Pros:
The building is fairly new, with central air & heating, and a large open foyer for packages & mail as well as an elevator. The interior is regularly maintained by a lovely on-site super, who primarily speaks Spanish, and each floor has a well-organized trash chute. Moreover, the appliances — microwave, in-unit dishwasher, refrigerator, etc. — are all updated and stainless steel; there is laundry in the building’s basement, and a small gym that no one uses. (Because it’s incredibly small and doesn’t seem well-maintained.) A hidden feature is the garden tucked away in the back.
Cons:
Don’t let the shiny exterior fool you. The apartment building is located directly across from a project building and a few strides away from a bustling auto shop that’s a little sketchy. Neighbors who are not tenants regularly linger on the porch when the weather warms up. It’s not well lit at night. I will never forget when a neighbor in the hall was so loud that it woke me up in the wee hours of the morning. Despite countless complaints (and what sounded like a domestic dispute in which police were involved), management did absolutely nothing. They were still unbearably loud; I could hear them through our closed apartment door. When it came to the laundry situation, there were 3 washers and 4 dryers — and one of the dryers never worked. Package theft was a constant issue. Although packages were supposedly stored in a red closet that had to be accessed with a fob, they’d disappear left & right. I even had to write a letter pleading with the culprits to get my package back — and I did — but only one of two items was in it and it was clearly opened. Management did not add cameras or make any efforts strengthen security by the door. Trying to get management to respond to any of my concerns — down to breaking my lease, subleasing, etc — was like pulling teeth. If you rent here, it’s at your own risk. The rent-stabilized price is nice, but not enough.