This is the fourth apartment community I have lived at (I'm in the Navy...lots of travel), and in comparison to the others, I would say that this is the worst of them. It's not all bad; it does have its perks:
-Excellent location: within walking distance from grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores, restaurants, entertainment, and a short drive (less than 5 min.) to Coliseum Mall and I-64.
-Aesthetically pleasing: It's well landscaped, and the newly redesigned units are a welcome change to the basic apartment decor with custom cabinetry and countertops, nickel-plated faucets, brand-new state-of-the-art appliances, and walls painted in soothing earthtones.
That's about all for the pros. Now for the NEGATIVE aspects:
-It's just too damn expensive!!! My one bedroom was running a little over $900 per month. A damn one bedroom! My previous community in Newport News was only $867 for a two bedroom/two bath. Unfortunately, I will say that I was the idiot for being sold on the fact that it was a redesigned unit, and that it came with one of those nifty little washer/dryer combinations...you know, a washer and dryer in one machine...about the size of a dishwasher (it was cool, but a cycle normally takes three to four hours to complete, and when it dries, clothes come out more wrinkled than before you washed them...and it's as if the machine presses the wrinkles into the clothing, because ironing barely does anything to them). The additional expense isn't worth the new features. If you are going to spend $900 a month for a one bedroom apartment, find one in Newport News' City Center or in Va. Beach's Town Center, where the real estate is actually worth as much as the renting rates are.
-My apartment leaks. During any heavy rainstorm, or even a moderate shower, a rather large water stain shows up just above the fireplace, where you can see evidence of the shoddy work done during the redecorating process. After a while, the area next to the ceiling fan began demonstrating signs of leakage.
-The new design looks great...until you actually utilize them in day-to-day life: The people that took the time to outfit the apartment with its new cabinets and such did a very hap-hazard job. Uneven cabinet doors, one door closes on top of the other, doors don't shut all the way...counters slowly but surely separating from their foundations, drawers falling off...yes, I pulled out a drawer one day, and the face of the drawer ripped right off. The maintenance staff came by to fix it, and they placed the cover back on about five degrees off-center, so the drawer never fully shut.
-I was told that my bathtub would be re-finished since there were signs of severe decay from the previous renter. The tub is in the same condition today as it was in January when I moved in.
-How in the hell is one building of an apartment complex NOT wired for DSL internet service, when in the same complex and a few buildings down your friend has the same ISP that just told you that your building is not wired for it (this is confirmed with the leasing office).
-You do not get your own water heater. Sorry. Each unit in a building shares a common boiler, and if this boiler is on the fritz, there's no hot water for the entire building. Even when the boiler does work, it really doesn't. I have never been able to take a shower at that apartment where the water temperature didn't fluctuate between "scalding hot" and "muy frio" without me touching the faucet. It did so all on its own.
-Parking sucks. Some people are happy with the fact that they can park wherever they want...however, this creates a problem when a non-resident parks somewhere and they don't leave for a while. The other communities where I stayed offer assigned parking spots for residents and guests. Those found in violation were towed at their own expense. There should be no reason for me to come home from a long, six hour drive and pull into the community, try to find a parking spot, and then realize that the majority of cars sitting in front of my building are not the cars I'm used to seeing. Why should a non-resident get a better parking spot than someone who is actually paying good money to live there'
-The zip code is 23666...need I say more' (that was for humorous purposes)

Overall, I was quite disappointed in the community, and I would highly recommend that anyone interested in this community do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions specific to the apartment you are interested in. Do not make this "money down the drain." Be an informed consumer, and don't give your money to someone who doesn't give a damn about you or your living conditions.

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