In bullets:

-No control over utilities.
HVAC charges are extremely high because you pay a portion of the entire building's HVAC bill based off of square footage. No accommodation for cool months where you don't use heat or A/C, plus you pay a portion of the common area climate control. Expect to pay $200-$250/month for utilities.

-Moldy carpet in the hallways.
The roof has been leaking for a year. It leaks into the apartments and hallways and is never attended to. The carpet has turned hard and moldy.

-Solicitations.
Want your controlled entry to work' Don't move here. Every day is a new solicitation under or on my door, or a knock by a door-to-door salesperson.

-Loiterers.
There are a bunch of loiterers that hang out near the building's (extremely over-priced) convenience store.

-Windows.
Windows are so old you can hardly see through them because of the rain scum, condensation, and gunk that has built up in the years since the building was built. They also leak water into my bedroom like crazy when it rains. I was told in October of last year (2006) that the windows would be replaced, but they never have.

-Antiquated appliances.
My kitchen looks like the Brady Bunch lives here. A double-oven sounds nice, but when it's 40 years old, it burns your cookies. The HVAC units are so old that sometimes the air is ice-cold, others it is as warm as the air outside. The air goes off and on all day long for extended periods of time. The setup is also awkward. There is one unit to cool the entire living room, dining room, and kitchen areas, and one unit between the bedrooms. There is no heating or cooling in the hallway or the bathrooms. The unit in the bedrooms has a hole in the wall so that you can see through (and hear) to the other bedroom. The dishwasher just recirculates the gunk that is on your plates. My refrigerator is probably 25 years old and has begun to make weird noises.

-Dogs. Everyone has 'em.
I like dogs. I used to have one. This building is full of them. On the elevator, in the hallway, behind the doors as you walk by someone's apartment, barking at you madly, taking craps in the lawn, etc. There is one 'pet station', but nobody uses it.

-Noise.
395 is loud. So are trash trucks. See window complaint above to understand why I can hear a trash truck when I live on the EIGHTEENTH FLOOR.

-Security.
Every weekend without fail, the 'secure' garage doors 'break' and are left open all weekend. This happens on Friday evening and is fixed on Monday morning. Why only the weekends'

-"Trash room stinks."
That's a quote that was written on the trash room walls on the eighteenth floor over a year ago. And it is still there. And it still stinks. And forget recycling. There are no boxes to recycle with.

-Friendly little notices.
The management company, Realty Management, puts out notices about 2-3 times a week. The problem I have with these notices is that they are absolutely full of grammar, spelling, and usage mistakes. Not to mention that some are just downright nasty and scolding. You know, it makes me proud to bring a friend over to my house, and in the elevator ride, he/she gets to stare at a notice saying:
"This is to inform all residents that the parking garage is not storage spaces. Nothing except a car. If you hav a flat tire, expired tags, or an incorrect parking sticker, you will be towed. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please call.
Sincrely,
Realty Management" mgFDbN4-dhkSMZ7zRmVH

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/26/2007
Wow, you summarized life at The Aventine perfectly. My only addition would be about the fire alarms going of on a regular basis.
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/27/2007
I agree!!! Well done!!!! This should be posted on the glass right outside the rental office!!! I would also add that the water is turned off monthly without explanation. Today is a perfect example.
From: ireturned	Date: 07/27/2007
I agree; well done....all very true......
From: pca1990	Date: 07/28/2007
I agree with a few comments: Appliances are being replaced as units are renovated. You must have an old unit. Noise from I-395 isn't as bad on the west side as the east side. Garage doors aren't broken, they are left open. Still a bad idea. Utility bill varies. My 2 bedroom goes for $100-$130 per month. Many people have quoated the higher rate, but I have never seen it. The dogs are a new problem. This used to be cats-only. During the condo conversion, dogs were allowed to increase perspective buyers. I don't think it was a great idea for a high-rise. Especially for the larger dogs. We have been promissed many new things (windows, garage floors etc) but no one knows when or if we will see it. As to notices, some people think they are above the rules. The real problem is lack of enforcement of the few rules taht we have.

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