3/27/25
A Nightmare on Gateway Street
If Gordon Ramsay created a TV series called Apartment Nightmares, The Retreat would be the highlight of the season. If I were to describe this decrepit apartment complex in a few words it be like illustrating a scene from a horror movie: flea infested, mold contaminated, hazardous wasteland. They should seriously consider renaming the community to The Nightmare on Gateway Street. As I scroll through the reviews for The Retreat, I’m reminded of my time watching Law & Order: SVU; except these are... the stories of the victims.
To depict the reviewers as victims wouldn’t be an exaggeration. The leasing staff at The Retreat utilizes deceptive sales tactics to lure in would-be customers by showing them an ideal apartment model that doesn’t remotely resemble the unit itself. However, don’t expect to see your unit UNTIL move-in day; instead, they will delay with excuses for fear of losing potential customers. Once you’ve stepped into your decrepit unit expect to be met with a host of issues, including, but not limited to:
- Non-working appliances (e.g., washer/dryer)
- Molded dishwasher/washer
- Non-working toilets
- Leaking faucets
- Non-existent sound proofing between the subfloor
- Etc.
But don’t expect any sympathy from the leasing office after you’ve expressed your dissatisfaction with the unit; you’ve signed a legally binding contract with the devil himself. The discounted 13-month lease was merely a ploy to pique your interest in the hellish abode.
My advice to all onlookers: stay away from The Nightmare of Farmington Hills.
Review from Apartments.com