Locust on the Park Apartments

I've lived here for three years, and ever since the building changed hands from Dranoff to Aimco, the place has taken a hard dive. They fired the amazing concierge staff and removed the front desk. Theres an "on call doorman" who doesnt always answer and removes the safety benefit of having a doorman. They installed a new "Smart Package" system that has resulted in lost packages and potential fees if you dare leave your mail for more than a few days. There is no full time maintenance staff and... so as a result, it takes forever to get anything repaired (and the building is old and falling down so repairs are often required). The upper management could care less about the residents and ignores any effort to voice concerns (the site manager is responsive but can essentially do nothing so that's not helpful). The train is crazy loud and runs at all hours of the nights, and theres always loud construction going on at the surrounding buildings. It's a facade of luxury wrapped around apathetic money grubbers. There are plenty of other nice places to live in Philly. Go to one of them and skip this place. Read More

The building sold in 2018 and new management (big REIT) has completely changed things for the worse:

- Zero communication of rationale for changes or goals. Treated like an income stream at best.
- Terrible responsiveness, whether to maintenance or other requests
- Intrusiveness, including unscheduled visits to apartments
- Hidden fees and charges (no apologies included when called on their bluff)
- Removal of or charges for previously included services (fired awesome staff, packages cost money... to store more than 3 days, removal of gym amenities)
- Rent increases, despite the above

Building manager tries her best but I think she's stuck in a soulless corporate machine.

At least the lobby has a couch and techno music now!

Two stars for nice location by river and solid spatial dimensions to rooms (they can't change that easily, I guess). Read More

This used to be a great place to live. With the advent of the new owner in 2018, things have gradually changed for the worse. One of the good reviews here mentions that "The doormen are some of the nicest people you will ever meet". The nice doormen, some of whom had been here for a long time (Bryan was here 17 years) and were the jewel of this building, have been fired (without notice). There are new doormen with far less experience (but not in the morning) who don't know us, and the plan is to... get rid of them all. This means dozens of delivery people entering the building every day without anyone checking who they are, how long they stay, where they go. Common parts are cleaned less often now (my neighbor started using her vacuum in the common corridor to keep it decent). Several units have recurring leaking problems, either from the wall or the ceiling. Neda, the part-time building manager, means well, but most decisions are made above her, and upper management is totally unresponsive. We are now charged common-area utilities, this means $150/month for a 2b2b unit in Winter. The new automatic package-receiving system charges you if you do not pick up something within 3 days.
I give 2 stars only because the location is great. This place is but a shadow of what it used to be. Read More

This used to be a wonderful, friendly, well-maintained and safe complex. Over the last year they have fired all the concierges, added on “utility” charges, installed barely reliable “smart” locks, thermostats and a package delivery machine. The building has become pretty much dehumanized and there is no one in central management who is easily accessible or helpful. Maintenance is hit or miss—it took 36 hrs and a great deal of prodding by me to get a leak under my kitchen sink fixed; the... maintenance guy was unpleasant and likely would not have fixed the leak had I not been watching over him the entire time. There are plenty of other places in the Fitler Square area that are much nicer. Read More

I’ve lived in this building for nearly two years now, and the apartments, staff, and management are simply amazing. The units are soaked in sunlight from the oversized windows, the ceilings and open floor plans make the rooms bright and airy, and the recent remodel gives the place a modern, upscale vibe. The gym is great and rarely full, probably because most people choose to do their cardio outside on the trail. I love the fact that I can step out the door and onto the Schuylkill trail or head... to the amazing dog park nearby. The neighborhood is really safe, and as a woman, I feel comfortable walking alone at night. The doormen are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and the new manager, Sarah, called me personally on New Year’s Day to make sure my heat was working again after I had an issue with it. So great. I can honestly say that this is the best apartment that I have ever lived in and I won’t be leaving anytime soon!

The only cons I can think of would be the high price tag (totally worth it!) and the sound of the nearby train. I haven’t had any issues myself with noise from the trains, but I have heard other residents with windows facing that side of the building mention that it can be heard from their apartments. Read More