The Preserve at Tuscaloosa

Current Resident 1098201

Verified Resident • 2022

Overall experience has been good since moving in August 2022 with the exception of this one incident. Neighborhood is affordable, quiet and close to UA. Would recommend the community to any UA student!!

Current Resident 1075602

Verified Resident • 2021 - 2022

This apartment complex is very nice and clean. There are countless amenities. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. I love all of the different events that they have to participate in. I would recommend this place to anyone!

Current Resident 1072055

Verified Resident • 2022

So far, my experience has been less than desirable. First, one of the reasons I moved here is because the website advertises "gated community with controlled access." That's a joke. At least one gate has been open the entire time I've lived here (two months), and usually more than one gate is open. The water/sewer bill is wrong, and when I asked about it they just told me they knew and were getting it fixed. I'm unsure why it's taking so long to get it removed from my account, though, and I better not receive a late charge for not paying the incorrect amount. The staff is very unhelpful whenever I have asked them anything. When the dog park was closed, emails were sent out that it was because dogs were sick. No symptoms to watch for were given or anything. I emailed and asked, no one replied in about a week, so I went in and asked. They essentially lied to me and told me no dogs were actually sick and that they just needed to shut it down in order to clean it up. I find out later from another dog owner that there were dogs with hookworms! Why did I get lied to? If I'm asking, just tell me straight. When I toured here, I was also told that UA buses stop here. That's not true either. The university trolly stops here, but it's about a forty minute round trip across Tuscaloosa and is unreliable as far as time goes. I do still like the fact that it's close to campus and that it's relatively quiet, although the walls are incredibly thin and the floors squeak, which means I can hear my upstairs neighbor whenever he's there. The apartment itself is decent and the grounds are a little less than decent. The maintenance guy is always riding through the parking loud playing music ridiculously loud. Apartment is worth it, the staff/management are not.

Current Resident 1071957

Verified Resident • 2022

I love the privacy of the apartment. The roommate matching was spot on and I'm satisfied with that. It is also in a great proximity to my college. It would be better if the apartment had an elevator though. It would also be great if there was a more clear representation of the amenities.

Current Resident 1067864

Verified Resident • 2022

This community is fantastic. On move-in day, everyone was kind and helpful with any questions I had. Everyone I have encountered since then, involving employees or neighbors, has been great! The apartments are clean and aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention, the security and upkeep of the area are excellent.

Current Resident 1060880

Verified Resident • 2022

Overall it has been a pleasant experience! There have been a few minor hiccups (wasp nests have been forming outside our front door making wasps frequent visitors, front door had to be heavily forced shy the first week we lived here, our dishwasher wouldn't start) but maintenance is very quick to your call of action making it a seamless fix. The Preserve really does have some of the best staffing and it is clear they care about who they hire. There is always a friendly face to greet you in the office and that makes me feel better and more welcomed to pop in and say hello. I would definitely recommend this complex to any other student to live in as we really have it all!!

Current Resident 1057921

Verified Resident • 2022

So far so good! Met some great people, the staff is kind, and nice property. They only downside was upon move in the people hired to clean did a poor job. I had lost to clean upon moving in. The staff has been great with helping me get my packages and any issues I have!

Current Resident 1033938

Verified Resident • 2021 - 2022

I couldn't have found a better place to live. It's an apartment with the amenities you dream for without being $1500 a month for a studio or one bedroom apartment. The staff are super friendly and helpful.

Current Resident 1029504

Verified Resident • 2022

Apartment is very good and safe for staying. In terms of cleanliness and all Community services, I found it very good. All issues and problems are addressed within a very small time of span you just have to mention them.

Current Resident 1017468

Verified Resident • 2020 - 2022

It has been decent. That's all I can really say. The building is sloped and you can see the poor architecture of the building. The doors don't close properly because of this. There are always a lot of bugs and when you put in work order they say it's fixed and in reality no one from management has even worked on it, so they lie. Oh and people smoke weed all the time and it smells to high heaven! But other than that it's livable :)

Current Resident 1009903

Verified Resident • 2020 - 2022

This is the worst place I've ever lived. The mail situation is awful. I hate having to go through the office to get my mail. I've had my mail lost, given to the wrong person, and been given Some else's mail. Not to mention I work nightshift. My schedule is different than most people so it is difficult to get it when the office closes. However, my worst experience has been with maintenance. Legally a resident should receive a two day notice before someone enters their home. That does not happen here one time I only received a 4hr notice (but the email was a 8am when I was already in bed.) So in 12pm the maintenance guys comes right in and wake me and my husband up. We are both Healthcare workers who work nightshift. I have also had a maintenance worker enter my apartment without a notice at all. I am also in school in addition to being a nurse and maintenance has walked in on me taking a test on Webcam when there wasn't supposed to be any noise. I told them I was on Webcam testing. They didn't care that just walked right in. Maintenance has also been very loud in my apartment while I've been trying to sleep for work. They locked my broom and mop in the water heater closet; I don't know why they didn't just move it out of there if they were going to lock it. Anyways I could go on forever but I'm counting down the days until I can move out! Seriously I am; it's 111 days left in this hell hole.

Current Resident 999512

Verified Resident • 2021 - 2022

I like living here management is very helpful. There place is very quiet and the school is close and you can get everywhere within 15 minutes or less. Everything is nice the utilities are with the bill so it is great.

Current Resident 998043

Verified Resident • 2022

Pleasant and efficient? above and beyond? I needed help with move in and approval because I was out of state while my wife and child needed to move in? Fred helped a lot and went above and beyond with his services

Current Resident 992311

Verified Resident • 2021 - 2022

The Preserve of Tuscaloosa is a wonderful place to live. Everyone is so nice. I was suggest the Community to anyone looking for a nice safe place to live. I had no problems since I been living here. Staff is great.

Current Resident 960962

Verified Resident • 2020 - 2021

Tim and the maintenance staff are amazing, and we deeply appreciate them. However, the speed at which our requests are met is absurd. We had our washing machine break for the third time, same problem each time, and all times it was more than 2 weeks before it was repaired, and we had to hound the office to give us updates or alternate access to a washing machine. Also apparently this is the same part that breaks in all the washers (which is a red flag about this complex buying ------ washers) but they dont ever have the parts on hand. I am so sick of the same problem, and the community manager was less than helpful.

Current Resident 960832

Verified Resident • 2021

Sketchy men hanging around, definitely not students. Walls are thin and need professional pest control services throughout the complex. There is a guy working on his old beater car in the parking lot and a group of various men rotate smoking on their patio overlooking the parking lot.

Current Resident 880875

Verified Resident • 2021

There are so many things that needed repairs, multiple times even. Every time I have placed a work order you tell me it's complete when it was not fixed at all. Brian is really good at getting things taken care of but rest of maintenance team I feel like really slacks.

Tacallya_B

Resident • 2020

The Preserve is a wonderful place for students to live. The amenities are great, but the staff is even better. They always answer any questions I have and keep me informed about clubhouse events. All of my neighbors are kind and helpful as well. I appreciate the neighborhood as it is quiet and peaceful. The new renovations are very promising! Best place to live.

Jjrockfeatureboi

Resident • 2018

Living here is a good bang for your buck being so close to campus and a good living environment. Staff keeps up with maintenance requests and does so in a timely manner. Pool is great for hanging out and relaxing

Current Resident 808429

Resident • 2015 - 2016

I live at campus way now and their are 2 older men that I know of that aren't even students offering weed to younger students and trying to sleep with the younger girls there. They aren't even going to school at university. This place let's old creeper guys stay here!! I thought it'd be safe but when I'm being hounded by these guys and offered to have sex for drugs it's no way safe I feel. I'm ready to leave and Noone is doing anything about it despite saying they've changed, they havent!!

Jdarchibald

Resident • 2015 - 2016

First off Campus Way has a serious roach problem. Secondly walls are paper thin. you can literally hear a full conversation in the parking lot from your room. The management is friendly but outside of that it simply just a place to lay your head.

Current Resident 884389

Resident • 2013 - 2015

This summer I received death threats from both of my roommates and was nearly physically assaulted by one. Our personalities weren't meshing well so we began to dislike each other. It happens we're girls. They took it a step further and began to harass me in various ways. I notified campus way manager and staff immediately after the first incident....they did nothing.i begged that the roommates be relocated or that I be relocated they said I would have to pay $200, even though I was being harassed by the individuals they placed in the aparttment with me. Every week they (roommates) did something new and I would report it to management . I told them I feared for my safety because it was 2 against 1 and if I defended myself what would happen. I was told to RUN out of my own house or be evicted for defending myself. They told me "File a conversation log" after each incident . This went on for 2 entire months. Finally when the roommate closest to my room and I began to argue and it escalated and she kept threatening to slash my tires and beat me up along with her family's help, I filed my police report and she was moved out 3 days later to the apartment next door. They lied to my mother and were all apologetic about why it took so long and yada yada. Keep in mind it took them 2 months to relocate her even after my life was threatened and that I feared for my safety. This morning 8/18/15 the dumpster door was jammed and I couldn't open it so I placed my trash by the dumpster because I couldn't physically open it and I was on my way to class. Within 3 hours I was fined $50 for not properly disposing of my bags ,even tho their equipment wasn't working properly. Do you see the problem here??? Like do you see the problem here??? Or am I the crazy one. Since when is trash more valuable than my life??? It took 2 months for me to feel safe in a place that I paid $439 to live in, because it surely wasn't my "HOME", but less than 3 hours for them to stick a fine on my door for freaking trash! Don't live here please. Their roommate matching sucks because the girl who tried to assault me wasn't even in school and had been to jail for domestic violence before,but some how she matched my requirements of a quiet and respectful roommate. Don't be fooled by the low price or the renovations. Management is crappy and they care more about their physical property that the residents who occupy it. As soon as my lease it up. Bye -bye Sh*tty-Way.

Current Resident 323012

Resident • 2014 - 2015

One of my roommates moved home for the summer, but was still paying rent for the room and campus way decided to do an "emergency move in" to that room, and they only gave us a 15 minute notice. I'm pretty positive they wouldn't have even called me if I hadn't walked in on a strange man in my apartment removing furniture. CW's explanation was that the rent was late for May, it was May 1st. Luckily they stopped the move in with enough complaining, but they were very unprofessional about it. It's pretty awful. I'm sure that it is becoming public housing because there are people who are not college students who are living here and there a very sketchy people who like to roam the grounds at night. More often than not, there's a police car floating around. Also, with no notice at all, there will be maintenance people who just show up. We did sign a lease agreeing to it, but the men don't usually have on a proper uniform which doesn't make an apartment of 4 girls feel very safe. DON'T SIGN A LEASE HERE. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, I PROMISE YOU.

Current Resident 969240

Resident • 2014 - 2015

Campus way is a terrible place to live. They lure students in by charging an extremely cheap debt, but they make no effort to actually ensure that your living conditions are acceptable. Upon moving in, my apartment was disgustingly filthy. We were promised all new flooring at the beginning of the year, a promise that has yet to be fulfilled. Our oven and stove did not work, and there was a 3.5" gap between our door and the door frame. When this was brought to the attention of management, their response was that, as it did not present an "active danger to safety", they would not repair the door. Whatever you do, don't stay at campus way.

Current Resident 813403

Resident • 2012 - 2013

Where can I start? Campus Way OR American Campus Communities? ACC has a policy where the landscape or curb appeal, is their main focus. They put alot of work into making sure the grass is cut and beautiful flowers are planted conveniently by the street for people to see. All of this is to distract you from the horrible conditions of the units. There IS mold that is trapped in the ceiling of the bathrooms and the temporary fix is a bleach spray to turn the blackish/grayish spots back white. The appliances ares old, the cabinets are old, the mattresses are old. They put money into getting the parking lot repainted but not providing new carpet to the units. Disgusting. They steam the carpet, not CLEAN the carpet- so guess what? The stains will be back shortly after the August 15th move in date. The staff, oh the poor staff. College students are forced to maintain a high conversion rate of getting their leases signed by prospective tenants. The corporate level and the local level of managers and directors simply do not care. They have their favorites of their staff. The local managers hate their jobs. So good luck :) Also, the cleaning service that they use is unprofessional and basically volunteers off the street so don't be surprised if you walk into a disgusting room....quality people, quality. Also, there is a prejudice there towards individuals that do not speak English as a first language- Sweet Home Alabama huh. The reason why Campus Way is still floating above water is because they are probably the cheapest place to stay in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa does have alot of luxury apartments for students. Campus Way is simple and to the point. See, I didn't want to be dishonest and not point out the good things about Campus Way :) I use to be very nervous about walking to the computer lab at night because the area from my apartment to the computer lab was completely dark and suspect. They need better lighting at night. Oh and the regional director for that area is a butthole, he doesn't care about the staff, he only wants to see profit ( but it's America so i'm not surprised). If you plan to live at Campus Way, ask for the front of the property they have the best units. Also, all of the reviews that you are reading on here are absolutely true. Except for the ones that make Campus Way seem like the best place on earth...that's probably staff members just doing what they were told :) Good luck!