First off, let me state that I'm an optimist and have fairly average expectations. That said, I think the well worn 60's kitsch "opera house" decor adds character to a building that otherwise seems rather cookie cutter for its' era. Square footage-wise, I'd say the units aren't cramped (650 sq ft for 1br) because of the open floor plan and there's plenty of closet space throughout - which is a definite plus! The balconies are adequate for a semi-private outdoor retreat, as I like to call it, and are charming enough despite the south side views of the neighboring building/parking lot - it just takes a bit of creativity!
Noise, however, from the traffic on York street to folks out on their balconies can be a bit of a pain at times (sounds/conversations bounce between the two buildings and thus are amplified, in my opinion). But the neighborhood is great - with the Botanic Gardens and Cheeseman a few blocks away, it's easy to go for out for a stroll or run/jog if that's your thing. I personally am a big fan of Liks (local ice cream shop) and Zorba's (great greek food).
I agree that the workout facilities leave much to be desired but the indoor pool and the plant filled terraces are adorable, yet underused - probably because the manager's unit is right there.
For the two years I lived at La Scala we've gone thru several managers - and I get the impression that the current management has just been thrown in the deep end, so we'll see if they sink or swim... But the good news is, many of the units have been updated with new tile/carpet and countertops which looks quite sharp and adds a nice face lift to a sturdy mid-rise.
As for the parking lot, well, it's not exactly immune from bad juju (there have been several late night break-in's and theft) and the management has yet respond with added security measures, but it's nice to have an assigned spot to roll up to at the end of the day. Again, the laundrette is small (3 of each machine) and closes at 10pm, which can be inconvenient at times.
My biggest complaint has been with the maintenance guy, who is not the cleanest or most reliable when it comes to fixing even the most minor of repairs.
But the worst was when I had a leak from the unit above in my bathroom and it took them 3 weeks and a lot of follow up phone calls to get the mess sorted out!
There's definitely room for improvement, BUT apart from this one incident, I've been pretty content at La Scala. The noise is pretty insulated from inside your unit (due to prefab concrete construction) and nice hot showers are the norm. For the location, you get quite a few amenities in a secured building for a decent price and the neighborhood has it's own charming allure.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/01/2009
Good review - many thanks!

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