The first word I included in the title of this report is "Re-Imagine" because this is part of marketing slogan used to communicate a serene living environment that is promised to all prospective tenants.
The reality of the living conditions is anything but serene, starting with the fact that it is next to impossible not to hear the activity taking place in your neighbors apartment (including, but not limited to walking, talking, or simply watching television). More often than not, the disturbing noise is not the fault of the neighbor beside or above you; the contributing factor is the lack of insulation and poor construction.
The next violation of serene living is the inefficient appliances. It is very hard to be at peace when you are worried about how much your heating bill will be for the month. There were heating bills last winter in the $300 to $400 range per month. This is the case because the HVAC system has the least efficient rating possible (this is clearly labeled on the unit).
Towne Centre does not believe that having hot water and a mold free apartment is a necessity, they categorize it as a luxury, and therefore, do not believe they are required to address tent complaints related to these issues. So if you are looking to move into a living environment that provides hot water for an adequate amount of time so that you may attend to daily hygienic routines, then Towne Centre is not the place for you. The following link provide some insight into tenant experiences related to these issues and others: http://www.LifeatTowneCentre.com
Violation 3, for most of the year we had a "secure" parking garage that was not secure at all due to inoperable gates and no security guard. Prior to signing my lease I was told a security guard would be stationed in the parking garage and I have yet to see one for the purpose of helping to protect tenant automobiles. A tenant law suit was filed, identifying this as an issue, at which time the building management decided to fix the gates. A security guard was temporarily present for a few hours a day for a few weeks with the purpose of protecting refrigerators. Now that the refrigerators are gone, so is the security guard.
Related to the parking area, many tenants continue to deal with acid dripping on their automobile when it rains, while others have waded through ankle high puddles following a hard rain. I must mention that this is covered, underground parking.
The biggest violation of all is the integrity of everyone from the leasing agent to the owners of this building. Prospective tenants are treated like valuable assets until the lease is signed. Once the lease is signed and you are in the apartment, it is not uncommon to find you have been lied to by management on just about every aspect of your living experience at the Towne Centre of Englewood and what you will ultimately receive is unresponsive management; management who will not hesitate to mislead you to avoid addressing the sub-par conditions of the building (including the many code violations, banging pipes, etc.) On average I have had to wait 2-3 days to have maintenance issues addressed, as well as call twice to follow up on my initial request.
The building has gone through a transformation sense the tenant law suit has been filed and the exterior now presents itself as a well put together building; but this only represent the surface. The integrity of the structure and the quality of the appliance match that of the management - very weak and unreliable.
The management is so weak and unreliable, they have begun soliciting praise from a select few for a monthly newsletter. If this was such a great place to live and the staff was wonderful, you would not have to ask for the praise, it should be evident. I am from the school of thought that if you have to ask for a complement, it was neither well earned nor deserved.
Run for the hills if you are looking at property associated with Atlantic Realty, Middlesex Management, Englewood Terrace, or Towne Centre of Englewood. Collectively, they have refined their ability to be slum lords. The few complaints outlined above can be experienced in anyone of the tenant properties owned by this group or subset of this group. The Towne Centre of Englewood is the latest casualty to be added to this portfolio and although they threw the label "luxury" onto the marketing communication, they have no intention of conducting business with integrity. The luxury label only gives them the opportunity to charge higher rent. Their slogan "Living Re-Imagined" should be Re-Imagine Living in Less than Adequate Conditions.
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