I lived in a studio in this apartment for two years and loved it! I sometimes regret moving out, but alas they do not allow cats there.

Moving in/out: For moving in and out, there is one day in which you can reserve this large spot next to the garage to park a moving truck. It is more annoying if you want to move a few boxes at a time over a few days, because it is difficult to get street parking. Not impossible, but sometimes not there when you want it. Also, the apartment manager did not let me know if I will have a parking spot for my car until the move-in day. That was a stressful situation for me, because there is absolutely no long-term street parking around there. Move out procedure went smoothly and all of my deposit was returned to me after one month from move-out. I did thoroughly clean the apartment, but did not hire any professional services.

The apartment: It was spotlessly clean when I moved in. Loved that. It was rather large for a studio, though the kitchen is small. There is very little counter space, especially since you need to put a dish drainer rack (no dishwasher). If you try to broil meat in the oven, it will usually set off the smoke alarm. The bathroom was adequate. Shower pressure and temperature is fine and tub drain works well. The windows do not have screens which is annoying, but since utilities are included in the rent you can turn on a/c and heater as much as you like. A/C is window unit, and you should probably wash out the filter before you turn it on. Both heater and A/C can be rather loud if you are bothered by white noise. I had a unit facing the front, and the street noise didn't bother me at all when the windows are closed. It gets very dry when either the heater or A/C is on, so it would be a good idea to get a humidifier.

The garage: well-lit, secure. It was nice having an indoor parking, particularly for the winter months. Also, since the surrounding area is a little shady at night, it was nice to be able to drive into a secure garage connected to the building. The garage opener sometimes didn't work, but usually it was for closing rather than opening the door. I have only had two instances when I couldn't open the door, and the problem was fixed within a couple hours. Parking spots are a little tight, though I never got any nicks from my neighbors. It would probably be difficult to get more than one spot.

Other amenities: Laundry is coin-op, one on each floor. There is no schedule, so try to avoid peak times particularly anytime Sunday. You can use the laundry on any floor, so usually not a problem. There is an intercom at the front that connects to your phone number to buzz ppl through the front entrance. Soda and candy machine next to the mailboxes that are located on the second floor, which also leads to the garages.

Surrounding area: Giant Eagle (local grocery chain) located right across the street. Huge convenience as if you forgot eggs, you can run across the street and buy it in 5 minutes. Also have jimmy tsangs (inside same building), subway, quiznos, paneras, wendy's, wine&spirits, suds and duds, Eckerds nearby. Whole Foods is only a 5 minute walk away. Ellsworth and Walnut shops and restaurants are also within walking distance. Probably not a good idea to walk around at night though.

Manager and staff: Manager can be intimidating and doesn't take crap from people. But as a renter that turned in my rent early and only had the occasional problems with the garage door opener, didn't have any problems with her. Staff is very friendly and gracious whenever I see them in the elevator and hallways. Never had to file a maintenance request, but seemed like it would be handled properly and promptly.

Summary: Great apartment for the single young professional minimalist. Nothing really done to increase the aesthetics of the building, but has all the essentials and more for comfortable living.

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