We haven't lived in the one ten grant for too long (only a few months) and we moved from a much bigger metropolitan area (Chicago) so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. It's also going to be long, since before I moved in a really wanted to read a long review about the place, and there were none to be had :)

First, the apartments themselves are very basic, but also quite nice. What I mean is that the furnishings aren't upscale (linoleum in the kitchen and white tile in the bathroom) but everything is relatively new and very well maintained (no peeling on the floors). The carpets are new and professionally cleaned between tenants, and our apartment has all new stainless appliances. The cupboards and doors and your basic bargain stock look, but they are well-thought out to give you more space (our apartment has 4 closets). We also have a balcony (like all the places) which is nice during the summer. Our unit is the "D/E" plan, and our balcony is big enough for a table and two chairs plus grill. They allow gas grills, which is great. There's a great view of downtown from one side of the building, and Loring park from the other (we love our downtown view). The also will paint an accent wall in your apartment at no charge (and you pick the color) so you don't have to live with the institutional white.

Second, the building is definitely older, but also impeccably clean. The carpet and paintings scream 80's, but there's never so much as a speck of dust anywhere. You could literally eat off the trash room floor. There are only 3 elevators, but they move very quickly and are large, holding a lot of people. The wait for me has never been more than 5 minutes, even during "rush hour" after work. The gym is very very small (only a few machines) but I think this means people forget it's even there since I've never found it very busy. The pool is large compared to other buildings in the area (about 25 yards long, with lane markers for two lanes if you're a lap swimmer) and gets crowded during the summer weekends.

Third, the parking is nicely organized. We pay a little more (80 vs. 70) a month for a reserved spot, which is underground so we'll never have to worry about snow. No one has ever parked in our spot. The one ten also has the awesome luxury of a huge guest parking lot (something a lot of other places downtown wouldn't even try for). The ramp is gated with a key fob, so I think it's pretty safe.

Fourth, the noise issue is something that confuses me. There's another poster who complains of constant partying and music, which I've never experienced. There are a lot of young people in the building, but there are also a good number of older people and even some retirees. There aren't any students (that I've really seen, except maybe some grad students) more of a young professional vibe. The building is solid concrete. We have never heard our neighbors. I'm not convinced they exist. We live across from the trash room and will occasionally hear people throwing their trash away, but that's it (and can't be heard from the bedroom). We are on the ninth floor and get no street noise. We may be biased after living in an apartment where we could hear our neighbor's actual conversations....but to me the one ten grant is insanely noise-proof.

Fifth, the safety of the general area is very good. This again, may be a relative thing. The Loring Greenway that borders the building on one side is VERY well lit. They have tons of streetlights, it's so bright we can see the people walking their dogs down there at midnight from the 9th floor. There's a gas station/liquor store/--- shop/vietnamese strip of stores across the road that can occasionally draw a bit of a rougher crowd late at night (esp the gas station), but nothing you wouldn't see anywhere else in the city. You can walk couple of blocks and be on Nicollet Mall, the nicest area (in my opinion) in downtown Minneapolis.

Sixth, yes the internet is slow and the cable is basic. You will not be able to watch streaming video without a wait, and downloading movies off itunes might take until the next millenium. That said, it's fast enough for daily use. Most webpages load quickly (including things like ESPN that are very graphics heavy). If you stay away from watching a lot of streaming video, and can be patient with downloading (your computer updates might take 2 hours) it's worth not having to pay for something faster. The cable is also included. We upgraded to the expanded package (which is basically every channel you'd want, except HBO etc.) for an additional 13 dollars a month (that's all we pay for tv). My cell works perfectly in the building (have sprint) and they link the front door to you phone so you can buzz guests in to the building with your cell.

Lastly, random thoughts. The staff is, as previously mentioned, incredibly nice. Amber, in the leasing office, is especially great. She can really solve any problem you might have, and is VERY responsive to requests. There's someone at the front desk all the time. The laundry room is huge, with something like 25 washers and dryers and huge folding tables (and a free popcorn machine :) The apartments have included AC, dishwasher and garbage disposals (which may not seem like much, but our last apartment had none of. Trust me, essential). The water pressure is great, and we've yet to run out of hot water (even after 30 minute showers). The price per square foot is high, and especially high for Minneapolis. We think it's worth it, it may not be for everyone. The bedroom has no overhead light. You have to use lamps. The plugs are on a switch, so you can turn them on and off with it, but it's still kinda weird.

Hope this gives people a clearer picture.....I hate reviews that aren't full, hence my obsession with details.

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