11 East Forsyth Apartments

I lived in 11 East from June 2013 to July 2015. In early 2014, the management company changed, but some of the same problems persisted.
1. When I signed my lease in 2013, I was told that guest parking permits for the first floor of the 11 E garage were available upon request. When my parents came to visit for the July 4^th weekend, I was told that they weren’t issuing guest permits that weekend because of the volume of people expected downtown. When a friend came to visit a month later, I was able to obtain a permit for her, but by fall, when I tried to get one for another friend, I was told they were no longer issuing guest parking permits in the 11 East garage, but that they would offer them for the Carling garage. THEN at Florida-​Georgia weekend, again, no permits period. They never provided residents with any notice of when these off-​limits dates will be. If you’re one of the few residences downtown, WHY would you make it harder for your residents to entertain? Isn’t easy access to downtown events supposed to be one of the highlights of living downtown? I understand that there are limited spaces available but that’s when a first come, first served policy would be helpful, as well as communicating these dates to residents well in advance so we can make informed plans. It makes no sense. This attitude that it was unreasonable to request parking accommodations for guests continued for the duration of my lease. Bonus: When I moved out in July, I asked for a permit for my parents’ truck as we loaded my furniture, and the leasing agent made me feel like that was a super unreasonable request and expected us to battle for street parking out front.
tl;dr: Really poor communication about parking, and they impose policies on residents that make having overnight guests unnecessarily complicated. After Florida-​Georgia 2014, I wrote an email to management about this, and they never gave me the courtesy of a response.
2. Very little staff presence in the leasing office in 11 E. More often than not, I would have to walk over to the Carling if I wanted to speak to someone in person. It always felt like there was a disproportionate concentration on the Carling, I guess because it’s a more public property? But it seems very unfair when we pay rent just like they do.
3. They use this company to do their billing each month that has sent me multiple incorrect bills, and charges a $ 5 to the residents on each bill for something super vague. When I called the company and asked what this charge was for, they told me it was for the services they provide the residents. Basically they charge me $ 5 a month to mail me a single piece of paper (seriously, save the postage and slip it under my door) that they don’t even bother to ensure is accurate.
4. I paid for my studio what two friends in the Berkman were paying, per bedroom, for a ²⁄₂. The Berkman is a condominium but it’s about ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ owner/​rental at this point. Mind you, we’re paying the same thing per bedroom, but the Berkman has a 24-​hour concierge, a sauna, a fitness center, a library, a juice bar, a pool, a penthouse community room, river access, boat slips, etc. 11 E has a fitness center and a community room. Not even close to comparable amenities.
I hate to write this and sound bitchy, and I don’t want it to reflect poorly on the staff. The vast majority of leasing agents I worked were super kind and helpful to the extent that the policies that management imposed allowed them to be, and maintenance especially was always very responsive. But if they are marketing the building as a luxury residence, I shouldn’t feel like I am living in a particularly nice dormitory. The parking issue in particular was super aggravating, especially after a friend just parked on the street one night when parking permits weren’t available and her tires got slashed. :(Maintaining a consistent staff presence in the office during business hours and revising their parking policy to support the hospitality of residents are the two biggest ways they could improve the building.

I have never lived in 11 East, but I have visited a number of the apartments and I think they are really nice. I am not entirely sure on the cost, but they might run a little on the expensive side. However, I have to applaud this place for being the first real downtown living situation that wasn’t either for the homeless or for the pigeons. [Downtown living is kind of a new idea.]
The apartments are in loft format and, while not huge, they are definitely spacious enough and nicely laid out. The location cannot be beat, either, for downtown living. Right in the center of it all, MOCA is just around the corner, and the now thriving nightlife district is a short walk in the other direction! It is literally in the center of Art Walk and a short walk from all the dining that downtown has to offer.
If you are interested in living downtown, I would give this place a look! A historical building with lots of charm and great location, a definite hot spot for downtown residency.