First let me say that I'm still getting used to living around so many people. I've been pretty secluded for the last six years.
TL;DR: I don't hate it, but don't love it. West side of bldg is SUPER NOISY from trash pickup, drunks at the Matador, and squealing children from Tipsy Cow. Being close to Tipsy Cow is AWESOME because it's the best damn burger I've had in a LONG LONG time. Building is insanely hot for no good reason year round. Parking Garage sucks, spaces are too small. Elevators are slow.
THE GOOD!!
-The Manager is AWESOME! She's personable, friendly, thoughtful, and has gone out of her way for me and others. She seems to genuinely care and she's fun. :)
-The countertops in unit are nice!
-The balconies are a pretty decent size on the 1br units.
-The office is open 9am-7pm! They accept package deliveries and are open long enough to pick up after work. :)
-The building Location is great! Redmond Town Center is across the street, the farmers market is basically in our back yard!
The bad:
1) DO NOT CHOOSE AN APARTMENT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. This is the noisiest side of the building. SO NOISY it's infuriating.
-There are several rounds of garbage trucks that come every weekday starting around 7:30am. Imagine the sounds of large machinery slamming metal around, shattering glass, back-up noises from trucks, not to mention the deliveries to Tipsy Cow (located on ground floor of this building) and to the Matador next door.
--The Matador. HELL NO. Picture it, it's 2am. The bar is shutting down. EVERYONE IS DRUNK. They're standing around in the parking lot, SCREAMING DRUNKENLY. It's Summer, so you've got the windows open because it's SWELTERING HOT in your apartment. You're awakened by a drunk woman screaming "WOOOOOOOOO!! WOOOO! WOOOOO!!!" and a Bro screaming "FUCK YEAH!" for ... no apparent reason? This happens during the week, on the weekends, basically any time the bar is open. Sometimes the Matador keeps their windows open so you can hear every screaming conversation happening INSIDE the restaurant, too! Nice!
2) These apartments are insanely hot for no apparent reason. It's November 1, and as I write this, my apartment is a nice 75°F for some reason. It's been overcast and raining for the last week, and no warmer than 60°F outside, yet my apartment never gets lower than 75°F without opening all the windows and putting a big fan to pull cool air in. During the summer, if I keep my blinds drawn, curtains shut, and windows closed, it's always *way* over 85°F in my apartment. I will say that the leasing office gave me a portable AC unit to use, which was SUPER nice of them!! (A+ for that!) However, I paid for it via a pretty high ($90/mo.) electricity bill. (Looks like a normal no-AC elec. bill for this apt is about $48/mo.)
3) The Elevators. Like anybody else who's commented on them, they suck. They're just awful. They are in fact slow, and only one of the elevators goes to the parking garage for guests. If you have a friend visiting and they want to take the elevator, they have to play roulette to see if they'll get the elevator that has parking garage access. Also, the office will lock down one of the elevators (The one that goes to the parking garage) when people are moving in or out. That means you only have access to one elevator to use, and if you're coming from the guest garage or from outside, you won't know the elevator is locked down until you get into the foyer and the button won't work. It's frustrating to say the least. The only time this elevator system is nice is when you're moving in. or out. :-/
4) The Parking Garage. They are literally the tiniest spots I've ever seen in my entire life. You can maybe fit a Fiat or a smart car into them, but any normal small car won't fit. My car happens to be 69" wide (Nissan Juke) and I'd guess the spot is maybe 72" wide judging by how my car fits. You can't back out and turn while backing out, so you have to back straight all the way out, and then do a 75-point-turn to be able to leave. It's amazing that there is a garage for guests to park in as well but the spots seem even smaller in the guest garage. People are constantly just double parking in there because the spots are impossible.
5) The interior of the apartment: They don't really let you see the unit you're going to rent until you've signed all the papers. They'll be happy to show you a "Demo" unit but you're kind of renting sight unseen.
6) There's one member of the staff that doesn't seem to care much. I won't name names, but I avoid this individual at all costs. Each interaction I have with them is passive-aggressive and fake, and they don't even try to find out information about what I'm inquiring about. They leave me angry and resentful.
7) My upstairs neighbor seems to be an elephant. These apartments have vinyl plank flooring (def. not hardwood or laminate, as some parts are peeling up) so you hear every step they take above you! get a top floor unit if you can! read more