Hidden gem, great location, good management
Pros
+ Central location between Central Park and Trader Joe’s and many other stores, 5-10min to both side of the subway. + Super and doorman are kind and responsive. Maintenance requests are taken care of within 2 days. Never lost a package because the doorman is always there. + I live in a renovated 3B2B unit. Amenities are nice (dishwasher, fridge, washer and dryer). Water pressure is acceptable. Toilets never clog. + Relatively clean. Building has a tenant committee and community book shelves.
Cons
- Neighbors can be loud sometimes. I complained to the super once and it’s fine now. - There may be roaches once in a while. Pesticides work. Haven’t had pest control but it’s an option. - 10 min walk to 1/2/3 line which can be a bit of a trek for commute to Columbia University. - Rent is not the cheapest for the space you get, but it’s the UWS / Manhattan.
Advice to the owners
The leasing office isn’t the most responsive or friendly to deal with, but I like all the other building staff.
Has a great location!
Pros
The building is so close to Central Park, you can see it from some of the units. This apartment building is also close to Columbus ave with lots of shops and restaurants. The front desk staff are amazing and super friendly.
Cons
The building is old and definitely starting to feel like it. The halls always smell, the lighting is dim and the elevators are always breaking down (I avoided the left elevator for almost a year). The units themselves look great, until you start using the appliances (the kitchens are just show kitchens and practically useless. All of the fixtures are really cheap and they break easy. The building does have a lot of smokers (weed and cigarettes) and the building management won’t do anything about it so get used to having your apartment randomly smell bad. The heat in colder months only turns on a couple of times a day so get ready for temperature fluctuations and having to wear jackets inside (building management won’t do anything about this either). The front desk is not 24/7 like they advertise (9 am - midnight on weekdays and 12 pm - 6 pm on weekends). The building management company is very stereotypical New York. Something broken in your apartment, like let’s say a gas burner (an open flame!) on your stove won’t turn off? Don’t even think about asking for help because the only thing they will do is tell you it’s not their problem or try to blame you. The walls between units are not insulated so hope you don’t live next to anyone who’s loud.
Advice to the owners
Maybe sell to a management company that cares about their tenants?