July 6, 2006
High Living at Stuyvesant Town
Today, the NY Sun tackles the emergence of "luxury rentals" at Stuyvesant Town. Yes, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village are trying to be "Luxury Town/Village," but the Sun finds that the "1947 plaque proclaiming 'the vision' by which 'families of moderate means might live in health, comfort, and dignity in park like communities' has been taken down, though by whom is an open question." But more shocking than the transformation into higher-end rentals, it's that the digs are not for the swells.
These may be excellent moderate-income projects, but they are far from elegant. A young lawyer, Eric Lipman, who moved into Peter Cooper Village last March, says, "They're advertising luxury apartments when there's nothing luxurious about them. No doorman. No gym. No amenities. They put in new fixtures, but nothing super-fancy. Just GE - works fine, but that's it."Hmm, some shiny stainless steel model appliances, and you've got a luxury apartment - keep that in mind when writing your next craigslist apartment ad. A few months ago, we felt that paying $3000 for an apartment at Peter Cooper Village was only for morons - and we still feel that way. It's great if you work in that 10 block radius or thrive on the East Village and Williamsburg nightlife but it's hardly the greatest thing ever. Overpay your rent somewhere else!Mr. Lipman signed a one-year lease for $2,250 a month for a one-bedroom. Since April, he's been paying $2,800 and is now looking for an apartment elsewhere. "I don't have a problem with their turning a profit," he says. "But it's a cost-benefit matter. I don't think it's worth that. And for that kind of money, I'm fairly confident I can get an apartment in a building with a doorman and a gym."
Check out the Peter Cooper Village-Stuyvesant Town Village website.
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I've lived in a "renovated" Stuytown apt for 3 years and hate it. it's totally NOT a luxury complex. The buildings have slow/and or broken elevators, over priced laundry facilities, and roaches. The paint and plaster has been chipping on my walls and ceiling for over a year and they ignore my maintenance requests. We've had no running water for the past two days. We also have ridiculous Stuy town "Security Officers" who zoom around the grounds in their rent-a-cop cars and harass the tenants. The place is like a bad college campus. I can't wait until my lease is up and I can get the f-out of here.
My husband and I live in one of the so called "luxury" apartments in Peter Cooper Village.
Our kitchen cabinets are from Ikea and the appliances are very basic GE. I've already noticed that the cheap paint is peeling off the walls.
We rented a locker in one of the basement storage rooms, but had to give it up because of the garbage that constantly blocked our access. We complained but could never get the problem resolved.
I've seen mice (or maybe baby rats) in the recycling area.
I have to fight to get my wash done in the tiny laundry room which boasts a half dozen washers for 14 floors of tenants.
Crime on property is Metlife's dirty little secret. I would never ever walk through parts of Stuy Town at night. It is too desolate and there is no security to be seen.
Needless to say, once we get our lease renewal for some outrageously high new rent, we are so out of here!
I live in the unrenovated one bedrooms, and there is not much difference in the quality between the two. A better kitchen but still small and average.
Our water is constantly being shut off. Yesterday it was supposed to come back on at 10, and by 2 it was still off. And when I woke up at 6, it was dirt filled. Only one elevator works, the washers and dryers are broken with alarming regularity. My ceiling is problematic in one area, and they still have not fixed it.
I have no bug or mouse problems, but I often hear of them. The security often makes me more uncomfortable. I never have any problem walking anywhere here, security or not, but the recent hate crime really freaked me out. I also have no problem using the washers, usually never have to wait and often they are all totally empty. The one bonus!
Thankfully we are moving out at the end of this month. It is not worth it. It is no different than a housing project except that people pay a lot more to live here.
I have lived in Stuy-town over 9 years. Despite the awful halls and broken elevators, it was a nice group of tenants UNTIL we became the new college dorms for NYU. Crime increased, unpleasant neighbors, more turnover and less "neighborhood" feeling. As a mother it was very distressing to see the change over, as a tenant it has been sad to see all my neighbors one-by-one look to move.
I also love the fact that the "security" team spends a great deal of their day looking for parking spaces for their personal vehicles.
I have seen the renovated apartments. Not worth the extra money. While the kitchen/bath looks nicer.... the water (when working) is still rusty. The trash still piles up in the basement and the washers breakdown a lot.
While the new management continues to plant new flowers.... the staff in the office continue to work at ways to be even more unpleasant and/or rude. I would NEVER suggest this as a good place to move. I am one of the many "families" left that is looking to leave so they can put in a new stove and gauge some poor college students who will let anyone in the door downstairs and leave in 6 mths! Good luck!