Would not reccomend.
From:
-Anonymous-
Date posted:
6/27/2006
Years at this apartment:
2005
-
2006
I am one of the college students placed in this complex, and as such, I am fully aware of the types of people that many of these reviews claim us to be. However, I've found that our neighbors, who are not college students, ar louder, and on a much more common basis. Aside from this, I rarely hear or see any other tenants. I know they're out there, as I've met some when we have our quarterly "Someone pulled the fire alarm as a prank" get-together in the courtyard.
On one hand, the location is relatively nice. I enjoy walking, and as such, the fourteen block hike to Pioneer Place is refreshing, though it takes you through several parts of town that seem rather uninviting. If the trains are not going by (don't count on this), and you're feeling lucky, you can go along Naito and reach the Max lines in about five minutes. However, you go under the Steel Bridge, which is commonly home to several transients.
I will admit to not having much idea of what apartments usually cost in an area such as this. My prior location was a cottage about half a block away from the main road on a small island, and I payed $400 a month for that. I'm told we pay $800 a month here, but electricity is included, which it was not at the other location.
The room itself is... Unpleasant, to describe it best. I've been placed in a room directly facing the trains. The rooms have poor ventilation, but you won't want to open any windows if you feel like having a casual conversation. The trains will be chugging, honking, and screeching through at all hours of the day. The plus side to this, of course, being that you are only a two minute's walk from the train station.
We've been supplied with basic appliances - A dishwasher, a fridge, a washer and drier. We have a hooded fan over our oven, but the air does not go anywhere - The exhaust is directly on the front of the fan, so it's sucked up, and blown out only a few inches from where it came from, which has caused for a few smoke detectors going off during my roommate's steak cooking. None of the appliance look like they are in very good condition; I almost felt like I should give the dishwasher a good scrubbing before trusting it with any dishes. The most important thing that you will need, and is not provided, is air conditioning. I'm trapped on the fifth floor, and even after succumbing to the noises of the train by opening the window, the air flow is almost nil. It's 2 AM, and my room is still 90 degrees. I haven't taken a temp reading during the day, but I would believe it if I was told it was nearing, or over, 100.
The two-bedroom model, which I live in, is rather cramped. Perhaps fine for two people, one living in each room, or a couple with one child, but with two twin beds crammed into each room, there is little space for much else in the way of furniture.
Our cable reception is of poor quality due to bad wiring, as well. The apartment is wired to have the top sockets of two outlets on one wall be controlled by a light switch for lighting; However, there is no actual lighting in the main room, and thanks to the fact that both switch-controlled sockets are on the same wall, it's difficult to light the entire room well.
The units vary from room to room. Some will have one balcony, some will have two, and some have only a half-balcony, just a little guardrailed foot or so outside one bedroom.
As previously mentioned, the carpet has a cheap, industrial texture that feels a bit like it has soaked in every piece of filth that has touched it, forcing you to walk on something that hardly feels clean. From what I've seen, the soundproofing is almost nonexistent - My classmates have gotten noise complaints for chopping vegetables.
The service is very much as others described. I have never once gotten a notice to alert me that I have recieved a package. As such, I have to track my packages myself, and go down and ask them about it when I'm notified by the company. They provide some basic services, such as fax, copier, and internet. However, the employee service is less than respectful. Some people have stated that they treat the low income housing tenants with disdain; However, I've found that they seem to treat some people that way before they even know which building they are in. When asking about the faxing services, I've almost been turned away before; I had brought quarters, and they claimed that they were only accepting bills. Of the staff I have encountered, only one person has treated me kindly. Much of the staff seems to have that Jerry Springer-style air of superiority that their attitude and personality show no actual backing for.
The college students are not allowed to park in the garage. I did not have a car, so this did not affect me, but this meant that most students were forced to either risk in on the side of the road, or spend large amounts of money to park in a parking garage ten minutes away. This makes grocery shopping difficult, as you basically have to drive up, unload as quickly as possible, and hope that you're not caught parking in their private area.
The public equipment is often out of order; Two date, I count the soda machine on the first floor, one of the indoor elevators, a staircase, one of the overpass elevators, the garage doors, and the electronic key pad for the courtyard door as items that have been down for a week or more each while they try to "find time" to repair them. The walls of the stairway at the courtyard door have been smashed in in several locations, and have been so for over a month now. Of the maintenance concerns we've filed, the only one that's been responded to was my lazy roommate's report of a burnt-out lightbulb in our entryway.
I believe that the Yards are located only a block away from at least one, possibly two homeless shelters. This usually means that every day when you come down the stairs on the other side of the tracks, you will be asked for money at some point from the stairway to the block right after the greyhound station.
As reported, the smells of urine, spilled alcohol, etcetera, will be found in the hallways or elevators at any given time.
The main thing that is well-kept is the courtyard. However, the layout of it is sloppy, which means that most people are not using the walkways. This turns half of the lawn into a marsh during the winter.
Is it better than living on the streets' You bet. But at times, it's hard to tell if that's true.
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