Some flaws, but overall strongly recommended
From:
cjarzabek
Date posted:
8/3/2008
Years at this apartment:
2006
-
2008
I moved into a ground-level, 2-bedroom, 1 full-bath apartment in January 2006 with one roommate. We remained residents until June 2008; my roommate decided to settle down and buy property, and I left the Boston-area altogether for a job opportunity.
Overall, we were satisfied with living at Briar Glen Village. The layout suited us well, and there was more than enough space (our apartment was approximately 1,000 sq ft / 93 sq m), so much so in fact that we forced ourselves to utilize all of it! The apartment was in good repair, and came equipped with a forward and rear balcony, and major kitchen appliances (oven, refrigerator, dish washer, and garbage disposal). A stacked washer and dryer are available for an additional monthly charge, but I highly recommend that you purchase your own if you intend to stay for any long period of time (at $40/mo, we could have purchased our own washer and dryer after living there for two-and-a-half years!). The grounds are well-kept; in the summer, once weekly gardeners are around mowing and occasionally leaf-blowing, and in the winter, the roadways are plowed and sidewalks salted. There is always available parking, but some times you may be forced to use the nearby guest lot (my guess is that not all the residents asked their guests to use the appropriate spaces). Also regarding parking, no permits are required, which means visitors mustn't fear being towed! In general, there are three groups of people residing at Briar Glen: 1) Bentley students, 2) recent graduates / young professionals, and 3) married couples with very young children. You don't run into other people that often, and they are about as social as you'd expect from the Northeast. Lastly, Steve, one of the maintenance men, is probably one of the nicest you could hope for!
But, there are some downsides to living at Briar Glen:
When we toured the apartment, about which the guides seem to know next to nothing (when we were moving out, someone touring our apartment asked if all the apartments were painted green like ours, and amazingly the guide stumbled! they are not all painted, just so you know ), we specifically asked about the noise between floors as we had loud speakers and were told that it wouldn't be a problem. Let me assure you, that is a complete falsity. Living on the mid-level, we could easily hear the residents above us, whether running or walking. Although, to be honest, it was rarely disturbing or annoying. Additionally, we did have some gripes about the construction and appliances. The windows in our apartment lacked any noticeable ability to insulate, which leads to drafty New England winters. In the summer, the problematic windows leaked enough water on rainy days to grow mold on the window frames and nearby carpeting. The refrigerator was replaced 3-times in one-sitting! Ours faulted, and so did the next two replacement units! Finally, we were given one that worked, which was fine except for an occasional odd cycle which brought the temperature down a little too low. Water was a consistent issue. Most of the time, the water mixture was dangerously hot, but we also went through a several month period where hot water somehow eluded the shower. Lastly, the toilet was very, very delicate. We practically had to count the number of tissues being used in order to avoid an overflow.
Now, given the rants, I still recommend living at Briar Glen Village.
Why' Well, first of all, the management and maintenance is quite responsive. Most often, a repairman was available within hours. Most of the time, problems were solved, although some issues the water and windows were an ongoing issue. Secondly, after visiting friends in many other complexes, including many in Waltham (specifically The Ridge and Cronin's Landing), I am one-hundred percent confident that we had the best facility overall. The Ridge's location is practically the same and is a lot, a lot more expensive. The only benefit to the ridge is a bigger, marbleized kitchen. Cronin's Landing is in a better location if you want to be in the "city center", plus you are in walking distance from both the Commuter Rail and main bus stop, but the benefits end there. Many of my friends lived in Cronin's and had ridiculous issues with the management. Also, I personally didn't care for the hotel/dormitory feeling of the hallways.
Briar Glen may not be perfect, but I still give it a strong recommendation, and I know that my former flatmate feels the same. You'll be hard pressed to find a better overall complex in the area.
|
|
I'm the author!
Free estimates on moving trucks
Find apartment share/roommates
