Thanks to everyone in this thread for their contributions, I figured it was time to join and do my part to contribute.
6/8/21 - Pulled log number #33xx. Requested two-bedroom unit for two people. Don't know when they assigned numbers but I applied in early March and this is the date the lottery closed.
10/18/21 - Received request for documentation from the marketing agency.
10/30/21 - Submitted documentation on housing connect.
11/1/21 - Received request for further documentation.
11/4/21 - Marketing agency says they are happy with the documentation. They send over a survey for apartment preferences and a request to book a time to view apartments.
11/21/21 - Viewed three apartments, sent in unit preference the same night.
11/30/21 - Received final income verification documents to sign for HPD approval.
12/1/21 - Submitted signed and notarized income verification documents.
12/2/21 - Marketing agency confirmed that documents were sent to HPD for approval and that I should hear back in 5-10 business days.
MGNY consulting has been great throughout the process They've been helpful, personable, and have quickly returned any emails or phone calls.
Insofar as the building itself is concerned, here are some bullet pointz covering the pros and cons:
- Amenities (common areas, gym, package room, arcade, etc) all look great.
- Charging for rooftop access is ridiculous.
- The outside facade of the building is ugly and looks like it was built on a strict budget.
- The interior of the building looks ghoulishly generic with lots of expensive-looking fake wood and stone and no artwork on the walls. I think they're supposed to be adding graffiti-inspired artwork at some point which is even weirder in my opinion. I will keep an open mind and hope that they do it tastefully and actually follow through on their stated goals of having artist spaces in the retail/commercial areas in the lower floors of the building.
- I'm worried about the noise from the 7 train. The 7 train was shut down the weekend I viewed the apartment. I was reassured that the apartments within earshot of the train have triple-pane windows.
- Generalized statements I can make about the three units I viewed.
- Pros:
-- Kitchen appliances are high quality.
-- Finishes are high quality.
-- Windows are high quality.
-- If the unit has multiple floor-to-ceiling window panes in a row it looks gorgeous.
-- Bathrooms were all of a decent size.
-- Washer / Dryer are high quality.
- Cons:
-- They all felt 100 to 200 sq/ft too small.
-- Evidence of shotty construction abound. Scratches on window sills poorly applied paint etc.
-- "Counter Depth" refrigerators that are not very deep. No way you're getting a pizza box in there.
-- Some weird layouts for a brand new building.
-- I *hate* PTAC HVAC units. They are ugly, loud, and energy inefficient. The humongous beige PTACs are an eyesore.
I've uploaded the videos I took during walkthroughs of each apartment. I won't keep these up forever, but I figured they may be helpful.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h9v3vlq34...5JA4JS2Aa?dl=0
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