Good old buildings, bad new staff.
From:
-Anonymous-
Date posted:
11/19/2007
Years at this apartment:
2003
-
2007
1 photo
I lived here for years and have visited many neighbors. I believe that my experience is typical.
First, the good. The very layout of the buildings assures that you will interact with your neighbors. Landscaped common courtyards are bordered by spacious porches and balconies, with breezeways toward the back. Many residents manicure their outside areas. I became fast friends with most of my neighbors thanks to this layout, and felt both welcome and secure because of my relationship with the other residents. We had impromptu courtyard barbecues.
I lived in a two-bedroom model. The internal layout of the apartments is (while dated) efficient and spacious, with ample living space, a large bathroom and two master bedroom walk-in closets -- I really liked the configuration of the whole unit. Apartments have two doors, and even my upstairs apartment lent itself to easy moving. Many old growth trees (used to, more later) stand in the courtyards, and the complex remains a natural island retreat in a sea of commercial traffic and concrete. There is a pool and a lake, and there is a limited renovation effort underway. Laundry is convenient and never crowded, with several modern facilities available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week which go for $1.25 to wash, $1.25 to dry.
There used to be a grocery store right next to the complex, but it has closed. This was a huge benefit to non-driving and elderly residents. Still, the location in central Greenwood lends many conveniences. Turning left onto County Line road can be a nightmare, but most people have mastered a turn-right-and-turn-around maneuver at the nearby stop light. This is offset by the convenient proximity of the Greenwood Park Mall and major thoroughfares -- a feature that usually goes for a huge premium.
Unfortunately, these apartments are falling apart. My windows neither stayed open nor sealed out the weather. The wiring is old. A fire damaged four apartments in mid-2007 (they are, months later, still burned out and unrenovated). The kitchen cabinetry was stuck shut with layers of paint, and the drawers would just fall out due to to the lack of roller hardware. The floors were warped, the carpeting was not new at move-in, and due to constant failure of the outdated air conditioning system, several floods ensued as the condenser's tray dumped its brackish contents in the hallway. The climate control was obsolete and patched together. Air is (apparently) heated by hot water from the gas water heater, and I experienced both cold winters and high gas bills. The range and oven appeared to be older than me, and continual tinkering by me and by maintenance staff was required. Along the outer borders of the complex, there is occasional disturbing noise from the commercial areas nearby, including the 3:00 AM clatter of garbage collection.
Once adequate parking on St. Peter street has been trounced by the opening of an "under-18 club" further south on the street. Office staff is working hard (to some success) to alleviate this issue, for which I commend them. Rented parking in carports is VERY strictly enforced, and I recommend this service.
There have been at least three office staffs since I moved in, with at least one transferral of ownership, and the once high quality of service has trended on a downwards slope. The latest office staff seems to see maintenance requests as optional, and the maintenance team seems understaffed, inadequately trained and poorly budgeted. Somewhere around two thirds of the trees that once populated the courtyards have been cut down (I am perplexed as to why, they were so beautiful) in a renovation effort, which has also included exterior paint and a lavish remodeling of the leasing office. Where the apartments once had two storm doors, one for each entry, there is now just one on the front. Satellite television service is not preferred.
It appears to me that the complex has traditionally been popular with retired residents, but no neighborhood is immune to the effect of urban sprawl. Each courtyard has its own personality, and the lucky will find themselves in a nice community-within-a-community. The price of rent here is reasonable enough for what you get, but for a larger budget there may be better options. With time, this could be once again a wonderful place to live, but substantial renovation and a new focus on the tenant is needed.
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