense of what to expect. That said, it is by far one of the better "luxury" buildings in the area which is largely due to the fact that it is smaller than the others.
Hope this helps you make your decision!