We lived at Island park for 2 years. In both apartment and townhouse. When we first moved into the townhouse it was heaven. The...
We lived at Island park for 2 years. In both apartment and townhouse. When we first moved into the townhouse it was heaven. The lay out of the 3 bedroom is spacious and efficient. The building quality is definitely dated. The pipes have seen better days and the windows are ancient. Both buildings we lived in were riddled with mold in both bathrooms and around the windows. The amount of condensation build up is impressive even with a dehumidifier running 24/7 and the heat kept on to dry out the air. Be prepared to battle mold for the duration of your lease. It is just painted over between tenants, never actually addressed.
While in our townhouse the complex underwent a year long remodeling project. We were unable to afford the jump in price for a remodeled townhome, so moved into a 3 bedroom apartment. Now this was not an extensive remodel, more of a face lift. New counter tops, appliances, flooring, paint, fixtures, and cupboard faces. The old sad leaky windows, and tubs remained. Our apartment was a mess upon move in since construction finished the same day we were scheduled to move in. Which was planned 2 months in advance. The walls of the apartment are extremely thin. You can hear everything your neighbors are doing. Which is apartment living I suppose.
The office staff were friendly and helpful. Since this is a training property there was always a new face in the office. The grounds are soggy all winter, but beautifully maintained. The area itself is nice with access to the river trail just a few short blocks away. The only true downsides to this complex are the huge rent hikes at lease end and be prepared to not get your deposit back. No matter how long or well you scrub your apartment on move out the office will take out a large cleaning fee and carpet cleaning. In the office Kim told me the usual carpet charges were around $75 dollars. I should have called and gotten my own quotes. I was charged $240 for a small apartment, seems excessive. I spent 8 hours deep cleaning every surface of the apartment, touch up painting, and cleaning appliances. I took pictures of every room and surface. On my walk through Carol said she only spotted a few minor issues, but didn't name any specifics. She said the apartment looked amazing, we chatted about the new area my family had moved to, and I gave her my keys. When I received the charges for move out and the inspection list, it reads as though I left a filthy apartment.
Again it is a great neighborhood and quiet the majority of the time with quick access to anything you want to do in the area, just don't waste your time cleaning on move out since they are going to keep your deposit anyway, and get your own carpet cleaning quotes. Move out ruined the experience we had.