7/25/17
A disappointment.
I'll begin by saying that my disappointment stems from my own particular expectations. I'm a baby boomer who is active and in good health. I've been involved in the arts, and moved from Maine to NoHo because of the activities in the building that were geared toward the arts, and I looked forward to gaining inspiration from other artists.
First of all, it isn't an arts colony.
There were very few artists, and only a small group of people attended the activities. There are many people living... there with full-time caregivers, probably as a cheaper alternative to assisted living. There were residents living without help who were cognitively impaired, resulting in one apartment fire and several incidents of the general fire alarm being set off by things left burning on the stove.
The activities are provided by a company called EngAge. Their publicity emphasizes their dedication to providing activities directed toward both wellness and creativity. The first two years I was there, I felt creatively fulfilled by classes taught by some wonderful teachers, and there were three great exercise teachers. All but one (Tai Chi) left because EngAge pays their teachers very little, and shows them little respect.
The activities dwindled during my third year. At the time I left, many of the classes were organized and taught by the building's residents, who don't get paid.
It's also not a particularly good place for seniors. The doors to the common areas are heavy, making it difficult for seniors who are physically challenged, particularly those with walkers, to open them. The hallway floors are slanted, giving people in wheelchairs an exciting ride in one direction and a challenging one in the other. The chairlift in the pool area didn't work the entire time I was there. The elevators broke down frequently.
The building is not well cared for. There are only two maintenance men to take care of the building, resulting in chipped paint and lots of dirt. The pool area wasn't cleaned during the entire season last year and was black with dust, and I stopped using the pool because of the dirt, leaves, and dead insects that skimmed the surface.
That said, my first two years there were great, and I made some close friends, not an easy thing when you're older.
Review from Apartments.com
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