The Blairs

Current Resident 849894

Resident • 2012

The Blair East is by far THE WORST apartment complex. There were issues throughout my 1 year tenancy(extreme noise from the patio, tenants above w/o carpeting or area rugs, it took six months of me calling to get my ph# added to the directory, so I did not need to go down to allow guests in as the M-F evening concierge is never at the desk and if she is she is on a personal call and is always RUDE if you dare inconvenience her to do her job. A non working dishwasher (no hot water) and ice maker (that produced brown ice) due to improper installation they crossed the lines between the 2. It took months for them to identify and fix the issue. Air condition that no matter how long you ran it WOULD NOT COOL. It is a old building that they are making a weak attempt at "renovating". If you call laying carpet and cheap stainless steele appliances renovating. But my move out was what top the cake and earned The Blairs East the title of WORST APARTMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD. The Blairs intentional and malicious behavior on the day is nothing short of negligent and unethical business practices. Read on for the LONG STORY MADE AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. IF you decide to move there anyway...consider yourself warned. 1.I decided not to renew my lease. Moving out on the 1st of the month. I reserved the elevator, in person on the 13th day of the prior month from 9AM- 12PM on the 1st. Reserving the elevator at the new residence from 2PM-6PM. 2.When I arrived at the front desk on 11/1 (moving day) at 10AM to advise that my movers were pulling up and I had an elevator, I was advised in a very thick accent and a clear language barrier) that he had given my elevator to someone else because I was not there at 9AM. I said you can t do that it was RESERVED. He said they knew it was my elevator and were aware that I was coming and would give up the elevator upon my arrival. They did not give up the elevator. I was given the elevator #3 next to the folks that were already in the process of moving. 3.I went down to meet the Movers and there are 3 bays at the loading dock. 2 of the 3 bays were occupied by trucks and the 3rd bay was blocked by a golf cart, preventing my movers from backing into the loading dock. I went back to the front desk; no one was there behind the desk. I waited about 10 minutes when the Concierge reappeared, I explained and he said he would call someone right away. I headed back to the dock and we waited about 15 minutes .NO ONE SHOWED UP. Finally, we physically pushed the golf cart out of the bay so they could back the truck in. 4.Elevator was not locked and stopping on floors. I requested that someone come down and take a look ASAP. No one ever showed up inspite of 21 calls into their front desk and business office. With all of the delays due to The Blairs incompetence, I called and extended the elevator reservation from 12-3PM. 5.I had a 1PM walk through scheduled. That had to be rescheduled. 6. WITHOUT ANY NOTICE/WARNING while the movers were in between loads the elevator that had been issued to me was given to another resident (1:30PM). Needless to say (with a mounting moving bill and moving into a new building that closes off their freight elevator at 6PM) thing went progressively down hill from there. When I finally escalated to a Manager, she found humor in this situation. By the time I left the Blairs at 4:45PM THE AFTERMATH: I headed into rush hour traffic to arrive at my new residence when the leasing office was closing and the freight elevator was unavailable. My movers were forced to use stairs to complete my move. They finished at 2AM the next morning; 11/2/2012. Instead of 5 hours it took 16 hours to move. I would not wish this experience on my very worst enemy. I called/emailed the corporate office, as you would think a ethical business would want to know if this level of incompetence were occurring. They shuffled this issue back to the same negligent staff...who I had left prior messages that went without response.

Current Resident 268615

Resident • 2011 - 2012

I have lived at Bliar East for a year. Unfortunately, I have to leave to relocate for work, otherwise I would be renewing my lease. I've read through some of the reviews here and find many of them to be the opposite of my experience. I can agree that it is easy for people to get into the building without a key-pass but that is, from my experience, common in most apartment buildings. Plus, I have witnessed the concierge stopping people who come into the front door behind someone and clearly don't have a key-pass in their hands. I keep my apartment and car locked and use common sense when by myself and thus overall, I have felt very safe at Blair East. I utilized the outdoor parking lot and found the price to be reasonable for the uncovered section compared to similar lots in the area ($75/month). The noise level was minimal compared to another apartment building I lived in recently--also in Silver Spring. I rarely heard my neighbors through the wall and ceilings. On the few occassions that I did, it was something that I accepted as part of living in a high-rise apartment building. I did witness other tenants complaing to concierage about the noise level on their floor. This tells me that it's probably luck of the draw with something like that... When my thermostat broke, it was repaired quickly and without any issue. Likewise, I feel that the management's efforts to notify me of inspections/construction/water disruption etc. were timely and adequate. My only complaint would be that there are no trash recepticals in the front of Blair East. This would, in my opinion, help encourage those with pets to discard of their dog's waste. I, myself, took the time to walk up the street to discard my dog's waste but would often see others bag the waste (or not) and leave it behind. To encourage clean up, I fell management should make it easier for tenants to discard of dog waste by providing more trash cans near the building. Finally, I will say that the activities for residents have been greatly increased in the past few months. I have enjoyed the monthly happenings of resident breakfast-on-the-go and some other parties, BBQs, and clubs. I met a lot of very friendly people at these events, in the mail room, and on the elevators. There was always a sense of community in the building. Overall, the cost of living for me at Blair East was well worth it for the location, privacy, amenities, and living conditions. I am truly sorry to be leaving. I feel that anyone considering the property with realistic and fair expectations will be satisfied with their experience at Blair East.

jsupdc

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I'd like to share other reasons not to rent at Blair East - dishonesty and expensive utilities. About two month ago, they entered each unit to "audit" the electric utility meter, and we noticed someone had accessed the utility box on the wall in the kitchen. Soon after, our monthly bill jumped from the high teens to the mid-40s. When we moved in, we were told we would only pay for what we plug into the walls. There's no way our TV, lamps and phone charger, which we use only at night, cost so much to run. Besides, why the huge jump? This is very suspicious. Another problem is that the Blairs don't adequately solicit and make it easy to provide resident feedback. Maybe they're afraid of what they'll hear and have to spend money on resident concerns that really matter. (How many, if any, really requested "Game Night?") That's why people like me must rely on sites like this to warn others.

Current Resident 420672

Resident • 2011 - 2012

I moved to Blair House a year ago, and I am bittersweet about moving for a more convenient commute. Other than the commute, I have enjoyed living here. The apartments are spacious for a reasonable price. The best part for me was the closet space and how clean the apartment was. The building is clean overall, and is still undergoing renovations. I have not seen any insects or rodents in my unit since moving in. Maintenance was always speedy with work requests. Pros: Safe, clean, laundry facilities on each floor, very friendly door people, close to the metro, close to grocery/pharmacy/restaurants, reserved parking, nice pool and gym facilities Cons: Thin walls (you can hear everything going on in the units around you. I could hear the toddler who lives above me and my neighbor's television EVERYDAY), the constant construction is a bit disruptive and noisy.

Current Resident 387409

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Okay, i usually never write reviews, but I just need people not to be deceived! First, the building is nice and so are the amenities if you live in an Ecopad apartment. However, it stops there. The business center has about 10 computers and usually only 2 works. Security is pretty much nonexistent--anyone can enter this building from the front or back. Don't be fooled by a concierge or security driving around, it does nothing!!! My first couple months anyone could enter through the back lobby door by pressing the wheelchair push button! I had to report it several times for this to be fixed! Random homeless people come into the building and I'm like okay you do not live here. Also, second hand smoke is a huge problem! There are constant cigarette smell coming from vents that take over people's apartments!!! Management "tries" to enforce green living but honestly they are NOT doing enough. A friend of mine who lives a couple floors down has had to deal with this for 7 months. Reported it to management and they simply told her "we have no control, we can not stop this!" If you are thinking about renting here piece of advice: do not rent an apartment above the second floor or below the fourth floor....

Current Resident 386417

Resident • 2012

We just moved to Blair Plaza a couple of months ago, and I have mixed feelings about it. The apartments are a bit pricey, but they are pretty spacious and located near the Metro, which is great. The building has a fitness center in it, which is very convenient, and the management tries to do nice things for the residents. For instance, they do montly free breakfasts in the lobby, and they just began some new clubs and activities, such as Zumba. I would have to say my biggest complaint about the building is related to an extended power outage we had earlier this month. The power was out for five days in 95 degree weather, meaning we also did not have AC or elevators. The building has 18 floors and a number of elderly residents. Management sent out notices via email about things they were trying to do to help people cool off, but they apparently did not realize many people could not access their email. It took them a few days to figure that out, and then they finally went around and left notes on our doors. They also did not think to check on residents, especially on the upper floors, until the 5th day. It just seemed like they had no idea how to operate in such a situation.

Prospective Resident 369181

Prospect • Visited 2012

don't even bother. I didn't even get to move in. I met with them, toured, put a deposit down on a place, and thought I was all set. Then I called later that week to see if an upgraded apartment was available and they looked at my file and told me my room, which I already had a deposit on, wasn't going to be available. I STOPPED SEARCHING FOR APARTMENTS. WHEN WERE THEY GOING TO CALL ME AND TELL ME THIS????? good ------- thing I called to ask about upgrading to a different room, or my lease here would've expired and I'd be on the street with a moving truck and no place to go. They called me back a few hours later and said I could move into a smaller room for more money, and wouldn't budge at all on price. I spoke with a few tenants in the lobby and parking lot when I first got there, and they all said to go across the street. I should've listened and saved myself this major headache. Stay the F away from this place.

Current Resident 363417

Resident • 2000 - 2012

We moved here in 2000. We have lived in Blair East in 4 apartments (1 bedroom to a 2 bedroom to a larger 2 bedroom). The reason why we stayed is the community. We really like the other long-term tenants; however, with the revitalization on downtown Silver Spring, Blair East is more unfriendly hipsters and the introduction of dogs in the past 2 years. For the past couple of years, it has been difficult to stay. The construction is never ending, which includes water shut-offs, a/c shut-offs, fire alarm testing, and other inconveniences expected on a monthly basis. Those of us in unrenovated apartments feel like the management is not taking care of us in order to get us to leave, renovate the apartments, and charge a higher rent. For us old-timers, the increase in rent this year ($200 for us) and the lack of paid utilities (we have never paid utilities until this year) is forcing us out. Also, the local school (Sligo Creek) is having issues of its own after losing its Title 1 status. safety is also an issue - people hang out in the garage and near the dumpster; also, there is no way to control who comes into the building if they sneak in behind you. I was with my son, and we were followed by someone in the garage, who I confronted, and he walked away. My car was also broken into in the parking garage. I was later told that the cameras in the garage do not work. I'm not sure what the security team does but hang out in the lobby. On the plus side, the apartments are huge, the metro/grocery/downtown SS are nearby, the pool is nice, and the mailman Bob is fantastic. We are sad to leave, but can get a better quality of living somewhere else.

amanda655

Resident • 2012

VERY NICE, better than most!!!

I actually had a great experience, most people write bad comments and never positive ones, I bet out of 20 bad comments there are 50 ppl ready to say positive feed back, but they never write about it. The Blairs had very spaciosu apts. i lived in a one bedroom and I love it, the first day I moved in, was very tough for me. I ran into Arnise Jones and Jenea, in the Business office to ask for help in ref to movers and setting up parking, Arnise showed me where to go as far asmoving in, assisted with getting my elevator and called to see how things were going abuot an hour later, Now who does that. As well as Jenea was very professional and generous with all of my questions as far as parking and the in and outs! Maint, whenever i had a maint,. request it was fixed withion 1-2 business days and they were very efficient. The buildings are getting renovated and thre is alot of noise, but its apt. living. ALL and ALL greta exp. I only had to move becasue of my job, if not for that i would still be a resdient

SCharie

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Some People Just Dont Know How Well They Have It!

If you can afford to live in Blair House, do it for a year and I promise you you will not want to leave. 1. Friendly Front Desk Staff 2. Clean Laundry and Trash Area 3. No loitering 4. Maintenance requests handled within 1 to 2 business days 5. A nice Gym 6. Courtesy package pick up and storage 7. Nice giveways every once in awhile: Caribou Gift Cards, Free Breakfast and Breakfast, etc. Yes, the walls at times seem like they are paper thin and the decor is dated compared to Blair East and Blair Plaza...but everything is convenient: 1. Blair Shops: Cleaners, Grocery Store, Pharmacy, Coffee Shop, Nail Shops, etc. 2. Walking Distance to Metro 3. Three blocks from Downtown Silver Spring Shopping District 4. Two metro stops for a major Mall and Target If you have lived in the majority of places in the DMV (trust me I have,) you would not complain about the Blairs. Yes, it is pricey and I hate the ideal of losing all utilities included...but you can't place a price on peace of mind! I went from paying $1071 for a one bedroom in White Oak to paying $1436 for studio at the Blairs, trust my pockets are empty but I know how far I have come and am appreciative! So, before you judge the Blairs, see how the other half lives first! SCharie

Current Resident 825631

Resident • 2011 - 2012

A mess

I moved into the Blairs when I had to move to DC within very short notice, and at first, I was really happy with my studio at the Blair House. What the other reviewers mention is true: for the area and accessibility to the metro, it's similar to what others are charging, and the quality of the apartments is at the very least adequate. I liked living at my studio, it was a bit larger than others in DC, and I felt quite comfortable there. It's really a shame that stuff outside of that was really horrible, that outweighs all the positive qualities. About 3-4 months after I moved in, my next door neighbor started having screaming matches with his spouse. Yes, the noise insulation sucks, and while I'm perfectly fine with hearing people moving about, screaming, swearing, and what sounds like domestic violence AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT was not something I signed up for. (I recorded this on my iPhone, it's like they were in my apt). Sometimes I'd hear music at 3 am as well, all this while I slept with EAR PLUGS!! This screaming and swearing would start at 10:30 sharp, and would often continue until 2:30-3 am - I didn't sleep for weeks, I get up to go to work at 6 am, I was a wreck. See, as a single female I was afaid to call the police or complain too much because the guy sounded quite angry and violent, and it'd be obvious who complained...I slipped a very courteous note to that apt - nothing. I spoke to the Blairs management, and despite it being in our contract that we have to be quiet and courteous after 10 pm, the manager told me that they can't kick anyone out for being too loud. BOTTOM LINE: the contract is not enforced, and the management, while nice and courteous, will not help you. The manager told me to keep sending noise complaints (so that there'd be evidence), and I did at few times when it became unbearable - the front desk would come up, say something, but then the my neighbor would NOT stop anyway. Last month, I was doing research on crime stats in Silver Spring - turned out that my screaming neighbor had a criminal past and is a registered sex offender. While in itself, it's not a crime to have a past, HEARING the violence and the swearing for MONTHS is quite a correlation....I'm glad I don't live there anymore, I certainly did not feel safe. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU MOVE IN!!!! Moving out: a nightmare. After months of this mess, by sheer luck, I was called to work in a different office for work, way out of DC, so I was about to move out and break my contract early. Let me tell you, that entire process was a MESS from the very beginning. It took me 11 (!) calls, and as many emails to talk to the manager who had to rule whether I was eligible for moving out early - yes, my job is more than 30 miles outside of DC. After waiting 3 weeks for them to decide, I called the manager again and he sent me a one-liner denying this because my job was NOT within an adequate distance. I had to pull out my contract and remind them again, that YES, I was eligible. Only then did the process begin again. Organizing the move SUCKED, and they gave away my researved parking space 3 weeks BEFORE I moved out. Not only that, but 2 weeks BEFORE I moved out, they came in and took out the fridge in my apt while I was gone and left the front door open (luckily most of my stuff was out by then) but what the hell! This was BEFORE I handed over my keys to management. BOTTOM LINE: don't expect the management to help you, not only do you get the runaround treatment, but nobody knows what is going on. I had a really bad experience - but I would say that maybe outside of Blair House, you might have better luck. And do your research.

Current Resident 707986

Resident • 2007 - 2012

HAPPY to be gone

Lived at the Blairs for a little over 4 years. Rent for a studio apt went up a couple hundred dollars in that time... not to mention soon they will make the tenant pay for electric, so the "utilities included" bit that reels you in is misleading and won't apply after this year. If you've read the other negative reviews from tenants, you already know the "bad". Consistent construction, intrusive management who have maintenance enter your apt without 24hour notice for all kinds of bizarre reasons, water that shuts on and off weekly for obnoxious green-living upgrades, the new HORRIBLE parking situation where they now charge the TENANT $100 a month to park in the parking lot (not garage, but parking lot), and will TOW the TENANT at their leisure. Despite this, I still planned to stay with the Blairs and get a 2 bedroom apt w/ my gf (at $2200 a month, no less, which is ridiculous but I was willing to pay because the community was familiar and convenient), but the leasing agent I met with didn't give me the courtesy of answering my emails after our meeting OR calling me back to let me know when an apt would be available -- something I found offensive, considering that I was a CURRENT tenant, especially. Good luck if you move here. It's not awful, but it's not exactly ideal. Upgraded apts, great for hipsters in their early 30's who don't mind hallways that smell like dog (a new addition - they now allow pets), dorm-style "rules", like to metro and enjoy waiting in line for 45 mins to eat egg-rolls at Oriental East. Cheers

Current Resident 87118

Resident • 2010 - 2012

Prospective tenants, run away

We've tolerated the Blairs for a couple of years, but living here has become so painful that we finally feel obliged to let others know how bad it is. The buildings are under near-constant construction and the noise coming from daily renovation activities is so pervasive that it is impossible to work from home or do anything in the units during the work week. If you are looking for a quiet home, do not come here. You are better off paying a little more to go to one of the newer buildings in the neighborhood. It's just not worth the level of intrusion that you will experience at every level.

Current Resident 944952

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Look Elsewhere

I've lived here for just about a year and I cannot wait for my lease to be up. This company has continually done improvements at the complete expense of the residents. Residents are given little to no warning when improvements are being done. They are painting the halls today and there was at no point any notice sent out. The paint fumes are setting off the fire alarms and continually making me go outside until they clear the building. This is no way to treat residents. I get that they are required to do upkeep, but maybe some forethought on the planning might be done next time. Probably not though. Parking has become a nightmare. I had a friend watching my dog while I was on vacation and her car was almost towed a number of times even though she was parking in the designated spot I pay for monthly. Wherever I move next I hope the leasing company has their stuff together better than these people.

Current Resident 717567

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Not worth the price

I'm going to start from the beginning of my experience here at Blair East. Leasing Process: The Leasing agent I had was fired or quit before the end of the process. But, we still kept with it because we were getting 2 months free on a 12 month lease. Not to mention, the kitchens and floor tiles were beautiful, and the apartment was spacious; only complaint would be that for the space, the bathroom is TINY. We were then left w/ another agent (Shekinah) who sat us alone in a room to sign the lease without talking over it with us. Then, she asked for an extra $90 because they failed to mention that they needed the first month's rent and security deposit on separate cashier's check. Luckily, I called Jared and he fixed it for me. Move-in: Was smooth. I got an elevator reserved and it was all fine. My time here at the Blairs has been overall decent, but again, for 1940 a month, all of the inconvenient changes and subpar service don't make it worth it. They are definitely serious about going green and have made several changes while I've been living here, like the G1 level renovations and the hallways, which look good. But the lobby is still undergoing renovations (and has been since November) and I understand that it takes a while...but for 1940 a month...I'm not sure I should have to put up w/ tip-toeing around construction to pick up a package or check my mail. In addition, they MAKE you get a parking spot and pay (I think 125/month) for it. The parking is not that convenient if you're not a resident. When my boyfriend visits, he has to park at the way at the bottom by another building and the passes only last for 24 hours...which makes spending a weekend together a little frustrating. They also installed electric meters in the apartments because now, we're going to be paying for electricity in our apartments (but they say it should only cost about $40 a month for an average apt w/ average usage; we'll see how that goes). The grocery store down the street even charges for bags now... I get the whole going green thing, but this is getting a little out of hand. As far as my individual apartment; there is always some sort of construction going on upstairs (it's been going on since I moved in 6 months ago) and it gets very loud. I can also smell one my neighbors' marijuana in the hallway twice a week; but for the most part, it almost never smells like food. Sometimes people do bring carts from the Giant upstairs into the hallways, but they leave them there...and I don't like that. Overall, my experience hasn't been terrible and I enjoy my apartment. However, for 1940 a month, I shouldn't have to experience the nickel and diming that's going on and the problem visitor parking. The lobby renovations should also have been done much quicker and they should NOT be charging for electricity, at all. In addition, they may want to consider including washers and dryers in the apartments in East. Either that or lowering the prices. The stainless steel appliances and decent finishes in the club room will only get you so far...

Current Resident 605440

Resident • 2011 - 2012

6 Month Review

I started my search for an apartment on-line and eventually compiled a list of over 60 apartments. I'm a bit of a geek in that I put them all in a spreadsheet with their respective attributes and my own rating of them. The Blairs scored highest - especially when I got a 3 month rent free on a 12 month lease. I have to say though, the leasing office experience was interesting. It seemed that I had to work harder than the leasing agent at getting it all worked out. I ended up a very nice 1 bedroom end corner unit. The 'renovated' units rent for significantly more and they are very attractive, but the non-renovated apartment is very nice. The appliances are almost identical, except that are not stainless steel. There is also ample closet space - hall coat closet, linen closet in bedroom, another coat like closet and a huge walk-in closet. They did install new carpet, but they almost have to after someone moves out as it is a very low quality carpet that already looks worn in spots and I don't wear shoes in the place. I have had a few maintenance requests and they have been responded to promptly. When one of my neighbors takes a shower/bath, I can hear the sound of running water coming from my bathroom area. It is loud enough to be distracting. Fortunately it doesn't happen that often. The concierge folks have been extremely nice. Patricia during the weekday is amazing - helpful, kind with a good sense of humor. The fitness room in the building is on the smallish size, but has very nice equipment (2 treadmills, 2 elipticals, 1 cycle, some free weights, and a nautilus like multi exercise machine), large flat panel tvs (2), a bathroom and sanitary wipes for the equipment. Overall I have found the place very well cared for and maintained. The pool area is also very nice. It is so convenient with the Giant, CVS, stores and metro right here. I agree that the business office can be a bit gruff - something that can be worked on by management. The laundry room on the floor is fine. The machines are pretty new. The laundry room itself is not as well finished as the rest of the building, but it is kept clean. Also, I have not encountered ANY bugs in the 6 months that I have been here! I highly recommend it - although it is a bit pricey.

Current Resident 530358

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Get something with better value for what it is

When we first moved in we were told there were complete new carpets in our apartment and upon taking the move in tour we managed to find more than a handful of poorly clean animal stains of both varieties. I had to fight with management for over a week to get them to agree to replace the carpeting as it was disgusting to sit on a carpet that some dog dedicated on. But I figured I would give them the benfit of the doubt and chalk it up to worthless apartment showing staff. So in the last year I've lived here the Blairs have now instituted pay parking (and said everyone signed on a previous lease to deal with it), constantly shut off water at odd hours for "routine maintenance" and managed to never fix a single thing I've requested them to in my apartment. When I first lived here I was excited about living somewhere so close to the metro and downtown silver spring but now I count the days till I move out. Their business office employees are often rude and rarely provide adequate service, but are plenty quick to push problems on someone else. The homeless often use the benches in and near the complex as their residence and no one seems to ever do anything about it. the laundry machines in the complex are constantly either working subpar or not working at all and maintenance seem to be slow to have them dealt with. Albeit it was nice that they were offering two free months with the signing of a 12 month lease it certainly doesn't make up with all the annoyances I've had to deal with. I will not be renwewing my lease at the end of next month and I will never recommend this place to anyone. Steer clear ladies and gentlemen, this place is not worth the small conveinences.

Current Resident 403847

Resident • 2011 - 2012

You get what you pay for...

I used this rating site to search for an apartment as an out of towner... I highly recommend: if theres something you like about an apartment go see it first, some reviews are over-inflated... people tend to over exagerate their bad experiences. Anyhow, the apartments at Blair House are reasonably priced for this area. They are not brand new, however very well maintained... I work odd hours, i am almost never home but will say there have been days (3-4 days) ive left food out on my counter (by mistake) and never ever seen a pest or heard a mouse, the building is very clean. I've lived with noise as a former NY'ker (it absolutely drives me crazy) but the location of Blair house is away from alot of the downtown noise and I love the quietness. There is a military discount, which can compensate for the cost of parking and the with all utilities included its just another added incentive. In a nutshell, this place is more bang for buck. If you have to live in a newer building, you will definitely lose apartment space, gain road noise & pay a higher cost, plus utilities, as most of my co-workers that live in the area are paying more and complaining about the rukus.

Current Resident 974313

Resident • 2011

It smells so foul

This place smells awful. It's gotten to the point where going home makes me nauseous.

Prospective Resident 370402

Prospect • Visited 2011

Leasing office

I called the Blair to make an appointment to take a look at an apartment. My appointment was set for 7:15pm. I got to the area 25 minutes early and went to the front of the Blair house where after a few minutes, I was buzzed in by the front desk and asked to go to Blair plaza instead. Blair Plaza is about 6 blocks away from Blair House. I drove over to the building and was having a hard time finding parking. I drove around the block, went to the future-resident parking section and all the spaces were taken. I went around the back and still no empty spaces. After a few more minutes of driving around in circles looking for parking, I found a Giant Grocery store close-by and parked there. I walked over to Blair plaza and got buzzed in and directed to the office. As I walked into the office, I was greeted by a lady and I told her that I have a 7:15 appointment to view an apartment. She then informs me that I would have to re-schedule my appointment. Shocked, I looked at the time, I was 7:17pm. I was only two minutes late!!! They close at 8pm. How long does it take to walk through an apartment?! I tried to explain to the lady that I was here early but parking around their building is almost impossible to find and she told me she understood but their cutoff time is 7:15. I asked what if I had been there at 7:14pm, and she said she would have seen me. She also informed me that there was someoneelse before me that also had a 7:15pm appointment. I'm not sure why she told me that that because it shouldn't have had anything to do with my appointment. If two 7:15pm appointments were accepted by the office, then they should have had two representatives to accommodate both appointments. She then offered to give me some information and asked me to reschedule my appointment. I told her that I didn't need any information and with a policy like that, I wouldn't want to live here. Absolutely ridiculous. Advice to management, re-visit your policy and ask yourself who that policy is really serving.

Current Resident 633036

Resident • 2010

Very friendly community, esp. good with dogs

My husband and I moved in last September. Since then, we have had very little to complain about. The only thing we've called maintenance about was when our AC leaked, and they were here within 5 minutes. They clean the apartment building every week and the grounds are very well kept. Almost no noise to speak of from the apartment above us, and only share our bedroom wall with another apartment but noise was never a huge issue. The staff has been friendly and helpful. VERY DOG FRIENDLY! We recently got a puppy and the two dog parks are great; there are also lots of friendly dogs in the neighborhood. Parking has its moments, if you come back late at night you're not going to get a spot near the building, but there is always the garage to park in. I will say that the new change in the parking policy is causing some problems. They just started charging for parking and limiting one car per apartment (unless it's a 3 bdrm). So there are a lot of spots already reserved, which makes parking a bit more difficult. Unfortunately due to the new parking policy plus an increase in our rent we'll probably be moving but we would happily stay if that wasn't the case.

Current Resident 499085

Resident • 2010

Don't do it...

I would not want my worst enemy living here! I was new to the area and a coworker of mine had just moved into the Blairs a month prior. So I inquired about an apartment and was given information on the complex/apartments. I was told over the phone that they gave a 15% military/government discount so I made an appointment to see what the Blairs had to offer. I was pleased with the area and the apartments were not half bad. Before signing the lease I informed leasing agent that I was military and was told by staff about the discount. She informed me that it was no longer 15% but 5% and that change was effective the day prior. Okay. I guess a 5% discount is better than no discount. I also gave them the name of my coworker that referred me to the Blairs so she would get "$600" for referring me. So the first two months that I lived at the Blairs I really had no problems. There was some construction but I had been assured by the leasing staff that this would only last a couple weeks. WRONG. I am a nurse and I work nights... 7pm to 7am, and I sleep during the day. Well.... there was so much noise!!! Drilling and hammering and banging. And it was above me, and beside me, and across the hallway... ALL... DAY... LONG. Not an environment conducive to sleeping. I attempted to talk to someone in the business office about all the noise. Seriously, I was paying almost $2000 a month for an apartment that I could not sleep in. Each time, there was nobody "available" to talk to me so my name and number was taken and a phone call was promised. Out of the 6 times I asked to talk to someone, I received ZERO callbacks. One day, after my 3rd night in a row working with little sleep, I had had it. I went to the Blairs business office again, and put my foot down, stating that this was unacceptable. The lady at the front desk (who obviously knew my face) was extremely rude and told me that if it was such a big deal that I could go to the building next door and stay in an apartment that was staged to be shown to prospective resident. There was no "I am sorry for the inconvenience" or any sort of apology. Whatever. I was not about to leave the apartment that I pay for to go sleep in some other apartment, 3 or 4 days a week. After 5 long months on nights I finally had to switch to day shift because I couldn't deal with not being able to sleep in my own apartment. Next. The Blairs likes to shut off the water. It seems to happen a few times a month. Sometimes there is a for warning of the water outage but sometimes not. It really sucks when you go to take a shower only to find that there is no none.... until 4 or 5 pm. But wait. There's more! The construction that went on for the ENTIRE year that I lived there(and is still going on) came with lots of other inconveniences. For instance: one out of 4 elevators available for resident use IE. 6-10 minute wait for an elevator. Awesome. Don't forget, there will be workers in and out of your apartment either drilling holes, checking something, painting the outside of the door(which my door was left open hours on end) and by the way, dint lock the door, even if you are not there, because we need access to your apartment. I think my favorite was the day that I was unable to get into or leave my apartment from 9-3 because of the carpet installation in the hallway. Then I move on to parking. TERRIBLE. Unless you pay for a spot, you take the risk of being towed out of the Giant parking lot because the spots are more and more scarce. Oh yeah, the fire alarms go off quite often... real good for the ears. And I almost forgot! I received a letter from the Blairs stating that I owed them $750 dollars! this last December! Because.... when I signed the lease in June, mind you, their "card" machine was not working and therefore my amenities fee and security deposit was not processed. Way to stay on top of things! (Little insight on the inner workings) And the coworker that was to get a check for $600 dollars never got it... because she was a cosigner on the lease and didn't "quality" or some BS excuse for them not to pay up. She finally gave up after months of trying and no return calls. So, when it came time to renew my lease.... which obviously I was not going to... I was informed that the rent was going to increase, substantially, the Blairs had done away with the military/gov discount and now parking would not free. Count me out! It seems as thought the Blairs has become consumed with making a profit and resident/customer satisfaction has gone out the window. I will admit that the location is great and there is lots of stores, restaurants, shops etc. But it is not worth the hassle and the headache that the Blairs causes.

Current Resident 577052

Resident • 2011

Nightmare Leasing Agents

We applied for a 3 BR apartment in May and it took THREE months for the leasing office to actually find us a place to move into. They had no idea when one would open up and could never tell us why or how there were absolutely no apartments available in the middle of peak moving season!! When we did finally get a place they threatened us with "pulling the application" when it took us more that 48 hours to turn in our pay stubs!!! Steve is a complete idiot and we could NEVER get a hold of him. The receptionist always said he would call back and he never ever did. He also mailed the lease to the wrong person and then took almost two weeks to send it to the right person after I called and emailed several times. They are totally incompetent there and if there were any other apartment complexes available that didn't have horrible reviews I would have dropped this place like a bad habit. They also raised the rent price $300 per month when we went to sign bc rates changed while WE were waiting on them to get their ---- together. They also didn't offer us the 2 free months off which was the original selling point of the whole place! On top of all this mess, we never imagined it would take THREE months to find a friggin place so we were forced to move out of our old apartment because our lease was up and move everything into storage and live with my parents (2 hour commute each way) while the Blairs messed around trying to "find us something". They are all complete morons and I pray to jesus I never have to work with them ever again once we are settled in. Bottom line: if you have a better option (which we did not unfortunately) DO NOT BOTHER PUTTING IN AN APPLICATION

Prospective Resident 378309

Prospect • Visited 2011

Question for current residents

Are ALL utilities actually included in your rent payment? I'm referring specifically to Blair Plaza.

Current Resident 923136

Resident • 2009 - 2011

Loudest place I have ever lived!!!

I have lived at the Blair Plaza since 2009 the noise level is ridiculous. They gut each apartment after tenants move out. This is a 2 week process that involves massive drills that vibrate the whole apartment all day long, banging and hammering that sounds like your ceiling or walls are going to cave in. There isn't one place inside of your apartment that you can go to get away from the noise. My 2 year old and 3 month old kids can not nap ever. My daughter cries because she is scared of the drill sound. I have had to leave my apartment and have my kids sleep in the car because it is so loud. Now that it is summer I can no longer have them sleep in the car because it is too hot. I have called the business office to complain and they did not care one ounce. They said didn't you get the notice...yes thank you I did get a notice. I get one almost every week explaining they will be doing construction. Just because you send out a piece of paper telling me doesn't make it okay. I have had to have my kids sleep in the car, the hallway and in the closet. I am miserable living here and I would never recommend anyone with kids moving here. I wish I could attach a sound clip so everyone would know what I am living with. Plus on top of the construction the fire alarm that could perforate ear drums goes off on average once a month. It's a complete nightmare. Total and complete nightmare. Obviously I am moving and I will never recommend Blair Plaza to anyone.