I live in the Monticello building of Southern Towers. When I first viewed the complex, I was wowed by the details they put in to make the lobby nice, so I assumed the apartments were as well. They are specious and the windows are large so they let in a lot of light. They do need some updating and I was lucky to get a one bedroom with a dishwasher. I feel very safe here, there's always parking (not always for my guests due to only 25 parking spots dedicated to them for each building), and the staff has always been nice and helpful. For instance, one day this winter I was digging out my car and one of their staff came up and insisted that he help me. You couldn't ask for better people to work here, or at least in this building.

However, everything is not roses. The day I moved in last year, before any of my personal items were moved in, I discovered a roach. I thought, okay, it's just one. I've never had to live with roaches. As a former Peace Corps volunteer I have had to deal with some interesting situations, but never a problem with roaches. My first summer here I had 3 major infestations, each time going though a bottle or so of raid and scrubbing everything. I changed from living a normal life to feeling like I'm OCD to try to get rid of these bug: I bleached my kitchen every day, I took out the garbage every day, I keep the lights on all day and nigh, and I've even place my cats food bowls in a mote of soapy water to keep those bugs away. As for the items that were ruined, those would include a VCR, toaster, phone, and microwave (a roach got stuck in between the plastic and the clock!) I've had the exterminator in my place 5 or 6 times. Now, before anyone comments, I am very clean and I don't leave food out. It is a problem with the building. I think it really says something when on move in day you see a roach, you see them in the hallways, in the elevator, and in the lobby.

One side note, my cats also caught a mouse this winter. Who would have thought it could get up several stories high'

Because of these reasons, I have put in my notice to move. I would have moved right when my lease was up, but because I'm in grad school and the lease was up during midterms, I didn't have the time. To move out, I've hired a moving company to pack and move me so that there is little chance that I would have them (bugs) follow (I read things online and it made me worry).

To sum it all up, they are nice large apartments and staff here are great and you do feel safe....but the cheap rent comes at the price of your sanity vs the bugs and occasional mouse. It's up to you, but I personally would not recommend this place unless you truly don't have issues with bugs.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/18/2007
I live in the Monticello building 2, which floor are u living in?
From: Anonymous	Date: 08/26/2007
I live in this bldg. also, and I do have a problems with bugs, but so far no rodents. I call maintenance when I need extermination and that helps and I also keep Raid on hand. I moved in when they were having a special on the rent and got a $45 a month raise after I was here one year so I can't complain about the rent. My main problem here is with the overwhelming amount of immigrants. They simply do not know how to live in a highrise apt. and leave their trash sitting on the trashroom floor instead of putting it in the shutt and this attracts roaches. The ones across from me seem to have open house every Friday and Saturday and they run in and out all night dragging small children with stollers and carrying large garbabage bags with their own stuff. Sometimes their door hangs open and I'm treated to all their smells and noise. It's an invasion of my privacy but I see nothing can be done so I haven't complained. Maybe I'll be able to get a better place after Christmas, but the price is hard to beat.

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