The Cove Apartments

Great location on the bay, beautiful views, accessible to all roadways and super close to the Gandy Bridge and the Airport.
Bonus!- Walking distance to the Green Iguana for dinner & drinks.
I liked my apartment here. The staff was super nice, maintenance was super fast and rent is very reasonable. I had a 1 bdrm. with a washer. apt 606
The downfall at the Cove is that the walls are super thin. I was upstairs and you could hear everything downstairs and next door. There are a lot of parties but you ARE in South Tampa.
I never had a problem with vandalism and I felt pretty safe being there on my own & they do have a gate and a guard at the gate.
I lived there a for a year and 6 months & didn’t have any major issues at all.
I read some of these reviews and the people who gave it 1 star, I don’t agree.
When I was ready to leave I used the security deposit as my last months rent & I did not have any problems.

Recently moved to The Cove. The appliances are very old, layout is a little awkward. I think its mostly college students around here, they have some loud music all the time. I work from home and its disturbing at times. Everyone seems to have a pet, which is great but they do not pick up after their pets. Hence, smelly dirty surroundings :(
The view is fantastic though. I have a water view and its beautiful. The pool facing the bay is awesome.
P.S forgot to mention, seems like everyone around smokes weed, it does smell funny inside and outside the apartment all the time. The staff can be a little more friendlier.

A nicely kept and secure feeling community. This is a great option for people who want to live in the Westshore area affordably! The property is well-​maintained and the staff is caring. If there is ever an issue that needs to be addressed, the staff emails quite quickly. I live in a small studio and it is just enough being that I have a fairly active lifestyle. Great closet space!
I would love to see a nicer pet play area, though. Also, the gym could use some additional equipment and better care.
Otherwise, I would recommend The Cove! Great option in this area for affordable living.

I really did try to like this place, and at first I did, but at this point, I can not stand it here anymore and I just can’t wait to get out.
This is a terrible place for anyone who likes peace and quiet. It’s no different than living in a college dorm with young people having parties and fights every night. I have personally witness the cops called to various neighbors and one was even arrested. They’re so loud, so obnoxious, so rude, and always drunk.
My neighbors smoke pot in their bathroom and it seeps into my home. After a long day of work I come home to a pot smelling house. It is really depressing. If you tell the front office, all they do is put letters in your doors, that’s it! No one does inspections or anything!
The parking is TERRIBLE! It is not uncommon to have to park at a space far from your building if you come back home at night.
Everyone here has a dog and no one picks up. Sometimes, I see dog poop bigger than what a human can do and they leave it there to rot. Some people won’t even walk their dogs on leashes and just let them out to roam around while they’re still inside their apartments. How lazy can you be! I have had my dog bitten twice by larger dogs that the owners just refuse to control.
So pretty much, if you like drunken college party type people, live here. It’s perfect for you. My lease ends this month and I can’t wait to go. I’m dying to leave)’:

Loving the new colors they painted. Pool is awesome by the bay! I’m all about the kayak access to the water and the great residents.

Charge you exorbitant fees at every chance. $ 300 pet fee and then keep your security deposit to replace the carpet… which they do for each and every tenant. Even after a pipe burst in our first month living there and soaked the carpet and pad.
Amy in the office gets her kicks by being rude in a fake-​sugar sweet voice. Zero customer/​tenant skills with her. Thin walls, you can hear conversations and even your neighbor brushing their teeth. Barely anyone picks up their dog mess, there are no sidewalks other than in the apartment courtyards. We needed to move, and move fast so we took it and dealt with it until the lease was up. If you have options, keep looking. Just don’t expect your security deposit back even if you leave the place just as you received it. They will find a way to keep it.

I disagree with most of the points mentioned so far. This place is a mess with very few positives so I’ll list those first.
+
— the location, south Tampa is a great area with lots to do and generally safe.
— the cove is on the water (sort of), your apartment is probably not or may only have a partial view yet they charge you like your waterfront.
— there is a security guard daily, and the office is open everyday except major holidays
negatives;
— The price is quite high for the age of the apartment & the area. the Camden apt down the street a block south of gandy is a good 200 a month cheaper on every model (1 – 2 bed) If I knew ahead of time I would have went there. 800 for a 1bed with no washer isn’t ok, and 1150 for a 2bedroom isn’t either. For whatever reason you think you have to come here for credit or foreclosure reasons. theres no reason to pay these rates.
— Don’t expect maintenance to actually fix anything the way you would in your own home. The cheapest solution is always what is done. ie: your dishwasher isn’t broke you should just put tang in it, what do you mean your oven doesn’t work right? let me just adjust the knob that’ll fix it! The fridge sounds like its on its way out but nothing will be done til it totally dies and my food will then spoil. The air conditioner had mold in it and they claim the filter is black and its not mold. It goes on.
— Your mail and garbage are located a good ¹⁄₃ mile from your apartment
— You really can hear everything your neighbors do because the walls are that thin. You hear the neighbors in the bathroom, smoke comes through into your apartment if your neighbors smoke, footsteps, arguments, music, etc. You hear it all.
— The parking lot is way too narrow! every time you turn a corner you risk being ran into by a car coming the opposite direction. And, yes turning left out of the complex on westshore is nearly impossible.
— Lastly, the rules are selectively enforced however the office feels like it. Your not allowed to have grills, but every other resident has them. Your supposed to be quiet after 10pm, but what do they do?
— This is not even acceptable for someone «starting out» or in college. For a studio/​one bedroom with no washer/​dryer and 35 years old you can easily find places 100 – 200 cheaper per month in the same area. If you live here its because you were poorly informed, or have horrendous credit, or maybe you just like living next to a bunch of bars.
I’ve lived in student apartments with more peace than at this place. Please look elsewhere. Best of luck!

Nice little community. The apartments are relatively small for the price. Some things, like electrical outlets and kitchen drawers, are cheaply put together. There are 3 pools, although I’ve only seen two. There is also a pretty sad little fitness center. I mostly see college aged kids living here, but there are some older folks thrown into the mix as well. They have pest control spray outside every two weeks. I haven’t really experienced any real problems. It’s very easy to get into the cove apartments. I recommend for college students and those moving from out of state.

Like the other reviewer says, this is a great starter apartment. It is pretty cheap for being pretty safe. The gate is broken, but there is a security guard who stands watch starting at about 10 p.m.
Pros: Cost, they have studios, which not many apartment complex have. Their 1bd/​bth is nicely priced too. Nice pool. There are 3 pools. However, I would only classify one of them as actually nice. One of the pools is by the leasing office and looks out onto the water. It is a great place to relax and hang out. The other two pools are ok, but not as great. One of them is easily accessed by anyone and at times I think people who do not even live in the complex swim there. I have not swam at the pool by the gym, but just by glancing inside it looks like a perfectly fine pool, but nothing special. At the nice pool by the water there is a small bar b q that works well as long as you don’t have too high expectations.
Cons: Gym. It is pretty small with basically no free weights. There are only two treadmills and two ellipticals (although one of the ellipticals is broken). There are only a couple weight machine. (On a side note, I once left an ipod touch in the gym and it was never turned in). Pets. There are a decent number of pets in this apartment and if you get unlucky you could end up in an apartment next to a barking dog. Neighbors, although for the most part you will never talk/​see your neighbors, some of the residents you do see seem kind of trashy. This is expected for the price and most people are perfectly fine. Kitchen, the kitchen is small. Do not expect to be a great chef in this apartment. There is basically no counter space.
Overall, I would suggest renting here if you are starting out your life or need a reasonably priced apartment for a period of time.

I’ve lived at The Cove for six years in two different units and I’m getting ready to move into a third. The property is well maintained, maintenance is always prompt and professional, and front office staff friendly and helpful as well. If you’re looking for a place close to everything that is still quiet and safe, this is a great place to live.

I think everyone in Tampa has lived in the Cove at one point or another. This is a great starter apartment for young couples or recent college grads. I lived in a studio apartment my first year out of college because I needed a safe, but affordable apartment.
The apartment might not be the most modern or have the most amenities, but it is a gated community, has three swimming pools, tennis courts and a small gym. The gorgeous sunsets are the highlight of the apartment. Just grab a few beers and find a lawn chair by the pool for one of the prettiest views.
The location is great, minutes from the Gandy Bridge, Westshore Mall, and I 275. The Green Iguana is stumbling distance from the apartment if your looking for a nearby burger and cocktail.
Downfalls of the apartment: waiting to make a lefthand turn onto Westshore Boulevard during in heavy traffic, the younger and noisy residents, and the paper thin walls. I could hear my next-​door neighbor peeing in his bathroom through my adjoining wall!
My biggest gripe was that the apartment does not enforce the dog rules. There were constantly dogs running loose without leashes and some neighbors did not pick up after their dogs… Seriously, if you won’t pick up after your dog then don’t own a dog!!!
The apartment is not perfect, but it served it’s purpose when I was young and broke.