Gates missing bolts that hold the fence frame to the building structure; attempts at fixing the issue with what looks like caulk or liquid nails that holds for about 2 weeks before the fence starts wagging loosely each time the gate is used because it is not securely attached to anything. The entry gate/fence is loose and wags back and forth each time the entry gate is opened. The gate entering the pool area is missing bolts and the repair attempt makes it look like hell. Shoddy. The pool area restrooms become quite nasty over time. The same nasty wad of toilet paper sat on the floor in one of the restrooms for a week before anyone cleaned it up. Cob webs remain in the corners of the stalls, toilet paper is merely placed on top of the roll, rather than placed on the spindle. Dead bugs lay on the floor in the bathroom for a week or more. Apparently, either no one in accountable for 'positive resident impressions' checks the recreation restrooms daily, or they do check them and simply do nothing about their condition. Again, it's the little things... Perhaps with all the turnover in leasing staff and management, there is no one accountable for 'positive resident impressions'. The directive from on high seems to be more along the lines of "get 'em in, get 'em leased, move 'em out, rinse and repeat".

Then, there's the 'business center', another highly touted amenity, where you will not be able to find a pen, a working stapler or a computer that isn't rife with virus pop-up warnings, software update notices and any number of things that cause it to be ultra slow. There are the chairs in the business center that are clearly meant to be decorative in some other setting and not actually used because they are so bulky, heavy and un-ergonomically friendly for sitting at a desk not to mention actually working at a computer. The staff obviously poached the more comfortable computer workstation chairs for their own offices and put those heavy, old decorative chairs in their place. The chairs for use with the computer stations appear to have come from around the table of knights and kings. At least put some office chairs in the business center, for Pete's sake--chairs with rollers, chairs that actually roll up to and under the desk on which the computer is placed. Having those bulky decorative chairs in the business center makes about as much sense as having them out by the pool and expecting people to use them for lounging and sunbathing. Some pens and a working stapler or two would be great also.

If this is going to be billed as a luxury community and command luxury apartment rents this far out of downtown, focus on the little things--the things everyone notices, the things people expect to be taken care of in a 'luxury' setting. Barton Creek Country Club & Spa doesn't expect that we bring our own shampoo, cotton swabs, towel and hairdryer. Nope! They cater to luxury by providing those things. The restroom facilities are always clean and appropriately stocked. There are no cobwebs nor dead bugs lying around. And that's what people expect who are wanting to live out in the vicinity of the country club and Rob Roy.

What would it take to keep some pens and decent chairs and a pair of working staplers in the business center and then inform the staff to ensure they remain in the business center' What would it take to hire someone who knows how to repair stucco who can re-cement those bolts back into the wall properly once and for all and then paint over the stucco repair with the same color paint as the rest of the wall. While you're at it, why not remove the rust from the ratty looking gates and fences and shoot those with a fresh coat of rust-inhibiting black paint. Impress people with your attention to detail. It's the little things....

If I were touring this place for the first time, considering whether to make this my home for a period of time, once I noticed the missing bolts and shoddy repairs of the gates, rusty fences, along with the nasty bathrooms, by the time we previewed the apartment, I would be more closely scrutinizing the inside of the apartment, noticing the dark traffic pattern in the carpet, the fixtures, the cheap mini-blinds, the melamine peeling off the cabinets, etc. Fix your first impressions...the little things that people notice.

In terms of the 'cat problem' previously mentioned, if you live on the greenbelt side, there will probably come a day...or three when you will walk out to your driveway and find little Skippy or Sparky or Precious crashed out on the hood of your freshly detailed Lexus or BMW. Also expect to find little cat droppings buried in your flowers/lawn, if you have them outside your front door. This one particular cat-harboring resident a previous reviewer referenced apparently only claims two cats on the pet addendum. However, she clearly feeds and shelters a greater number of stray/wild cats that aren't technically hers. However, they do respond to her round-up yodeling cries and treks through the greenbelt after dark with a flashlight, yodeling in search of her brood. Given that no one actually claims these cats, I see no reason why the pest control couldn't round up all the unclaimed/stray cats without a collar naming their owner and solve this annoying cat problem just as they did when they trapped the squirrel that was up to no good. If these were dogs running wild with no collar or no one 'technically' claiming them, the problem would have been solved by now. However, this cat issue has been going on for at least the last 3 years, maybe longer. The office staff is well aware. The surrounding neighbors are annoyed and disgusted by the stench that comes wafting out of the cat-sheltering garage on a hot day. Unfortunately, the only thing that is likely going to solve the cat problem, is a hungry coyote or a mean raccoon. Sorry....sad but true.

While this was once a class-A property, now days, it is clearly a class-B property on par with the many other class-B properties in Austin. Most likely due to lack of funding, Management has neglected to fix the little things that could really make this place sparkle and create a perception of 'luxury' in keeping with the surrounding neighborhood and amenities. It seems to provide ample 'temporary' housing for folks building lavish homes nearby or convenient corporate housing for nearby companies.

All-in-all, yes, it is quiet. It is generally peaceful except for the new construction occurring between the wine bar and the retirement home. The wildlife along the greenbelt side is great. Packs of deer. Squirrels of all kinds. Birds galore.

The neighbors are generally friendly and respectful, except for the select few who like to drive through the complex and into their echoing garage with their Bose blasting, windows down, having no regard for the fact that not everyone enjoys hits from the 60's and 70's, particularly at 7:30PM when they've just sat down to enjoy dinner with family.

If we were overseeing the building of a home in the vicinity, we would probably stay here until our home had been completed. However, we will likely not renew our lease when the time comes.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/05/2009
It's funny how much this person bitched but then says the cat problem has been going on for 3 years. Clearly you would have to live there for three years to know that. If you were so damn unhappy here why not stop bitching and move. What an idiot!
From: chooseanotherplace3456	Date: 02/27/2009
I totally dis agree with the comment about what she was saying, yeah she could have found out this problem with the cats had been going on for three years and is still going on. But then again she isn't the only one who has the same issue. From my experience with the leasing people there, they are lier's and scam artist. None the less sounds like she was stuck like chuck cause she signed that lease and obviously nothing is done to take care of the complaints the do get. She has every right to voice her opinion about how she feels.

Your thoughts? Post a response to this review. Display my response: with my username anonymously Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.

   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates