I am moving back to the Morristown area and recently stayed with my sister at her apartment in 55 Modera for two weeks while searching for a new apartment. I was actually considering 55 Modera to make my new home, but am no longer interested in living there.
I will begin by listing the good points. First, it is a beautiful-looking building, with modern decor throughout all of the lobbies, lounges, hallways and meeting rooms. The amenities are pretty good with two lounges, two small meeting rooms, a gym (small but with decent equipment), a community coffee dispenser, a teeny-tiny pool, and a very nice rooftop lounge. The neighbors are mostly friendly and it is a dog-friendly environment. They also have a concierge desk which is wonderful, but only if the concierge shows up.
Now, the down sides.
The apartments are TINY. They are much smaller than garden apartments, and for a LOT more money. The rents are extremely high and while there are lots of amenities, I don't believe it's anywhere near worth it. And they tack on all kinds of fees once you're in, like parking, pets, etc.
I don't think the apartments were built with noise reduction in mind. If your neighbor has their TV on, you can generally hear every word or sound coming from it, and any upstairs neighbors wearing shoes sound like the Anheuser Busch Clydesdales. If you are a light sleeper and your neighbors don't have the same schedule as you, be prepared to go without proper sleep every day.
One of the selling points that got my sister to move in was the promise of an on-site concierge every day from 8am to midnight. During my 2-week stay, I left the building every weekday at 8:30am for a run and not once was the concierge there at that time during the work-week. The daytime concierge was absent for most of the time I was there and the lobby was often left unmanned, in a chaotic mess of deliveries, confusion and noise. When the daytime concierge WAS there, she was less than helpful and even gave a big sigh and an eye-roll when my sister asked about a delivery she was waiting on. The girl acted like we were annoying her. I should mention that the night girl (lady) was much friendlier and far more helpful. She actually showed up every day, learned my name right away, and consistently gave service with a smile. She even went above and beyond by helping my sister get a large box upstairs and lifting it into her apartment. She and the day girl were like night and day, no pun intended.
The very-expensive garage parking ($100 per month) leaves much to be desired. Some of the doors don't work and there are pipes that drip on to the cars.
Last, this building is NOT kid-friendly at all. There is not space for kids to gather or play, indoors or out. As a result, the few kids that live there run around the hallways screaming. Or they're taking over one of the lounges, breaking furniture and decor, running and hollering with no adult supervision whatsoever. These kids literally have nowhere else to play and heaven knows those apartments are way too small for kids to be cooped up in all day. There are plenty of spaces for adults to gather, but none for kids, besides the teeny-tiny pool. (I haven't visited my sister there during the summer yet, but she tells me that the kids pretty much take over the pool).
I have since found a lovely two-bedroom apartment in a duplex within a 1/4 mile of my sister's building, for $780 less per month than what my sister is paying for her one bedroom apt. She is seriously considering moving. Who would blame her? read more