Apartment Review for 12 North Boulevard Richmond, Va 23220 - Richmond, VA

This place looks nice enough on the inside. That's what got me. Lots of sunlight and a decent layout. Don't be fooled. Let me be fair by listing the positives first: 1. Nice layout and square footage. Definitely enough living space for two people. 2. Great location. 3. Never felt unsafe in the building security-wise (break-ins, etc). I only felt unsafe due to management negligence with repairs. 4. Laundry prices were decent in the coin-operated machine in the basement. $1 a load is cheaper than the laundry mat. Now prepare yourself for the cons... 1. Plumbing is horrible. We had problems with our toilet throughout our entire stay (tank wouldn't fill at times, water ran at others). The shower was worse. Very low water pressure and improper drainage. I became accustomed to standing in 3-4" inches of water every morning as I showered. 2. "Heat" is supposed to be furnished by the Hollisters. I've never experienced a colder winter in my life. I could kick myself for not recording it now, but I'm positive that the unit temperature dipped below the mandatory 65 degrees. 3. The fire escape is not in proper repair. I feared it would collapse the seldom times I used it. The real kicker? The doors to the fire escape were NAILED shut so residents wouldn't try to use it while it was being repaired (indefinitely, apparently). No notification was given before the doors were nailed. I only discovered it as I tried to take the trash out. 4. Windows didn't close properly. The lack of insulation undoubtly contributed to the cold tempatures throughout the winter, though I think the lack of heat provision by management had more to do with it. 5. Overall, management seems far more concerned about getting money out of their residents than about properly maintaining the building and keeping it safe. While I was fortunate enough not to have a completely horrible experience living in a Hollister Enterprise property, there are several examples of worse scenarios with this company out there. I recommend googling "Hollister Enterprises and Richmond, VA" and reading other examples. Final thought: A two-bedroom apartment in the property where I resided was upwards of $1000 a month for rent (plus trash, "heat" and water). You can find much nicer places for less. Save yourself the money and the frustration (and the numb appendages from the cold) and live somewhere decent.