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Thanks Macnyc2003! I would also love to hear your opinion about the heating situation. I came across the Stuytown Report blog and read the comments section (The Stuyvesant Town Report: Banning the Leaf Blowing) as well as the tenant FB group in my research and a lot of ppl appear to have inadequate heat right now. It sounds like it is a recurring issue each Winter. Because of that, some expressed their inability to get renters insurance because of the excessive use of space heaters and the lack of a sprinkler system. Many tenants also seem to be concerned about the 2 power plants being built on the premises and the dormification of some buildings in partnership with NYU. I wish I could DM you for more specific details but unfortunately the city-data system is not allowing me to do send or reply to direct messages.
In regards to being able to see the unit I was offered, I simply asked to do so and was lucky enough to be able to because the renovations had already been completed. It was mostly sunny out, but based upon the interior location I don’t think the unit would be able to receive much direct sunlight.
I sent you a direct message and maybe you can reply to that.
One thing everyone should keep in mind is that Stuy Town is HUGE. There are about 9,000 apartments and 20,000 residents. So yes, some people will be cold and some people warm. Some will have noise problems and others will not. What matters is how responsive management is to complaints.
Also keep in mind that people tend to take to the internet if they're unhappy. I have never left a Yelp post saying that I'm content here.
As far as heat, every winter there are complaints. I personally have adequate heat. I'm on a high floor, and perhaps heat rises. I have never had to use space heaters, and when applying for insurance, I don't remember a question about space heaters.
Back when I worked in an office, some colleagues would have fans under their desk and others would have heaters, and we would be using them at the same time of year.
Yes, Stuy Town does not have sprinklers, but that wasn't required in 1947.
The dormification of Stuy Town and PCV is true. This is not new. For many years, NYU and the New School have rented out blocks of apartments to sublet to graduate students. Now the New School has bought a whole building across the street from Stuy Town, on First Avenue and 17th Street, and turned it into a dorm. This is actually good because the students will be in a separate building and not in ST.
As far as the power plants, the tenants association has organized some protests and we residents are sending postcards to elected officials, etc. Frankly, I have no idea how Blackstone managed to actually build one of them in an area zoned completely for residential. Plus, I would imagine there would be land-use studies, environmental studies, etc., beforehand. Here's a video of a recent protest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo1DUrdH8VI
Another problem is that new college grads have also found homes here with a couple of roommates. "Bro" culture can get very noisy if there's a party. You can call public safety to complain, and they will send someone, especially if late at night.
All I can say is, I think it's good people can exchange information on the internet, but you have to take some of it with a grain of salt. Even the advice from me!
Thanks Macnyc2003! I would also love to hear your opinion about the heating situation. I came across the Stuytown Report blog and read the comments section (The Stuyvesant Town Report: Banning the Leaf Blowing) as well as the tenant FB group in my research and a lot of ppl appear to have inadequate heat right now. It sounds like it is a recurring issue each Winter. Because of that, some expressed their inability to get renters insurance because of the excessive use of space heaters and the lack of a sprinkler system. Many tenants also seem to be concerned about the 2 power plants being built on the premises and the dormification of some buildings in partnership with NYU. I wish I could DM you for more specific details but unfortunately the city-data system is not allowing me to do send or reply to direct messages.
In regards to being able to see the unit I was offered, I simply asked to do so and was lucky enough to be able to because the renovations had already been completed. It was mostly sunny out, but based upon the interior location I don’t think the unit would be able to receive much direct sunlight.
I have many of the same concerns as you, StuytownTorn - some of the stuff written on the internet is brutual. But I'm 90% sure I'm going to do it. I have friends of friends who love it there, and outside of the internet I have only heard good things. Still, I feel similarly to you at times and all of this (waiting) time to think has made me very anxious about it all. I'm glad you asked these questions and I'm also glad to hear how happy Sunnyand50 is!
Please let us know what you decide. How much time did they give you to decide/move in?
Also, were you one of the people who were told one bedrooms were "on hold" before?
Hi everyone! I won the lotto a few months ago and have been living in an ST 1bd since November. Just wanted to share that I am super happy here and this experience has honestly been life-changing.
For anyone who is nervous about signing, I have 2 suggestions (I think these came from macnyc initially and was a huge help to me):
1. Since you cant view your unit first, I recommend going in person to view it from the outside. I counted units from the ground floor up to get a sense of which one was mine, what direction it was facing, how much light I would get, and how much noise I would hear from the street.
I don't have many gripes, but here are the few I have:
Location - I ended up on 20th, nearer to Ave C. It's a little out of the way for my personal needs but overall not a big deal. The M9 and M23 are nearby and extremely convenient.
Poor Apartment Ventilation - There was a strong smell of fresh paint that lingered for a month after I moved in. You can't open the windows all the way to air it out, and even after leaving them open for days the smell was still strong. I HIGHLY recommend purchasing an air purifier. In a matter of days it fixed the smell issue, but ventilation is a general concern for me for personal reasons so it is slightly annoying.
Noise - Thankfully my neighbors are quiet, but, as other mention, walls are thin.
Window Screens - Apartments do not come with window screens and they are an out-of-pocket cost. I think each window costs $60 and getting all windows screened in a 1bed costs around $300. Apparently moth infestations are a huge issue for tenants who leave windows open in the spring/summer without window screens. Something to be aware of.
These are a few things I wish I knew before moving in. Hope it is informative, but overall, I am so, so happy here. The price (if you can afford what they give you) and size of apartment made living here a no-brainer for me. Zero regrets so far.
I have many of the same concerns as you, StuytownTorn - some of the stuff written on the internet is brutual. But I'm 90% sure I'm going to do it. I have friends of friends who love it there, and outside of the internet I have only heard good things. Still, I feel similarly to you at times and all of this (waiting) time to think has made me very anxious about it all. I'm glad you asked these questions and I'm also glad to hear how happy Sunnyand50 is!
Please let us know what you decide. How much time did they give you to decide/move in?
Also, were you one of the people who were told one bedrooms were "on hold" before?
Mickey - you have 5 business days to sign the lease from the date you receive the offer email (not 5 days from receiving the lease). They gave me the option to start between 10 days to 2 weeks of receiving the offer email, but I requested a little more time and they were able to give me 3 weeks.
As far as heat, every winter there are complaints. I personally have adequate heat. I'm on a high floor, and perhaps heat rises. I have never had to use space heaters, and when applying for insurance, I don't remember a question about space heaters.
Back when I worked in an office, some colleagues would have fans under their desk and others would have heaters, and we would be using them at the same time of year.
Yes, Stuy Town does not have sprinklers, but that wasn't required in 1947.
:
In lieu of the horrific events in The Bronx today, I would hope the use and need of these space heaters is severely diminished.
Thank you for sharing your experience rr19. Yes, MickeyZ I was originally put on hold for a one bedroom initially but was asked a month later to provide docs, and then 2 months later given an offer. Once received you have 5 business days to sign lease and pay initial funds.
In lieu of the horrific events in The Bronx today, I would hope the use and need of these space heaters is severely diminished.
Yes, this is heartbreaking.
There have been fires periodically throughout the years here, mostly caused, I believe, by people smoking in bed. Fortunately, Stuy Town was built to be fire resistant, and the flames have been confined to the apartment where the fire started.
Thank you for sharing your experience rr19. Yes, MickeyZ I was originally put on hold for a one bedroom initially but was asked a month later to provide docs, and then 2 months later given an offer. Once received you have 5 business days to sign lease and pay initial funds.
Stuytowntorn, were you part of the lottery that closed in spring 2021, or an earlier lottery? I'm curious whether they're (not) processing log numbers in order, since my log number is in the 400s and I'm still waiting for an offer.
Hi All! Congrats to those who’ve made it through! This forum appears to be full of some great insights. I recently was offered a 1 bd apt (log #10XX, higher range income earner, less than $1500/mth, 14th street, lottery finish with stainless steel appliances). I was wondering if those that have moved in so far could share about their experiences so far. I’m mostly concerned about the noise complaints (I know it is apt dependent so curious if anyone has moved into a particular noisy situation), complaints about the lack of heating, and the reports of often stolen/misdelivered packages. I also was able to see my apt in person and as much I would love to move in because of the less expensive rent, rent stabilization, and larger space, the particular apt I was assigned was fairly dark given its location on a lower floor. If the opportunity arises, I would prefer to switch to a higher floor or an apt with more direct sunlight. Does anyone know if it is possible to transfer to a different unit once in the building?
Going to repost my pm...
Perfect timing I was just checking in on this group. I will post in the public forum as well.
My honest opinion (sigh) someone has to be a serious drug user to pay market rate rent here.
The positives it's like having a gated community within the city. The property itself is VERY quiet but I guess that can depend on where your unit is located. The grounds is great besides the dog poo but I always watch where I step in nyc. The neighbors have been extremely welcoming. I love the community activities can't wait to see what they have during the summer. Resident services has been very kind and public safety. Maintenance will give you the REAL low down about the property. Seems everyone feels like Blackstone will be the death of ST-PCV and they are very vocal about how terrible of a landlord they are. The maintenance process has no order or system but again that seems to stem from lack of staff and no one wanting to work under Blackstone. I'm lucky my apt does have a ton of natural light I don't think I could do it on a lower floor. You can see into those units easily and I know they have to hear everything on the street level. While we are on the subject of noise yes the reviews are 100000% true you can hear your neighbors like no place I've ever experienced. Whether they are noisy or not there is ZERO insulation in-between apartments next to you and above or below you. Ridiculously thin walls and floor. I've unfortunately experienced the Stuytown "brown water". The units are very large! I wouldn't tell my worst enemy to take a unit here market rate and imo I wouldn't recommend unless someone was miserable where they lived, or paid an obscene amount for rent. It's still going to boil down to quality of living they need to slowly start adding insulation padding to each unit they "remodel" it's not your normal city living loudness.
Overall it depends on your particular situation whether to live here or not.
To add the fall and early winter can be brutal with the heating situation because well there isn't any =( but in the full swing of winter it's gotten much better (well in my unit). I haven't had any packages stolen so far but I can see how it can happen. Granted Stuytown has large clear signs telling the delivery services do not to leave any packages in the lobby.
Feel free to message me with any questions I'll give an honest unbiased opinion.
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