I've lived in the Velvet Mill Apartments for over 4 years, and I truly love my current apartment on the 3rd floor. I had lived on the 2nd floor for a couple of years, and had some issues with loud neighbors (and complaints from MY neighbors about the noise coming from my apartment... but I think they just weren't Red Sox fans). It is true that sound carries in these apartments. As long as you have REASONABLE level of tolerance, you will be fine.

The current management is great, friendly, helpful... and they give you cookies! A couple of years ago, we had issues with visitors' cars being towed for not being in one of the FOUR visitor spaces. Things have changed for the better, however. There are plenty of spaces for tenants AND visitors, and the towing has stopped.

I feel truly safe in this complex. As a single woman, I love the parking garage (no wiping snow off of MY car... and no getting wet on rainy days!). The covered bridge that connects the complex to the garage keeps you sheltered from the elements and smells like Sturbridge Village :-D

One thing to keep in mind - depending on where your apartment is in the complex, you might have a hike to your car (which caused problems when grocery shopping). You should definitely invest in a "granny" cart in order to transport groceries or heavy items.

The fire alarm issue of the past has subsided. The complex is clean, and usually smells nice (I've been through the halls of other loft apartments, and have experienced some nasty smells).

With regard to the electric bills - for some reason, my 3rd floor apartment has a substantially lower bill than my 2nd floor apartment (which had an alcove, and was larger). I run my ceiling fan 24 hours a day, in cold and warm weather. I think this helps to keep the temperature steady downstairs where the thermostat is. My apartment is always at about 70 degrees - I need to keep my finches from freezing/baking.

Overall, the Velvet Mill Apartments are great, and I feel they are worth extra money. What's an extra $100 a month when you've got a covered garage, indoor pool, sauna, billiards room, weight room, racquetball court, and a helpful office staff' My current loft apartment fits me like a glove!

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