The Brickyard Apartments

My family has lived at The Brickyard Apartments since it was in private hands and has seen a lot of the transitions once it was bought by Monarch Investments. Some growing pains along the way with some odd decisions like going through and tossing all the original toilets and replacing them with low flow which then had to addressed all over again (Colorado based company wanting to be environmentally appropriate but at such a waste of material and personnel resources). Corporate sometimes gets... it wrong? Of course, that happens. But, the current staff is absolutely stellar -- office and maintenance. Kirsten has built a cohesive team mixing a diversity of talents while retaining important institutional memory. The setting of The Brickyard is what drew us in. Being in the older section our three bedroom apartment isn't as large but the privacy of backing up to the green area definitely outweighs more square footage and a move to the newer buildings. Whenever there is a pest or maintenance need the staff is responsive and considerate. And they persistently pursue excellence in their communication, execution, and always appear to recognize that they are entering "your home" even though you are just renting the space. It has gotten pricier over time with the corporate buy and the fact that many of the apartments in town are now owned by just a handful of companies. What hasn't increase? More significant to me is what hasn't decreased. The attention to detail and personable approach to the needs of residents is unmatched. Lee mas

We liked it when we first moved here 4 years ago. The staff was friendly and maintenance was quick to respond to requests.

The last 2 years, it's quickly gone downhill. Maintenance has, at times, taken weeks to respond to our requests, and they only communicate when they'll be coming to our apartment if we insist on being notified. Otherwise, if we're not home when they come, they'll just let themselves into our apartment(which is not something we want). Fixes are always cheap and break quickly... .

The leasing office is friendly at first, but the tone of their emails about minor infractions has become biting and condescending. 2 summers ago, the pool was closed half the time because a few college students didn't follow the pool rules. Eventually, all of the emails to residents became authoritarian and negative. We just received one this week about our building being fogged for spiders, and instead of a friendly "We're doing this because we care about your health and safety," it simply stated "This can't be rescheduled. And if you don't comply, you'll be in violation of your lease."

If you DO mistakenly violate your lease (because there are several small things you might miss while signing the multi-page contract), you'll be warned that you're about to receive an exorbitant fine, and will not be allowed to fix the mistake. No second chances, no empathy, no going even a little out of the way for the resident's peace of mind. The attitude is to comply or risk fines and eviction.

There is a small park for children on this property, which is a nice perk (if you live near it). However, the swing set is rickety (you can see the beam holding the swings sway when kids are swinging gently), the slide was gone half of last summer because it broke and it took that long to replace... And there's poison ivy all around the edges of the park and all over the property, so be careful if you want to enjoy nature.

While there are good things about this place: the pond and its wildlife, the walking trails and the beautifully overgrown areas, + the pools (one's for kids), I can't recommend someone move here and have to deal with the staff. Lee mas

Kirsten is extremely customer friendly. I especially like the ice maker in my apartment. The location is very nice, especially the fitness center. I suggest instruction manuals for the equipment in the fitness center. Things are clean. Overall I am very happy with my apartment choice.

The area is kept clean and peaceful. Whitney always is happy to help with any concerns or questions I have. Her management skills are excellent!

Moving in went very smoothly, the apartment is spacious and in good condition, and the maintenance is timely and professional. All of that considered, I can't rate is 5 stars because of how dead-set management is on keeping a trash service (that you are REQUIRED to pay for) that has not only failed time and again to pick up trash, but has recently begun enforcing (INCLUDING $75 FINES) ridiculous rules.
You may not set trash out earlier than 6 PM or later than 8 PM. There are many days where both... my partner and myself are at work during all two of these hours.
The trash bag may not be larger than (the fairly small) trash bin provided, you may not set the trash outside the bin, and you may not substitute the bin with a larger one. On days when we cook or clean (most days!!) that's simply not enough.
You may not leave the trash bin outside. If we're not at home when the trash is collected, or if we're asleep (pretty reasonable since it's usually picked up at 10 PM) we can be fined. Also, the outside bin collects dirt and bugs that we'd rather leave outside.

We've been barraged by this micromanaging of something so simple through mail, email, and passive-aggressive notes at our door for the last several months, and it's ruining our otherwise great experience here. Our lease renewal isn't for several months, but this is making us seriously consider moving on. Lee mas