In my opinion, the Kimball Towers Condominiums are some of the best condos in Western Massachusetts…read more-- certainly, some of the most interesting, historically, and in terms of current residents. Although it's called "towers," the Kimball is just one building that wraps around in a "U" shape. As of 2011, it's mostly owner-occupied; however, sometimes a condo owner rents one out on Craigslist. During the new millennium, as Springfield's Metro Center became more popular, the Kimball became a trendy residence for bohemians, artists, LGBTs, and empty-nesters -- people looking for an urban lifestyle without the high cost. History: Built in 1910 and opened in 1911 as The Hotel Kimball, the red-brick, neo-classical building was once advertised as "Western Massachusetts finest hotel." On its opening in 1911, it was reviewed by the New York Times as "ranking with the finest [hotels] in the country. A magnificent hotel, modern and metropolitan in every appointment." In 1920, the Hotel Kimball became famous as the site of the United States' first-ever commercial radio station, (WBZ AM & FM, which later moved to Boston.) The hotel was used by the radio station as an attraction to lure top talent. U.S. Presidents FDR and JFK stayed at the Kimball as guests, as did many famous actors and foreign dignitaries. The Hotel Kimball was the first "grand" hotel purchased by Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. For many years, this building was known as the Sheraton-Kimball Hotel. There are secret gardens and hallways in the building -- there's a lot of unique and historic detail that intellectually-curious people will find interesting. For example, the Kimball still features a grand lobby and large ballroom with a balcony overlooking a hardwood dance floor. During the early 1980s, a condominium developer bought the Kimball, with the intention of turning it into "Springfield's premier condominium address." Unfortunately, in the late 1980s, he filed for bankruptcy after completing only part of the renovation, (the top 3 floors,) citing the project's exorbitant costs. The developer later went to jail. During the 1990s, people bought condos in the Kimball for small, speculative amounts because it was thought that the building might be demolished; however, it was one of five buildings protected by the Apremont Triangle Historic District. In the new millenium, the Kimball became financially steady once it found stable management. Since then, residents have renovated former Hotel Kimball features like the Pickwick Lounge off the Grand Lobby, (the latter looks almost exactly as it did on its opening in 1911.) Currently, the Kimball's creative residents use it for art exhibitions, music, and lectures.

From the owner: The once renowned Hotel Kimball was built by William Kimball and formally opened on St. Patrick's…read moreDay in 1911. Built in what was the affluent residential neighborhood of Chestnut and Bridge Streets, the Kimball offered 309 rooms, a dining-room capacity for 450, a 22-foot-high banquet hall for 350 guests, and, in 1912, room rates from "$1.50 to $3.50 per day". In 1980, the Hotel Kimball was renovated into residential apartments and renamed Kimball Towers. In 1985, the building was again renovated and converted to a 132 residential and commercial condominium building.

The walls and ceilings leak when it rains. No one can clearly answer when things are going to be…read morefixed. There's graffiti in the building off and on. Neighbors don't understand how to be good neighbors - loud music, smoking in their apartment, leaving trash outside their door.

Dont let those high ceilings and brick walls fool you…read more These are lackluster overpriced apartments that are constantly having some type of issue, broken down appliances, no heat, no a/c and an office that doesn't do much about it. Packages get stolen 8/10 times, gym is filled with broken and old machines from the 90s the pool is grimy and needs work, and beware of all the dog poo in the halls, elevators and outside. Not enough laundry machines for the 200+ apartments they stuff everyone into per building with 10 washers and dryers People trash the building, stairwell and any common space and it will always have a funky smell. Also don't expect your high rent to reflect a "safe" or "up and coming neighborhood" you car will get broken into. Mine 3 times in 2 years. These apartments are only made to withstand a maximum of one year of living in otherwise you should look elsewhere.

I rented from Knight Realty; Kevin Knight for several years…read more I found Kevin to be an OUTSTANDING LAND LORD n I was very upset when he sold the property I was living in. Kevin and his entire staff; receptionists to the maintenance team were always polite, entirely helpful and quick to respond to any questions or concerns. It was a pleasure renting from him and it was not until he sold the property that I could TRULY appreciate his complete professionalism, his integrity and his entire demeanor in general. Knight Realty owns many properties and I know he's a very busy guy yet weekly he would personally walk the property to assure that everything was running smoothly. He interacted with the tenants in seeking a quick resolve to ANY issues. His presence showed his care and concern for both the well being of his property and his tenants. Kevin personally and quickly returns phone calls and I can say in all sincerity that in the 8 years I rented from him I never had any issues outside of the normal occasional clogged sink etc and they were always handled quickly and professionally. Knight Realty made regular visits to the property and maintenance personally checked and changed the batteries in smoke detectors, they assisted in putting in and removing air conditioners , they replaced any torn blinds, kept the grounds beautifully maintained with flowers and bushes, walk ways and stairs were always clean n clear during inclement weather. I could go on n on really with compliments and kudos but I hope you get my point. If you are looking for an honest, decent realtor who exhibits honor and integrity this is the place to go! I would rent from Kevin again in a beat and I have recommended him to others several times. In a big city it's very difficult to find a land lord who exhibits the qualities of this agency and they will always get a 5 review from me. He is also spoken of very highly from several others I know who are n were his tenants. Thank you Knight Realty n trust me when I tell you that we all really miss you over here!

I live 4 year at little castle apartments, had a excellent experience renting with knight…read moreassociates. Ralph was a excellent maintenance manager, good service overall.

this team is amazing. they were able to get my properties posted right away, and we were able to…read moreget tenants in, in a very short window. There us always someone available to talk to and when it comes to emergencies or repairs they waste no time to get things going again.

David was easy to work with, responsive, friendly, and approachable! I look forward to doing more…read morebusiness together in the future.

This is the worst place you can possibly live in. The day I move will be the happiest day of my…read morelife. Management and maintenance are as useless as they come. The grounds are filthy. They do not vacuum or clean the hallways. I wash my windows all the time but it never shows as the outside of the windows are dirty. I do not know why they do not hire a company to wash windows like other buildings do. I keep my apartment clean but I am embarrassed to have people visit as the grounds are not kept up. Trash is all over, not only around the dumpsters but everywhere on the property. ​I would not want my worst enemy living here. Many times I know people, whether friends or acquaintances how it is living here. I tell them it is the worst and they DO NOT want to move here. They need to find a place that is beautiful and people are caring as you will not find that here. I got sick not long ago in the hallway. When I got to the ER they were wondering what was on me. It was from the rugs in the hall. If they are not going to even take care of the rugs then rip them up. WORST MISTAKE I MADE WAS MOVING HERE! NEVER AGAIN!!

The building is clean, staff works hard and fast, tenants are nice. Big airy apartments. The…read moreheating works. Management is professional. No complaints

I have lived here for the last 9 months and have been nothing but extremely pleased with the way…read morethis property is managed. As an example, today they replaced my entire shower valve assembly due to water temperature fluctuations. They did this not just for me but for the entire property! I'm not used to that treatment at a complex. But here at Ashley Arms the tenants really do come first! I know that's hard to believe and I'd be the first to admit that. This is a quality property, people. If your looking for a great, safe place to live please give them a call.

From the owner: The staff of Ashley Arms Apartments takes pride in our excellent customer service, beautiful…read moregrounds and the carefree living our residents enjoy. Our newest addition to the property is our photovoltaic array with 520 solar panels on our roofs.

We rented for two months this summer, and will be back in 2018. Excellent communication from…read moreJacqui and the condo office, very professional all around. Beautiful, clean, spacious condos. Photos are accurate. Very convenient location. Friendly people who live here. Pat A

I had a wonderful experience with Corporate Housing of Western Massachusetts. I needed a quick…read moreturnaround on a housing request for a Travel nurse and they exceeded my expectations. Jacqui Wise handled my request without issue and was able to provide my employee with exceptional accommodations at an incredibly low rate. The sign up process was simple and effortless and within hours the process was complete. A truly refreshing experience that I whole heartedly endorse -MSG Staffing Worcester MA

I have lived in the Amherst area for years while working in Springfield and decided to cut down on…read moremy commute. I didn't particularly want to live in Springfield so I decided to check out the surrounding areas and I landed in Chicopee at Beacon Square. The apartment is beautiful and pet friendly so I was able to bring my dog Finn with me. They have a little dog park in the back which is convenient in bad weather but they also aren't far from Buttery Brooke so we frequently take trips over there! While I have definitely had larger apartments I would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for a spot in the area. If you're familiar with the Chicopee area its right on Memorial drive just past South Hadley so it feels a little safer. Suffice it to say, I am very happy living here and will be staying for the foreseeable future.

l lived in an apartment at Beacon Square, for nearly a year and a half. And I say, STAY AWAY FROM…read moreTHIS Place!! They are absolute crooks. The property has sort of a tacky, 1970s ambiance. The small studios are carpeted, and come with A/C, a tiny kitchen, and a bathroom. I only moved here, because I was in a pinch, and needed to find a place fast, that was in my price range. The rents they charge, are too much for what you get. An unfurnished studio, starts at $675. Their furnished studios, start at $745. So rent prices, are ridiculous, for studio apts.! They say that they pay for heat, water, and Cable. Keep in mind, that Cable with the local carrier, which is Charter, is only about $6.00 a month. And they have a clever scam, when it comes to their heating practices. First of all, they place a locked barrier over their thermostats in the apts. That way, the tenants can't adjust them. Then they have their thermostats rigged, so that they always show that they're set at 78 degrees, even when you have the A/C on full-blast in the summer. That way, if the tenant should complain to the housing authority, then the landlord can just say 'well, we keep the thermostat set at 78 degrees'. So, because of their heating scam, the tenants end-up having to use space-heaters all winter to keep warm. And this will drive your electricity bills up sky-high! And Beacon Square apts., do NOT pay for the electricity bills for their tenants. Then, they'll tell the tenants that someone will enter their units for repairs, inspections, etc., and then no one shows up. Or if they do, they won't during the legally required business hours. Once, their doofus maintenance guy came banging on my door, before 8AM, to let in some window installers. Also, many times they'll give a tenant notice that someone will enter their units, but then they don't specify a day or time. Once, we had to hang around our apts for 5 straight days, to wait for window installers, since they didn't specify a day or time that they'd enter our units! Then, there's the middle-of-nowhere location of Beacon Square apts. Bus service is practically non-existent in this area, and Chicopee has no cab companies. So if you have no car, DON'T LIVE HERE! I was waiting 2, 3 or even 4 hours for cabs on a regular basis, just to go shopping. That's because I had to resort to calling a cab company located in Springfield, just to get around. And Beacon Square had to regularly bribe tenants to move-in, and/or sign a year's lease. This gives you some idea, as to how desperate they are, for long-term tenants. Don't let them do this to you. Just to emphasis how crooked this complex is, they trumped-up over $500 in bogus,, unsubstantiated 'charges", after I moved out. So when I say that they're sleazy crooks, I know what I'm talking about!

Do not bother with this place. Super unprofessional and rude staff, and the apartments are not at…read moreall what you see in the photos online - despite the name, THERE ARE NO LOFTS! I can't stress enough that this company is a complete scam.

I have lived here for almost 10 yrs and you have a lot of the stories here that are so out of this…read moreworld and incorrect, the hallways are cleaned daily, as for the dogs running around that on the dog owner not the property, as for packages being stolen, maybe the tenant should take the time to sign up for the lockers that are provided free of charge! As for the hollering at night.. well the complex is located on a main street with night clubs on the side street (Worthington st) and in front Student prince also does a lot of activities with out door concerts.. as for the homeless.. they are homeless not animals and when they hang around the property they are sent on their and security is around at night.. yes a Security guard makes rounds at night... So plz dont leave a review if your not gonna be honest with what you are stating..

Sears Property Management is a well respected, Family-Run business. Founded by Paul Sears, they are…read moreclosely associated with Sears Real Estate/Lamacchia Realty Springfield. They own and manage many of the apartment buildings near forest park and are overall just easy to work with.

I understand having a strict application process. I understand being thorough and wanting to make…read moresure that a person is trustworthy, before entering into a lease agreement with that particular person. However, there is a line between being thorough and just being unreasonable. Sears property has crossed that line. When we first viewed the property with one of there agents, they were extremely pleasant, if not a little informal, which i appreciated. We fell in love with the apartment, and the neighborhood so we applied. Our application wasn't accepted, because we didn't pass their credit check. Every credit check i do always shows that I have above average credit, borderline good credit. So I don't know how i didn't pass this part of their credit check. When i inquired as to why i was rejected as an applicant that's when the fun began. They wouldn't even tell me what kind of credit score they were looking for. The Sears representative again and again stone walled me. Refusing to provide me with any information on why I was rejected. They refused to provide me with any information, and just recited that they have a strict policy. Now I asked if we could work something out. Its customary for rental agencies to request a double security or an extra months rent for someone with a questionable credit history. I offered a second security, i even offered several months rent before moving in. No matter what I offered or suggested their representative remained apathetic and really unhelpful. It became clear that they didn't want us to rent from them. My fiance and I really loved the apartment and were really hoping to work something out. However, the staff remained uninterested and unreasonable. I would understand if they showed a little customer service and just explained why they couldn't work with us. But, all I got was uninterested and poor customer service.