I took an apartment there on the basis of the previous reviews, and I'm sorry I did. It suffers from 23-year-old shoddy construction subjected to negligent maintenance. There's not a scrap of wood in the place -- it's all MDF with an oak pattern printed on it (not even veneer!). There's no vent or heating unit in the bathroom (the lease requires you to leave the window open year round), nor can you selectively heat/cool rooms -- the way it's set up is all-or-nothing. The heat is also electric, so budget for enormous DWP bills. The so-called "central heat & air" is in fact an enormous wall unit with a hole cut through adjoining walls and fed by a big tube. The roar it generates is so loud it drowns out jets on descent to Burbank Airport, and you'll hear your neighbors' A/C too. The kitchen cabinets are inadequate in quantity, depth, shelving, and placement, and there's not a single drawer deep enough to hold a soup ladle. The bathroom lacks even a towel rack, but because the walls are textured, you're prohibited from using sheetrock anchors, and removable hooks won't stick to the bumpy surface. The carpeting is unbelievably cheap -- it generates more fuzz than an Old English sheepdog.

I suspect one of the previous reviews was written by the manager (who has a full-time job with wierd hours elsewhere, so he's seldom around), because the public areas of the building are shabby, the enclosed spaces smell (staircase, lobby, garage, laundry room), and it takes weeks of relentless nagging to get even code violations and essential services repaired. He's charming though, so tenants make excuses for him while they complain to each other about the stuff in their apartments that hasn't been fixed.

On the positive side, the location is convenient to shopping and transportation, the apartments are roomy, there's ample storage in the bedrooms and hallway, and the neighbors are mostly good people, including the families with small children. Noisy TVs, stereos, parties, etc. are absolutely NOT tolerated by anyone. Gates and doors requiring a key are everywhere, so it feels very secure. The rents are about average for the area, even though the building isn't rent-controlled. I just recommend that if you're viewing an apartment, check all the plumbing, electrical, and appliances thoroughly before you sign.

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