The Baltimorean Apartments

"I lived at the Baltimorean Apartments for 2 years. They are located close to the Hopkins Homewood campus (~7 minute walk). JHU shuttles go from that area to the Hopkins Hospital, and the purple circulator is a free bus you can use to go downtown. CVS, Starbucks, and Streets (small grocery store) are a 5 minute walk away along with a few restaurants. This area is generally pretty safe and has Hopkins security guards patrolling on foot and in cars 24/7. If you have a car, there are parking spots behind the building that you pay for monthly which allows you not to have to street park. Bobbi, the building manager, is absolutely fantastic! She always answered my emails quickly (same day, within minutes or hours if busy). Any time I had any issues with maintenance, she made sure they were addressed by the next business day. I only had 2 or 3 small issues over my two years. I never had any issues with bugs or rodents. The exterminator came every 6ish weeks to treat each floor preventatively. The trash room was also very clean and easily accessible. The building, overall, is older but very well maintained and clean. They are often putting fresh coats of paint in the lobby and working on landscaping at the front of the building and in the courtyard."

"Great location and safe building near JHU's Homewood campus. Lots of things within walking distance. Video surveillance gave extra comfort. Never had any issues. The management is kind and responds to maintenance requests the next day, even if not urgent. Building was clean, and the lobby area has a charming green color scheme. Gym was nice, and never crowded. A mail/package area meant no risk of things getting stolen from doorsteps, which has happened to me in previous homes in Baltimore. My studio was well lit and quiet. The provided furniture was not glamorous but not low-quality. They upgraded the bed frame in my room before I moved in, without me even needing to ask. If you do choose to live here, I recommend paying extra for the external Wi-Fi service they offer. The Wi-Fi that's included in the lease is pretty slow and doesn't reach all corners of the building."

"This will be a long review. In general, I'm satisfied with the experience of living here. 1. Reason I chose the apartment: I found Baltimorean on the Internet and the reviews were mixed. However, compared to other places, the manager (Bobbi) answered every comment in a very professional way: thanking people who compliment and explaining to people who complain - she justified their complaints very clearly and professionally. And trust me, she's really professional! 2. Good things: - 5 blocks away from JHU Homewood campus. - 3-minute walk to Purple Charm (Bmore's free bus) / CityLink stop (St Paul/E 29th St), 6-minute walk to JHU shuttle stop (St Paul/E 27th St). - JHU security everywhere. - Charles Village is quiet and beautiful. Hampden and St Paul St have lots of restaurants. - Charm can go to Downtown/Harbor. Shuttle goes to Mt Vernon/Peabody Institute (10 min) and Bloomberg SPH/JH Hospital (20 min). So very convenient and safe, in general. - You can buy food and stuff at Safeway (24th St) or Giant (33rd St). CVS is on 25th and 32nd St. - Affordable price (all included except the $10-15 electricity bill). - Bobbi and Jayson (the technician guy) are very responsive, friendly, and helpful. Bobbi might look a bit cold at first, but she's really kind. - Although the building is old, it's maintained frequently. I've got a decent spacious furnished room with a single bed, a big walk-in closet, a small kitchen, a bathroom, and two radiators (I only turn on 1 of them because they're hot). - Xfinity Internet is ready, you only need to install a modem/router and subscribe by yourself. Recently the building has installed their own high-speed Internet - you still need to pay but it's cheaper and has better speed; more options for you. - Nice courtyard (you'll love it in spring and summer). A lot of books. 3. Things which you might not like: - Staff only work on weekdays - Jayson might be here on the weekend. Not a problem to me. And they do have 24/7 service for emergency. - The room is old. Not a splendid room like other new modern apartments in Downtown or 33rd St. But not the reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5. - Some furniture pieces are old. Ask Bobbi whether they should be replaced. - My stove is somewhat dirty. The previous tenants must have not cleaned it carefully. - The door is not soundproof. I can hear clearly what is happening outside, and people can also hear me. But I passed many exams at JHSPH while people outside were making some noise. So, yeah, it's not a big issue. 4. Comments people posted that I DISAGREE with: - The elevator is scary. It does shake a bit when it starts and stops, but is generally safe. As I said, the building is maintained frequently, and Bobbi is very very serious about maintenance. - There are molds. No, there aren't. At least in my apartment and common area. - The place smells. No, it doesn't. - There are rats and bugs. No, I've never seen one. Bobbi is very serious about pest control. You'll get frequent emails about that. If I return to Bmore, I would want to upgrade to a more modern studio. But if their price is too high, I will still return here. Definitely recommended."

"YOU DO NOT WANT TO LIVE HERE! All fixtures and appliances are seconds. My roof leaked for three years. The elevator is a rattle-trap claustrophobic box that is frequently down. The manager does not know how to treat people with respect. The only thing the owner and manager care about is collecting rent which will increase every year. The Wi-Fi is a joke which will have you wishing for the days of dial-up Internet (I'm old) I was stuck here for four miserable years (long story), don't do this to yourself. If you ignore my warning at least do not take an apartment near the elevator as the noise and vibration will prevent your sleeping. This is not an angry assessment, just plain truth."

"Apartments are affordable but they need some upgrade or remodeling especially mine as they have already started with some others. Mice problem is there but there are regular exterminator visits. There are certain upgrades if made these apartments can actually be a great place to live based on the distance from the JHU shuttle and Hokpins main campus. Most requests to manager receive quick response. Maintenance staff is very helpful and friendly."