I just moved out of ML this past month, and I feel enormously relieved to be out of the complex and the Metrowest area in general.

First, I want to say that I have no motive to write a negative review. I paid my rent on or before the due date every month. I had minimal maintenance problems (and those that I did have were addressed quickly). I was never admonished for noise problems or the like. In short, I have no reason to have a chip on my shoulder about ML (I think a lot of negative reviews--ie, "this place sux! the staff sux!"--comes from bad tenants who get back the energy they project).

I realize that crime in Orlando is on the rise overall. It is particularly bad in Metrowest, and the statistics support that. Be it due to the apartments on Kirkman, Wal-Mart, or the intrusion from Pine Hills...I don't think there's just 1 to blame.

The fact of the matter is, and the reason I write to strongly disuade anyone from moving to ML, is that they did little to nothing to help keep its (high rent paying) residents safe. I realize that this is a problem at their corporate level...the staff in the office was for the most part kind, but powerless in helping.

When I moved in, we had assigned parking. That was taken away about a year into my stay. It may be an overall poor design of the complex, or (more likely) the fact that management does nothing to regulate how many cars 1 unit can have on property, but the parking situation overall is attrocious. I wrote countless letters to management asking to bring back assigned parking but nothing was ever done. I never even got an answer. I know several other residents in my building did the same, so even though there was an obvious outry for it, nothing was done. If you are not lucky enough to be home by 6pm, you will not have the opportunity to park in close proximity to your building, so if you are single or elderly please take that into strong consideration. I know you think I'm exagerating, but trust me, go by Building 8 at 7:30pm and see how close you can park.

I will say the gate did work more often than not toward the end of my stay (it was broken for a good portion of my 1st year there). However, I hated that it remained open during the day when the majority of the residents were away and homes were empty (I guess I assume that the crime comes from the outside; that's silly of me, there are plenty of unsavory folk who I was 'lucky' enough to call my neighbors within the complex). The security guard was basically a joke. A nice bone thrown by the complex, I guess, but ineffective. No offense to him, I realize it's not his personal fault that he's powerless, but he was often negligent in his duties (and that IS something he could control). I remember, one night I'd dropped my gate card under my seat and went through the gate (which was open). He stopped me and asked to see my card. I picked up a gas receipt off my passenger seat and waved it at him, and he thanked me and told me to have a good night. Some security, eh' It would not be impossible for ML to provide tighter security in a cost effective manner. For a good example visit Vizcaya Lakes in Ocoee at Good Homes/Colonial. It's not an incredibly upscale complex, definitely below ML, yet they have a gatehouse that is monitored after 8pm by a guard who knows the business of the community and takes his job in security seriously. Their rent is considerably lower than that charged at ML, so I know it is not impossible to provide such a service without "increasing the fees imposed on our residents", as they told me.

As has been noted, there is no fence along the road, only a row of hedges. The lighting is terrible. I realize a fence is not a end-all-do-all answer, but it is a step in the right direction and better than nothing. I am not asking ML to end crime as we know it, only do some minimal steps to make us think they care.

At any rate, I am happy to say I am out of there. I have found a place cheaper, larger, and hopefully quite a bit safer. I did love my apartment and my view. The units themselves are great. And I miss the ducks, lol. I don't blame ML alone, I also think OPD is falling short. For all the talk they do about detering crime in Metrowest, there are simply not enough patrol cars on the streets. I'm not asking for a fleet (though that'd be nice), I'm just asking for more than the 1 or maybe 2 I see a night. Metrowest could still be saved if they'd throw some effort into it.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/08/2007
I will be posting my own review in a minute...but I've seen 3 cop cars that are residents of ML, and for the past 3 of the 4 nights I've been living here there has been a cop car on the corner. The Security gaurd has been potroling the past couple nights but after 10 he is sitting in the frount checking cards.
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/18/2007
1. The security team is excellent. They have responded in a professional manner every time I had to call them. 2. The parking has been getting worse of late. 3. The pool was re-tiled right after the Memorial Day weekend and was out of service for over a week. This should have been done December - April. The manager must be very stupid. 4. The recent and ongoing repair work has destroyed the little grass ML had. There are no plans to re-seed or sod the trampled and bare areas. 5. The gate has not been working most of the time. Your card may suddenly stop working without warning. This is very bad when you must return home quickly. You have to hope a security guard finds you or you will sit there in your car until morning or another tenant lets you in.

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