Atrium Apartments 314 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55401

"Atrium Apartments is owned and operated by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. Originally, the place was built in 1972 as a high rise for Seniors. After a while, the place was also opened up to people with disabilities as well as low income people, regardless of age. Considering that the property is a little over 50 years old, you expect to see some signs of wear and tear here and there. None-the-less, even though bits and pieces show their age, this property is well maintained. It is kept clean and well cared for. A couple of months ago, I moved in to the Atrium Apartments. This place meets most, if not all of my criteria of moving into an affordable living facility. Of course, it goes without saying that it has to be affordable for me. First criteria: the location has to be within the city limits, on or near public transportation. Being located on Hennepin Ave between Third and Fourth Streets, I have a wide variety of public transportation routes to choose from within a two block radius area, starting with bus stations right outside my building on Hennepin Ave, and directly across the street in front of the Public Library with numerous bus routes going in both directions. There are more public transportation stations on neighboring streets within two blocks in just about every direction, including the LRT station on Fifth Street, a block and a half south of my building. Both the Blue and Green Lines stop there, each going to their own destinations. Second criteria: it has to be near a food market. The ones I know about are: Whole Foods Mkt 1.5 blocks north of me on Hennepin and Washington. Hopping on any of the many buses that cross the Hennepin Ave bridge, I have easy access to Kramarczuk's Sausage and Co on Hennepin Ave and Second St that only takes four minutes to get to by bus. Going East on Washington Ave, I can catch the #3 bus to Chicago Ave and shop at Trader Joe's. That's just the food markets I am aware of at this time. In just about every direction there are a number of places near by to catch a bite to eat, have a drink, be entertained and watch live sports (yup, near the Target Center and Target Field). Within walking distance, there's the lovely Greenway park areas along the Mississippi River, open to the public which includes the historical Stone Arch Bridge. I could go on and on... let's now focus on some of my other criteria. Third criteria: the one bedroom apartment cannot be carpeted (allergies are aggravated by carpeting), has to have a step-in or step-up shower stall with safety grab handles versus a shower inside a bathtub. Fourth Criteria: there has to be a laundry room on site. It is available to residents 24/7 on the 16th floor. Fifth Criteria: the common areas inside the building have to convey a sense of feeling safe, secure and welcomed. There is a security guard desk stationed inside, right by the main entrance. There are Security Guards 24/7, greeting residents, keeping an eye on the parking lots outside, all the entrances to the building, the mail boxes and package lockers inside, and all the common areas inside the building in general via security cameras. There are a couple of Community Rooms on the first floor that are quite nice and comfortable. The smaller one has a big screen tv, comfortable seating, some tables and chairs and a number of vending machines. The larger Community Room originally was the large common dining area. It is now used as a multi-purpose room to have parties, a monthly food shelf set-up for residents, etc. Best of all, the two atriums with the hallways on each floor are open in balcony fashion, looking out over them, and daylight bathes the areas via skylights, bringung in more daylight into the building. The main Atrium on 1st floor is stunning with fountains and greenery. The smaller atrium on the second floor has a small library with a few tables and chairs and comfortable seating around the perimeter of the area with large potted plants here and there. I LOVE it!!!"

"Can't even get a phone number, trying to see if my Mom is OK."