I lived in the Schmidt Commons for slightly over two years from July 2015 until September 2017. Overall, it was a great experience and a beautiful place to live. I'll begin with the things I'll miss the most, my apartment. I used to live in the Erbe building, and it was 1) an incredible space and 2) very reasonably priced compared to the rest of NoLibs (and even Fishtown) for the value I was given. I moved in when parking was including, so I never had to "pay" to park. I did lose parking for about a month in 2016 when my parking lot suddenly became off limits, but they resolved that as timely as they could which I was grateful for. I also had the greatest view of Center City that made my friends and family insanely jealous, though my downstairs lost the view due to the building across the street. No fault to the Schmidt Commons, but it was the one thing that always stunk. I also loved the fact how dog-friendly the area is. I brought home over a year ago a 9-week-old English Bulldog, now fully grown, who had the best puppyhood. The fact a dog park was on the property and all the businesses were so dog-friendly made it a blast. Location, location, location was a huge plus. El Camino became my go-to spot. Urban Village is incredible. The fact there is a WeWork downstairs! I also ended up going car-less while living here, so the ease to the El on Girard (and Spring Garden) made life a-okay for me (and ended up saving me money vs. car payment, car insurance, gas, tolls, parking, oil changes, etc). The team at the Schmidt Commons were always good to me. Maintenance was super friendly and helpful. Leasing office always was friendly and loved my dog. They would also protect my packages if I weren't able to get it; which is great vs. having it in the hallway for someone to randomly take. Perhaps best of all, I had some great neighbors who have become lifelong friends. I moved into this area knowing no one and ended up with many friends from my time in the Erbe building. The only things I'd encourage the Schmidt Commons to improve on is their online billing system (auto-pay never worked for me, and I would make monthly payments just to find out weeks later it didn't go through even though it was successful) and to focus on fixing the elevators. It seemed every week at least one elevator is broken, and they take forever to go up only five floors (you start to think you live in a skyscraper by how long it takes to go up and down). Again, nit-picking there; but nothing to complain about. If you're looking to live in this complex, especially in the Erbe building, I encourage it. Only reason I ended up moving was that I was ready to be a homeowner vs. renter, or else I'd have no intentions on leaving :) read more

What has been most frustrating is the lack of communication and accountability. Maintenance issues can happen anywhere, but residents should not have to repeatedly chase management for updates or wait months for basic issues to be addressed. As a physician completing a busy emergency medicine residency, the last thing I want to deal with after a 12-hour shift, overnight shift, or a long week in the hospital is repeatedly following up on unresolved apartment issues that should have been addressed months ago. Residents pay a significant amount to live here with the expectation of a certain level of service, responsiveness, and professionalism. Unfortunately, my experience has been the opposite. Between the missing fixtures upon move-in, months without a functioning refrigerator, damaged property during the replacement process, unresolved claims, unresponsive management, and amenities that have remained out of service for extended periods, this has not been the luxury living experience that was advertised. read more

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The Piazza is a nice place to sit and relax. I grabbed a drink at Starbucks had my book to read. They were both sunny and shady spots to sit. There weren't really any benches with backs to them that made it hard to sit for too long. There are trees. A pool complex is in the middle so not as much room as they used to be it was also clean and had trash cans There's a playground for the littles. Lots of restaurants are in that area too if you wanna get something to eat. It's peaceful area in the middle of a pretty busy Northern Liberties read more

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**UPDATE: I moved out on 4/20/2026. You can see from the comment below as well as from emails back and forth from said person below that a check was being sent via USPS. Never arrived. They offered a wire transfer if I just gave them all my bank information. They have proven themselves extremely UNtrustworthy, not a chance I would give them sensitive information like that, especially when they owe ME money. When I emailed back saying it never arrived as well as to provide proof that check was actually written and sent, you guessed it, nothing back. It is now 6/18/2026, about 2 months later, and still have NOT returned my security deposit nor a debt they owe me. Pennsylvania security deposits are governed by the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (specifically 68 P.S. §§ 250.511a to 250.512), which states landlords have 30 days to provide any money owed back to tenant or a reason why not sent in full, provided tenant gave a forwarding address, which I did. I would highly recommend you DO NOT LIVE HERE or do any sort of business with these folks. Don't believe me? Just do an online search, you'll find the same issues all throughout various internet resources and reviews as well as social media. ** read more

Don't move here. Nothing works and they don't care. The AC doesn't work, it's like 80 degrees in my bedroom every night and somehow I get charged $600 for electricity a month (it's this sketchy system where they calculate your usage and charge you what they want). The package room is a mess, you'll spend HOURS looking for your stuff. I had to pay $500 for a year mailbox at a local UPS. I'm wasting so much money living here. You'll never get things fixed, you'll spend hours contacting people and you'll be left stranded (Especially Molly Burns, the property manager. She will never answer your texts or calls.). I've been here 4 months and still don't have a key to my deadlock. They make the lease impossible to get out of, you'd have to pay every month in advance PLUS a fee to terminate early, it'd make more financial sense to just keep the apartment and not live there. Things are constantly breaking, from the front door to the garage door that I pay $325/month to park in. Moving here was a terrible mistake. Shoutout to Karen and Kev the leasing agents, they're great, the only ones that consistently help me out. They're too good for this place. read more

Visually appealing, the areas outside are nice. They have a farmers market over the weekends that's fun. The units themselves are underwhelming and after speaking with current tenants, have serious issues. read more

If you're a big gym goer I'd consider this place but I'd still recommend looking elsewhere because their management is absolutely trash. Two weeks into my new apartment there was water damage in one of the nearby units and so they forced me to move out of my unit for two months. There was no compensation for all the Stress I had to go through with moving in out and back into my old apartment. The moving company they hired was also terrible. They moved everything I owned, including my clothes in a giant trash box which was super dirty and looked like it had been beat up. I was also double booked so one guy and ended up moving my stuff and took eight hours because he was by himself. I also had to take two PTO days off because they refuse to move on the weekends and only worked on the weekdays and for all the stress and for ALL THIS trouble there was no compensation whatsoever for all the residents, this is such a joke for a huge company and a "luxury" apartment. So if u want to take the risk of getting a bad experience, I'd recommend moving here. read more

UPDATE! It's been about two months since I have been living in piazza. If you are interested in Piazza for its nice amenities, I suggest living in Alta, the newest building. It has direct access to the nicer pools and jacuzzi, more elevators, bigger gym. I highly recommend NOT living in the Navona - Erbe units. It is slightly cheaper and bigger square footage, bi level, but the building only has 2 elevators. Right now, the 1/2 elevators has been down for literally 3 weeks because the vendor they work with don't have the equipment they need to fix it.... my old apartment at the Griffin in center city never had issues like this before. It's also not that old of a building and it's part of a big apartment complex which I find surprising. Also my units kitchen sink faucet was so difficult to use. Never in my entire life have I struggled to find the right temperature or completely turn off without it dripping or have the water all over the countertop because of the hard pressure. I had to make 4 maintenance requests (one time because the water was not going straight). I personally contact the manager about why I needed the the sink facet either fixed or replaced - because it simply was not up par to the standards. Piazza mail system is just TERRIBLE. They have a package room where mail gets dropped off in kiosk. There is no front desk concierge to sort out the mail or notify the residents so the people dropping off the mail can either put it in the kiosk (whether if it is full or not) they can leave it anywhere in the package room amongst other packages. So basically you go in and go look for your packaging, hoping you can find your package like a needle in a haystack. I lost a good amount of my packages. read more

Once you move here, the management team could literally care less about your well being. The first day I moved in, I did not receive a key fob to access my building and the girl who was supposed to give me one left because it was 5:00 and she was done working for the day. I spent my first day waiting outside the Erbe building waiting for another tenant to let me in. My biggest issue is that they breached their contract with the security deposit, which I found out recently because I was able to get in contact with a higher-up of Post Brothers. I took over a sublease, and the management refused to give the deposit back to those moving out, and said we needed to handle it internally. So I ended up giving these random people I did not know over $1200 over Venmo. After deciding to move out after 3 months because the sub lease was over and I was having an insane amount of issues living here, they made the girl who was moving into my apartment give me the deposit and refused to hand me it back themselves. The way deposits are being handled not only shady but illegal. When I decided to move in and take over the sub lease, management refused to have the apartment cleaned Which is an extremely health hazard due to COVID, and is also disgusting considering the tenants who's lease we were taking over had a dog who shed all over the apartment. There were clumps of dog hair piling up throughout. The tenants who's sub lease we took over ended up having to pay over $400 to hire cleaners because the Piazza simply didn't care to do so. My worst situation was when I decided I was not going to renew the lease and they tried their best to keep me trapped for another year here. I gave them 30 days notice and they gave me the okay. My roommate at the time was still not giving them an answer whether or not she was renewing, so they decided two days before my move out date (which I already hired movers and had everything boxed up) to send me an email at 4pm on a Friday suddenly saying that my lease is set to automatically renew. I called them saying what is this email I already said I'm not renewing and they said since my roommate never let them know, I'm set to automatically renew. Why wasn't this discussed to me weeks before? Why are you literally renewing my contract when I said I do not want to live here? I understand they need to know from my roommate, but why am I being punished for this and threatened? Ive had two packages stolen and I was told by the Piazza that it was not their responsibility but the mail carriers (even tho I had confirmation that it was correctly dropped off at the correct location.) To access the room, you only need a key fob but it's out on the street so anyone can piggy back behind another person and steal packages. They're all left out in the open and it's a complete cluster of 100 packages not secured. My roommate and others also had issues with stolen packages from the mail room. You will be told rent will only increase to about 1-3 %. I took over a sublease for 3 months and they increased it by 6%. Three months of living here. Fire alarm testing during the work hours on weekdays so I could no longer work remote at the apartment. I had to go home to my parents house. I brought this up to management and they once again claimed this is not their issue. I have personally called management myself about the issues I was having and my last phone call resulted in the go-to management person going off on me, speaking over me in a condescending tone and refusing to help me because I left a bad review. There's a reason there's only about 5 units filled on my floor of about 50 units. Save your mental health, hard earned money and find somewhere to live where you're cared for and treated with respect and dignity. Moving out after only 3 months of living here was one of the best decisions I've made. read more

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Many of you already know that I generally do my First Friday Arts Crawl in Old City since I carry a bit of respect for the OG. But the facts that Tom C. had a photo display in the area that was very documented on here (http://www.yelp.com/events/philadelphia-find-your-focus---photographs-by-thomas-robert-clarke), I needed to pay a long overdue visit to Area 919 (http://www.yelp.com/biz/area-919-philadelphia#hrid:iOvraMBsXeK0ANfuKlOqPg/src:self), and my friend Taryn had an goods on sale at the Piazza; it meant that I needed to take things to NoLibs For the first time, And now it's probably going to be a long time before I go back! With spots like Area 919, and Projects Gallery (http://www.yelp.com/biz/projects-gallery-philadelphia#hrid:xDkjLolfHr-xwTjfqK5ilA/src:self) there was already plenty of good reasons to hit up that area as part of the Arts Crawl. But the Piazza increased that number ten fold! I already included the Toothless Cat Gallery, and Pure Gold Gallery among my long list of reviews. But there's destined to be at least 4-5 others that will add on to my road towards 800 reviews (900 when you factor the added updates goal!). And that just shows the Piazza's dedication towards the local arts. But there's more! As I foreshadowed above my friend was part of a craft fair that they had going on. And she got opportunity from a random Facebook posting that I sent her *Hint Hint*! Not only that, but there was a DJ spinning some throwback tunes from Prince and Stevie Wonder. They also had the Phillies Game blowing up outside on the big screen. Do you want more? then how about the awesome spreads of food and libations that most of the Galleries offered for their receptions (a special occasion thing of course)? It got to the point that they had me needing the bathroom that most of the galleries seriously lacked. Good thing one of the main buildings had it's own built in public restrooms! So overall it was another awesome occasion at the Piazza! read more

I love coming to Piazza. They have events going on throughout the year and specially during the summer they have movie nights, salsa nights, beard competition, etc...the vibe is amazing. The restaurants and bars around it makes it even better as you can enjoy the food, drinks and events. It is pretty spacious and has good amount of seatings too. Looking forward to Movie nights on Thursdays and Dance/Live music on Fridays!!! read more

The best way to describe being a resident in these apartment complexes is to think of "Fyre Festival." The idea of the Piazza may seem nice to an onlooker, but once you actually put the money down and you begin living here, you quickly realize you've been scammed. I could easily describe the details that have made living here horrible, but the biggest annoyance of it all is that their management team has made it quite clear to us that they just do not care. As long as they are continuing to reel in the next blind-sided new residents, they ignore the fact that their current residents are all extremely unhappy. My roommate, myself, and others within our building have contacted the management team many times only to not get any reply whatsoever (after multiple attempts and weeks gone pass) or to get some robotic unsympathetic reply that makes you just want to rip your hair out further. We have continued to ask for the higher-up management contact information to voice our frustrations that have extended through our entire lease, which began in March 2019, and have been blatantly ignored. Then the team here tries to pretend they are sympathetic to us all waking up at the crack of dawn Monday - Saturday to construction for 4+ months (still ongoing to this date with no end in site) by putting up flyers for a free breakfast. LOL yea a pop-tart is really going to help make me feel better that we are paying higher than average rent prices for the area only to wake up to jack hammers every morning that last well into the evening hours. Some other quick side notes to mention: -the package room is unreliable - packages constantly do not get put into lockers until hours/days later, allowing anyone to grab yours to for you to just never be contacted you received one -the elevators move slower than a snail-pace. at least 1 of the 2 is normally out-of-order -parking in the garage costs $220 despite the fact it is never even close to being full -walls are paper thin between units -although you need a fob to access into the buildings, there is no security or safety whatsoever considering the construction workers all come here daily and prop open the door to leave it open, allowing anyone to walk on in -did I mention that management does and communicates NOTHING? If you or anyone know you know is considering living in the area, STAY CLEAR OF ANY BUILDING OWNED THROUGH CURRENT PIAZZA MANAGEMENT!! I wish I had realized the majority of these positive reviews are in regards to the general area/local businesses rather than the living arrangements when I was moving into Philly. I would have saved a lot of money and a whole lot of headaches from this ongoing construction. read more

I have been coming to the Piazza or now the Schmidt's Commons since it was conceptualized. In the beginning there appeared to be a disconnect with the stores and restaurants that were located in the general area - now it appears that there has been a reconfiguration of the stores and restaurants/bars that have a more natural flow and connection. The outdoor stage is awesome and when events are hosted - it draws a nice crowd. I was please to see that Walhburgers purchased a space for "Free Parking" and this makes all the difference with accessing this area. I attending the "Art @ Night" show and it was a cool Burlesque and Acrobatic Show - What great fun! I plan to return to the area more frequently so I can keep up with all the fun and new things happening int he area. read more

Has anyone ever read Dante's Inferno? You know, the book about the seven circles of hell and his journey through them? That's my experience at this joke of an establishment. Imagine the inner most circle of hell, then being surprised by an eighth circle, that being this trash of a complex. Illegal business practices, atrocious customer service, dangerous appliances and maintenance, and the absolute worst employees of any apartment I've ever experienced, and I've experienced bad...like live behind a Jack In The Box bad. I would have literally rather moved back in with my parents and accepted that stigma rather than spend another hour at this place. They even tried to take the entirety of my security deposit from me because I have 5 nails in a wall to hang a picture. Only after I threatened a lawsuit did I get my money back. Look elsewhere, I implore you all. read more

My friend Kerwin Charles lived at a Post Brothers community until March of 2020 called The Pizaa - Ebre 332. On March 2020 and did final walk through with site staff. The apartment was left in pristine condition. As of October 2020, Kerwin has not received a security deposit refund or a final account statement. Kerwin sent multiple emails to management requesting an update on the receipt of his deposit since April of 2020. As of October 2020 he has not received a response back. Kerwin has also called multiple times and has left voicemails since April 2020 - no call has been returned. Business practices like this are unacceptable. If there is a reason his deposit is being withheld he has a right to be informed. It is embarrassing that this matter has come to this. Please reach out to Kerwin and refund his deposit if he is due a refund! read more

Everyone that works here is a snake especially Molly Burns. They will slap you with fees and take your security deposit. They can't maintain any of their amenities. After driving 14 hours on my move in day I got to my apartment and it was completely destroyed no where close to be ready for move in. I had no where to go. When you move out they take all of your security deposit and won't tell you why. Avoid this place read more

This was my first time at The Piazza at Schmidt's and it was also the first day opening for their year 'round Farmer's Market. I need to be honest with my over all opinion of driving into Northern Liberties and thinking wow, no glitz, no glamour, old and run down came to mind. Keep in mind that I appreciate old cities and buildings and what they have to offer and I certainly did not explore the neighborhood, even though I would like to do this one day. The gated graveled parking lot across the street offers ample free parking. Walking into this large courtyard of shops, restaurants and galleries, your eyes sweep over the owners walking numerous friendly dogs, gardens and beautiful buildings that kiss the open sky. I was freezing as I was entering the courtyard, but all of a sudden the beauty of what the piazza has offered to Northern Liberties and the friendly folks at the open market made me forget all of that. There were probably a dozen and one half tables set up for the first day of this farmer's market, but they had some quality goods to sell and I bought my share of homemade soups, quiches, pot pies, salsa, breads and sweet baked goods. I had the pleasure of meeting beautiful Monica, our CM, as I smiled and scarfed some little yelp buttons and an ink pen. Funny, cause as we were talking, the guy at the next booth stepped up and said DJ? I said yes, come to find out he was a yelper at one time and a friend to many of us. This is certainly not like Piazza San Marco ( St. Mark's Square ) nor any other open square or market I have been to in Europe, however I am liking what I saw and I think it adds a lot to the area and Philly. I will certainly be back to watch as the year 'round Farmer's Market grows and to see what else they have to offer. I'm anxious to check out some of the restaurants and more of the shops and galleries. Piazza at Schmidt's, you have my vote. I found my glitz and glamour in Northern Liberties. read more

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The place is really picking up as the summer rolls on. I've been going to various weekly events for the past few weeks, and just thought to post after a rather successful concert put on by the local radio station at the Piazza. The concert was splendid, and the venue was perfect for it. Swift Half pub had a packed beer garden, and I believe everyone present had a good time. I'm sure the various shops made out like bandits with all the consumers wandering around for the afternoon. For the most part, weekends are a pleasant stroll around here. I'm no fashionable or high-culture kind of guy, nor am I a quintessential hipster, so I usually only purchase stuff at the candy shop down liberties walk, or drinks/food from one of the bars/resturaunts/cafes. But it's worth spending free time just walking around, and as mentioned elsewhere, would likely make a good inexpensive night out with a significant other. Fantastic free dates would be their Friday night film series (usually an independant film, but they've been decent the past few weeks), or one of the summer block parties the first Saturday of each month. Even cheaper if you make a little picnic of your own to bring. PYT and Swift Half serve alcohol, though you are limited to purchasing and consuming within the roped off patios they maintain. During events, security will confiscate personal liquor and beer supplies, just as a fair-weather warning. I believe the only improvements I'd look for in the Piazza as a whole are a nice bookstore, and (as mentioned in some other posts) perhaps a bit more greenery. Ideally, I'd love to see them start hosting some more casual social events on weeknights like a karaoke or maybe bags tournaments. But it is really becoming something very nice for the community as is. read more

The Piazza - Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party - Matt & Kim perform Saturday, July 3rd at the Piazza - Apartments Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Beautiful amenities Beautiful place to live, eat, shop and people watch. The Cove a new addition to the Piazza a beautiful in ground salt water temperature controlled pool opened all year around. Brand new state of the art gym facility which includes a dry sauna, steam room, massage chair and tanning booth. The staff is very friendly accommodating Dante, Johnny and Jared always goes above and beyond addressing any questions or concerns I have and my leasing agent Meaghan Nacey is very professional, She also followed up on me after signing my lease to make sure everything was to my expectations. I highly recommend anyone interested in living at the PIAZZA to reach out to Meaghan Nacey at the leasing Dept. read more

On my first visit to the Piazza years ago I remember thinking "This is exactly what Philly has needed for a long time." The Piazza brings Northern Libs together with the rest of the city. It's a venue, a destination, and truly a community. From showing movies and sporting events on the huge outdoor screen to hosting arts and craft fairs the Piazza does it all. I've been there for lots of fun concerts and although it does get crowded and a bit crazy it's always a memorable experience. I would give the Piazza 5 stars if they had a better selection of shops and more affordable restaurants. If you haven't been to the Piazza, what are you waiting for? Go to their website and check out their events page- there is something for everyone (even kids!). read more

I'm not sure how I feel just yet about The Piazza, but I do know I'm a fan. I think. Yeah. Let's go with that. On my first trip last year, I unfortunately wore a skirt and the place seemed to act as a wind tunnel, which made the experience uncomfortable. Yesterday, I attended the free 104.5 Metric concert with my boyfriend and his sister, and it was actually really fun. I'm not the most social person, and large crowds make me anxious, but I didn't feel boxed in here -- surprisingly. I'd like to stop in a couple more times to really get a handle on the place. It's a unique portion of the city for sure, with cute little shops and some restaurants to try! read more

If I could give zero, I would definitely choose to give zero. After changing the management company post brother, this apartment became more and more unfriendly. The parking building was originally free. They later charged $ 75 a month. After a few months, it rose to $ 150 a month. In a few months, it rose to $ 225 a month, and the price was comparable to that of downtown parking. More than that, when you move out, they will try their best to deduct your deposit. I paid a deposit of $ 1860 before. When I moved out, the office found various reasons. I did n't receive any emails or letters at all. In the case, I found a third-party company privately, deducted my deposit, and asked me to pay $ 3,140. There was absolutely no reason. I previously emailed my address and said that the deposit would be returned to me. After I gave the address, I did not receive any deposit. A third-party letter was sent to my friend 's house. This is the new one. Please do not live here with the management company. They will try their best to exploit your deposit and even make you pay more than one month after you move away. And, for no reason. read more

Northern Liberties, PA Free tv viewing within an enclosed outdoor court with seats, and closed from the street view by trendy shops and apartments. A hipster and yuppish atmosphere. Businesses still developing in this area. Great for the neighborhood. There are events held here but I haven't the chance to go yet- yeeek ! If you can imagine the parking would be nearly impossible. Have no idea how to find out about events held here yet. read more

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I moved out of Liberties Walk on August 23rd and it is November 15th and I have NOT received my security deposit return yet after many, many requests. read more

I love this place. I thank that my friends' friend lived here in the Piazza and am so blown away by all the things the Piazza offers! I was able to stay in one of these hip apartments for 4 days and over the course of my stay I discovered some very interesting things. First there were farmer's markets and cool concerts that happened in the Piazza. Next was a bunch of naked people on bikes for the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride. Needless to say, it was even more exciting for me in Philadelphia because of the Piazza! I think in general, this place is pretty cool because they offer free concerts and a much needed freebie in this hipster area for sure. read more

Free post-summer concert? Outside? In a large area full of enthusiastic people? What the what!? Yeah, I was definitely stopping by the Piazza to check out Radio 104.5's last Summer Block Party, especially since it featured AWOLNATION and Imagine Dragons. Throughout the summer I wanted to go to some of the previous concerts held here, which never worked out, but I'm glad I ventured into Northern Liberties for this one. The Piazza itself is huge, surrounded by a few bars, restaurants and apartment buildings. At the end, the stage is setup in front of the far building with a large, video screen above it. I personally like how you can venture in and out of the piazza through the back of the local bars, making access to food, drinks and restrooms much more accommodating than I assumed. This was also good because some were worried about finding shelter during Mother Nature's forecasted oncoming storms, which eventually hit right after the Imagine Dragons finished their set. They sounded great and I can't envision seeing them for free again anytime soon. Even though the rain cut the entire concert short, I had a great time regardless. I'm looking forward to see which groups stop by here next summer. read more

The Piazza - Imagine Dragons - Apartments Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Is the mic on? Attention: How in the hell do you hate on a plaza? Better yet, how do you hate on a well-landscaped plaza that hosts a ton of free events? Seriously, is there some other plaza that I don't know about that's going to throw a Michael Jackson tribute party, have an outdoor market each week, host Questlove from the Roots, and feature a big ole screen to watch Phill's games? Someone please tell me about this OTHER place because clearly I'm missing out. Otherwise, the Piazza is one of the coolest places that Philly has going with or without the excess of hipsters. Like, so what... let them be hipsters. Shoot, you're probably a hipster yourself. So, go pedal your little road bike over to the Piazza you hipster! I know I will. read more

Okay. I'm over it. Everyone is going nuts over this space and yes, it has brought many businesses, lots of action and attention into this (my) neighborhood, but lord all-mighty, it's getting out of control here. Sure, the piazza has spurred development straight across my 'hood, south, west, east and especially North - but with this growth, has come, as expected, the crowds (more rowdy than not), and a kind of evolution for the neighborhood that I'm not terribly crazy about. I don't exactly know what Blastein had in mind when he came up with this development concept, but the end result is downright college frat party meets Jersey Shore (and it is especially more so, now with the addition of the Arrow Swim Club at its north east end). The piazza itself is about as coolly European as the PYT burgers and 'adult' milkshakes served there. Which is to say, not at all. This whole piazza stinks of 'try-hard' accompanied with bad music blasting at all times of the day. Speaking of PYT, along with the Pink Dolphin Market and Millesime, they are the only original tenants left at the Piazza. The businesses and galleries that were once here are no longer - hustled out, moved out, priced out, what have you - all I know is that there is such a HIGH turnover of restaurants and businesses here, it's enough to make one's head spin, even the Piazza people can't keep up (that is, their web page as of today still show the Appolinare restaurant as operating, while it's clearly visible by anyone there that it's been replaced by Kingdom's Oak - mind you this is the fourth restaurant that has been placed in this spot !). What is solid, genuine and local about that, I ask you? What does it say about the longevity of all of this? I am always in awe about how much this (my) neighborhood has changed in the six short years I've moved here. I am all for development, but really, it begs the question, at what cost? read more

Liked your college dorm experience so much and don't wanna lose that vibe when you move up on in to the real world? Have I got a place for you!?! It's called the Piazza at Schmidt's. Dude, what's happening on the Quad today? I hope something really ultra bitchin'. read more

I totally felt like I was in Europe! To be fair, I only knew beforehand that my friend had moved into a new apartment in no libs at 1050 Hanock. I had no idea the Piazza even existed. So when I saw it I blown away! Spacious open plaza, cute shops, bars, restaurants, diverse crowd with a hipster edge mingling about... and a jumbo-tron on one side showing the phils game. I wanted to become homeless right then and spend the rest of my bum life as a street artist there. Sorta. This place is beautiful, and kick-ass for people watching. My friend's balcony overlooks the plaza - it doesn't get better than that. I didn't get to spend a ton of time walking around, but it looks like there are definitely some great bars, restaurants and boutiques to check out. Or just spend a day chilling at one of the tables in the center of the plaza. Live music acts on the stage they have set up would be awesome too I'm sure. And there were so many dogs around it almost made me want a puppy. Almost. My only complaint is the techno music that was booming Sunday early afternoon. Cmon, my head is pounding already... But this place is fantastic. Just has a super cool vibe. I can't wait to hang out around here more... I had no idea a place like this even existed in philly! Felt like I was on vacation. Hands down best part though: FREE 24-HR PARKING LOT. 'Nuff said. read more

I saw the best minds of my generation Destroyed by making time, starving hypocritical ...naked? Dragging themselves through the northern streets at dawn Looking for Hedwig and some angry inch Angel-headed hipsters txting for the facebook connection To the PYT dynamo in the mockery of night. Umm... thank you Allen? Allen: Ginsboro. Me: Oh funny. Your poem was a lot like Allen Ginsberg's "The Howl" but you seemed to reword some of it. I'm sure you heard of him. He's dead by the way. Allen Ginsboro: No I have not. Girl: You are so lame. Me: Ya he kinda is. Girl: I wasn't talking to him. You're lame. Hey Allen read us some more! Allen Ginsboro: This next one is entitled "Why Adam Dislikes the Hip Piazza" Me: How do you know my name? Girl: OMG! He doesn't mean you! There are like more Adams than you loser. Me: Where the hell did you come from?! I mean this is a Yelp review that I'm writing about the Piazza @ Schmidt's! Dude: Woah dude! Deep! Me: Now where did you come from? Allen Ginsboro: Everyone be quiet! I am about to read my poem. Dude: Play Freebird! Girl: Everyone is so lame right now. Me: SHUT UP! EVERYONE! *silence* Sir? Are you alright? Me: Huh? Who? Waitress outside of PYT: Can I help you? Me: Oh it was all a dream. And you were there, and he was and and that Allen Ginsboro guy over there. And that girl on her iphone... Girl: Don't talk to me. You're still lame! Me: NOOOOOO!!!!! Narrator: There you have it. An ordinary hipster about to turn 30 has taken a wrong turn into "The Pizza Zone". Me: Don't you mean Piazza? Narrator: Shut up. Girl: I know... lame. Narrator: Hey do you play Farmville? Girl: OMG yes! Me: Get me out of this review! read more

I lived in the Navona building from June 1st, 2009 to November 2010. Here is what you should know before you consider leasing here. The Piazza is a ton of fun, and your friends will LOVE to come here and hang out. But YOU will have to be here 24/7. 1. Only VERY social people who don't mind music thumping through their walls, screaming drunk girls downstairs, mass crowds of the local city folk attending weekend events in their front yard, and light peeking through the blinds should live here. 2. Northern Libs, and especially the Piazza, are very pricing per square foot. $1800 a month won't get you much space here. Definably go for a place with an outside deck. 3. We have experienced two murders while living here. One in the building, and one as the girl was leaving the Piazza about three blocks away. "Todo, we aren't in Kansas anymore. " Don't let the crowd fool you...No Libs is still central Phila. All in all the 18 months were fun, but I moved out and on to quieter pastures. Good luck! read more

Pros: *Brought a whole bunch of local businesses and art galleries to a fun and up-and-coming neighborhood. *Provides a nice space to kill some time, watch a baseball game, or shop from local vendors in the "marketplace". *There is no other space like the Piazza in the city (that I can think of). Points for originality. Cons: *The apartments at the Piazza (and all other Tower Investments properties) are small, poorly designed, and overpriced. Tower Investments is single-handedly driving up rent prices in Northern Liberties while simultaneously lowering expectations for apartments both in size and character. *And speaking of character, the Piazza is so corporate, so vanilla, that it really detracts from the charm that NoLibs once had. *I'm really concerned that the local business and art galleries will not be able to afford to stay in the Piazza. If a two bedroom apartment is $1900 per month, I can't imagine what the rent for a storefront must be. That's it. That's the best I can do. read more

I live about 5 blocks from here and every weekend, the time I need to relax, I have to shut all my windows. The concerts here suck ass to begin with and the bands that play on Saturdays all scream at the top of their lungs. Why? I haven't a clue. All you hear is bass and shitty vocals. I've walked over there many times and even checked one out (instead of being a hater). Only one word came to my mind when I was there, "STUPID." I don't know how anyone could live near here and I'm sure after a while they will feel the way I do, extremely annoyed. read more

I was in downtown Philly for one day with my brother and our respective girlfriends, we had a great day, went to a few bars and had lunch right next door to the Piazza ice skating rink, so when we walked by it again on our way back to our car, we figured we'd give it a shot. After we paid, they told us it was fake ice. We got on the ice and immediately regretted giving them any money. Each square acts differently and you have no ability to skate at all. Basically you walk around on ice skates. As well, they gave me a broken skate and I would have hurt my ankle if my girlfriend hadn't looked down and notice that the entire shoe was coming apart. After 30 seconds of walking and tripping on something that didn't resemble ice at all we went back in and asked for a refund. The woman was nice, but had no ability to give us a refund at all. So we waited since the manager was supposed to come down and "fix it" or give us a refund. He never came. Basically they stole our money for no service. Do not bother. read more

I just moved out after 4.5 years living at the Piazza. A few of the positives: 1. Great views from upper level units. 2. Lots to do in the area and very cool people in the neighborhood. 3. The noise level really isn't bad at all, especially now that the 104.5 concerts have moved. The units are very sound proof as well. I hardly ever hear my neighbors. 4. Maintenance is very responsive and generally does a good job. 5. The people in the management office are incredibly friendly. Thanks so much for making my move-out as easy as possible. 6. Easy access to the train and Fishtown is also right around the corner. If you feel like getting out of Northern Liberties, you can easily be in another part of town in 15 minutes. 7. Parking included in rent and pet-friendly. It's not all great. Here are a few of my issues 1. Unpaved parking lot. When we get a lot of rain, it's really a big mess. 2. Doormen/Doorwomen don't really do much... though they're all friendly. 3. There's so much turnover in the stores, restaurants, and bars. It'd be nice if they had a real master plan for all of that space. It really could be an incredible destination if they had the right tenants in the commercial space and the right events in the central Piazza space. 4. The noise isn't that bad but sometimes in the summer, they let the restaurants project music outside until late night. They should have to stop projecting that music after a certain time. read more

BE VERY CAREFUL of the "free" parking. Since the new management took over, the free section is getting smaller and smaller, and George's tow truck is waiting in the parking lot 24/7 to tow cars. I've seen countless cars getting towed over the past few weeks in what used to be the free section. Now it seems that there is not enough permit parking so they are creating permit parking only sections of the formerly free parking section. read more

I used to live in one of these buildings. First off its way too expensive, secondly you can hear everything! When my upstairs neighbor vacuumed it sounded like there were 2 vacuums in my apartment, no lie. And don't even get me started about the little dogs and her walking around in high heels at 10 in the morn. The other part about this place that bothers me is how artificial everything feels. Aly M. had a good point, why isn't there grass in the middle? The art and T-shirt shops are unique I guess, but I'm not really into dropping $50 on a shiny T-shirt. It seems like everything is the same there; t-shirt shop, art gallery, t-shirt shop, art gallery, lame bar, etc. I love Northern Liberties; I've been living there for the past 2 years. There are so many fun things to do here, and the people are awesome. But the Piazza just doesn't fit in, its too fake, and trying way too hard to be cool. Plus the restaurants in there don't even come close to what you'd get at a classic place like Std. Tap (excluding Bar Ferdinand of course). read more

A spacious area with plenty of bars and stores surrounding it. The stage area is great for big and small shows, and there are dogs walking around too because it's outside! read more

Once again I'm comin atcha with another off-hour review. Your grandad and I like to avoid the crowds. Or whatever, we just happened to be in the neighborhood on a lazy Sunday afternoon recently. Cute little restaurants and shops, ya know, stuff to look at... Some people were laying about with their dogs, some people were having drinks...The huge TV was showing a hockey game but since the Flyers are outta it, I sourly shunned watching it. I appreciate the European style square. I definitely dig that idea. I'm no expert, and maybe it's just that I've been watching a lot of that show, 'House Hunters International' lately, but it feels very Eastern European to me...formerly-communist-Eastern-Europe-like. Am I crazy? It is also quite possible, perhaps, that the buildings surrounding the square simply remind me of those that I'd seen in 2003's foreign feature film, 'Goodbye Lenin.' Nice reference, Kathleen. Very good. That seems like a keen example to which everybody will be able to relate. I need an accompanying slide show for every conversation. It would come in handy, believe me. Mostly what I mean is, the architecture of those buildings, the windows, the look... it feels cold war, baby. read more