From:
EmJSea
Date posted:
5/25/2007
Years at this apartment:
2003
-
2007
11 responses
I've lived here for 3.5 years.
I have one suggestion to the management: Please, please, please set up some kind of email listserv that we can subscribe to. You could send out up-to-the-minute notifications of various outages or problems. This would save having the flyers tacked up everywhere and having people call down to the front-desk to ask the same question over and over. Also it would save reporting the same problem over and over, which I'm sure you guys find irritating, because we know that it's already being addressed! Also please reconsider leaving flyers outside of our apartments. Not only does it look messy, but it lets people know which apartments are either empty or their tenants aren't home for awhile which is a security risk! If you need to do this, please get the flyers all the way under the door and inside the apartment. I know it's more time consuming, but it would make the hall ways look better and make things a bit more secure. Thanks, guys!
All the Pros: Utilities are included in the rent! That in itself would make me happy just about anywhere.
I love the amenities such as the pool, the Super Fresh, the food court, and two dry cleaners close by (if you are like me and don't like using the laundry room, you can have all your laundry done -- wash & fold-- by Park Charles Cleaners!).
They did a spectacular job on the renovations of the front plaza and lobby and surrounding areas. I love going out on the courtyard by the South Tower for a rest from time to time. It's surprisingly quiet.
The front desk staff is very nice and I love that my packages (and I get many, many packages) have a place to go when I'm not home. Tiara is the nicest and Darryl, the courtesy officer, is great. I loves me some 24-security and living in a secure building (they even call up to double-check my food orders are legit).
If I need it, they feed my cats and fish when I'm on vacation.
My apartment is large and the large, wall-length windows provide a great view to the west.
We're blocks away from the light rail and the metro and Charles Towers provides a free shuttle to various places around town and to area malls on some weekends (though I've never used it).
I also like that they are proactive with pest control. I've been here awhile and I've never a mouse in my apartment. Only once did I see a couple of roaches and they had someone out the day I reported it. Twice a year they come in and treat every apartment for bugs and, of course, will do so anytime if you see anything. They are also good about making sure your neighbors are doing their part by keeping their kitchens and apartments clean enough to keep the bugs away!
Some (very minor) cons: Yes, the building is a bit old. The windows aren't the best, but they are 30 some years old (I put some insulation tape in them from Home Depot for cheap). There are some problems-- probably due to age-- with things outside my actual apartment, but they address them quickly and nicely. I've never before lived somewhere where all my maintenance requests were addressed the very SAME day. I even had a broken refrigerator replaced the same day. That's service! Besides the fridge, I've only had very minor problems in my apartment, things you would encounter with wear-in-tear in any home (leaky faucets, kitchen fan stopped working, etc.) All were fixed the day I reported them.
Yes, parking in the area is expensive (garages) or non-existent (streets), that's part of living in the heart of downtown Baltimore. The situation is out of the control of Southern Management. There are NO apartments or businesses downtown that provide free parking to people. None.
And, admittedly, there is some noise due to the reconstruction going on in this part of Baltimore (including turning a tired, old, cement plaza into a lovely green space). But that's only during the day and during the week. Usually, it is no big deal and not that loud at all, sometimes it is a little irritating. My neighbors have either been quiet as mice during the past 3 plus years or the walls are spectacularly thick for an apartment (I think the latter). The outside noise is out of the control of Southern Management. Complain to the City of Baltimore for allowing contractors to do what they do in any neighborhood. Yes, it's ridiculous that they start jackhammering at 6 a.m. on weekdays. Find a neighborhood in Baltimore were contractors aren't allowed to do that. It's the City government that has no respect for residents, not Charles Towers.
Also I was one of the people who were effected by the flood in November. While it was a horrible thing to have happen, the staff worked very hard and very quickly to get things in shape. The manager called me immediately to address my concerns (I was out of town with a sick parent at the time) and handled it well when I had a little freak-out about the whole thing. They even helped me move my furniture and all my stuff when the carpet installers came and replaced the entire carpet in my entire apartment in 1/2 a day. The contractors they hired for the carpet and the walls were first-rate, clean, professional, and nice.
I love it here and I'm staying for the foreseeable future. I just hope with all the fantastic things going on and new restaurants/business going in the area that it doesn't drive my rent up too much when it's time to renew.
Recommended: YES
Overall Rating
Parking:
Maintenance:
Construction:
Noise:
Grounds:
Safety:
Office Staff:
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User Responses
From:
Anonymous
Date:
03/24/2007
This is actually nice to read. I've had friends come by to visit and was planning to move here but always ask me about what they've read on this website. So many negative things written and so many good things left unmentioned. All I have to say is the same thing I tell my friends, where in the city can you go with this nice of a location, with the rent I'm paying right now for a one bedroom with all utilities plus the fitness center, GROCERY STORE which is a plus (although it did take them some time to open up) but who cares they are OPEN and I'm sure all of you are going there too. My place is decent, I have all I would ever need, I don't even need a car for a very low price. Over all, I am happy with my aparment. For those who are not, I guess they cannot please everyone. I just feel bad for the people who work at this building who try to help.
From:
Anonymous
Date:
03/31/2007
Good posts, Stacey.
From:
ceara
Date:
04/03/2007
Thanks for your input. I am thinking about moving there too. How about Park Charles, do you guys anything about it?
From:
Anonymous
Date:
04/20/2007
It's a pool with water that I can swim back and forth in. Enough said. What the heck more do you want in the middle of downtown Baltimore? Something olympic-sized?
I guess those of those of us that work for a living don't notice the noise during the day. When I do notice it in the early evening, however, the sound of my TV easily drowns it out (or the headphones I wear playing video games).
The only really noisy thing in the building are all the irritating Peabody students that think their apartments are practice studios and their neighbors should put up with the horrible noise of them playing scales (often clumsily). That and the noise of their self-entitled whining.
From:
Anonymous
Date:
05/23/2007
I've been living in my Deluxe 1br (which is huge) for 3 1/2 years and there is NOTHING, NOTHING out in baltimore for the price I pay. As an ex-Manhattanite, I KNOW what a crappy apartment is. Not to mention that people here complain and whine, while conveniently forgetting that the rent includes utilities. Yes, people that is right, for 3 and on half years, even while power and gas was going up and up and up, I did not have to worry over a $300plus utility bill. So, the pool is not big; it's a pool, it's clean and it's there. So there is no parking; well, because of location I walked to school, now I walk to work...and I don't even have to take my pj's off when I run out of milk becuase there is FREAKIN' supermarket in the lobby. So, to all the rich, lazy, spoiled brats that have daddy's credit card to pay for rent...go suck on it, or move back home so mommy can fold your tightywhities. Whiners!
From:
Anonymous
Date:
06/20/2007
Actually, in all fairness and as a warning to those who are looking there - if you live on the second floor you are either experiencing some pretty piercing construction or you are about to when they start jack hammering on your end.
The peabody kids with their music can be a bit annoying, but I can easily drown that with earplugs and/or music and tv. They are by the way, in violation of their lease for practicing in their apartment.
Construction is really a pain. It rattles the entire apartment. my vases will shake back and forth, dishes too. pots and pans. And this all starts at 7 am. It's not a good way to start your day, even if you are showering or having breakfast when it all starts. It doesn't matter who's fault it is, it's a problem.
The pool is very small even compared to another southern management community I have lived in (which was also in a downtown city). And there's so many people. It's just nothing to brag about, trust me. But the fitness center now, that is much nicer then the average apartment fitness center. And it's open 24 hours.
No need to brag about included utilities either. the cost is included in your rent which increases every year partially as a result of increasing BGE prices. Apartments where utilities aren't included are notably less expensive. 450 for a one bedroom a block from a supermarket, metro, and 3 blocks from a train station in Bolton hill. You can't find that in New York City either, gee I wonder why. It's a different city people - stuff here is cheaper for a reason.
Charles Towers COULD replace the windows to help the AC work for people, and since they aren't replacing the windows they are going to have to face criticism for it. People should know that the AC doesn't work as well in the towers.
That's why living on the second floor is alright - despite construction we have AC that actually works.
From:
nreuhs
Date:
06/20/2007
Another fake review from management...I lived there, it is horrible
From:
Anonymous
Date:
06/27/2007
The only one bedroom apartments, if they exist, in Bolton Hill for $450 are absolutely, falling apart pieces of crap with absentee landlords. Give me a break. Utility bills are going up 50% a year, my rent has gone up $30 a month over 3 years. Hardly unreasonable.
From:
northbuilding
Date:
06/30/2007
You whine too much. If you are so unhappy why won't you just sublet your apartment and leave. Go to that Bolton hill $450 a month that you are bragging about maybe my friend can even sublet your apartment and we will both be doing each other a favor. Unless of course deep inside you know you won't get the same rent with all the things you are enjoying now anywhere. I'll be waiting for your posting at craigslist!
From:
Anonymous
Date:
07/17/2007
You all know you can't sublet, right? Management won't let you.
As for bolton hill - it's a fair comparison if you are comparing NYC to this area. Crazy guys, let's be fair here!
From:
rubelstein
Date:
10/04/2007
anyone in here wants to give away a studio apartment..i have just moved into the city and really loved the apartments, but they aint any avaiable with the management right now....
if anyones leaving please lemme know at 4103618478.or email me at p.d.kaur@gmail.com
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