Cheap. Poorly managed. Cannot recommend.
From:
-Anonymous-
Date posted:
7/2/2005
Years at this apartment:
2005
-
2005
I have lived here twice: 1973-78 and 2002 to present. The reason to leave here is that it is cheap. The reason not to move in now is that management is in shambles, distracted by renovation, and not taking care of daily needs of residents. As far as I can tell, they have no maintenance men, and are taking calls, but doing nothing.
You should NOT move here now. Landmark appears to be unable to hire and motivate competent front office people. Problems facing management are undoubtedly a difficult problem. Apparently a front office employee was recently pepper-sprayed by an irate tenant on day after a big argument. Tenant arrested. Tenant is obviously wrong to do that, and is an undesirable type, but you have to wonder what is the root cause.
My air conditioning has been not working for three weeks. Only solution is new AC compessor unit, and possibly new cooling line from outside to inside, which will be tough since they just sealed up the building with new siding. I see no possibility that management is going to fix it. They are just going to take by call, write it down and do nothing. Others have similar problems.
One building has burned recently, apparently due to careless tenant. Appears that units at Landmark across the street have also burned.
The history is that the Thornton brothers developed this as Willow Bend Apartments and it was a good place when built. Then the brothers stopped talking to each other, even though their offices were in the same office suite. Brother against brother lawsuits followed, and maintenance and upkeep went straight to hell. Apartments have seriously deteriorated during the feud. Finally they sold out to Landmark, which also owns the apartments across the street.
Landmark is pouring a lot of money into correcting history of delayed maintenance. Putting plastic siding over wood siding, painting remaining exposed wood, reshingleing roofs, putting tile in kitchen and foyers (grand plans to do more apparently scaled back), repaving streets, cosmetic (not security) fence out front, and some minimal landscaping, and pool redo. All much needed and helpful.
All of that is a good idea because these apartments are next to the new Homewood Elementary School, and kids could walk to school with ease. Homewood Schools are very good schools. Sign on street says apartments are now selling daycare services as well. They could, repeat could, do really well because of their location, and could attact solid families that want to have the advantage of the nearby school.
It occurs to me that if sufficiently improved, these apartments could be converted to condominiums at some time in the future.
Main root problem now is management. The employee turnover is publicly documented daily by signs on the street announcing what employees they need. Appears that they can not keep manager, sales people, or maintenance men. Lack of maintenance can be seen by walking around complex, and seeing trash, sewage, and construction debris everywhere. Grass is mowed with vigor by contractor, but contractor does not pick up trash and debris.
A second root problem is that there are some undesirable people here. For example, on weekends, there is a large group of cruisers with loud boomboxs who drive through the apartments from nightfall till 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. This attracts police. Police are here fairly frequently. Its a little scary to be outside at night on weekends. They will have trouble attracting quality families in this environment.
Apparently the crime problem here has improved from the past when there was a fairly steady problem. I am not sure how bad the present crime problem is. However, when the police are stopping people in the complex, you have to assume that the situation is not as it should be.
Until Landmark can get the renovations completed, get daily maintance and management implemented on a routine basis, and get rid of the undesirable tenants of unknown number (who may be left-over from the pre-Landmark days), this is not a place for the faint of heart.
Just looking at all of the apartments along Valley Avenue, it appears that Magnolia Park may be doing as well or better than most. Many are looking very bad with trash piled outside.
So, only live here now if you are willing to put up with bad management and a little feeling of unease when you go outside. However, it is cheap, and you are getting what you pay for. Familes with children who want to play outside should probably stay away.
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