I used this site when I was looking for apartments so I should contribute.

I've been living here for about 4 months now.

Pros:
1. Resident Services are helpful and professional.
2. Seems to be one of the cheaper options in the Marina for a place with central air but with the exterior remodelling they may increase rent
3. Great Gym
4. Central Air
5. Large washrooms (some of that space could have been better allocated to living areas)
6. No problems with guests parking and no issues with people parking in our spot.
7. Neighbours are quiet.
8. High ceilings
9. Jacuzzi, pool, sun deck
10. Office services allows residents to fax, photocopy, use the internet etc for free
11. Free fitness classes include yoga, kickboxing etc.
12. While the kitchen doesn't have stainless steel applicances, it does have a dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave.
13. Maintenance requests have been processed in excellent time

Cons:
1. Dark and dreary hallways. Hallways reek making walking in them truely unpleasant. I really wish management spent money on renovating the inside instead of remodelling the outside which really didn't need work. This is by far my biggest annoyance. The hallways are terribly unventilated as all windows near the elevators are sealed up making the hallways smell disgusting.
2. Hallway carpets are worn with stains and possibly animal excrement.
3. Carpets in the apartment are thin and hard
4. Confined construction means when people smoke in their balconies you can't leave your windows open if you're allergic to smoke. You smell it all. You can hear neighbour's conversations loud and clear when your windows are open.
5. Very slow elevator
6. No entrance closet or tiled surface when you enter so problematic for shoe storage etc.
7. No choice in internet or cable providers. Very VERY few apartments can get verizon service but everyone else has to pay 39.99 for Netrisen which barely anyone has heard of. The connection is slow and you have no choice but to pay for it if you want access. Same goes for satellite tv, some apts are positioned in a way that makes it impossible to receive signals. Leasing agents keep saying they're working on allowing all residents to chose but this hasn't happened, from older comments, for years. In fact, the building itself isn't wired for high-speed cable internet.
8. One bedrooms aren't the biggest in the area. If you're claustophobic, check out Belle Fontaine. They have some of the largest one bedrooms, sometimes with cheaper rates in the area.

I hope this helps! Basically, there's a lot more choice these days as many buildings are being forced to rent out appartments they would normally sell because of the economy. So do your research, look for places that offer choice in internet/cable providers, have better and cleaner hallways that don't stink. If you are concerned about prices, then this place isn't a bad bet. At least the staff here are helpful!
Also, I would recommend steam cleaning your place AFTER you move in. I was told the carpet was steamcleaned when we moved in. I decided to steam clean it myself later and after three runs throught the place I was still throwing out black and then grey water. I gave up after that.

User Responses
From: cepnoi	Date: 11/10/2008
Great review - been living here for over two years and agree with all points. Thanks for the tip about Belle Fontaine.

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