Without a doubt the earlier reviews reference the original super who was simply not good at his job. He blatantly ignored tenant complaints and problems and had multiple children who were often hanging around the lobby playing and, at times, even doing "chores". To top it off, he was not a pleasant man.

HOWEVER, the doormen and porters are --and have always been-- WONDERFUL and the current super is great!

As for construction, of course it is unfortunate that there is so much of it (but, really, that is typical of the local area) and many times there have been both rumors and promises that the extension of 61st street would be completed soon but beyond this, I have had no interruption to my daily life and there is little to no noise heard from inside our apartment. Recently a new building has begun construction to the North (behind the backyard/park) and while there are cranes, materials and workers, again, very little noise or much of a bother.

This is a "50-30-20" building which means 50% of the apartments are rented at market value (which, from what I can tell is on the high side and, would agree, if paying full price the value might not be worth it); 30% are rent "stabilized" and offered (via application) as middle-income units (which is the category my apartment fits into); and 20% are low-income. So for me this is a great deal. Also, and really this should not be any sort of footnote, we have a dog and the open space behind the building (accessed via the laundry room or a gate on the side closest to the construction and not West End Ave) is GREAT and something not regularly found in Manhattan. Technically, it is a public park during daytime hours but in the early morning and at night the gate is locked by our doorman and it is only for residents. During the spring the landscaping seemed to be kept up well (not sure if by outside staff hired by building or the city) but during the winter not as much due, mostly, I think to weather. Either way, not a problem and just having access to this is good enough. There are many dog-owners in the building and nearby who use this park but I believe it still to be relatively obscure which makes it never crowded.

The size of our one bedroom is big for a NYC apartment. We have lots of closet space and the kitchen has a decent amount of space. I would agree that the general workmanship is not the greatest but as a renter (and for the price, the newness, the gym/laundry/doorman amenities, and location in the middle of Manhattan) nothing to complain about. Would I buy this place-No, but that is not an issue. I have visited other units in the building and there are quite a few layouts to choose from. It seems that the biggest differences (depending on floorplan and floor #) are windows, view (obviously), ceiling height and closet space. Also, the studio and 1 bedroom on either side of us seem to have similar kitchens but not exactly the same style appliances.

Lastly, I do not have a car but my boyfriend does and he parks it in the outdoor lot just up the street on West End for what seems like a cheaper price than other places around the area and city. We do not use the car during the week and mostly walk or take the m57 bus which stops right in front of the building or we take the subway at Columbus Cir. which is a 10 minute walk (this seemed far at first but not now). We frequently go to dinner/brunch in Hell's Kitchen and on the UWS and would agree that the lack of business and restaurants on W. End or neighboring streets could be an issue for some. On the other hand, there are two super markets on W. End (Western Beef and Gristedes), as well as Morton Williams on 9th Ave and Whole Foods at Time Warner so grocery shopping is certainly not a problem.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/06/2009
Although they fixed the situation with the former super the same management still is in charge. They are by far the worst management company I have ever dealt with. If you are not in the 30-20 portion of this building then you are overpaying.

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