The Monterey

I’ve been a resident at the Monterey for 10 years exactly and have been very happy and grateful to have a home here. it’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere in NYC. The Sun Terrace is fantastic in the late spring summer and early fall. Fabulous sunsets and perfect place to sun bathe, and read, or nap in the summer. Laundry room is clean and well maintained. Most of the doormen have been in the building since I moved in and they’re fantastic. They go above and beyond and are a key part of my feeling at home at The Monterey. Just renewed my lease and have no plans to leave the building. Also, area has two movie theaters, multiple grocery options with a Whole Foods and Fairway 10 blocks away, as well as cheaper grocery stores across the street. And the view of the skyline is fantastic.

They shut off the water a lot, the elevators are super slow (sometimes even down). I wouldn’t recommend living here for the prices they are charging. If you want real luxury you can go to One Carnegie Hill next door or Normandie Court for comparable/​cheaper housing.

Just walked down 28 flights of stairs at 6:25am because per the desk «all the elevators are broken and we don’t know when they will be fixed». Happy Friday morning from the Monterey!

We have lived in the Monterey for more than 10 years and are moving. We’d prefer to stay until we retire and move back home, but the new owners have made that simply impossible. If you do not live here, don’t sign a lease! They do not care about the building or the residents. You may get some «luxury» treatment at first, but they clearly find long-​term residents to be a problem.
Since taking over ownership of the building, they no longer do regular pest control, change air filters in air conditioning units or maintain the common areas well. In fact, for the first time ever, I’ve seen cockroaches in the laundry room.. .8 years under previous owners and never saw such a thing.
The elevators are ridiculous, long waits are the norm, they’ve stopped putting air in the hallways so while you wait 5 minutes for the elevator you sweat and sweat.. .there has been a hole in the lobby ceiling for weeks that they’ve just covered with MASKING TAPE — and don’t get excited about the grills on the roof deck because they rarely work. What was once a nice, luxury building is now falling into disrepair. It is painful, because we loved our home.. and the regular staff (doormen, lobby guys, maintenance guys) are awesome, we feel for them under this new ownership.
Stay away from ANY Monterey LLC properties.. .find a nice Related building or other REPUTABLE management company. Sadly, when our lease expires, we will find a new place to live.

Couldn’t agree more with everyone else who has commented on the change since Related sold the building to the new group. Related knew how to manage the building and kept it well maintained. And judging by what the quality of life here after they sold, knew when to sell before everything started to break and sold to owners who don’t want to make the investment on basic infrastructure necessary to maintain the building in top operating form.
This new group can’t keep the elevators running properly. It seems as though one elevator is broken at least once every other week. I’ve gotten into one elevator at the lobby which went straight up to the penthouse without stopping at any of the floors pressed in between. I’ve also frequently gotten into an elevator in which the doors partially close, then re-​open and then doesn’t go anywhere…
Nor can this new group can’t seem to keep the grills on the roof working (the communal grill hasn’t worked the entire summer, so instead of fixing it, they’ve brought out something that looks like a large rickety George Foreman grill on legs with a hood that doesn’t fit and which keeps whatever the last tenant was cooking since it doesn’t have true grills…).
After a «modernization» of the laundry room, after which you were supposed to be able to use your credit card to buy time on the laundry machines, all that happened was that your credit card got charged and you didn’t get any time on the machines. Moreover, if you then tried to go back to the prior way of getting the laundry cards, the laundry card dispenser was broken and you couldn’t get a card… And then there was the change of valet service which if you work like crazy and don’t have time to sit in a laundromat that I stopped using after they started loosing my clothes and I started getting other peoples clothes…
If you’re one of the 20% who is renting at affordable levels, then this is a great deal. If you’re one of the 80% who is paying market, then you’re catching a really, really raw deal…

LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! I lived here for 4 years and hated it since this new company came!!!
I agree since the building was sold from a group other than Related (which was absolutely amazing), the building has gone way downhill and basically unlivable. They have no respect for residents, there is racial discrimination and have created an adversarial relationship between tenants and management. The staff hired by Related was like family to the residents — so professional and took pride in the building. The lobby staff has remained relatively unchanged — thank God — but the majority of other staff is a revolving door. They are firing everyone one day at a time and changing the dynamic and comfort of this building.
The management team is completely unprofessional. They try to steal money from you in any way they can. They will accuse you for false allegations. If you stand up to them and hand them legal documentation of why they cannot act in an unprofessional manner they will pin you down for something else, with no proof or threaten to not renew your lease. They are money hungry thieves so be careful. They will lie to your face and say they have spoken to owners, legal teams ECT. But never have proof of doing so.
For a building that was pet-​friendly, is no longer. They now decided they don’t like dogs. New leases have a pet fee that was never there before. Rumor is they will be requiring dogs go out through the garage, not the lobby. Lease violation if you don’t follow that rule, which is making you leave. They also don’t abide by the laws pertaining to service animals.
And, the «public» garden. It is public access, used to be very nicely landscaped and a nice place to socialize. But, of course, they are now saying this is a no dog zone also. Interesting double standard; non-​residents can just ignore the staff’s plea to remove the dog while residents would have another lease violation. It is also no longer kept up nice and looks like a garbage dump.
If that is not enough, then all of the residents received a letter about smoking pot in the building stairways. You cannot bring guest to the roof top terrace or have music on the roof top terrace. If you are not a gym member you cannot access the lounge on the first floor so non-​resident gym members can access the indoor lounge but paying residents cannot.
With one bedrooms in the 3000+ per month range and increasing by 8% you would think they would have a bit more respect for the professionals who live here. If you are looking for a true luxury building this is not the one for you even though they advertise this as a luxury building. Find a building owned by Related you will not be disappointed.

I have lived at the Monterey for 5 years and I am a fan of both the building amenities and the staff. The building is well maintained and pretty upscale, from the beautiful lobby to the well appointed common areas like the resident business center and the resident lounge — which is great and affordable for hosting private parties. The rooftop deck is huge with multiple areas with built in grills, sinks, fridges and ice machines. The roof is a fun social scene where residents get to interact with the neighbors and host private parties. The underground parking is super convenient and has an amazing staff. The building’s gym is on par with any commercial gym equipped with a great private pool, saunas and steam rooms.
The best thing about the Monterey is the staff, the doormen, porters and front desk staff like Rad and Chris and Christian are great people and super helpful. They make the building feel like home. The maintenance crew is courteous and always fix issues promptly. The building Management — Senada and Joleen are extremely responsive and go above and beyond to make the Monterey a great place to live. I am reading some of the negative reviews and I am a little surprised. I understand a lot of people really liked the former building owners I also liked Related as a management company they were great — but I also think the current management does a great job and cares about the tenants.

Pay attention to the reviews and live somewhere else. Since the building was sold from a group other than Related (which was a class act), the building has gone downhill. They have no respect for residents and have created an adversarial relationship between tenants and management.
The superintendent position is a revolving door. The latest one they have doesn’t have any qualifications. I had thought that position meant they were supposed to be trained to fix anything in the building. This one has no skills or training. I’m sure it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.
They are shutting the water on and off very frequently. Add that to elevators routinely going out or registering as «NC» (whatever that means — but I wouldn’t think it is good) on the screen telling you the floor. It seems like the upkeep of the building services is an expense they don’t want to maintain.
For a building that has been traditionally pet-​friendly — no more. They now decided they don’t like dogs. New leases have a pet fee that was never there before. Rumor is they will be requiring dogs go out through the garage, not the lobby. Lease violation if you don’t follow that rule.
And, the «public» garden. It is public access, used to be very nicely landscaped and a nice place to socialize. But, of course, they are now saying this is a no dog zone also. Interesting double standard; non-​residents can just ignore the staff’s plea to remove the dog while residents would have another lease violation.
If that is not enough, then all of the residents received a letter about smoking pot in the building stairways. They are hiring security to monitor this. What a joke — 30 floors? Who will move fast enough to get there? And, then at the bottom, they are telling us all to report those who smoke. Really? Is this a college dorm?
With one-​bedrooms in the 3000+ per month range you would think they would have a bit more respect for the professionals who live here. And, the tradeoff? The bagel breakfast in the lobby a couple of times per year. I’m sure that is what everyone is looking for.
If you are smart — move on. Even if you ignore the owner’s mentality that they think they can dictate what you do in your own apartment or if you want to have a pet, then just take a look at the building services — a maintenance staff led by an arrogant, no-​skilled doorman whose ego far exceeds his IQ.
And, if the management is reading this — good move. Thanks for making this an enjoyable, safe experience — correction — that comment was for the building down the street — not this one.

I have lived here for almost 6 years. I moved in when the original owners and management were running the building they were awesome! The building was sold and went to hell in a hand basket! The place is now filthy the gardens now look like the opening credits of a horror film. The hallways are always dirty and so are the elevators. I will not even get into the state of the trash/​compactor rooms –gross is the only word that comes to mind. Besides, most of the staff at the front desk being professional and accommodating and friendly — and I say most because a few insult my intelligence for what I pay in rent .The staff has always made living here a perk with the exception of the one they are now making a Super. He has 0 experience in this field and has no people skills. How are we supposed to feel confident with a Super who has no official education for this job and no prior experience? The turn over in the staff is scary — here today gone tomorrow! Without Rad and Chris and Christian the front desk staff would be worthless.
Most days when I enter my hall all I smell is the pot being smoked. If I want to sit in the public garden all I see and smell is all the pot being smoked — and the lights in the garden have not worked in weeks. Thugs and Gangs hang in the garden and smoke pot right in plain sight — I have told this to the desk many times they tell me there is nothing they can do– really? You would think for the amount of rent I pay there would be something they can do. If you want to enjoy the rooftop in the summer good luck to you! Each unit is allowed to have 2 guests — of course, no one pays attention to this rule nor is it enforced. So in the 6 years I have lived here I have only been able to enjoy the roof, maybe 3x due to the overflow of people up there that do not belong up there. Also beware that 20% of this building is being rented to affordable housing. Again, is this luxury? Then we have the resident that has challenging mental issues and sits in the lobby all day yelling on top of his lungs– he scares me and he scares children and he is terrified of dogs– there are dogs all over this building. Yet he is allowed to remain in the lobby making a scene every day. He sits in a chair in the lobby and yells for hours. Does this sound a like a luxury building to you?
In closing, my advice to anyone looking to move in here would be to go find a Related owned building (and there are many) and move into one of them. They are a class act all the way around and we miss them owning this building. Also, we were told there was going to be a 8% raise in our rent — but what are getting for that 8%? Nothing! Unless you consider an uneducated nasty Super a step up? If you are looking for a true luxury building this is not the one for you even though they advertise this as a luxury building You are spending a lot of money to live in this dump if you do decide to move in…

Totally agree with other long term residents that have posted reviews. There has been a dramatic change in the building maintenance and operations since the change in ownership. Related was a fantastic building owner/​operator. The staff were like family to the residents — so professional and took pride in the building. The lobby staff has remained relatively unchanged — thank God — but the majority of other staff is a revolving door. Supers don’t last more than a few months so how can residents be confident that operations can be sustained?!? We are also concerned about security and building cleanliness. Elevators, hallways, trash rooms are dirty. Residents are allowed to leave items including trash in the halls — Related would’ve NEVER allowed this! The overall standard of the building has changed within the past two years under the new management. Hopefully these reviews will get the attention of management before it’s too late and we move out! Thank you for your attention.

As other reviews indicate, the new ownership has driven the quality of this building into the ground. When the property was owned by Related, it was perfect — a true luxury building. Now it’s just another building that doesn’t care about its tenants — only that you pay rent. The gym management is the worst I’ve ever encountered. They don’t fix anything, they don’t reply to you, they buy terribly impractical equipment simply because it looks good; they have no idea how to actually manage a gym that humans would use. There’s a pool, but it’s really just for kids; there are very few hours for adults and they refuse to change them. 20% of the building is affordable housing and they’ve now leased the ground floor real estate to an urgent care clinic. That doesn’t spell luxury where I come from. Also, there’s a mosque across the street (which shut down the neighborhood last summer for a ‘threat’) which isn’t comforting. The new management started this incredulous valet service called «THE GRAND MADISON MONTEREY VALET» which is actually just a converted apartment that handles dry cleaning and other nonsense. What kind of name is that? The building ISN’T EVEN ON MADISON. Get over yourself! But this is a perfect example of the misguided management — it’s like they’re new money — they want everything to APPEAR to be accommodating, fancy and convenient, but they fall very, very short of that attempt. Save your money; it’s just not worth it. The doormen (Chris, Rad, Christian, etc…) are great and they do all they can to help counteract the lame building management and the views can be great, but isn’t enough to qualify this place as worth it.

We lived here for about a year and a half during a time of major transitions, both for us personally as well as the Monterey building (which changed ownership while we were there). I can honestly say that every single member of the Monterey staff was exceptional in every way, going above and beyond to welcome us, responding promptly to every concern and generally being receptive to any concerns. Although we knew the ownership had changed, the transition was smooth enough that we didn’t experience any difficulties. Also, we were concerned that because the new management was actively adding new amenities, our rent would increase significantly. However, when we received a notice for lease renewal, we were relieved to find out that our rent only went up a little. Even when we decided to break our next lease early (because we bought a place, not because we didn’t like the Monterey), the staff was exceptionally professional, both before and after our move-​out.
The only reason I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because I think some of the benefits of living here have changed. When we were there, we could switch into any available apartment mid-​lease without incurring additional fees, and we took advantage of that. However, I don’t think you can do that anymore, and I also think the cost for breaking a lease has increased. But this really is still a beautiful building with loyal and fantastic staff, and they really made living there extremely easy.

The new ownership of this building has definitely changed the quality of the building. The flower gardens have been replaced with cheap fill-​ins and the space is not maintained at all. Numerous times I have watched people allow their children and dogs to walk and urinate in the grassy areas. The roof deck is in appalling shape — cigarette burns are abundant all over the cushions and they are filthy. You don’t even want to sit on them. It took them 3 weeks to get one of the grills to work. There is NO wireless in in the common areas regardless of what they advertise. The business center, does have 3 computers. But do they work? Typically, no. Does management respond when there is a problem and you notify them? No. No response at all from either the resident manager or her boss. They have reduced the cleaning of the common areas and garbage pickup. They have reduced staff — and they are all wonderful— but they can’t possibly keep up with the demands of this size building. It is a mere shadow of its former self. No need to live here when there are so many better choices. The long-​term residents have moved on.

I lived in the Monterey for two years. It is an amazing building. Great rooftop, pool and gym. The doormen and porters are very friendly and helpful. I miss it!