I have lived at the Meadows for about 4 years. That's four winters, and four summers so I have a clear basis upon which to write an honest review.

First, let me say I LOVE my apartment. The 2 bedroom 1-1/2 bath (well, okay, 1 bath plus a room with a sink.) is open and airy. It used to be more open and airy before the new windows, but that's another paragraph. The kitchen is decent sized, and while the dining area may be a bit small, the bedrooms and the livingroom are rather large and there's still enough closet space to make any woman happy.

I have found the maintenance staff excellent and professional, and the revolving door of office personnel quite disappointing.

The complex is now owned by a company in Rochester, and they are obviously sinking a small fortune into exterior improvements.

Bottom line, my friend, it has gone from a great place to live ... to a really nice looking building to walk into.

Without wasting space with trivialities, I will hit upon the high points of what matters most...

THE OFFICE STAFF will treat any of your complaints like it is the only one they have. Really. Mostly because that is their pet saying, "No one else has complained.". Call the office because it is 10:00 am and the sidewalks have not been shoveled, "No one else has complained.". You can't get near the dumpsters because the snow has not been cleared away and they are packed in the fenced areas with garbage bags all around, "No one else has complained.". There's a kegger going on every weekend that moves from one apartment building to the next and the cops are chasing guys jumping off balconies, "No one else has complained.".

I think you see where I'm going with this. Five of us - FIVE - called the office with a complaint about 1/2 hour apart and we each got the same, "No one else has complained about it."

THE GROUNDS KEEPING used to be done by the maintenance staff. Everything was well kept, mowed, trimmed, raked, and picked up. Now it is hired out so you can fully expect to come home to mowers at 5:30 in the evening when all you want is to unwind on the balcony after a long day. The trimming oftentimes looks like it was done by a State prison crew on the side of an interstate, and the shrub trimming is about the same. Before 2006 you would not see even a scrap of paper on the lawn; not the staff in their golf carts drive over debris until it blows away on its own.

CATS are allowed, no dogs. But that does not stop people from having them, and worse yet - not cleaning up after them.

SNOW REMOVAL, prior to 2006, was done by 7:00am. Oh, sure, if it were a bad storm by 8:00 the walkways would need to be done again - and would be as often as necessary to keep the sidewalks clear. Now, plan to invest in a shovel and rock salt and dig yourself out in the morning. And if you go out in the evening.

MAINTENANCE STAFF is all that is above average here anymore. If maintenance needs to enter your apartment they knock first, and then enter. They take care of your needs without rummaging around in your personal belongings.

The only problem I had was when the new windows and doors were installed. We were told that out apartments would NOT be entered without prior notification. Imagine my surprise when I came home to find new outer windows and a new sliding glass door. The office staff claimed they had no choice but let the sub-contractors in, swore that one of their staff was with them the whole time, and promised that an appointment would be made with us for the interior windows to be done. Yeah, I fell for that one, too. The workers tore a curtain, scratched the top of my new sectional desk, got crap into a laser printer, left a mess on the floors, and you know what the girl in the office had the audacity to say to me' "No one else has complained about it."

UTILITIES are paid by the renters. Hot water (if you get the shower before your neighbor or the first load of laundry, otherwise it's warm water) is included in the rent. The heat and air conditioners are old and outdated and not efficient. There are still draft problems with the doors, but the new windows and sliding glass doors made an amazing difference. Some of the neighbors reported paying NIMO upwards of $400 per month in the winter, but the average among my building now is $250 in the winter and about $150 in the Summer. Fireplaces are available in many of the buildings and are lovely. Cable is available, and more Dish satellites are popping up.

NEIGHBORS are diverse, and vary between families with small kids, couples, and an apartment filled with about a dozen college kids. The noise level varies with your neighbors - live near couples and singles and you can expect to get a decent night's sleep. Families with kids, well, kids are kids. Move in next to a college dorm and kiss the sandman good bye. There are less professionals and more families and transient tenants - that is to say those who only stay a year and move on. You do NOT want to move in next to the laundry room. Trust me on this. And don't believe them when they promise they will post laundry hours. Of course, it's probably better than hearing "No one else has complained about it."

I would have to give an overall rating of POOR, mainly based on how the complex has slid downhill from a well maintained and tenant-friendly complex to one with no care or concern for the people who live here.

Oh, and did I mention that the laundry rooms are carry-in, carry-out' That's right, folks, there are no garbage cans in the laundry rooms.

User Responses
From: peppy22	Date: 10/13/2007
Absolutely correct, I lived there for a very long time, last three years were so bad I had to get out.
From: priorlongrenter	Date: 10/14/2009
I can agree with your review! I previuosly lived at the meadow for several years and was very dissapointed. Yes they are pretty and spacious but maintenance is awful! It took an entire summer to have my broken sliding door fixed amongst other trivial repairs that took way too long to fix. My biggest issue was the snow removal, apparantly they believe people only work 9:00 to 5:00. I had a very bad fall at the dumpster due to poor lighting and NO snow removal. I had a very bad fracture, many surgeries, a lost career and nothing but denial from the staff. I ended up sueing and winning as they are clearly neglegent in the care of the property. They are under new ownership now and they have made the outside "pretty", but I know people that live there and nothing else has changed excep that there are more obnoxious college students than ever, and they can't wait for their leases to expire!

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