Alden Park

Prospective Resident 561840

Prospect • Visited 2012

I would not recommend this apartment complex to anyone. My daughter was suppose to move into a Studio apartment this past Saturday and the apartment she was promised, was not the one they wanted her to move into. Totally different layout and dirt and plaster all over the floor. Very unprofessional. I did not have good feelings about this place and I guess I am glad this happened so she doesn't have to live there.

Current Resident 587260

Resident • 2010 - 2012

Never written an apartment review, but here it goes. I moved into Alden Park because I was starting at Drexel College of Medicine which is two blocks away on Queen Lane. The location was great for what I needed, and I got a great deal on rent at 10% off per month, with the first month free. I lived there for the first two years of med school and am now moving to a new place that is in a better location for commute going to different hospitals for the third year. The first year could have gone a lot better, maintenance was slow in their response to work order (the washing machine in the unit above mine leaked and water was coming through my kitchen light fixture, it took them months to come and simply paint over the giant water stain. Later I found out that the water damage had extended into the front closet and there was mold growing there.) The change in management to the Scully Company was the best thing to happen to this complex. The maintenace was much more prompt in responding to work orders, and package pickup employees were much friendlier and more courteous compared to the employees prior to management change. They also instituted an online rent payment option, which I chose not to use because I was just used to sending in my check, but for future residents this is a great service. Walls are thick and little noise is heard from neighbors. Sometimes you can hear yippy dogs, but for the most part the neighbors are courteous of others and keep them under control. Only one time did neighbors make a lot of noise and that was when they were drunk and having some domestic argument, I went outside to see what was up and the knocked it off. Rent for my 1 bedroom 950 sq ft was $950 which was a great deal. the biggest downside to these units are that they are old and the windows are drafty. This can be managed to a degree in the winter with caulking the seals and attempting to put up the shrink wrap. Summer is a different story and the humid days really require having the AC on continuously. During the Spring, Winter, and Fall, my electric bills never were above $50, but I was conservative with running the central air and using lights. The most expensive bills were of course in the summer, getting up to $200 if you run the AC a good amount, but that's just how it goes. If you asked me if I would recommend this place during my first year, I would have said no, look elsewhere. Now I would reconsider and say this place is a great short term leasing option, especially to potential medical students not just at Drexel, but also PCOM on city ave. and I've even seen Temple students here.

Current Resident 705308

Resident • 2012

I moved in a few months ago and having Andrew as my leasing agent was a stroke of bad luck. The process took months and he treated me with no respect and went as far as to yelling at me and I had to ask him to stop. I was about to walk out the door and rip up my lease the day I received my keys. If it wasn't for the actually complex and the size of my apartment I would have ran for the hills even after just dealing with him during the tour. So if you are looking into moving into the complex ask for any one but him! The apartments are great, very large , outdated but what do you expect. Moving in was a pain so try not to bring really heavy items, the freight elevator is a hike! Overall, very happy with the place just wish getting to this point wasn't so difficult.

Prospective Resident 8612

Prospect • Visited 2012

Andrew Brown

When I was looking for apartments at Alden Park, Andrew made sure that I received the best unit that fit my needs as a student. He was very prompt with answering my questions, whether by phone or email. I have not had great experiences with realtors in the past mostly because I thought they were not genuine and only wanted to make a sale. However, this was not the case with Andrew. Andrew truly cares about his tenants and tells you exactly what you need to hear as a future tenant...nothing is "sugar-coated." For example, when choosing between a larger more expensive unit, Andrew advised me to go with the smaller unit because he knew I was on a tight budget. I would definitely recommend Andrew as a realtor. Additionally, Alden Park is under new management and is already making great improvements!

dianacata

Resident • 2012

Wonderful Experience so far

I recently moved in (May 2012)to Alden Park. My experience with the leasing office was an absolute pleasure, Andrew is absolutely wonderful and has been a pleasure to work with. I still contact Andrew with questions here and there and he is so prompt to respond and always goes above and beyond to answer my questions. Since I moved in, I have had a couple of maintenance issues but they have been taken care of within 24 hours! I love the area, East Falls is very peaceful and still close to enough to everything. I also love the building, it has a lot of character, as well as my apartment which has a beautiful fireplace(it will definitely be put to use during the winter!) and it has lots of light. Overall, my experience at Alden Park has been great! I see there are a lot of negative reviews, but from what I've heard from other residents, since the new management company took over (Scully) there has been nothing but positive changes which I think is a reflection of what I have experienced so far. I never write reviews but I definitely thought it was worth writing my first review to Alden Park. Absolutely recommend it!

dewby69

Prospect • Visited 2012

Can not pass this place up

About to move in and very happy with my decision. The location is just right. Close to the train to get downtown easily. Far out enough to have some calm and quiet. Near the highway for a decent commute. A neighborhood that is very comfortable walking to get around. Andrew has been wonderful helping me coordinate my move . I was lucky to have the opportunity to get such a good look at it by visiting Andrew. I would have to say for all the extras I could not pass this place up will be telling all my friends how great this place is.

Current Resident 650002

Resident •

Mixed review

I've lived here for over a year now and, though I rarely write reviews for anything, felt like I should give some feedback on my apartment experience. Pros: - The grounds staff (security personnel, janitorial service, maintenance) are generally very nice and helpful. The primary exception to this would be the person who runs the maintenance scheduling, who I found to be unhelpful and blamed the issues I was having on her colleagues rather than resolving the issue. - Parking is safe and usually easy to find. Since the new management group has taken over, they've addressed the issue of guests parking in residential spots. - The apartments are clean and well maintained. The few issues I've had since moving in have typically been promptly fixed by the maintenance people. - It's convenient to the regional rail if you're a commuter, and it's pretty easy to reach lots of restaurants and shopping if you have a car. Cons: - There is a serious mouse problem. As other reviewers have mentioned, the only help you'll get from the building is contact paper. Deciding that it was both inhumane and that I had no desire to get rid of a mouse stuck on contact paper, I bought some snap traps and an electric mouse trap. During the course of my winter here I caught *8* mice. 2 babies, likely from a nest. Another issue I ran into is when the management doesn't offer legitimate solutions to the mouse problem, people resort to their own measures. My neighbor happened to put down poison, and a few days later I found a dead mouse in my living room because it had eaten the poison, run through the wall, and staggered out onto my floor. - I didn't have an issue with cold winters as I was on the 7th floor, but the windows are old with no window screens, making it difficult to ventilate even when it's nice out. - I'm not the biggest fan of the leasing office/management company. I will give them, they're worlds away from the previous company, but since coming in they have made many abrupt changes with little or no warning to the residents (changing guest parking rules, apartment inspections, parking lot repairs). Further, there have been a number of times when I've called and was addressed as though I was the idiot for not knowing about their new policies. All in all, it's an average place. If you're a low-maintenance tenant you probably won't run into much outside of the occasional annoyance, but for me -- I find it pretty intrusive to be even occasionally annoyed in a place I'm trying to call home.

Prospective Resident 76283

Prospect • Visited 2012

Excited to get started

About to move in and very happy with our decision. I'm so glad our friend found this place. When we'd visit, we were jealous she found it, instead of the expensive tiny place in Center City we had. We had to move out of state for a while, but when we found out we were coming back to Philadelphia we knew where we wanted to go. Just from the time our friend started there to now, we could see a big improvement in the buildings and grounds. The location is just right. Close to the train to get downtown easily. Far out enough to have some calm and quiet. Near the highway for a decent commute to Southern NJ. A neighborhood that we, and our friends, are comfortable walking to get around. Andrew has been wonderful helping us coordinate our move from out of town. When we've been on the property, the staff have all been very kind and professional. Our friend has been there for a few years now and has been happy with her place. We were lucky to have the opportunity to get such a good look at it by visiting her, and to have her there to let us know what it's really like to be there.

Current Resident 281999

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I ve lived at Alden Park for about eighteen months. I have a studio apartment that is the perfect size for one person and I have two nice closets for storage. The bathroom fixtures could use upgrading. The tiles around my bathtub faucet are broken and look like they could fall out any minute. There are also issues with the tub and sink draining. My windows let in lots of natural light, but also allow some air to come through. With a little weather stripping it is fine and they do not leak when it rains. Pros: I love the proximity to Route 1 and 76 East/West. There is a convenient, safe gas station about one block away. It is nice having gated security. I feel relatively safe on the apartment grounds. I have never had problems with car damage or theft. The gym, pool and tennis courts are wonderful amenities. The grounds are also beautiful and make you forget that you live so close to the city. The maintenance and cleaning employees that I ve had interactions with (Charlie, Tim, Irvine and Tyeesha) have all been wonderful and always have a smile on their face when they see you. Tyeesha does an amazing job of keeping the entrance and halls clean and smelling great and the maintenance crew responds quickly and will come back as many times as needed until problems are resolved. I m always able to find parking, but it s a lot more crowded when college is in session. Cons: The hallways are dingy and depressing. These buildings are beautiful on the outside it would be nice if the inside matched the image as well. The rent is a bit high. I ve seen large cockroaches on the ground floor, but I live on an upper floor and have never seen one on my floor. I saw a mouse for a couple of days in my apartment. It showed up when my neighbors were moving and then disappeared a few days after the move was over. When the college kids move in there are nights of noisy parties and often there are empty beer bottles sitting outside the entrances to the buildings. A few students were also found playing ping pong on the large, beautiful, antique wooden table in our lobby. The students seem a bit immature and disrespectful of their surroundings and their neighbors. They would probably be better suited to living in a dorm. I should add that not all of the college students that live at Alden Park act in this manner. There are two college students that live on my floor and they are very nice, respectful and quiet. The rental agents are great. However, I (and several other long-term renters) have had many frustrating situations with upper management and with Frank McAdams in particular. He is notorious for telling you one thing and then turning around and telling you something completely different. He does not take any responsibility for being misleading or providing inaccurate information, and instead continually implies that all mistakes are the fault of the renters. First Episode: When applying for an apartment I was told that I would not have to pay an application fee, but I was charged the fee anyway. Second Episode: I lived in Pittsburgh before moving to Philadelphia. I spent time in Philadelphia visiting Alden Park, filling out the application, and providing all of the required documents and fees. However, the application approval took a few days. I was told that if I was approved, I would be able to mail in my security deposit and first month s rent. However, when I was approved I was told that I would have to make the payments in person. I had to cancel patients for an entire day just to drive to Philadelphia, hand over a check, get back in my car and drive right back to Pittsburgh. It was inconvenient for my patients, I lost income from not working, and I had the added expense of gas and tolls because of the trip. Third Episode: After being in my apartment for about 6 weeks, I received a notice on my door saying that I owed Alden Park $450, even though all of my deposits and rent payments had been made on time. It turned out that management had made a mistake and not applied one of my deposits, yet they never apologized for the error. Fourth Situation: I had signed a 12 month lease, with one month free as an added bonus. The free month of rent was to be divided between the 13 months, for a reduced rent rate each month. At the end of my lease, I was given a notice that I owed Alden Park for a balance of unpaid rent. I paid rent each month, on time, in the amount that I was told by management. At first Mr. McAdams tried to say that I was not entitled to one month free. After he reviewed my lease agreement, he then stated that I had miscalculated my rent payments. I reminded him that the amount I had been paying each month had been given to me by management. Again, no apology was made for their error. Mr. McAdams often acts as immature, irresponsible and disrespectful as some of the college students that live at Alden Park. He does not seem to have experience dealing with adult professionals. Next year, I will have family join me in Philadelphia and will be moving to a larger apartment. I had planned on staying at Alden Park. However, I can say that my interactions with Mr. McAdams have made me consider looking into other living arrangements. Alden Park is marketed as luxury accommodations, but the prices are a bit high given the state of the building interiors, and upper management certainly does not always treat tenants with respect. Hopefully, things change over the next year.

annebolyn

Resident •

Alden Park Kenilworth Building

Although I swore I would never leave my house and move in to an apartment, I have done so, and am quite happy. The buildings are historic, and have the atmosphere of an earlier time. Some of the original woodwork is still present in the lobby and halls, and old molded plaster work adorns the upper floors. My apartment, although it doesn't have a fireplace, has huge windows with magnificent views of the Wissahicken on three sides. And they open! - unlike many new apartment buildings. Yes, they are drafty - metal casements of that type are apparently not still being manufactured. But insulated curtains should help in winter. And the light, the air, and the view are superb. When I complained to the rental agent about the less-than-adequate refrigerator in the kitchen, he had it replaced the very next morning. My note to him is included below. All I can say is that this place feels like home. There are plenty of staff, and they are all pleasant and helpful. The grounds are lovely, and well cared for. Dear Andrew, I didn't imagine that my request for a new fridge would be fulfilled in less than 24 hours! The men were here bright and early this morning to install it and haul away the old one. They took care of a couple of other minor maintenance problems at the same time, so I am more than happy. Now - if you could just manage the same feat with the microwave - - -(!) Just kidding. Thanks much,

good.coffee

Resident • 2010 - 2012

I like it here!

I have been a tenant at Alden Park for several years. I have lived in two of the three buildings on this campus - I switched for an apartment with a more scenic view. I can't speak for the experiences of other people, but I have been very pleased with my time here. The size of the apartments compared to the rent is phenomenal. Parking is off-street and the facilities themselves make me feel like I'm not in a major city (I grew up in the boondocks). Between both of my apartments, I have not seen anything creeping around my apartment (i.e. rodents or roaches). The studio I live in has 10 very large windows that keep it bright and cheery. The walls are very thick and I rarely hear my neighbors. I read several other negative reviews before writing this and wanted to comment on some of their points: The windows: Some of the windows are not up to snuff, but I was able to fix mine with some weather stripping from Lowes. To be honest, this is the only thing I don't like about these apartments. The new management: I've seen more positives than negatives from the new staff. They've repaved the road leading to my building and enabled rent and electric to be paid online. The leasing office explained that when the new online systems were put in place, the "random bills" described in another review were sent out. Also, the new staff seem to communicate a lot more effectively than the old staff. If repairs are being done on a certain part of the building, notices are sent out days in advance. Electric: My bill is between $18 and $30 per month. I am very energy conscious/conservative, but I do not find this to be unacceptable. Again, these are my experiences and I cannot speak to the experiences of others. I get absolutely nothing for writing this. I like it here enough to take the time to write a positive review.

Current Resident 30585

Resident • 2008 - 2012

Not Worth the Hassle

I have lived in Alden Park for 4 years, and cannot wait until my lease expires and I can get out. The old management was annoying, but tolerable. The new management company is a nightmare. The previous reviewer's statement that they bill you for unexplained random amounts is entirely true, and I have called them several times to complain. Simply placing a maintenance request swiftly becomes them downright lying to you and saying they were denied access to your apartment (while I was at work and no one was in the apartment, nonetheless.) Getting a package from the package room means waiting upwards of 3 hours before one of the "security guards" decides to get off their lazy butt and walk 200 yards to your building to unlock a room where packages are thrown haphazardly and yours is inevitably on the bottom. Save yourself the hassle, frustration, and interaction with selfish lazy employees!

unhappyataldenpark

Resident • 2011 - 2012

A tent under a bridge is dryer and safer.

Where do I start....I live here. I will begin by stating I have never written a review before. However in this case I feel people need to be warned before they consider moving to Alden Park. I only wish someone would have warned me.. I have come to the conclusion that any positive review must be written by management. During the six months I have lived here my ceilings in the bathroom, living room and two closets have caved in from water seeping in from the exterior walls. The management took two months to "start" repairs. ALL the windows in my apt leak every time it rains, therefore my carpets get soaked as well as the curtains,bed, furniture ect. They say it cant be fixed as all the apartments are in the same condition due to the age of the buildings. They cannot replace all the windows as it would be a great expense. It just snowed here. They didnt clean or salt the walkways or parking lot. They claim 24 hour security, however my apartment has been broken in twice. The police are here weekly arresting someone... So the feeling of security does not exist. Yes the pool is lovely the building looks great from the outside, but once your in its a living nightmare. The electric is billed by the apt not PECO the the bills are extremely high. The management sends out bogus bills claiming you are behind on rent and/or some unexplained charge of 43.00. You have to keep all your payment copies or they will find a way to charge you extra each month. Six months left on my lease and I will be moving out in five and half months. Renter BEWARE !!!! I am not alone many others here feel the same. A tent under a bridge is dryer and safer.

Current Resident 869226

Resident • 2011 - 2012

I am a Philadelphia University student. I love my apartment but dealing with the office is a nightmare. There is a man who works in the office named Frank and he is extremely rude and difficult to speak to. The woman Lachmi who answers for the maintenance issues is actually mean when you call. My friend had a 6 month mouse infestation and everything in her closet was ruined. Alden Park did nothing about it so she moved out. Many people aren't aware that if you have State Farm renter's insurance you most likely aren't covered if mice ruin your belongings. I have had my share of maintenance problems but the workers in Cambridge building are really nice. Again, the office people are the people who I can't deal with. I also think it's ridiculous that every leasing agent tells different important info and not all of them tell things that are true. They need to have a paper with specific points every prospective tenant should know so that there is no confusion. There are some great things about Alden Park and then there are some really crappy things. I won't be resigning my lease for 2013 because I don't think this area is the safest but that could be argued. Alden should try to improve because this place COULD be gorgeous.

Current Resident 760815

Resident • 2009 - 2011

Stately and beautiful

My family moved here two years ago and we love our four bedroom, three and a half bath, almost 3200 square foot apartment. The thick plaster walls keep us cool in summer and warm in winter. We have two zones for hvac with a programmable system on one zone. Really nice. The parquet foyer (we added a chandelier with the help of John in maintenance) is a stunning entrance. The formal living and dining rooms are enormous and full of light. The working fireplace in the living room was a big draw. Our east, west and south views are stunning. The Wissahickon, Penn Charter sports fields and Fairmount Park surround us. The apartment is quiet and elegant. The lobby was completely redone just before we moved in and has free wifi. We have very nice neighbors- a mix of families and singles in out building, the Kenilworth. The presence of med students from Drexels's Queen Lane Campus and grad students from Phila U are really welcome. We love the great mix of people here. The maintenance and housekeeping staff have been so helpful; they do a top notch job. Our trash is removed twice daily weekdays, once on the weekends. We are really pleased with the utility bills, considering my husband blasts both the ac in the summer and heat in the winter. The pool is lined with Mercer Tiles, is 25 yards long and beautifully maintained. The retractable roof makes the feel special, too. The new sun deck off the pool is lovely. This place is a work in progress sometimes, but all the important things get done. I hope I grow old here. if it went condo or co-op, I'd buy in a flash. Thought I'd add some pictures and balance this review with a negative or two. I'd love a better refigerator and stove (saving up to replace the standards that come with the rental). The kitchen, while very big with tons of cabinets and storage, has flimsy cabinets and an ugle tile floor.

Current Resident 668582

Resident • 2009 - 2010

A long summary

I've lived here just short of 2 years (moved in Jan 2009). My first year was ok, not without nuisances (leaking windows, a few appliance issues), but I did not hate it here. I also had NO neighbors immediately surrounding me and it was fabulous. My lease renewal was given to me 2 days before they would automatically renew it if I did not return the form. Needless to say, I couldn't take off work to get them the form since they have limited hours. And Saturday hours 10-4? What a joke. You will be lucky if someone shows up for 11. In this past year: July 1, 2010, management fired all in-building security in favor of an electronic system. However, many doors do not lock, are propped open or the college students just let random strangers in. Obvious safety concerns. There are attendants at the two parking gates (one attendant per shack) and there is only one "security guard" for the three buildings. This "security guard" is the person that comes to get our packages for us (about 20 minutes after calling usually). This is the edge the Germantown neighborhood, which is not overly safe (it is not West Philly like some say, others say East Falls because it makes it sound like they live in a safer neighborhood). I have seen people randomly wandering the halls, called security, but they are long gone before security actually gets here. There are the cars getting broken into both in the lots and on the street. Most of the buildings are full of Philadelphia University students (the University is practically next door). A majority of these students are incredibly loud and disrespectful of others. I have neighbors that are using hammers and cordless drills at 2 am, parties until 3 am (weeknights and weekends). I have asked my neighbors as well as the kids above me (I can hear them stomping around at all hours) to keep it down. I have been told to go %*@# myself and that they pay rent and they can do whatever the %*@# they want. I feel like I am back in college living in the dormitories again. But my neighbors there generally had a bit more respect for others. I've gone to management a few times, but I'll get maybe a day or so of peace before the BS starts again. Also, these kids take up a lot of parking spaces and have issues parking in just one space (or saving the handicapped spaces for the actual handicapped residents of the building). There are also the delightful car alarms that go off in the middle of the night and just keep going and going. One night, it started about 3:30 am and was still going when I left for work at 7:15 am. All of the windows are very drafty. I used to put up plastic but because so many of the windows leak when it rains hard, it is not worth the effort. I have had to take time off of work because of leaking windows before. The draftiness makes it very cold in the winter. I have not yet had any problems with my heating unit, but there's still time. And the filter has never been changed in the 2 years here. Many of the appliances are old. My original dishwasher flooded my kitchen the first time I used it, it took 9 months to get that replaced. My original oven set off my smoke detectors just by turning it on, even after I cleaned it 3 times. My range burnt my hand just by touching it (yes, there are pilot lights for gas stoves, but I've been around gas stoves my whole life and have never dealt with this insane amount of heat). Took 19 months to get a new stove. Dryer vents into apartment (health hazard). Took over a week and many phone calls to the office to get my washing machine fixed when it wouldn't fill (this was because the receptionist didn't give maintenance my request until I outright screamed at her on the phone over a week after the problem began). My toilet flushed about 7 times before it stops (down from the 15 when I first moved in). When the hose in the tank of the toilet broke and water was spraying all over my bathroom, I was told I would have to wait for someone to get their air conditioning fixed first because that took priority (this was APRIL and the temps were maybe in the low 60s). At one point, they wanted to start charging for the fitness center and pool. The pool is okay, but the fitness center is falling apart. Almost none of the cardio equipment works. The very few pros: My apartment is very spacious My walk-in closet can fit a queen size bed with some room to spare. The property is pretty I have not had the issues with maintenance stealing from me or randomly entering my apartment, thankfully. There is A LOT of attitude in the leasing office. Most times they are not very professional or helpful. This post is just a summary of my experience so far, not all of it. (I am in Cambridge). Needless to say, I would not recommend living here. In fact, run away. I am counting down the days until I can move. I would break my lease but it is more highway robbery here to break the lease than the ridiculously high rents they charge.

Cajunmoon

Prospect • Visited 2012

I don't know who just wrote that last review but I found that Andrew is one of the rudest and impatient individuals I have ever met. I inquired about apartments and it was if he were doing me a favor talking with me. To my dismay, what is advertised does not exist. The tennis court is run down, the gardens are run down and the room with the pool is in need of repairs. I had three individual tenants see me asking if I was looking to rent and all three of them advised me to look elsewhere. Three for three says something doesn't it?

Current Resident 787492

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Current but soon to be former tenant

All of the reviews written within the past few months are true. It is such a shame this place use to be a nice place. And could be again if they got management that cares about the safety and happiness of their tenants. About upper management in the leasing office so many people try to talk to her only to be told she is in a meeting and will call you back or that she isn't in that day and will call you back. I have talked to so many different residents (over 40) and she calls no one back and on days they say she isn't here her car is always parked outside the building. I would also like to add that the leasing department as a whole just tell you what you want to hear like just today I heard one say that there is a security guard usually sitting in the lobby right there but they must have gone somewhere but they are always there. That they installed the fob system and that is used on all the doors to enter the building. Bold faced lies. There are no more security guards sitting in the lobbies. They will tell you the color of the moon is green to get you to live here because everyone is moving out and they are hurting to make money. So if you want to live here go ahead rent and you will soon see we are the ones telling the truth about this place.

TrooperCMD

Resident • 2010

----- ----, "Management" Here are Criminally Incompetent

I am a present tenant here. I do not feel safe to have my girlfriend, Mom, or sister to visit, since the "managment" has fired the security guards, and now anyone can sneak in and around the buildings. Numerous cars have been broken into in the lots and garages (ask ----- ---- in the Rental Office about the 8 cars in a garage broken inot in ONE day- and her "response" to the damages, and to resident's concerns about that and many other problems here). Cars have been even by damaged by the construction crews frequently on the property, hired by Alden Park. If you get even 2-3 present tenants together, you will hear horror stories of the lack of security. Damage to tenant's cars and personal belongs inside apartments. Flooding that damaged apartments. Maintenence people entering apts without any notice (which is illegal) and stealing from tenants. Cars broken into and damaged by irresponsible construction crews hired by Alden Park, Security guards asleep, letting anyone in, or denying they heard cars being broken into in the lots- then leaving the unsecured vehicles (notice the plural) unattended for hours. But that's not the worst part- its the criminal incompetence of ----- ---- and the other "Management" staff in the rental office. They are wilfully, maliciously totally unresponsive to tenants' concerns and to damage to tenant's property and cars. This woman refuses to return her tenants' calls, refuses to respond to letters from tenants, and ducks out of the Rental Office to avoid tenants with problems trying to see her face to face. I am a present tenant here and have spoken to easily 9-10 people with similar stories of how they have been lied to and ignored by a totally irresponsive "Management" staff, personifed and led by --- ----. Dut to the crinminally incompetent, disrespectful, and unprofessional (bordering on active hostility) behavior of --- ---- and the rest of the so-called "Managment" staff towards the tenants, current tenants like myself are now organizing and connecting, holding meetings and organizing a Resident's Council. If you are a prospective tenant, heed our wanrings and go elsewhere. If you are a current tenant, join our meetings and get involved! If you are the Management here, justice is coming!

Current Resident 285414

Resident • 2006 - 2010

Not Safe!

When I moved in there was security that would sit at the front doors of all the buildings and they installed cameras at all the doors that entered the property. These cameras were watched by the security but now that they let the security go no one is watching the cameras. Alden Park is located on the edge of Germantown and now we have no security at night to keep us safe. Cars along the street on both School House Ln. and Wissahickon Ave. have been getting broken into for a while now. Now they are breaking into cars parked in our parking lot which per the leasing office was supposedly secure. Yes there is someone sitting in a booth but they do nothing to stop people entering the parking lot on foot. So now they took the security away from the lobbies there is no one in the lobbies at night and you can easily see this if you looked into the windows. So what is going to stop someone from walking along the street at night to break a window and enter the property. Absolutely nothing because there is no security, no one watching cameras, and no alarm systems of any kind. Most of the residents I have spoken with expressed this concern, that their decision to get rid of the security has now made us all sitting ducks for someone to rob us. And lets not mention the safety of the single female residents. All of this is reason enough not to rent an apartment here. But I also have to mention that the buildings may look nice at first but once you are here you start to notice how run down everything is. From the windows leaking to the crumbling plaster to the rusty gym equipment to the mosquito breeding grounds that once was a fountain to the swampy area where they have the picnic tables, you will start to see the place for what it really is, a non safe dump. Read more: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Current Resident 609240

Resident • 2008 - 2010

Poor Management Decisions

When I moved to Philadelphia I fell in love with the Alden Park apartments. The key reasons that I moved in were: Someone sitting at the door 24 hours a day, one time pet fee, and the character of living in an old building. (I have built in bookshelves in my bedroom) I used to tell everyone how great this apartment complex is even though it tends to be a little expensive and maintenance can be a bit slow. I will now NEVER recommend this place to anyone again!!!!! They have decided to let all of the people who worked at the front doors of the building go and replace them with a computer system and told the employees with a letter in their pay check that they are going to be jobless. Forget about the inconvenience that this causes when you are trying to bring in groceries or need to get a package that was delivered, it is the lack of safety that is the problem!!! We were told that there will be security driving around patrolling the grounds, but there are 3 buildings and God forbid something go wrong at more than one building at a time. We had a meeting in each of the building to explain how this new system will work, but most of the residence expressed how unsafe they will now feel, especially the single women living in the buildings. Not only did the property manager not even bother to show up to the meetings; in the follow up letter the concern for safety WASN'T even addressed. The entire situation was handled very unprofessionally. I would have been more than happy to pay a little bit extra each month to keep the people who worked at the door, since I am sure this has all come down to money, but we were never even given that option!! We were told that if someone is following you into the building and you don't know who they are you should ask them if they have a key fob to get in. I can really see myself as a single woman living by myself saying, "excuse me mister stranger do you have a key fob to get into the building?? No?? Oh I am sorry you can't come in." At that point it would be easy for any person to force their way in and assuming that the ONE security guard that is supposed to be watching the cameras for THREE buildings is actually doing their job, it would take them 5ish minutes to get to my building. By the time they would get there that robber/murder/rapist could be anywhere. This complex is already next to a very unsafe neighborhood and let's face it having a person physically sitting at the entrance of a building is a deterrent of crime!!! We were told that the reason for this change was because some of the guards were caught sleeping on the job. If I were their boss they would have been fired and I would have hired someone who was willing to do their job. (This tells you about how good the managers are that are in charge of running this complex) Unemployment is through the roof in this country, I am sure that there is someone out there who is willing to sit at a desk and patrol over night. I can't express to you how upset I am with how all of this was handled. Not to mention how unsafe I now feel living in my home. I am still waiting on the rent to go down now that they are taking away some of the amenities that they advertise. I hope that the landlords of this complex realize that the best and worst form of advertising is by word of mouth. I used to be one of their best advertisements and now I will be their worst! I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX TO ANYONE AND ON TOP OF THAT I WILL TELL ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN HOW UNSAFE AND UNPROFESSIONAL THIS PLACE REALLY IS!!!!!

Current Resident 373605

Resident • 2010

Please stay AWAY

This apartment complex is a joke. On the outside, this place appears promising, but once you walk through the doors, this place leaves a lot to be desired. The units themselves look presentable when they are shown to you before renting, but after living in them for a couple of months, the place falls apart. Severe water damage throughout the entire building during a storm a few months back. When I actually viewed the apartment, I thought I noticed that there was prior water damage, but it was masked very well with paint. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I do regret it now. Don't be fooled, the buidling's structural integrity is very questionable since this building was built in the middle ages. Some of the security staff is extremely rude. There is a 24/7 doorman, but very frequently he will be sleeping or hiding somewhere smoking cigarettes. On numerous occasions when I had my hands full carrying groceries or boxes, the doorman WOULD NOT open the door for me. He would see me and WATCH ME but was too lazy to get up and open the door. The maintenance here is a joke. They take months with very frequent visits to fix things. It seems as though they prefer to visit when you're not there, and they tend to frequently not leave a notice that they were there. It seems as though they even touch and displace things in areas the maintenance people shouldn't even be in. I'm very sceptical about the maintenance and am concerned they could steal things. I spoke to the leasing office and they said that the maintenance people have the keys to all the apartments and that they have access to them all the time. So basically, there is no system in place to ensure that they only enter your place when they are supposed to. They can enter freely in and out without ANYONE else knowing. This place is shady and I CANNOT WAIT until my lease is up and I move out. Defintely do not rent here. If this area is a must for you, there are at least 3-4 other apartment complexes without 1 block of this place. I highly recommend you look elsewhere first.

Current Resident 377015

Resident • 2008 - 2010

Stay Away!

If you are a medical student, graduate student, serious college student, or other professional, AVOID this place if at all possible. Neighbors are rude, loud and will wake you up at all hours of the night and management really could not care less. Even if you insulate your windows, expect astronomical heating and a/c bills because the windows are such a joke. The kitchen cabinets are so poorly constructed that the finish is literally falling off. The paint is so cheap that if you even brush against it lightly it crumbles. The gym is a joke too--ancient nautilus machines that are so rusty you had better make sure you have a tetanus vaccine if you dare use them. Pool is ok, but definitely not worth the additional fee. Finally, the leasing agents are unprofessional, disingenuous, oftentimes rude, and always uninterested in helping you in any regard after you sign a lease with them. Property management cares about $$ and not really anything else. They are currently offering $500 to residents who refer friends to live here, which is a desperate gimmick..I would never recommend anyone to live here no matter how much money they offered me. Bottom line: if you want to avoid hassles, headaches, frustration, steer clear of any marketing gimmicks they offer and avoid Alden Park altogether.

whitesnowtiger

Resident • 2008 - 2010

You MUST This!!!

Summary: Water damage. Maintenance people can fix things temporally but never completely. They came in anytime they wanted without notice and touched and moved my things around and used my toilet and left stains. They also broke my lamp without notice or sorry. Please read below for my story. I am currently a tenant of Alden Park. Despite the apartment was on construction for decades, I didn't care much when I moved in because as long as my unit was ok, I thought it should be fine. Plus it was close to the train station, so it was easier commute for me. After a few months, the nice looking paints start coming off and ceiling paints were rippled by water damage. We asked maintenance people to come in and fix. They were nice and fixed them. After a month or so, the paints cracked again and we had to call maintenance people again. The damages got worse and they could not fix the problem in a day. So they said they would come back a few days later because they had to fix other units(worse) first. They did not come back in a few days. We had to leave our desk and tables misplaced like we would move soon. I called them back after a week later. They came finally and fixed it temporarily. After a few month or so again, we had severe water damages after rainstorm(Mid March, 2010). Not only the window area, this time, about half of the room near the window got soaked. My fiance and I put several towels on the floor to dry, but it was soaked in an hour. We had to put baskets and bowls near the window and towels and dirty clothes on the floor. We had to pour the water out every 3-4 hours all day and all night that day. It was unbelievable. We reluctantly called the maintenance people again. I was afraid that they would misplace things and we had to live like that until they fix everything like last time. (who knows how long). The maintenance people came in and move our desks and tables again. They said they would come in a few days again. I was frustrated but what can I do. They didn't come in a few days. They came in after a week or so without notice. I only knew they were there because my things (shoes, boxes, etc) were moved. My toilet cover was closed and when I opened it, there was black/blue stains on the toilet seat. My two lighters were missing. I was very mad, but I didn't say anything but pray it would be over soon. It's been almost a month now. They came like 4-5 times without pre or post notice. I went home from work yesterday and things were moved again. There is no notice again that they fixed anything, but my lamp was broken. We told our landlord that no maintenance can come in any longer without notice. She said she couldn't do that because she paid her engineers to come and see. I don't know what to do. This is like stealing my things legally or something. I am trying to talk to Fair Housing Commission and try to get them a citation. If you don't want to deal with my problems, you must not rent this place.

pinoy916

Resident • 2006 - 2010

Current Tenant- Very detailed Review. MUST READ!!

I'm currently a medical student at Drexel (about 4 blocks away), and as a resident of Alden Park for nearly 3 years, I have mixed reviews. Parking: There is an expansive parking lot with plenty of parking. Although the maintenance of the parking lots seem to be deferred. There are huge pot holes in the parking lot, and the available solution seems to be just putting a orange cone over the hole. Noise: There are a lot of students that live in this building. The good things are the apartments seems to be well insulated, and the external noise from other apartments are kept to a minimum if the doors are closed. Grounds: Alden Park has very expansive grounds, I haven't even walked through the entire complex yet. There are plenty of grassy areas, although they have been chopping down a lot of the mature trees that people used to relax under. But some of the "amenities" don't look as good as the brochure. The tennis courts haven't been maintained, and the playing areas are cracked and growing weeds, and the nets are broken. The gym equipment is old and rusted, and many of the parts for the weights are missing. The swimming pool is nice, and there is a retractable roof to open during the summer months. There are washers and driers in the basement of every tower. Safety: The grounds are generally safe. They do have 24 hour security. There are perimeter guards that stop every car and ask the occupants of their business, but I don't know how useful this is, especially because their perimeter fencing has significant holes and open areas. People can just come in and out. They have building guards and most of them are nice. They hold your packages if you're out of town. But during the evening hours, I have found, the great majority of times, the building guards sleeping at the desk. They recently installed video cameras on the the first floor and at all entrance and exits, and there hasn't been any significant thefts since. There was one major event that happened 3 years ago where one tenant was on vacation, and a pipe burst due to a freeze. Maintenance went into their apartment to assess the situation, and coincidentally, their apartment was cleaned out of everything that day. There were some whispers that this might of been an inside job, but I can't substantiate that. Construction: This was the biggest aggravation in my experience here. Alden Park was built in the early 1920's. For the first two years that I was living here, the management failed to tell me that they would be jack hammering the exterior of the building, and updating and replacing the exterior. In their defense, it was only for a few hours a day, but if I wanted to sleep in late, I was promptly woken up to construction noise at 8 AM every weekday. I also used to live on the 14th floor, at which I paid a "premium" for the view. It was a very nice view, but living on the top floor wasn't worth the shotty construction at the top. I had 9 large windows in my apartment, and during severe storms, they would be constantly leaking. The windows were original 1920's fixtures, and they are metal swing-out window. So even if you tried to close your windows well, the metal window borders are old, and they don't seal very well, so there would always be a draft. Even with the windows closed, the thermometer would read 35-40 degrees in the wintertime. The roof always constantly leaked. I complained to the management, and they told me they were planning to fix it, but it wasn't in their budget and they had no time line. The roof leaked so much that mold started growing on my ceiling. I periodically go to the roof to see if they have fixed it, and 4 years later, nothing has been done. I consequently moved from the roof-top apartment to an apartment on the fourth floor. Although this new apartment has been great, the bathroom has no windows, and significant condensation in the bathroom leads to the ceiling plaster to peel off. The indoor temperature dilemma has been solved due to my apartment being surrounded by other apartments, so there is good insulation. The moral of the story: don't live at the top floor or at the end of the corridor. The extra money paid in rent is not worth the aggravation. Maintenance: The maintenance staff are generally very prompt, although I would have a second thought about letting those people fix problems without you being physically present. Staff: On all of my encounters with the management/renting staff, they have been very curt and slow. It took them 6 weeks to get an application when I tried to rent. But the great majority of the people that I've met: the security, maintenance guys are generally very nice, and they say hello to you, even if you're not at the apartment complex. Overall: I think I enjoyed my second apartment a lot better: less problems and heartache. I wouldn't say that Alden Park was the best apartment complex, but they seemed to have the least amount of problems compared to the other complexes in the area. This review is only for the Kenilworth building, and I can't speak for the other buildings: Manor, Cambridge. If I HAD to live in this area of Philadelphia again, I would live in Alden Park again, although I would exhaustively look in the Center City, University City, Fairmont/Museum areas first.