Moved in two years ago and it started out really good. Recently there has been a change in…read moremanagement and it has been problematic since. Dumpsters are constantly overloaded with garbage spilling out of them. Trash is all over the stairwells. Neighbors are grilling in the parking lot. It took two weeks for my maintenance requests to be completed as they stated they were not staffed. The complex is filthy. They stated that I changed my locks that were in fact never changed. Upon me calling the office Emily was very dismissive and rude.

I lived at Bella Ridge North for four years. Overall, I think property management did a great job…read moreat maintaining the apartments and buildings themselves clean and well-kept, including the common areas (pool, gym, walking areas, etc.) Any minor issues were resolved quickly and the ladies in the leasing office were polite and responsive. The apartments themselves were large and spacious. With that being said, over the past year there were definitely changes in who was coming and going/leasing the apartments. Noticeable differences in a higher police presence (I saw cop cars within the property gates four of five times in the six months up to leaving), random people walking around, being let in the gate who clearly did not live there, parking spots being taken by non-residents etc. Unfortunately my husband's car was stolen right from outside the apartment, on the top floor of the parking garage and several of our neighbors cars were broken into over an extended period of time. While, understandably not First Lake's fault directly, I feel like better measures could have been taken to provide a safer and more secure atmosphere, up to and including, cameras on every floor of the garage (not just where you enter) and better measures on securing the property for non-residents. When addressing the issue with corporate leadership the attitude was dismissive and very much "Not our problem" instead of "Hey, you've been a valued resident for x amount of years, we care about your business, these are the measures we are taking to improve". We had to follow-up several times not only with corporate but also with the "courtesy officer" on site, who I don't even know is a real person because he or she never reached out or contacted police. This is less about physical property and more about the attitude of the business/management and caring about resident safety. If people will steal in that close of proximity so brazenly it will probably escalate shortly into apartment break-ins. Overall, they have some major safety issues to work through.

One of my good friends lives at the Crescent Club Apartments, so I've had an opportunity to spend a…read moregood bit of time here (not to mention a few nights on the couch...) As far as these sort of apartment buildings go, it's pretty nice -- the hallways are large and carpeted, the garage is convenient if you're bringing in groceries in the pouring rain (and, well, I'm sure it's great to have parking in general), and the pool in the center of the complex is gorgeous and probably underutilized by the people who live there. (That seems to be the case with most apartment complex pools, in my experience.) Not sure how this development compares price-wise to similar buildings (American Can, Cotton Mill, and The Esplanade come to mind), but the apartments themselves are quite nice and well laid out for roommates. They're carpeted, have great kitchens, a tiny balcony, and the two bedroom/two bathroom unit that I've seen is definitely somewhere I'd live if not for all the old, funky, charming houses in New Orleans that have prevented me from ever bothering to look at an apartment/condo lifestyle. (I love hardwood floors, huge, heavy windows that are painted shut, porches, balconies and the random old fashioned things you'll find like the laundry closets, transoms, and terrifying gas heaters that actually work but look dangerous and have to be lit with a match.) The only reason I'm giving this place three stars instead of four is because of the location. I'm sorry, but I really don't think I'd want to live THAT close to OPP. Case in point: last time I was visiting my friends, we (gasp!) ran out of beer and so two of us set out in search of a convenience store for more drinks. There were plenty of options within walking distance, but the one to the right had a crowd of people kind of loitering outside it (this is midnight-ish, by the way), and neither of us really wanted to brave the crowd to get inside so we did a 180 and headed toward the gas station to the left. On our way, we passed a few people walking their dogs or whatever, and there was a guy speedwalking in our direction who actually freaked me out a little because he seemed really fidgety, anxious, just gave off a weird vibe. For the record, I've lived in some seriously questionable neighborhoods (at one house, on Louisiana Avenue Parkway, we couldn't even get pizza delivered; no one would do it b/c the street had such a bad reputation), and am not easily freaked out by people on the street. Generally, I find people to be pretty awesome, no matter what part of town you're in. The fact that this guy made me nervous was kind of a big deal, because this rarely, rarely happens. (I'm tempted to stop here and see if anyone notices, because I'm getting tired of writing this unnecessarily long review, but it's actually kind of a funny story.) [gives in to temptation] ....To Be Continued...

I've lived here for more than three years, since a few months after the building opened, and it's…read moregenerally a pretty nice place to live. Despite what you hear on the voicemail greeting, these apartments are in lower Mid-City near Tulane and Broad, not "in the heart of downtown New Orleans." (That's for you, students from out of town looking for a place close to Tulane or LSU med schools.) Some things that drew me to this building were the beautiful pool area and outside grounds, which are kept up pretty well. Most maintenance issues are resolved quickly, although the building is beginning to show some wear and tear, especially in common areas. The parking gates are rarely all in working order, which can be frustrating, but the free covered parking is a great amenity. On the other hand, management has been taking visible steps to keep the outside areas cleaner and better maintained, so that's a plus. I should also add that the ladies who work in the office are very friendly and will go to lengths to ensure that residents are happy here. The building employs a security guard on the premises, which has been helpful more than once thanks to inconsiderate neighbors I've had over time. Most of the people who live here are very friendly and polite, although there's a sizable population of students and families with little kids who are less concerned with keeping the peace and keeping hallways and elevators clean. It's also not openly advertised, but this building is mixed-income (it was built with funding from tax credits), which seems to upset commenters on other websites who are unhappy paying market rate for an apartment while a neighbor might pay a reduced rate. Personally, I don't really care, since an overwhelming majority of my neighbors and former neighbors have been friendly and respectful of common areas. The apartments themselves are nice and modern, although they fall short of the "luxury" category (mostly carpeted, basic counter tops, basic appliances). I have my own washer and dryer in my unit, as well as a walk-in closet, which is fantastic. Best of all, my electricity bill is very low (under $50/mo year-round) thanks to the construction of the building (can't say the same about the walls keeping sounds out, though!). If you're looking for an apartment that's a short commute to the CBD and is VERY pet-friendly, I'd recommend looking here. Although a 1-bedroom can be a little steep (over $1,000/mo), a 2-bedroom would be a deal for roommates. I believe the prices are comparable to similar places in Mid-City like American Can.

The apartments are clean and secure with garages and gated entrance. It is a small complex and…read morequiet.

Lies and garbage. It was not after closing when I requested a walk through. You vehemently stated…read moreit's not your policy. And never have you walked through the apartment when I lived there. You're trying to save face. Nice try! I have video evidence to refute your bogus claims. Corporate can see them if they'd like. Your vacancies are growing. I wonder why????

I've lived here almost 10yrs and to be honest, overall, I was completely shocked at how this is…read moretruly a hidden gem in the middle of everything! Of course there's always pros and cons to living in the city, i.e. lack of parking, interstate noise, and things of that nature. However, for the most part, the property's staff does an amazing job keeping the grounds looking amazing, quickly replying to maintenance requests, and making you feel genuinely cared about. I also enjoy the fact that most neighbors are respectful of each other in regards to noise and doing their part to ensure the property stays looking good. Sincerely, K M H

Scummy business practices, Deplorable application process; completely mismanaged experience. Leslie…read moreKimble, the overly bubbly clueless leasing agent is scattered brained and lacking the appropriate information to give serious prospective tenants transparency and ease of process. Bellawood has dozens of apartments vacant listed online for weeks. I was initially rushed to apply under the soft threat of "they may be gone if you wait!You should apply ASAP" Standard sales tactic. I watched the price plummet $50+ dollars in the weeks each unit stay unrented. Then when I went to apply for 9/2 move in date it was arbitrarily changed to 10/3 move in. When I asked Leslie why it was moved I got a bright shiny "Well, I don't know!" she deals in syrupy faux polite "I don't know"s. When I spoke to the manager Sydney about this, she explained it calmly and logically offering a closing comment of "there's no way Leslie would have known why" So, leasing agents don't have proper information to give to prospective tenants? WHY? Ridiculously juvenile antics and word salads from half baked brains. Total Confusion, chaos and mismanagement when there are tons of other properties in the area. All of the women there are surface southern "nice" but social politeness doesn't supersede intelligence and professionalism. I contacted Tonti Properties and filed a complaint against Bella Wood. To add more confusion, Tonti Properties is different than the corporate entity Tonti, which owns a large amount of SE Louisiana apartment complexes. Additionally, there is another business name that appears when applying after being debited for app fee: Creekwood Elmwood, LLC. So it's a bunch of scam companies triangulating their schemes with haphazard, sloppy tactics. Seems like a scam. Happy to be looking elsewhere and away from this nightmare of stupidity. I can't imagine having to deal with these type of people on a regular basis in a place you want to call home! These apartments will stay unrented. Enjoy Hurricane Season!

Living here we have been treated with great assistance as they care deeply about the needs of their…read moretenant. front Office assistant always helps to the best of her abilities as quick as possible. I would highly recommend these apartments to other residents in different areas

staff is always helpful at getting any request taken care of in a timely manner. happy to renew my…read morelease again!

My experience with 1st Lake Properties @ White water creek has been deeply disturbing, & disgusting…read moreand it stems from a complete failure of leadership & accountability--specifically by Brittney Roberts, the Vice President and Trash boy Mike, he maintenance. Don't rent your home here‼ I reported a serious issue involving Mike who made me feel unsafe, uncomfortable, and threatened. Instead of taking immediate and appropriate action from the initial encounter of Mike cussing me out in my house where I pay rent. Brittney Roberts vice president failed to handle the situation properly the first time. I gave a clear warning that this person made me feel unsafe, yet no protective measures were taken, and no accountability was enforced. It shows the lack of adequate leadership. Reconsider else where to rent‼ As a result of this neglect, the same employee was allowed to provoke and intimidate me again, creating a hostile and dangerous living environment! When I followed up, Roberts told me I wasn't even allowed in the front office, (but pay rent) yet the person I had concerns about could still allowed to enter my unit if emergency. Like that wouldn't be one, alright. Don't rent your home here‼ This is unacceptable. A Vice President should be responsible for ensuring residents feel safe and heard--not ignored. While having the knowledge to take care of basic situations. Brittney Roberts had the opportunity and authority to resolve this before it escalated further, and she failed terribly‼ Don't rent your home here‼ If you're considering renting from 1st Lake Properties, think carefully about how seriously they treat your safety--because in my case, it was disregarded completely by Roberts! Resign Roberts and Mike you can kick rocks trash boy

Ask to leave Identification Card at front desk to see unit. Told by representative that ID could be…read moreput in a drawer. Suggested they take a photo, was told that was not an option.

The Bella Ridge North apartments used to be great but not any more. I have lived there for over 10…read moreyears and the people in the office have become intolerable. I got a notice saying that my automatic rent payment was cancelled with no reason given. I called the office from 830 to 10 and nobody answered the phone. This has become common every time I have to contact them. Usually I have to go there in person to talk to someone. This time I could not do that and so I kept calling and leaving messages. Finally a woman picked up and basically told me that they had sent out email and sms about system changes that would require me to change the automatic payment. The mail never came and I asked her to resend it to me and she told me she would not talk to me because she had some other people there and had already sent the notice. She then rudely hung up on me! That is how they treat a resident who has lived there for over 10 years and has always paid rent on time. This is not the first time this has happened. Last year, they changed the system and again the automatic payment did not go through. Nobody bothered to call me or contact me in any way. I arrived home and found they had started eviction procedures. They fixed it but It was really a terrible experience. There is no way to contact them when you have a problem unless you go to the office in person. They don't answer voice messages nor do they reply to SMS or email. The service has gone from excellent to abysmal. I do not expect to be treated so rudely when I do finally talk to someone as just happened. The other issue is the maintenance. It used to be great. But lately they take longer and longer to send a technician. My latest experience was a few months ago when one day, black rusty water started coming out of the faucets. The water was so dirty I couldn't drink, wash or bathe with it. It took almost a week for them to send a maintenance man to fix it. They have one guy covering the complex and several others so when there is a problem they take forever to fix it. I do not recommend Bella Ridge North Apartments and will not be living there much longer.

This is part of a double set of apartments. Very nice and…read moreclean. Mtc is always on point and tech are helpful and respectful. The young lady who assisted me was Ms.Rogers. Very professional and helpful. This is my first apartment experience and so far it's been positive.

A good value for a comfortable choice of apartments. Their lofts really utilize the space well.read more

The apartment are nice and updated,once the management change the apartments slowly going down.I'm…read morenot sure if Backgrounds are being done because the residents are Sketchy drugs being sold,fighting always going on.The grounds are not being kept up! Trash always on the ground smh.Residents keep they garbage by the front door for days.The parking is horrible.When you come home you don't know if you have somewhere to park.Other apartment complex park in our spaces The apartments don't Tow so make it to your apartment at a decent time.Residents keep the gate open with a brick all day.The property Manager don't care because the apartments are going down and they are really nice in the inside The gates are down all around the apartments so anyone can walk on the property.If you have a newborn please don't move here because the walls are thin and you hear everything.Residents don't pick up behind they dog. Grass fill with dog Poop the residents are trifflin.This just half of the problems