mostly enjoyed living here
Pros
generally responsive mgmt, which routinely cleaned the common areas and sent an exterminator. the apartment had been recently renovated and was very spacious with great natural lighting. small quiet building on a nice street with roof and garden access and additional space in the basement that we could use for storage.
Cons
our apartment had mouse problem for a while, a few running around inside and one died on my roommate's bed. bathroom sink exploded once in the middle of the night and caused the downstairs ceiling to collapse, though mgmt dealt with the fallout relatively quickly. However, landlord was not so subtle about attempts to get us to move out so they could raise prices on the unit. eventually our lease was terminated without notice and we were forced to move.
Great option, with a few compromises
Pros
Easy access to Franklin Ave and Vanderbilt - two lively and very different communities. 10 min equidistant walk from the 2/3/4/5/A/C/Q/B trains. Very easy access to Prospect Park, Botanical Gardens, and BK Museum. There's an elementary school and small exercise park directly across the street. A few neighbors like to barbeque and have a good time near the park. There's a SVU station on the same block. There's an NYPD shot sound detector right across the street - Citizen app reports it every time. Very very close to 2 grocery stores and there are a couple more options also nearby. Shared backyard space. The laundry in-basement is always clean and you'll have basically 0 competition for space there. The landlord sends an exterminator every month to spray anti-cockroach spray in the kitchen/bathroom.
Cons
It's a 4 floor walkup, with 4 units - all railroad style. Each unit has 2-3 doors into the shared hallway depending on the configuration. That means, for most (all?) units, one person has to leave the apartment into the shared hallway to access the restroom, kitchen, and rest of apartment. I've had a couple mice in the years i've lived here, but it wasn't too hard to catch/release them. The floorboards in my unit were improperly sealed before I moved in and the sealant between the boards has worn down over the years. There are occasional late-night parties from the neighbors a few buildings down - the DJ likes to announce that he's turning it up before turning it up. There have been a few shootings directly outside the apartment - about 2 times a year. No one's been killed, but it is worrisome....
Advice to the owners
I would love to have an official super that I could call for issues - I feel intimidated to speak to the landlord every time there's an issue. The landlord takes care of things when I do text him, but I don't often report issues for that very reason. Also, please upgrade the oven!!! it doesn't have a broil function....
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