The Cooperage Apartments

"I’ve lived at The Cooperage for two months now and it’s a strange place. I don’t regret living here but I also don’t recommend anyone moves here either. What’s strange about the Cooperage are “unsolvable” maintenance issues, unsolvable meaning the complex has to put in some extra money to resolve these issues and they probably won’t. After meeting a few of my neighbors they also face the same difficulties with their units so I know it’s not just me. I’ve been able to solve or mitigate some of these issues by applying my own fixes, but this is ridiculous and the rent here is expensive enough where if there is an issue it should be solved and paid for by the complex, not by me personally. To clarify, the maintenance staff themselves are great. They generally respond to tickets the same day and are extremely nice and professional, I met the maintenance supervisor and he’s also a great guy. Issue #1: This is first because for me personally this is the worst issue. Anytime I run hot water there are two areas around my hot water heater that produce a strong rotten egg smell. When a hot water heater heats water, it produces gas that must be expelled. Usually a piping system is installed that carries these gasses away from inside the home that then vent outside. In my unit my hot water heater is in my upstairs bedroom closet, and the exhaust for this piping system that carries the stinky gas away is located inside the closet itself and under my bathroom sink. My closet and bathroom thus become filled with a horrible rotten egg smell anytime I use hot water. At the end of each exhaust pipe is a device that allows the gas to vent and at the same time stop the smell. Maintenance staff showed me the smell cap that prevents the smell from venting pops off and I need to unscrew the device, shake it so the smell cap locks back into place, and screw the device back in. This is not a solution and I shouldn’t need to do this regularly. Issue #2: I have an outdoor entrance and during rainstorms water gets in through my front door. A maintenance person told me they’ve done everything they can to mitigate leakage and that the complex needs to install some kind of system to direct water away from units that have outdoor entrances. Another “unsolvable” issue that I’ll need to put in time and money to figure out and try to fix myself. Issue #3: Front door locks are electronic and controlled from an app on your phone, you do not get a physical key unless you start having issues with the electronic lock itself. Sometimes my door does not unlock and the first time this happened I got home at 11pm and was locked out. There is an emergency maintenance line and they were able to get me in, but I was told they cannot replace the lock unless it stops working completely. So I’m stuck with an electronic door lock that works 80% of the time but locks me out the other 20%. Thankfully now I have a physical key but this is yet again another issue that won’t be solved. Issue #4: I have three variable speed ceiling fans and you control the speed from a literal light switch that adjusts the speed based on how far you put the light switch up. The issue is since this is a light switch and not meant to control fan speed, each fan produces an extremely loud electrical buzzing noise while it’s on. One maintenance person told me this was normal and there was nothing they could do. I installed a $30 combination light switch and fan control switch which completely stopped the electrical buzzing. Conclusion: I generally have to fix my own issues with my own money, which is totally ridiculous. There are also strange design decisions that negatively impact residents (like the hot water heater smell issue, the light switch fan issue) that the complex won’t fix because it will cost them money. Once my lease is up I’ll won’t be renewing it and will move to a complex that is more willing to fix issues and work with their residents. I don’t recommend The Cooperage to anyone."

"All inclusive rent is convenient and the amenities are nice but the cons outweigh the pros. The walls are so thin. There is NO free parking for visitors and you WILL be towed. There is no current street parking near my unit due to construction. Also tenants must give 90 day notice to vacate which makes it nearly impossible to find another property that far in advance."

"I've been here for a year and a half now, and I really have no complaints other than, being I'm in the construction industry, I really wish builders would do more sound-proofing between the units. My neighbors, through no fault of their own, sound like they're crashing down into my apartment every time they use the stairs. It's typical in apartments though and I've just gotten used to it. And it seems that people are doing a better job of picking up after their pets. But I love my unit. It's small but cozy and I've managed to downsize my belongings and am happier because of it. The rent is reasonable and I love that it's all-inclusive. Also any maintenance issues are dealt with immediately. And the employees of Main Street Realty are very kind and easy to deal with. Unless I buy my own place, I can see myself living here for a while. : D"

"Wow, The Cooperage is truly a hidden gem in Richmond!! My partner and I are so so happy with our apartment, and feel lucky to have found this community. I could not recommend The Cooperage strongly enough, of course no place is "perfect", but this place is pretty damn close (and I'm pretty picky!). By far the best all-around complex I've lived in or seen in Richmond. All inclusive rent, incredible leasing staff, totally unique floor plans, and you don't feel gutted by the rent for the space. I only hesitate to recommend too strongly because we want to keep The Cooperage our secret and stay here for a long time!!"

"I have been living at the Cooperage since it almost first opened up and I am so glad and lucky to have found a great place to live. The property is in a vibrant, emerging area of the city and is great location to walk, bike, drive or ride to fun spots in the city. The apartment I have is the perfect size and layout for me and I love the interior courtyard it faces. The amenities provided such as the clubhouse and pool are wonderful and I especially enjoy all the utilities included (cable, internet, electric, gas, water, trash etc.) in the rent. My neighbors at the complex have all been very friendly and courteous to me and others and the property managers and maintenance staff have provided exceptional service to me with any questions, concerns or request. Overall, I highly recommend this apartment complex if you’re in the market for a place in Richmond!"