644 City Station

This probably has to be the worst apartment I have ever lived at. I lived here for 18 months and my car was broken into 4 times. This is not a safe neighborhood and you will regularly see drug addicts and homeless people using the parking lot as a short cut. The complex is located next to a plasma donation center which leads to unsavory people hanging out in the area.
The complex is filled with college students who are loud and regularly set off the fire alarms, often in the middle of the night. It takes at least 20 minutes for the alarm to be turned off.
I think the girls in the office try, but occasionally lack problem solving skills. One note left on our door stated they were taking away communal trash cans because they were overused. Speaking of trash, the chutes are usually over full and make the halls smell disgusting. Especially in the summer when they turn off the air conditioning after business hours. There is also a large amount of animal feces on the property. If you go anywhere off their guided tour there is a large amount of trash and animal feces.
Every time your lease is up for renewal they will raise your rent and charge new and unfair fees like property taxes, despite the fact you don’t own the property.
Read your contract well because they will charge you a ridiculous amount when you move out. I have never been fined when I moved out of any apartment and have always received my full deposit. When I moved out here they charged us over 300 dollars.
I would not recommend this complex to anyone.

I will likely have lived here for a year by the time I move out: 2014 – 15. I needed an up-​to-​date apartment downtown close to public transport that allowed dogs over 70 pounds. There are not many that fit that bill as those that do take larger dogs often have a weight limit of 65 pounds.
Costs: my unit is a little under 800 square feet and including the monthly pet fee and washer-​dryer rental fee, utilities, Internet and cable, my total cost is just short of 1300. For a modern apartment downtown that allows dogs, this is pretty much the going rate.
Pros:
1. Energy efficiency. Yes, this winter was a mild one, but I didn’t have to turn on my heat more than five times. I’m guessing enough units around me run their heater and I reap the benefits.
2. Staff is polite and genuinely tries to be helpful. Any email I’ve sent has been answered by the next day, often the same day.
3. Thoughtful use of space. The tall ceilings really make the difference in how much stuff you can pack in, and the kitchen island has meant I didn’t need to have a kitchen table or desk. Cooking is one of my hobbies, and I’ve been able to keep a large pantry and fit all my gadgets. The bathroom could do with some shelves, but there is room to add a large etagere. In the living room, I have room for a love seat, three bookcases, two end tables, two ottomans and four-​person couch. In the bedroom, there is room for a king or queen and nightstands, but not much else. I’ve fit a twin bed, two four-​drawer dressers, two clothes hampers, two nightstands, a coatrack and a large dog kennel. The walk-​in closet means I have room for way too many shoes, linens, and all of my camping stuff.
4. Fast Internet and reliable appliances. The dishwasher heats its own water. The washer and dryers are oversized (unless you have one of the stackable units).
5. A soaking (deep) tub.
6. Large outdoor community area with a fireplace, party-​size grill, one small grill and a hot tub that holds about 15 – 20 people
7. Exercise room is small but rarely crowded, especially in the early mornings
8. Outdoor patio that can hold three Adirondack chairs and a small table, or a two-​person table and chairs and a grill comfortably, though some patios are not as large.
9. Most units have lots of natural light and adequate overhead lighting
Cons:
1. Parking: unless you want to pay for underground parking ($ 40/​month) or luck out on a well-​positioned spot, the parking lot is tight, tight, tight. If you’re having guests, it’s likely they’ll need to park on the street as there are only two visitor slots (that are regularly free)
2. Contractor cheapness: the freezer does not have an ice maker or any shelves. The oven is not self-​cleaning. The toilet seat is flimsy plastic with plastic screws that have to be tightened every couple of weeks. The tub and liner is plastic rather than porcelain. The water heater is good for one full bathtub. The water isn’t filtered; hard water. Poor sound insulation. My neighbors are not noisy people, but I hear muffled conversations, a crying baby, sex, music and T.V. on a regular basis.
3. Management company greed: one maintenance person on staff and one cleaning person on staff. My (non-​emergency) maintenance requests have typically had a two-​three day turn around. The hallways and stairwells are usually fine, but it’s right on the edge. The management company has no qualms with raising your rent fifty to one-​hundred bucks («as the market will bear») when it comes time to sign a new lease. So, perhaps, sign the longest lease available…
4. Dog waste: until they put in additional security cameras and then pay someone to monitor the playback so they can fine the offenders, the back stretch of lawn and sometimes the front walkways will be full of poo.
Tips:
1. Look at lots of units before you decide. There are some subtle disparities between units that may end up making a big difference in your satisfaction. For instance, the units with west-​facing windows means you will have no one looking in, but the evening sun will be blinding and you will have freeway background noise.
2. Ask about your neighbors before you sign the lease. For good or for bad, this complex caters to college students, so you might be adjacent to a very full unit.
3. Try your car in your assigned spot before you say you’ll take it. As mentioned above, parking is dodgy.
4. Though they (unprofessionally) put in some new sod while I was here, don’t ever expect the lawn area to look nice. It’s nearly impossible to keep a lawn alive with this many dogs peeing on it.