The Lofts At Michaels-Stern

"Although the neighborhood that we reside in can be harrowing at times, the response to any and all maintenance and or safety concerns from Buckingham Properties has been excellent. Both Terry - Building Manager/Supervisor and Kamiliah - Rental Agent are second to none when dealing with any and all of my concerns."

"Leasing and maintenance staff are very friendly and attentive. Comfortable and spacious studio. Have enjoyed my first four months here."

"I LOVE this place and cannot recommend it enough! A lot of the older reviews of this building have concerning and valid points but management has made a lot of improvements in the last year (2023). There is a new elevator that always works. The building is secure and you need a key fob to get anywhere. There is a security guard in the building and all mail is in the secured lobby. There is no loitering in the building these days. The leasing agent, Kamilah, is very kind, professional, and responsive. My neighbors are wonderful, quiet and considerate. The apartments are beautiful industrial lofts with large windows and ceilings that are so high that the pictures do not do them justice. The location is in the heart of downtown and rent includes a spot in a nice nearby parking garage. The only downside is that there is a massive bus terminal down the street so there are a lot of characters on the block sometimes. Somewhat standard for downtown loft living."

"DO NOT LIVE HERE!!!! The good is these lofts are beautiful and unique. They are fairly spacious and have cool architectural features of an older building. That's where the good ends. The walls that are drywall are practically non-existent and you can hear EVERYTHING through them. There is very little privacy. Be aware that the elevator designated for residents has been down for over a year and the second that's used for businesses, Catholic Family Services and residents is also down on a regular basis. Buckingham acts like there's nothing they can do but they own the building. They also lie to residents about the status of when/if the elevators will be fixed (they will likely reply that they don't lie...). Also the elevators broke on a regular basis even before COVID. There have been a slew of building managers, many of whom didn't bother to respond to complaints. The most recent building manager is very responsive which is a nice change but that really should be the norm not the exception. They also recently hired security guards for the lobby (M-F days) which is an improvement for tenant safety but not before there were multiple assaults, and many people moved out. The same goes for putting the fob entrance on the garage. On the weekends there is no security guards in the building so the lobby is a free-for-all for drug use, smoking, sleeping, sex etc. Most dogs in the building are pleasant but be aware they do not screen dogs at all for breed, size or temperament. So there have been multiple dogs with behavioral issues in the building (dogs that can't be on the elevator or hallways with other people or other dogs). There has been at least one dog attack another dog and a dog attack a person. My guess as to why there aren't more negative reviews is people don't want to get blackballed."

"Beautiful living space, perfect for the young professional lifestyle. Security is intensive, which is sometimes necessary for the neighborhood it resides within. Diana has always been helpful whenever I had a question. Maintenance is honestly pretty great, with special regard to Greg, who will always take time out of his day to help where he can. My three-star review stems from the thin, makeshift walls that are used between the apartment units as well as the neighborhood MS Lofts are located in. I would give 3.75 if I could. While the trope of "thin wall apartments" seemed to be considered the normative expectation in New York apartments, it still stands to be the most unpleasant part of my experience I've had with the MS Lofts. The walls are not completely sealed, either, as odors travel from apartment from apartment, especially stronger odors. This odor and noise is also an issue not just from lateral, side-to-side neighbors, but also afflicts neighbors above and below. Loitering is consistent, and almost expected with the Catholic Family Center and the RTS station next door. Overall, it's been a positive experience, but I feel as though the interested consumer should be aware of the current meta. 3.75/5"