605 West

HORRIBLE experience living at bell west end. Way over priced for such a small apartment. We had our car hit 3 times in the...

HORRIBLE experience living at bell west end. Way over priced for such a small apartment. We had our car hit 3 times in the parking garage and the staff did not do anything about it because they dont have cameras in the parking garage. We also had a yeti cooler stolen from the back of our truck in the parking garage and the staff did not care. Walls are super thin so you can hear everything from the cars on the street to your neighbors conversation. Once a week the guy that lived below us complained about our loud footsteps when we were walking normal. Pool is unheated and always cold. Fire alarm goes off ALL THE TIME. In the middle of the night, in the middle of the day, at dinner..... all the time. And the staff doesnt do anything about it except put out an email saying sorry about the fire alarm. The air conditioning unit in the apartments is extremely loud when it comes on. Garbage disposals clog easily. We paid an extremely high security deposit and have not received it in the mail. We moved out in October, they said to expect our security deposit by late November. We are still waiting for our money back.... Overall the apartment is in a decent location to downtown but besides that there are WAY better options if youre looking to move to the Durham area. Ill never recommend Bell West End to anyone.

BEWARE OF INTERNET. Beautiful property, but all of the amenities are worth nothing when the internet is constantly down. A high price to pay...

BEWARE OF INTERNET. Beautiful property, but all of the amenities are worth nothing when the internet is constantly down. A high price to pay not to be able to study or work from home. UPDATE: Internet went down again last night. And yes, it is reported to the office, by everyone, because it affects everyone. The response is always that it is property-wide, and to be patient. It was down Tuesday for 10 hours, and down again less than 48-hours later. A new provider is apparently in the works, but the wait is 3 months. Is this to save money - while still charging the residents for wifi? New provider needed immediately!

This place prides itself on being "hassle free living" Ha! First, the fire alarms. The system is faulty that's the bottom line. This building...

This place prides itself on being "hassle free living" Ha! First, the fire alarms. The system is faulty that's the bottom line. This building has had problems with false alarms, a number of times in the middle of the night on weekdays, since it was built. Management always has a different excuse, dust in the vent something. But they have not attempted corrected the problem with a new fire alarm system. And here's the kicker... it may have something to do with the terrible internet company they force residents to use. If the fire alarm is run over the bell west network which I suspect it is.... well.... draw the line in the sand with that one. But let's talk about the internet. Ewliuat was able to give me the real scoop. The building has not been forth coming about the contract they have. The contract they chose, provides the bare minimum of data for residents to share. With most residents either students or work at home types, we eat up that data in a matter of days sometimes. Therefore, crashing the server. The building can easily upgrade to a bigger better data package, but simply don't. Giving resident excuse after excuse about how its not their fault or they are stuck in a contract or wires cut by mistake. So do the math. Think about what your monthly internet/cable charge is, with about 320-360 apartment, that's a lot of money, the contract they choose is the cheapest available to them, a fraction of the profit they make from it. Meanwhile, residents lose days of pay not being able to work or miss school deadlines. Both of these issues are fixable, if resident were given accurate information. One, the fire alarms, there is a false alarm ordinance in Durham country. If residents complain to the town, they will be forced to actually correct the problem or evenually the fire department will revoke their fire alarm permit until they fix it and who knows what thay means for residents. And the internet... residents be aware of what exactly your contract says, request a copy of your indivigual contract for your apartment from ewliuat. Let the building manger know that this fixable if they upgrade for more data which ewliuat as already offered and was declined by bell west. We pay the typical price for premium service individually at any other company, while the building chose and continues to choose the cheapest possible data plan for their residents. This place is far from hassle free. These are only the top 2 problems. I think they should focus more on fixing real problems like false alarms every month and crapy internet residents are forced to used since it is force included in the rent... instead of idk the landscapers being here twice a week every week rain or shine. Or repainting the parking lot. Having a pretty place to live is nice, and it's why the rent here is one of the highest in town, but priorities here are backwards. I'd much prefer to have sound sleep and solid internet, then perfectly trimmed trees and a new gym floor every few months.

Beautiful building and a great location BUT, The fire alarm goes off once a month. They make you pay $25 for a parcel delivery...

Beautiful building and a great location BUT, The fire alarm goes off once a month. They make you pay $25 for a parcel delivery service and refuse to hold packages for residents. Most places will at least have a small package room open during business hours but Bell West End apparently doesnt have enough room in their office to hold packages. They also charge a $25/month valet trash fee, which would make sense if you lived in a traditional apartment complex with an outdoor dumpster. Every floor has a trash and recycling room which is very convenient, but you still have to pay for valet. The internet and cable package is REQUIRED and is $75/month. There is no getting out of paying for the cable. The internet goes out constantly for hours at a time with no explanation. Speaking of nickel and diming, they also charge a monthly $2 pest control fee. They made many renovations in 2017 which is great...I guess. Management did not do a great job at communicating the extent of how much their renovations would affect current residents. The first 3 months I lived here the lobby and mailroom floor was covered with cardboard and dust. They shut down floors of the parking deck for 2 weeks to install convex mirrors and clean. During this time, residents were asked to do street parking and walk. By the way, legal street parking near the building is limited. I visited the office and asked where I should park and walk since I usually come home later at night. The person at the front office told me to park at American tobacco and walk (10-15 minutes). Thats an additional 20-30 minutes added to my daily commute. When I told her that I didnt feel comfortable walking home alone at night, she said they were considering reimbursing folks for Uber rides to and from. There was never an announcement sent out about this option and she never followed up with me to tell me what they decided. Bottom line: Management is not great at communication. They are here to make $$$ off residents, even if it means turning little tricks. Cheap policies for a luxury building. The fire alarm situation is not ok. People have stopped exiting the building because this is such a regular occurrence. Im not renewing next year.

Screeching alarms in the middle of the night, is a common scenario at bell west end. A real emergency is one thing, but I'm...

Screeching alarms in the middle of the night, is a common scenario at bell west end. A real emergency is one thing, but I'm tired of being woken up by false fire alarms in the middle of the night. It happens so often people no longer leave their apartments when it the alarm goes off. I'm definitely not renewing my lease and be forewarned if you are thinking about moving into this building.

BEWARE OF INTERNET. Beautiful property, but all of the amenities are worth nothing when the internet is constantly down. A high price to pay...

BEWARE OF INTERNET. Beautiful property, but all of the amenities are worth nothing when the internet is constantly down. A high price to pay not to be able to study or work from home.

EDIT September 2017: While I was contacted about many of the issues I listed below (ceiling issue and screen door), I have seen no...

EDIT September 2017: While I was contacted about many of the issues I listed below (ceiling issue and screen door), I have seen no progress on either front. While TWO different sets of contractors came to visit to look at my ceiling, there is still a gaping hole above my patio door. Not to mention there has been no installation of a screen door. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EDIT May 2017: As of now there is yet another charge to think about, package delivery. The management is beginning to use an external package delivery system that you will have to pay a one-time fee to sign up for, and then if you leave your packages in the system they will begin to charge you after three days (while there is a "vacation mode" it lasts for one month only, so good luck going on extended vacations!). Not only is this kind of a nuisance, but the system doesn't work that well at all! I have personally had packages counted twice; once in the office and once in a locker, leading to confusion over whether I received one package or two. There have also been substantial issues with packages being "left out" in the middle of the floor by delivery men (see picture below). Once again, the mantra of "luxury living" doesn't fit for this complex. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT TO NOTE: As of last year management has changed from EDR to Bell Apartments. When I first moved into this complex, the pricing for what you got was an absolute steal. Furniture included, internet AND CABLE paid for, wonderful gym downstairs to use, and at the end of the day all I was responsible for was rent and electricity. Ever since Bell has taken over, things have started to change. I will try to highlight some of these changes: - Management has gotten a lot better at knowing answers to questions and doing so in a polite manner (something that EDR managment had a tough time doing) - While the repair team is quick to respond, a lot of times they do not do a thorough job. I have had a leak in my apartment when it rains for what seems like years, and there is still a crack in the wall they have not covered up! - The BIGGEST change (and most of the reason for their poor review) is their slow inclusion of more and more fees. While base rent is already pretty high, management has started to charge for many other things. This includes pest control ($2/month), valet trash (a service next to no one uses in my hallway since there is a trash chute on every floor, but never the less costs me $25/month), cable (even though I don't want it anymore, I am required to pay the $65/month), and now submetered water and sewer charges (anywhere around $40/month at best). This is by no means a dump or a horrible location to live. But for their billing of "luxury living" I expect so much more from this complex. Especially with them now pinching me for every last dollar I have, I would have expected some basic luxuries such as a screen door so I can open my patio door. But alas, every time I ask the management seems to say it would cost too much. Guess installing screen doors won't make them any more money.

Pros: Clean, friendly, and spacious. Has a salt water pool, and complimentary coffee in the lobby. Has an elevator and its own parking structure....

Pros: Clean, friendly, and spacious. Has a salt water pool, and complimentary coffee in the lobby. Has an elevator and its own parking structure. Doors activated based on a keycard system. Easy trash removal system where you leave your can outside your door Cons: Room had a faint smell of cigarettes

EDIT May 2017: As of now there is yet another charge to think about, package delivery. The management is beginning to use an external...

EDIT May 2017: As of now there is yet another charge to think about, package delivery. The management is beginning to use an external package delivery system that you will have to pay a one-time fee to sign up for, and then if you leave your packages in the system they will begin to charge you after three days (while there is a "vacation mode" it lasts for one month only, so good luck going on extended vacations!). Not only is this kind of a nuisance, but the system doesn't work that well at all! I have personally had packages counted twice; once in the office and once in a locker, leading to confusion over whether I received one package or two. There have also been substantial issues with packages being "left out" in the middle of the floor by delivery men (see picture below). Once again, the mantra of "luxury living" doesn't fit for this complex. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT TO NOTE: As of last year management has changed from EDR to Bell Apartments. When I first moved into this complex, the pricing for what you got was an absolute steal. Furniture included, internet AND CABLE paid for, wonderful gym downstairs to use, and at the end of the day all I was responsible for was rent and electricity. Ever since Bell has taken over, things have started to change. I will try to highlight some of these changes: - Management has gotten a lot better at knowing answers to questions and doing so in a polite manner (something that EDR managment had a tough time doing) - While the repair team is quick to respond, a lot of times they do not do a thorough job. I have had a leak in my apartment when it rains for what seems like years, and there is still a crack in the wall they have not covered up! - The BIGGEST change (and most of the reason for their poor review) is their slow inclusion of more and more fees. While base rent is already pretty high, management has started to charge for many other things. This includes pest control ($2/month), valet trash (a service next to no one uses in my hallway since there is a trash chute on every floor, but never the less costs me $25/month), cable (even though I don't want it anymore, I am required to pay the $65/month), and now submetered water and sewer charges (anywhere around $40/month at best). This is by no means a dump or a horrible location to live. But for their billing of "luxury living" I expect so much more from this complex. Especially with them now pinching me for every last dollar I have, I would have expected some basic luxuries such as a screen door so I can open my patio door. But alas, every time I ask the management seems to say it would cost too much. Guess installing screen doors won't make them any more money.

This place used to be really nice but now it is only a location for Duke University Students. People leave their trash piled up...

This place used to be really nice but now it is only a location for Duke University Students. People leave their trash piled up in the hallways, there is always a loud party going on by the grills and the facility has an 11 pm quiet time so if you are trying to sleep, the complex will not do anything about it until after 11 pm. I would avoid this place. There are too many apartments in such a small space. Good luck trying to sit by the pool too. There is not enough seating for all of the residents. And the pool isn't secure so people who don't live in the complex come in and swim.

This place is not worth the money. I lived here while it was known as 605 West, and was hoping issues were resolved when...

This place is not worth the money. I lived here while it was known as 605 West, and was hoping issues were resolved when the new company bought it...they're weren't. 1) Maintenance is terrible. When filing a maintenance request, you'll be lucky if you meet them. I'm still waiting for the light in my living room to be fixed, two months later. 2) Noise--the fire alarms go off constantly. Additionally, the garbage man picks up several times a week at 5 am. It is also adjacent to the highway. 3) Internet is awful. 4) Rolling black outs--for some reason, they think it's ok to have rolling blackouts. I'm without power today, and was the day before yesterday too. This is a pretty huge deal when you need power to get into the building and your apartment. 5) Front desk and all staff are horribly rude. 6) I wanted a spare key...apparently "policy" is that they just won't give them anymore. Want one? Someone else has to apply and be on your lease. This is a huge deal when doors lock automatically behind you. At 1300 a month for a tiny apartment in Durham, I expect a lot better than this. Steer clear.

I live in one of the corner units of the building with windows facing east and north, units with numbers ending in 68. These...

I live in one of the corner units of the building with windows facing east and north, units with numbers ending in 68. These units directly face the Durham freeway 147. Thus, the noise level in these units exceed the usual noise levels expected in a city apartment unit and the management company has not taken any initiatives to lessen the noise level for the units on this side of the building. Simply putting in noise reducing windows or indicating that the unit faces the freeway at time of leasing would have addressed this problem. Prior to leasing, they had given me the wrong direction that the unit is facing. Management does not need to say the unit is noisy but simply that the unit faces the freeway. I agree every person's tolerance of noise is different but whether the noise affects the person living in the unit is ultimately determined by the tenant. I understand that this is an apartment in the city but saying that the noise is "normal city apartment noise" and "no one prior has complained about the noise from the freeway" is not an adequate way of addressing these issues. Management leasing agents most likely have no idea what the exact noise level is in these units since it can be easily disregarded during the short 5min tours of the unit nor have they taken the time to find out what the noise level is that they are saying is "normal." Fortunately, I have a 6months lease and not longer but would have easily extended my lease if this issue had been addressed in a better fashion.

Very friendly and helpful staff. Convenient location. Reasonably priced especially with most amenities furnished including furniture! New Management had made great strides in being...

Very friendly and helpful staff. Convenient location. Reasonably priced especially with most amenities furnished including furniture! New Management had made great strides in being attentive to issues as they arise. I am pleased with my residency here! - 4 stars

The main reason I moved into 605 West is because they advertised a heated saltwater pool. I specifically asked if it was heated and...

The main reason I moved into 605 West is because they advertised a heated saltwater pool. I specifically asked if it was heated and open year round and was told it was. While it is open year round, it is most certainly not heated. It is also not very peaceful between the frequent fire alarms and early morning trash pickups on Monday and Thursday mornings (5am-ish). The latter seems to only be an issue for those of us living on the corner near the entrance to the parking garage.

I love living here! Amenities are great! staff is great! A few hick ups here and there but nothing this place cant bounce back...

I love living here! Amenities are great! staff is great! A few hick ups here and there but nothing this place cant bounce back from! Love living in downtown durham!