Thomas Jefferson

[zimzima]

Okay so now I checked out a 1 br in the Thomas Jefferson that seemed to be priced more sensibly. I read from my last thread that there are roaches? IS THAT REALLY TRUE?? :eek: Also, i think someone mentioned the thin walls.. and the horrible insulation.. which seems to be the issue in all of the Lefrak buildings. The only reason i'm considering that place is b/c the unit i viewed was in good shape.. and the price, i don't think i'll find a better deal.

Can I get a list of ALL the cons of living there?
Thanks in advance! :)

[LostinLaMancha]

I don't a lot about Thomas jefferson building, but I just think that it smells funny. The corridors/elevators etc.

What's this great deal that you are getting, care to share with us?

[tjmax]

Ah, finally my area of expertise :D

Ok, the pros:

- cheap
- cheap
- cheap

Now the cons, and to address your concerns:

- stinky hallways
- extremely high heating bills (if you use the apartment heater) - you can of course buy your own heaters from Target or wherever and save at least $75 a month on heating bills. I havent done this coz I am too lazy, and I hate having all this extra stuff in my apartment
- roaches: now, I dont know what the deal is with all the apartments, but I have found some roaches on and off since I moved in. The exterminators come in every 2 weeks, so make sure you fill out the forms etc for that. Roaches arent that much of an issue though provided the exterminators are regular.

The walls arent as bad as some of the other buildings (or I have very quiet neighbors).

So if you are looking to save about $200 a month in rent, TJ is the place for you. If you dont mind spending that extra cash, then go to the newer buildings.

[tjmax]

I also feel like TJ isnt the best place if you have kids - as far as I can tell, a lot (most) of the apartments here are shared. This essentially means that you never see or get to know your neighbors. You will meet more families with kids in the Hamptons and Riverside and Atlantic. They also have more outdoor space and play areas.

[ejm]

You may want to try to get into the John Adams, George Washington or James Monroe. They are decent apartments in good condition (mine is anyway), and they aren't that expensive compared to Marbella, Southampton, etc. Plus, there's lots of families and our neighbors are respectful.

[LostinLaMancha]

I hate the move-in/move-out fee ( $300 on weekday, $500 on a weekend ) for James Monroe. Not worth it, unless you can get a long lease, or you are sharing it with roommates.

[jerseygirl]

where is John Adams located?

[zimzima]

You may want to try to get into the John Adams, George Washington or James Monroe. They are decent apartments in good condition (mine is anyway), and they aren't that expensive compared to Marbella, Southampton, etc. Plus, there's lots of families and our neighbors are respectful.

are they newer? i guess tj is older?

[TPN1997]

Here's my 2 cents (or quarter). Obviously, this is only based on my experiences on my floor and any elevator experiences. I've lived in TJ for 3 years now in a junior 2 bedroom, on a higher floor, facing west.

CONS:
- Facade and lobby is not as aesthically appealing as some of the other buildings
- "Doorman" is an oxy***** here. I think "Telephone-man" or "Missing-man" would be more relevant as they're either on the phone and ignoring you or they're absent from their station. What happened to Albert? At least he was cordial to me.
- Appliances can definitely use an upgrade
- Walls are pretty thin. I can hear the baby crying next door when I'm trying to sleep.
- Not the friendliest people on Earth. Some are quite rude, in fact.
- Lower and middle floors stink...even some higher ones
- The small herd of men living in the studio across the hall
- The wind created by the position of the 2 buildings...very windy!

PROS:
- As I understand it, less expensive than most of the other buildings
- No roaches in my apt...probably because I make it a point to keep my apt very clean
- Although the baby cries all night, my next door neighbors are very nice. We always exchange hello's.
- My floor doesn't stink. From time to time, I can sense it begin to start stinking...when that happens, I have no problem walking the floor with a can of Lysol.
- Large apartment
- Relatively quiet on my floor
- I've been able to manage the utility bills at a relatively low cost
- If you don't do your laundry during the weekends, they're always accessible...however, I've lost a fair share of quarters due to malfunctioning units (3 times).

The insulation is in large part due to the drafts caused by the heating/AC units. Have management come in and fix that for you...it's certainly helped my bills.

Hope this helps.

[ejm]

jerseygirl:

the John Adams is located in the same plaza as the James Monroe and the George Washington. It is across from the Duane Reade, the address is 35 river drive south if you want to check it out on mapquest/google

[zimzima]

thanks everyone for the info.

i've decided i don't want to move there.. like i said, i've never seen a roach before and i don't want to risk seeing one!! it boiled down to something as simple as that.. regardless of the great price. (about $1600)