I too fell into the St. Andrew's trap. At first glance, it looks quite nice, but don't judge the complex that quickly.

Parking is fine. I rent a garage and it took a few weeks before they put a sign on it indicating it was in use (had to request they do that); only had one instance of someone blocking me in. A garage is a must since the storage space in the apartment is quite small. I moved from a 3 bed/2 bath house to the apartment, which was supposed to be larger. I have boxes stuffed in every closet and I'm glad I have the garage.

The noise from other apartments is low. Most of the noise comes from modified car exhausts and motorcycles, which seem to be extra loud in the evenings. Also, there's an Amtrak yard near the complex and trains can be heard coming in late at night.

Landscaping is nicest around the rental office. However, one of my major disappointments with the complex is the overall dirtiness. My apartment (3rd floor) has a covered deck. The siding on the deck has never been washed. The stair wells are always dirty and the area just outside of my garage is filthy. I spoke with the complex manager within a month of moving in and was given the list of excuses of how it's impossible to keep everything clean. Well, that would be a good step towards being "upscale." I realize it would take a fair amount of manpower to clean up each building, but once every couple months would go a long way to making this place better. I've grown tired of informing the office staff of the lack of cleanliness since they don't seem to be in a hurry to fix it.

Safety is fine. I walk the complex in the evenings and don't worry too much. I think some of that may have to do with the several police officers that reside here. My apartment is equipped with a security system, but it has to be activated and paid for by the resident. Including this in the rent would also help boost their self-proclaimed "upscale" status.

The overall construction of the building is what I'd expect from a mass-produced complex. Within a week of moving in, I had a list of over a dozen items that needed to be looked at or fixed; fireplace didn't work, two sets of window blinds were broken, all of the blinds were dirty, a bathroom towel rack was broken, the toilet seats don't match the toilets (different sizes), the carpet was pulling up in several places, the kitchen and bathrooms needed cleaning (and not just a quick dusting; they were dirty) and the list contained many items that I didn't expect them to fix, but didn't want to be blamed for when I move out. For example, a couple of the kitchen cabinets had flaws, there were several issues with drywall, paint on the carpet, scuffs and marks on the kitchen floor and a spot near a bathroom sink that wouldn't come out. In addition, the insulation is quite poor. During the winter, you can feel all sorts of cold air coming in around the windows and especially the outer wall outlets. I found myself leaving things plugged in just to cut down on the draft. I also kept the bathroom off my bedroom closed at night to prevent cold air from cooling down the apartment. I've had 3rd floor apartments before and they were always easy to keep warm; not this one. The gas fireplace is nothing more than nice to look at. We lost power one night and I turned the fireplace on for warmth. Unless I was within a couple feet, it was useless. But, the fireplace requires a pilot light and, with the cost of natural gas, I had it turned off. Also, within a few days of moving in, I had to hunt down which smoke detector was going off (of course at 2am). I realize that batteries need to be changed, but it's just another example of what should be done before someone moves in. Had staff gone through and thoroughly inspected the apartment, they could have fixed just about all of these items before I moved in. That would be "upscale."

On the positive side (even they can get something right), the maintenance staff is great. Within a day of taking my long list to the leasing office, I had two men in my apartment taking care of everything they could. Many things had to be put on hold (they had to order more blinds and call someone for the carpet issues), but at least they cared. ----- and ----- were friendly and quick. I enjoyed my conversations with both of them as they went from room to room trying to fix what they could. In fact, when I did talk with the complex manager a week or so later, that was the only good thing I had to say. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars is because those items should have been fixed before I moved in.

As far as the leasing staff, they're there to rent apartments, nothing more. If you have an issue, just skip right past the girls that greet you and find someone useful. Looking back, I wish I had done all dealings with the leasing agent via email. I had a couple phone conversations to verify items only to find out she was wrong. I was 600 miles from my home and had everything in a moving truck, a couple days before starting a new job. I didn't have a lot of options. I started reading the lease (I recommend to anyone looking to rent an apartment that you request a copy of the lease in advance so you can read through it) and found a few problems. When I brought them up with the leasing agent, she shrugged her shoulders and blew me off. The biggest was a difference in the amount of rent; about $50 per month more. I had also asked in advance if I'd be able to use my gas grill. Most states won't allow it above the first floor, so I was specific in asking if I could grill outside of my garage, away from the building. She said yes, but the lease said no. The complex manager's solution was to send me a nice letter with deals on electric grills. A couple of the staff members are pleasant to deal with. However I must admit that I only go to the leasing office when I have to pay rent or have an issue. I've always been clear with them about my disappointment. They take my check and go on with their day. They're always glad to see me on the first of the month.

Overall, the only positive thing about this complex is the maintenance staff. I'm counting down the days till my lease is up (you can't break a lease). I'm actually considering a transfer within my company just to get away from here. I'm sure the lease will prohibit that in some way. For those who'll read this and think me bitter, I started out hoping for the best. When I compare this complex to others that I've lived in, it falls far short on just about everything. And I'm not alone. I work with several people who moved into this complex short-term while they found a house, and all of them agree with me. If I get time in the near future, I'll try to upload some pictures.

This complex is not what they claim. My best advice is to keep looking. There are more apartment complexes in this area then are needed. If you spend the time looking, you'll find a complex just as nice for far less money. This complex has many vacancies and is now trying all sorts of offers and specials to get new tenants. Just today, while I was paying my rent, I was reminded that I get a nice discount ($800) if I refer someone. I simply stated that I can't think of anyone I dislike enough.

Happy Apartment Hunting!

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/06/2007
You don't sound bitter at all, you sound like a reasonable, intelligent person, which is obviously why you don't like St. Andrews. You can see substandard construction and overpriced rent with your own two eyes and you're not satisfied, just as I wasn't when I lived there. I agree with your assessment of the leasing staff, but to me the worst issue by far is the poor construction. If your neighbors are loud and inconsiderate, or they have young children, your life will be miserable because there is very little insulation between units. Imagine living below a poorly disciplined child who likes to run around and jump off furniture and scream at the top of her lungs all day long, and imagine there is nothing between your ceiling and the floor above but empty space. I could hear EVERYTHING, and it was a living nightmare. Complaints to the leasing office accomplished nothing, as you would expect. They wrote letters to the offending tenants and offered no real solutions. Also the staff had a very high turnover while I lived there, including the leasing manager. Why? Maybe it is depressing to deal with bitter tenants who were sold a false bill of goods and are overpaying hundreds of dollars per month to live in a loud, poorly constructed complex, and realizing there is no way to satisfy these people but to let them break their leases and pay for their moving expenses? There is nothing worse than being set up to fail in your job. Thus the leasing office is about 50% new hires who are still learning how bad it is, 25% who are fed up and looking for other employment, and 25% who are imcompetent and just don't care. Only that last 25% will stay longer than 6 months, the rest will continue to turn over until the place is marketed honestly, and the rent adjusted appropriately. With the glut of available homes on the market today, there is no need to pay such a ridiculously high rent. So, most "upscale" people have done the smart thing by now, and bought houses. Who does that leave renting? Take a drive around St. Andrews and take a look. We're talking about the kinds of people who put $3000 chrome rims on a $1000 car. Or who beat their girlfriends outside in broad daylight for their neighbors to see, and have loud drunken fights at all hours. The police were regular visitors when I lived there. I believe their billboards say "An upscale community with unbeatable amenities"? A well-landscaped ghetto is a better description. In all honestly, their false advertising is just shameful, I would say bordering on outright fraud.

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