BEST Eastside location! The complex has immediate access to three fabulous parks with beautiful gardens, trails, children's play areas, sports fields, etc. The neighborhood is quiet and yet you're walking distance to Larry's Market and Whole Foods, Bel Square, great restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, everything you would ever need. This is also one of few complexes (especially in such a great location) that offers very spacious, affordable three bedrooms as well.
Our apartment is huge, updated, with extra storage and a nice patio that looks out into woods. Although not fancy or distinct, the apartment was immaculate and functioning properly when we moved in. We rarely see our neighbors, and aside from the occasional toilet flush, we rarely hear them. The complex is very quiet except for the swamp full of frogs in the spring, but we actually enjoy listening to them.
Parking is never a problem (plus there's underground and garage options for additional cost), and the grounds are well-kept and very clean. Maintenance is prompt, efficient, and courteous, and responded well to "special requests." The pool and clubhouse are nice, and they allow cats and large dogs (I've never seen any poo poo either). Accent walls are offered and they'll clean your carpets or blinds for free when you renew your lease. This place is a real winner, with the exception of just a few things:
Management: Rarely greet you with a smile, never learned our names, and entirely TOO professional. Despite this, they NEVER returned one single call. The turnover is high and their newbies aren't adequately trained to respond quickly and accurately to tennant needs. They do you the favor of holding your packages if you are not home when they are delivered, but never tell you they have them. Even a box labeled, "perishable, open immediately" from 1-800-Flowers got tossed in the closet and forgotten. We were promised $100 for referrals, however, had to ask for them even though the new tennants wrote our names on their applications.
Exercise room: tiny and poorly equiped.
Business Center: non-existent
Sense of Community: none
Security: None. This is an affluent area, so there are car prowlers but if you empty your car you won't have a problem. I've never actually seen a shady character in the complex and have felt very safe here.
Utilities and Amenities: You pay for everything. We've nicknamed the cable company "Ghetto Cable" because it lacks some very basic channels. The complex is only wired for DSL (no cable modem) but we cancelled it because we could never get a good connection (this may not be the case for all units). W/S/G and electricity are expensive.
Our ground floor apartment grew mold as well, which is common in the Pacific NW, but a real problem nonetheless. We lost a few belongings to mold infestation as well as a few medical bills for my roommate the singer who had voice issues because of it.
If you don't get many surprise packages and don't depend on a well-equiped fitness room or business center then this is the place for you. I assume not all units have a bad DSL connection or a mold problem.
I've been MOSTLY happy with this place, however I think that I would have an easier time calling this place "home" if I felt supported and respected by management. I've recently noticed new lead staff however, and they seem to smile a bit more :)