I lived in Garfield Sation for 3 years. I really enjoyed my living experience here. Since I value reviews when I look for apartments, I always feel that it is necessary for me to leave a thorough review for you all to use. Hopefully, this helps.
Area/safety
Sure, Parkland is not exactly the premier neighborhood but then again it not exactly the ghetto either. The building is very secure and you must have a key fob to get in and out of the building. Matter of fact, the building is so secure, I even managed to lock myself out of the building while taking my trash out. I never once felt that safety was a concern. I even used to run throughout the neighborhood and never had any issues whatsoever.
Price
I fell like the price is very fair for Parkland. I lived in a 650 sq foot studio (my studio had a bedroom without a window). When I moved out I was paying $910 per month rent (that included a $60.00 month to month charge for not being in a lease) They charged a flat rate of $60 for W/S/T per month. My electric bill was never any more than 30 dollars in a month and that was with me running a portable A/C in the summer. The electric bill is paid directly to Garfield Station so no need to set up an account elsewhere. Yes, they are a bit more pricey than other apartments around, but they are nearly brand new and you get what you paid for. I never once experienced a rent increase in my 3 years of living there. I am very satisfied with the price.
Amenities
The common areas are always kept spotless. I used the gym quite a bit and the equipment is in great condition. A couple times some machines broke down, but management was very quick to get them repaired. There is a movie room that you can use upon request, a study room that is available at any time, and a lobby that you can reserve for large events. One of my favorite amenities was the use of the grill on the second floor common area. Excellent in the Amenities department. The apartment grounds were always very well maintained.
Parking
When I first moved in, it was all open parking. By the time I moved out, they had transitioned to reserved parking (1 spot per unit). That was still a work in progress as I left, people parked in my spot all of the time, but i was always able to find another spot without a problem. I really cannot complain about parking considering that it was free!
Noise
For the most part, the apartments are quiet. I could never hear my neighbors to the left or right of me. The apartments do feature hard floors, so as you can imagine you will be able to hear your neighbors walking above you if you aren't on the top floor. I guess you kind of have to hope that you get someone that is considerate of that that lives above you (i experienced both with two different people living above me). I did one time have to ask my neighbor above me to stop doing P-90X because it was vibrating my walls. Also, I had a unit that faced C street. the street noise can be quite loud at times, especially when people want to blare their music or rev their motorcycle engines.
Maintenance
In my three years of living there, I never had a maintenance problem. I did, however, see the maintenance guy occasionally and he seemed very friendly.
Package Receiving
If you've ever lived anywhere that didn't receive packages, you will realize just how important this is. The office will receive packages for you so that you never have to worry about a package being stolen. They even sometimes deliver them to your doorstep. The only downfall to this is that management has to be in the office for you to get your packages, so sometimes you have to plan to go in during business hours.
Deposit/Refund
I just got my finalized statement in the mail today. My security deposit was $400 when I moved in. I cleaned my apartment very well upon move out and it was in great condition. Here is a list of what my charges were:
$65.00 Carpet Cleaning
$50.00 Cleaning
$7.00 Replace Light Bulb
$17.50 Final Electric Bill
All charges are, to me, very fair. Even though I did a good job cleaning, I can understand why they would still bring in a professional...I know I sure would have appreciated the apartment complex making sure that an apartment is well cleaned prior to me moving in. No complaints there....except for maybe a 7 dollar light bulb? The rest of my deposit was refunded to me.
This concludes my review. If you are looking for a good, safe apartment in the south Tacoma/Parkland area I highly reccomend Garfield Station. read more