Review: Ashbury Woods Apts in Huntsville AL of Zierdt Rd (apartment complex, renters)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The complex itself is beautiful, well-manicured, and the buildings are attractive. The parking lot situation leaves a little to be desired but it's ok. It's just a little difficult to get around in the complex as there is only one way in and out of each lot. But there are plenty of spaces.
The pool is beautiful and is set next to a volleyball court with real sand -- what a find! Inside the main office's building is an exercise room and a billiards room that can only be accessed with a special card that you have to pay $35 for. In a way, I liked that because that means young'uns and unsavories that didn't pay for the access can't get in at all hours and mess up the place. Good thinking. Also a very nice sized and reasonably priced rec room that is elegantly furnished.
My 1-bedroom apartment is - in a word - HUGE! I was the first one to live in this building so everything was brand new. Unfortunately, sometimes that causes a headache as little things go wrong, but nothing that couldn't get taken care of. Also, it means no one has lived there before you to add little necessities that would have to be left behind, as I may wind up doing.
My first impressions as I toured my new space was that it was well-built, although "on the cheap". Everything is pretty, but instead of chrome throughout, only the plumbing fixtures are chrome while all other fixtures are a fake gold-brass color. Not real modern. Decent refrigerator, although a mite small with no icemaker. The stove is a no-frills coil-element type, and there is a dishwasher and disposal. Washer & dryer in the apartment is nice, as is the cabinetry all in all. The interior of my apartment has vaulted ceilings as it's on the third floor. Very large and spacious, it has a built-in counter that separates the kitchen from the living area;
Love the closet! Wow! It's huge! I didn't even bother buying a dresser. Instead I got some hanging organizers to shelve my clothes on. If you're single with a baby, this could be your nursery -- it's that big and spacious!
Now that I've lived here there are a few naggling little things I think the builder could have done differently:
- One beef I really have is that for the price and supposed luxury of the place, THERE IS NO ICE MAKER. this was shocking to me. Even the cheaper apartments have refrigerators with ice makers. This is a big down-side to this apartment considering the cost.
- I must say the washer & dryer should be arranged so that the washer is closest to the bathroom door, instead of just always to the right of the dryer. This is because when you open the double doors to the washer/dryer space, with the dryer being closest to the door, there is very little room to open the dryer door to get your clothes out. Also, I would have installed louvered or sliding doors because in the current configuration, you have to close the doors completely and get back into the main bathroom before leaving with your laundry. A very tight fit.
- One towel bar in the bathroom, and it's barely attached to the wall. My first night I put two towels (dry) on it and it came right out of the drywall. the maintenance guy came back and said he anchored it, but it just came out again last night.
- More towel bars and/or hooks! There is no hand-towel bar, only the one cheap towel bar, so I had to buy over-the-door hooks (with a very low profile or the door won't close).
- Ceiling fan in living room is too high off the ground for me to switch the light on & off, and I am 5'7"; both the pull-cords should be longer.
- The counter could be described as a half-moon but it's more like a quarter-moon. Don't expect two people to be able to eat there comfortably, but one person is a good fit. Until I got my desk I used the counter and found the height to be a little high. Even the tallest barstool had my laptop just below my chest so it's more comfortable to just stand.
Interesting write up since I just moved to Ashbury Woods in September. I really like my 1 BR overall, but the one noticeable thing was exactly what you got to: the appliances. No icemaker!!! Come on. The Fridge, and dishwasher are smaller than I've ever seen and the thermostat isn't programmable. If you don't look too closely, it's an aesthetically pleasing place - especially considering the price. Nice neighbors too, so I'm happy with it.
There is a reason that many tenants at this complex leave as soon as their 12 month lease is up. The management staff at the complex has changed a few times while I've been here, and it's owned by a corporate builder in Ohio called Gross Builders.
The floor plans are indeed large. However, there are many annoyances that devalue the living experience. In my time here, someone has shot themself in front of the building, and a pipe burst in the middle of the night (thus setting off loud building-wide fire alarms for 3 hours starting at 11pm). Management did not once contact the residents to at least inform us of/explain the situation. Solicitors plaster their business cards and ads on the mailbox building, magazine salesmen have knocked at my door, and businesses have taped ads on my door. The build quality is cheap. The ceilings are very thin, I constantly hear my neighbor walking or creaking about above me. My address plate fell off of my door as it was attached by sticky tape, and my A/C failed (for a supposed new building) in my fifth month of residing here. Balcony railings are a very cheap plastic that could easily be broken by a child if they were leaning on it. The doors have spring-loaded hinges that slam the doors, and you can feel the entire wall shake when someone nearby closes their door. Unless you have curtains, you'll be contending with extremely bright lights near windows on the side of the buildings that will keep you awake. Flying in to nearby Huntsville airport, you can easily spot this place from the air. As for amenities, you have to pay a fee for access to the gym and billiards room. The addition of a garden tub is nice. No ice maker in the refrigerator, as the reason given to me was that it "is the largest point of maintenance failure in an apartment." They began closing the pool during the week as a cost saving measure around Labor Day, as it is now only open on weekends and were paying someone to be an "attendant." There is only one central dumpster/compactor for the entire complex, which often breaks or is overflowing with trash.
I had an empty 10 gallon Rubbermaid trash can on my balcony that I used only to soak golf clubs in soapy water for cleaning. I arrived home one day to find a threatening letter of lease violation stating that I littered the complex (which I'm on the 2nd floor) with trash/trash receptacles. I inquired into why I didn't receive a call or something so that I could explain its purpose, but was told "our corporate policy is that we do not have to call residents regarding apartment complex issues." Apparently the warning is kept in my "resident file."
It's a shame that a newer property with such a great location in respect to Research Park is ruined by annoyances and shortcomings. For the cost (around $740 for a 2 bedroom), you can get far more value for the money around town if you look around. This is a competitive rental market where many renters offer attractive specials and rates, yet are friendlier to their residents. They will suck you in with the large floor plan, but be prepared to deal with frustrations in the build quality and management that does more to infringe on resident personal freedoms with double standards than to value their customers.
Thanks for another take on the complex. Hadn't heard about the shooting, my word! Yeah, the garbage compactor breaking is annoying but that's my only new complaint. I know it's got some economy aesthetics but that's what keeps it affordable. I enjoy the pool but keeping an attendant at the pool 10 hours a day costs money so why keep it open when summer season is over and just zero or one person uses it each day. Anyways, if you hear any more community grapevine news, this would be a great thread to put it in. Thanks!
I just moved out of Ashbury Woods after a year to buy a house.
The problems with the appliances are true. Not very big, luxurious for what you are paying. Also, our upstairs neighbor was very loud. My biggest complaint though was the material used for the walls. you couldn't hang anything larger than a picture without fear that it would simply come out of the wall. We had to use mounting screws and glue to get curtains to stay over our bedroom window to keep the bright yellow light out. Also, we were on a corner beside the pond and the ducks were non-stop at night. Sounded like a dozen barking puppies.
That being said, I did enjoy our stay. You'll have minor annoyances at any apartment.
P.S. The guy that shot himself did it somewhere else. He was driving along zierdt road and a cop noticed him swerving and pulled him over into the Ashbury woods parking lot. At my last apartment the guy above me died in his apartment in the middle of the summer and wasn't found for a week until his next door neighbor complained about the smell.
the new management at ashbury woods is terrible this change happened at the first of this year and the property has gone down the drain. heat and air problems, bad paint, used carpet, dogs in the office, chain smoking new manager who is never available! a staff that is unfriendly and who knows nothing are just a few things. I have lived here for 2 years and the new manager is rude, uncaring and does not want to be bothered. she is too busy smoing in the front of the office or on her cell phone. if you go to the office which you will have to do if you want a repair made b ecause they will not answer the phone you have to walk therough smoke. once you get in the office no one will help you and you have to get past the dogs that hang ut in the office. It has become very unpropfessional with the change over in management and there are other apartments that are just as affordable and ab9ut the same size and level as these in Huntsville. I encourage people to look around and find one that you will be happy in with out all the repairs and a nice staff, because ashbury woods is no longer a nice place to live. The apartments were ok when they were new but no longer are they new,you can hear everything neighbors, washers, water running toliets flushing, and on top if that you get treated like crap bu the new management. try to get their corporate info but they will not give it out they said they are not allowed to???????? yeah i bet because if this was my business i would fire everyone in that office and start over!
Sad to see it has all gone downhill over there. We lived in one of the first building built and the management was always friendly and helpful. The few minor issues we had were dealt with quickly. Even when we were ready to move out, they were very helpful and flexible with when we had to be out due to delays in our homes construction. Hopefully someone will take notice of the situation and fix it.
I'm pretty sure you could find the corporate information if you searched a bit on the internet.
Unfortunately, I think that it is going downhill as well...al.com news... I currently live here..and it was nice when we moved in over a year ago.
Just this past weekend, I forgot a step ladder by my garage and came back to get it less then 40 minutes later and it was gone... :-(
It's sad to see things going downhill...
yes, it has declined in the office, the management has changed and it is terrible and now it appears that we are having break ins! There were two break ins at the apartment this week and a bunch of nice electronics were stolen from 2 seperate apartments. so apparently the apartments are easy to brek in with locked doors. i iwll be moving when my lease is up as well, there have too many changes and I am now fearing my safetly!
I just wanted to add to this thread and give credit where credit is due. Last week, we got flyers on our doors disclosing the recent break ins and encouraging us to report suspicious behavior. Tonight I was walking to my car to go shopping and saw a HSV patrol car just sitting there.
Turns out, the apartment has hired off duty officers to patrol the complex during the evenings. I don't know how long they plan on doing this, but I was impressed since off duty officers are not cheap by any means. The policeman was quite friendly and explained what they were doing and asked me if I had any complaints or problems they should be aware of. Made me feel a lot safer .
Makes me think the family running this corporation knows when to spend money to protect their investment. Good on them !
p.s.: I agree that the front office workers smoke waay too much.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
new management in 2010 is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!
the new management at ashbury woods is terrible this change happened at the first of this year and the property has gone down the drain. heat and air problems, bad paint, used carpet, dogs in the office, chain smoking new manager who is never available! a staff that is unfriendly and who knows nothing are just a few things. I have lived here for 2 years and the new manager is rude, uncaring and does not want to be bothered. she is too busy smoing in the front of the office or on her cell phone. if you go to the office which you will have to do if you want a repair made b ecause they will not answer the phone you have to walk therough smoke. once you get in the office no one will help you and you have to get past the dogs that hang ut in the office. It has become very unpropfessional with the change over in management and there are other apartments that are just as affordable and ab9ut the same size and level as these in Huntsville. I encourage people to look around and find one that you will be happy in with out all the repairs and a nice staff, because ashbury woods is no longer a nice place to live. The apartments were ok when they were new but no longer are they new,you can hear everything neighbors, washers, water running toliets flushing, and on top if that you get treated like crap bu the new management. try to get their corporate info but they will not give it out they said they are not allowed to???????? yeah i bet because if this was my business i would fire everyone in that office and start over!
.
