Tyvola Centre Apartments

Being new to the city and a woman living alone, I chose Tyvola Center Apartment Homes because they emphasized their security features. Unfortunately, that was not my experience.

At least one of the security gates to access the property was almost always broken in the open position, which is probably a major reason why management was frequently sending out emails warning about car thefts, mailbox break-ins, and drug use on property.

The stairwells and parking lots were always the darkest,... scariest places for me, especially at night. The most chilling moment was the night I came down the stairs at 4 am with my dog for an emergency potty break and was startled by a man in a dark hoodie hiding under the stairs. My dog lunged at him and he took off, but I hate to think if my dog hadn’t been with me. (They do accept all shapes and sizes of dogs, which I appreciate.)

You would think that Management would put measures in place to protect their tenants, especially in light of so many security failures. Instead, I received an email from management telling me, in effect, that if I’d like to park in a well-lit spot, close to my building, I would have to start paying rent on a safe parking space. I moved out.

If you are a woman living alone and concerned about your personal safety, Tyvola Center Apartment Homes is, in my opinion, absolutely the last place you will ever feel secure.
Lee mas

These are all the issues this apartment needs to address to be more competitive:
Outdated fridge, outdated washer/dryer, very small kitchen sink, old/stained carpet in bedroom, cracks in window foundations (dirt and bugs get in all the time), small bathroom sink and counter, small/outdated toilet, poor shower water pressure, outdated shower head and drain (clogs a lot), and cockroaches get in frequently.

You can find better value elsewhere for the same or slightly higher rent.

The floor plan for the 1 bedroom is quite nice and open. I get lots of compliments when people come to visit. The grounds are well maintained (although too many residents leave dog waste around). Maintenance requests are handled promptly and well, and the staff does a great job of communicating with the community.

The garbage situation is inadequate. The compactor is regularly overflowing, and the cardboard recycling bin is routinely inaccessible due to an overflow of boxes. The smaller... recycling bins are likewise almost always full and it's difficult to find one to deposit into.

The gate situation: I chose this community over some others because of the extra security that comes with a gated entrance. Unfortunately, the gates are wide open about 25 - 40% of the time. Even when they're operational, it is IMPOSSIBLE to prevent cars from piggy-backing through (I have tried), rendering the whole point of gates utterly useless. Lee mas

I lived at this complex for 2.5 years, and have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. While I adored my quaint apartment, the top-notch maintenance staff, and the friendships I built during my time there, the leasing staff became increasingly difficult to work with. Upon my move out, I had several questions to ensure I would not be charged additional fees. The staff did not seem to think my questions were important and delayed in answering me. It was upsetting that even though I had spent so... much money and time in this complex they did not treat me as a valued resident. Lee mas

The apartment unit itself I love. I love the floor plan, and the grounds are kept up very well. Full-size washer and dryer in unit is big plus. Management staff seems to care about the tenants. My friends and family are impressed with my apartment.

But the HUGE negative of this place is the garbage situation. Tyvola Centre has 403 apartments spread out among 17 buildings. There is ONE dumpster for the entire complex! It is located in the middle, and personally I have to take my garbage in the... car because it is too far to walk. The dumpster is almost always overflowing, and it is woefully inadequate for a complex of this size. I am truly amazed of this setup! There is also a recycling center which is equally inadequate for a complex this size. Sadly, I feel compelled to throw my recyclables out with the rest of my household trash.

If it wasn't for the garbage situation, this property would be 5 stars. Lee mas