Hello! I lived here from October 2019-October 2020. It was the worst living situation I've ever…read moreexperienced. I got a 7th floor studio apartment (400-ish sq ft) with one bathroom and kitchenette for $1575 a month. My parking space was $175 a month. So I was paying $1770 a month (*with a $55k salary*). Let me tell you how much of a joke this was.
Let's start off easy, with the parking space. I did not get a full parking space, yet I was paying the full amount as everyone else in the garage. Due to an extra wall protruding, the corner parking space I had was impossible to turn into, park, and get out of. If I turn in too narrow, it blocks off space for the car next to me. If I turn in too wide, it's nearly impossible to get out of it without hitting the car parked behind me. The butt of my car always stood out because the parking space was a half. Why should that be $175?
Now for the apartment. The carpet was an ugly beige, reminding me of like someone's parents' house basement. Any stain was impossible to get out. Aesthetically, not pleasing at all. I fell for the beautiful view initially, there is a wall of windows next to the bed. However, as the apartment is on a main street (16th St), it means NOISE. The constant humdrum buzz of cars whizzing by yes, but also Sirens of ambulance and police constantly, and late night roaring and yelling by homeless drunk people.
There is no overheard lighting (except for a horrible florescent office-like light in the kitchenette) so I had to have two standing lamps (in opposing corners of the apartment, for more evened-out lighting), plus a bedside nightstand lamp, but were still not good enough really.
The way the studio apartment is designed is horrible. You really can put the bed on either side of the room, but there is no room for a couch. I mean, technically there is, but you would risk blocking the front entrance. So I had to have an arm chair there but it looked pretty awkward given all the space.
Then, here is the worst part. The kitchenette. What a joke excuse of a kitchen. I really hated it. So design-wise, it's ugly, all-white, non-remarkable and cheap looking. There is NO dishwasher. There is NO microwave. There is literally a tiny square gray sink, a small area of counter space, then the stove/oven. I would have to wash dishes pretty fast considering more than two meals meant that the sink would fill up. But there is no place to dry the dishes/post unless I used that small bit of counter space. But then I would need that small bit of counter space to cut my vegetables, or else I'd just turn around and use the f---ing kitchen table to cut my things.
And THE STOVE/OVEN. So the stove fire didn't work when i turned it out, so I would have to use an extended lighter and turn on the stove the same time to get any fire. THERE IS NO VENTILATION. NONE!!!! THERE IS A HOOD ABOVE THE STOVE. Like a hood that looks like a ventilator, but it's like plastic looking and no actual utility use. It's a fake ventilator. Do you know what that means? It means that every time I cooked--EVEN IF IT WAS JUST BOILING WATER FOR PASTA--the fire alarm would set off. Every time. Not a couple times. Not every other time. Every time.
Do you know how management responded to this?
They appeared at my front door knocking, without advanced notice which was inappropriate. Then, they say they read my email about my fire alarm constantly going off, so here is their solution for me: a shoe cover. Yes, you read that right. A cloth, drawstring shoe-cover FOR F---ING SHOES (!!) to put over my fire alarm.
And the best part?
"Don't tell anyone about this please," the management pleaded.
THE AUDACITY!
No room for things like blenders or a coffee maker either since the counter space so small. You know what I had to do when making breakfast? I'd have to take my toaster out of the cupboard above the fridge that's annoying to reach. Make my toast. Then I would have to put the toast on a plate and onto the table. Then I'd have to use the remaining counter space, where I previously had my toaster, to cut things, etc. So much back and forth.
Next, I'm going to go into their COVID management. When I got COVID in August, I notified them. And they DID NOT send a mass email warning everyone, or step up their disinfecting. It was like they wanted to hide it. In Hong Kong where my friend lives, one person got it and everyone was notified and they shut things down. Here it was like they downplayed. Anyway I hated living here, it was miserable, overpriced, management was awful and often petty.
ALSO NO WASHER DRYER IN UNIT. You have to pay $$ for that and go all the way down to the basement. Once I put $30 on my laundry card and it took it, but then wouldn't work on the machines. I told management. What did they say?
"IDK what to do, but why don't you call the owners of the laundry machines yourself and ask them how to get your money back?"
THAT'S YOUR JOB. I pay you to do things like this. ugh.