I had the misfortune of signing a sublease agreement for this apartment in a rush, without researching the building more thoroughly. The unanimously scathing reviews are there for a reason. To start off, the 'application fee' for a two-month sublease was $450. I've rented in a bunch of different buildings in Manhattan, and have never encountered a building as ill-managed and inconsiderate of residents as this one.
My ground-floor unit does not block out any noise from the outside, so much so
...that having the windows open and closed yields the exact same result. I can clearly hear conversations between passers-by at all hours of the day and night, and the noise problem gets worse at night. The windows to my unit are paper thin, and does not block out the cold. In early summer evenings when the (central) heat is off, the windows provide zero insulation.
While the lease to the building clearly states the building provides for a smoke-free living environment and purports to penalize residents for violations, there is a smoking pole/designated smoking area RIGHT next to the "emergency" exit, that happens to be right next to my bedroom window. The result is cigarette smoke drifting into my room at all hours of the day and night. It's disgusting, not to mention a veritable health hazard. I haven't been able to sleep in my apartment thanks to the secondhand smoke.
Complaining will result in absolutely nothing. Various front desk employees and Whitney in the management side simply ignored my email. I asked the windows to be replaced so that I can be guaranteed a bare minimum standard of living free from noise and secondhand smoke, and I was told only that the previous tenant didn't have a problem, and that I'd have to pay for it. Every single person I've spoken to has simply referred me to other people, and nothing has been solved.
The rooms are TINY. There is very little natural light. Don't be fooled by the modern renovations of the building; the building is quite old and will come with all sorts of problems. I was told by a front desk employee that they hurried the renovations over last summer, and that left a bunch of holes, which caused the mice problem (see other reviews). Lovely.
I've lived in a few other buildings in and around Greenwich village, and this building is quite overpriced for what it is. There is a reason why they have to tout themselves as "student housing" to find renters. You can find much better for a lower price point.
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