I would like to begin this review by stating my purpose for writing one (and I am not, nor have ever been an employee or had any tie to the building before living here). I am a recent graduate of Saint Rose in Albany, and as is the case for many, once college is over so is the lifestyle that is associated with it. Bam! Welcome to the real world, there's no more relying on friends or family and you do what you have to in order to fulfill your own life. For me that started with a seemingly simple task...find a place to live.

Like many people I did the internet searches to try and find a place that was in a good location, at a decent cost and that I could find comfort in. I searched and searched and found an ad for the Knickerbocker. The pictures intrigued me as well as the brief history I got from the ad. I decided to check it out. It was there that I met Charles Winslow. We looked at a few apartments and he was able to elaborate on some more of the history for me. While having our conversation he opened the door to a gorgeous apartment that from that moment and the year following I have been lucky enough to call home.

Everyone knows the old adage "home is where you make it", but I'll be the first to attest to the fact that the friends, neighbors and people surrounding you sure do help. That is exactly what I found to be true here. Charles, his wife Kim and Matilda have always been there when I needed something, had any sort of inquiry or just to talk. There is a terrific sense of security in the building as there is someone working the front desk 24/7. I even was lucky enough to become good friends with one of the night shift workers (Brent) and will remain friends with him for a long time.

As far as the basics for an apartment:
Cleanliness- the place gets cleaned it seems like almost everyday and they are constantly making improvements or putting their artistic mark on something new.

Maintenence- although I think I only had two somewhat minor instances where I needed anything, I kid you not it was done within FIVE minutes of me asking, and I never had to feel ashamed or embarassed to ask. This is a nice difference from having lived in a commercial complex before, and I guess is sort of my underlying point of focus in this review; the overwhelmingly friendly atmosphere. When you live at the Knickerbocker you are part of something. I would like to mention that I am not some lowly loner or anything and feel the need to be part of something, I am a coach of a college baseball program and work for a medical company in which I work closely with people in virtually every hospital in the 7 northeastern states, so my personal void of needing people is already satisfied on a regular basis, but this is totally different. It is nice to know there's always something to do or someone to hang out with in what can be a very secluded world now thanks to technology.

Location- talk about prime time. You are within walking distance to all that is great about downtown Albany and a quick walk to any buses if you need other means of transportation.

Cost- I shopped around for quite some time to find the right place for me. I will save you the time, effort and headaches of looking. This was by far the best deal for what I got in both size and location.

I know this may seem like a little too long for a simple review, but I guess it's just something I care enough about and hope to pass along to the next resident. I want whomever is reading this to really understand what kind of opportunity it is to live in such a nostolgic place with such a warm and friendly atmosphere! In closing I would like to once again thank everyone from the Knickerbocker for giving me a place to really cherish so much over my somewhat short tenure in the "real world" and for giving me more great memories to look back on my time in Albany. I look forward to coming back someday to show perhaps my kids if they so choose to embrace history as I do and the wonderful place I was priveledged to once call my home.

User Responses
From: moving2soon	Date: 09/02/2009
Another composition from the nuts who run the place...This place is a stinky, rundown mess!!! SAFE...you must be joking...I would be more fearful of the residents than "outsiders"..I cannot believe anyone with any sort of, even basic living requirements would find themselves here...unless they are homeless or drunk or high...why has the city allowed this dump to continue to collect rent...Is it ever inspected???

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