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I am relocating to Lexington and considering renting a unit in the Center Court development. The unit I viewed was beautifully upgraded and the soon-to-be-former renter was meticulous.
To me, the advantages of my renting this unit are its cleanliness, great upgrades, proximity to my new place of employment, and the ability to leave my apartment without a car and be in a bustling area with lots of activity and bars and restaurants (I'm a young professional who likes to have fun but not be wild.)
The negatives are that it is pricey, a shock to me as I thought Lexington would be less expensive than the large Ohio city I am relocating from. However, compared to the large apartment complexes I have looked at, (that really all looked the same) and had cheap finishes, the price difference is worth it, at least to me.
So, now that I've convinced myself to spend more, I need to be sure it's a good decision. I need to know if the area is as safe as it seems. I've lived in the downtown area of a large urban area so I have some common sense and don't walk alone at night (I'm a female), but I really do not want to deal with damaged vehicles, burglary, and the like.
Many of my questions are specific to that area and that complex and I can't really ask the leasing agent and expect an honest answer. So, here goes, is that building known to be fairly safe? Is the parking garage a concern? There is public parking on the lower level and gated parking above that, but anyone could walk up to the higher parking levels.
Also, it seems the project was initially geared towards young professionals and empty nesters yet there seems to be a lot of students renting the units, probably due to the downturn in the housing sales market and the units not selling. Has this caused any problems? Is the complex known as a "student housing" complex or is it still mostly owner, long term tenant occupied? Any known problems with student renters?
Ok, now on to my next questions. They do not have a fitness facility so I will likely join the High St YMCA. How is that facility overall? Is it well kept and clean? Is it crowded all the time or only at certain times? Is the equipment high quality? Is that area around the Y safe? Finally, is there parking available and is it sufficient? (I did not have time to visit during my apartment hunting trip.)
I'm hoping your insights will help me decide to either sign the lease or keep looking. Either way, I'm very excited about moving to the city. I think it is a unique city with a manageable size yet most of the amenities of a larger urban area. People are friendly, there are great medical facilities, and the UK will keep it young.
Just about any condo in or around downtown Lexington is now mostly for rent. Most were built after the housing market slowed down. There were articles in the paper about all the new development and what a boom it was. Turns out the boom was investors thinking they were going to flip them.....only the "Real" market never came to the party, and now, most are rental, vacant, or bank owned.
The only people who have asked me about Center Court are students. I don't have access to any statistical info on the student/non-student status of the place, but it seems to be mostly students to me.
I will say that I've never seen or heard any kind of partying or ruckus out that way and I pass through that parking garage on a near nightly basis as a shortcut to my car.
Thanks for the response. I called almost every single "upscale downtown condo/loft" and without fail was told that the units are "for sale" only. I have searched almost every imaginable property site online, check Craigslist every few hours, and have called rental agents, property management companies, and real estate companies. I literally could only find: 1 rental in Main + Rose for 1495 with no appliances, 1 unit in Artek where the floor "tilted" downwards on one side of the unit, and this one in Center Court. I checked into City Court? on MLK, the Nunn Building, and the new ones across from Rupp on Main - I think the 500's building. I have pulled into the lots and tried to find an owner/renter and get phone numbers but none has panned out. I've called an ad for a place in Kimball Square but they never return calls. I called the owner of a townhouse that has been for sale for over 16 months and asked if the would consider leasing it and they would not.
I do understand that there are a lot of unsold units, I definitely saw that (during the day many units looked empty and I drove by at night and did not see many lights on), but I sure would like to find who owns them because I would LOVE to rent one! Why aren't they advertising? Is there some secret site where they list these? Why is it so hard to find a rental then?
Actually, check out Park Plaza. If I were to stay in Lexington, it'd be on one of their 20th floor units. They're not the most luxurious but have amazing views! The complex itself has nice amenities in general.
I had called Park Plaza and was told they had no units until mid November - too late for me. Yet I see them posting like crazy on Craigslist so I emailed them about it and they never responded. I don't have time to play games with people - either you have a place for rent or you don't.
It's actually very annoying that with all the property languishing for sale for months and years that you can't find more available lease opportunities. I was on the phone again today and found that phone numbers did not answer, messages left were not returned, and "there is really nothing available for rent in the downtown area." Huh?
I've called realtors but they don't seem interested once you tell them you're looking to rent or lease.
CenterCourt gets more and more attractive, if only for the reason that the owner has a unit available and was eager to show it.
BTW, does anyone know what these typically rent for? I'm interested in the 1 bedroom unit but would also like to know what a 2bd/2ba goes for in comparison to the 1 bed units.
CenterCourt is definitely not just for students (I personally know a two-physician couple that bought there), but I would think they make up a good percentage of the population there. Most of the crime in the area has to do with the bar scene and typically involves significantly inebriated people. The area is great for young adults as it is within easy walking distance to the South Limestone entertainment area, and it is easily walkable to downtown. There's also the Colt Trolley that runs through the area and provides public transportation around the area.
My family (husband and 13 year old son) have been YMCA members for years. We go to the High St location. It is not fancy by any means but it's clean and very active. I have gone at night by myself and feel safe. Parking is on site so you dont have to walk far. Parking can get tight but I've always been able to find a spot. It's not like a lot of gyms in that people don't generally "dress up" to go work out. So if you prefer a glitzy kind of gym this isn't it. The crowd is very diverse in age but is a professional group of people.
I did lease an apartment at Center Court. It is large and well appointed. The rent is pricey but it includes two parking spots and my electric bill has never been over $45. Although there are many students here, they are by and large quiet and mannerly, and I have also met many residents who own their unit. It's not particularly loud other than the usual street traffic and noise from the many businesses nearby.
The proximity to bars, restaurants, and the downtown is outstanding. I rarely have to drive anywhere. Walked to Rupp for a show this week and down to Singletary Arts Center for a show last night. Overall, I have no major complaints and I'm very happy with my choice. I would definitely recommend the complex and the area.
Glad to hear that its working out well for you. Enjoy
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