This is a long overdue review. We had a lot of reservations renting in this building when we were…read morelooking for an apartment for our daughter, due to the mixed reviews. Because we were looking at the last minute, our choices were limited so we felt like we had to compromise and just go with it because location was of prime importance to us, and this was in a great one. As it turned out, we did not have to be concerned whatsoever.
What made us feel much more comfortable about deciding on this apartment, despite the mixed reviews we read, and what basically sealed the deal for us was the front desk person Deborah(not sure if this is how her name is spelled) who was so kind and helpful and was very good in trying to facilitate the process for us so we can get whatever information we needed in a timely manner, for us to be able to comfortably make a decision This was further reinforced later on by Marisa, the office manager, and then David(I think partial owner), and EVERY SINGLE PERSON on staff that we encountered - Deborah, Joe, Kenny, Hussain, James, and Marisa and David via email.
Secondly, I searched for feedback on CatMan from my daughter's university FB Parent Group. Parents had a lot of positive feedback so this added to our comfort level.
Now, for more about the building....As one observes as soon as they enter the building, it is a grand old building, the kind that no one builds anymore, think New York City grand building style. It might look dated if you do not appreciate this aesthetic but I really appreciated how well maintained and very clean it is. We checked out the fire escape stairs as well as safety is important and it is very clean and maintained, so was the laundry facilities and the area for the trash.
We did look at several units in the building and the state of update varies from unit to unit so one cannot generalize about the entire complex as a whole. My daughter has lived in two different units in the building, first during the summer, and then transferred to another unit for her long-term lease unit. In both instances, the apartments were in good condition and were VERY clean and newly painted when it was turned over to her.
Some of the concerning reviews also mentioned that management was not responsive and that they do not take care of problems. My daughter's experience is the complete opposite. The times she has had to request for service, they have consistently been EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE and timely, and the front desk is on top of keeping track of what is going on. I think that is key, of any rental, whether brand new or not, responsiveness, and in this regard, they are superior, no exaggeration.
Then there is the mention of cockroaches and mice in the reviews. This is always a concern in any building so we paid particular attention to this and curious how the building management handles this issue. I was extremely comforted by the fact that in the lease, it actually addresses this issue specifically, that if you find signs of a mouse or pests and you do not report it, you will get fined. I am assuming they do this to make sure that tenants report any signs so they can address it right away and nip it in the bud. This is a very good sign of how aggressive they are about addressing this issue. Many times, it's i tenants that cause the proliferation of these pests, not keeping their place clean and tidy, etc, and then they wonder why they have a mouse issue. We have not encountered ANY pests, or signs of it, at all in the building, nor has my daughter heard of such an issue from any of her many friends who live in the building.
Lastly, what truly sets this building apart is the service, but not just service by itself but how kind and genuinely helpful everyone is, and the genuine desire to be helpful and responsive with maintenance requests and any questions and concerns. It is a very well-run operation.
THANK YOU CatMan and to all the wonderful people that make it what it is - Deborah, Joe, Hussain, Kenny, James, office manager Marissa and Building Manager David.