Island Square

After 2 1/2 years living here, things just don't seem to improve. Still dealing with nasty silverfish, random water shut offs without notice, broken elevator buttons and filthy walls around garage entry. I'm not sure why these very obvious and apparent issues are overlooked before renovating units. And any time you thank the management for doing what they're supposed to do, you're asked to write a review about it. There has definitely been a shift in the communication and responsiveness, but it seems like its purpose is to boost the rating. I am really looking forward to moving out when lease ends. Recently I had a water leak in my coat closet and it drenched all my belongings and flooded the floor. Not a single one word of apology from the management. And when I asked for the credit of $80 water usage increase due to the water leak, I'm told I have to wait a month or two for them to calculate it.

Don't get me wrong, the location is amazing, being located directly next to I-90. But the experience living here has been nothing but a nightmare. First off, they completely overcharge on rent, utilities, and monthly charges. My monthly payments came out to $550 more than my base rent, and when I lived in Elements which is under the same company, I would spend an extra maybe sub $350 or so including parking. Second, there are CONSTANT problems with the units. My apartment had broken lights, missing handles, rotting mold, and stains from previous tenants dispersed throughout. I am shocked that management would put these units up on the market when they are NOT READY AT ALL. And lastly, the most irritating thing about the experience was the frequent water-shutoffs. It is now March and there have been 3 water shut offs this year (once a month). It is the biggest inconvenience and just makes for a very tedious experience living here. I understand there are certain things that must be taken care of, but the management really needs to work on making this happen less. Very bad experience and will never in a million years recommend living here to another future resident.

Proceed with caution if you intend to live here for longer than a year. I received a $600 rent increase that's almost 25% increase based on my current rent, which cannot be justified considering the building is relatively old, the community and the garage was broken into 4+ times for the past year, and there is always something broken within the community (the elevator, the garage opener, when trash is full we were asked to keep the trash at home, etc.) WILL NOT RECOMMEND!!!!

I'm not the first person to mention this, but Chrystle (and her team) are what make Island Square an excellent place to live. From our initial walkthrough process to routine maintenance requests to lease renewals, the management team at Island Square is professional, responsive, and more generally, everything you hope for in a property management staff. Outside of the staff, Island Square is conveniently located on the north end of Mercer Island which makes getting to the Bellevue or Seattle extremely easy. The amenities make the apartment complex feel more like a resort - there's a sauna, spa, gym and resident lounge (kitchen, pool table, TV, etc.). The price points for units are comparable with new apartment buildings in neighborhoods like Cap Hill, Bellevue and Ballard, but generally speaking, you get more bang for your buck in terms of square footage, convenience (parking, 10 minute drive to downtown Seattle before 7:15am, etc.). We love living here.

Island Square is like the apartment version of the mansion in Grey Gardens: what once was luxurious has fallen into shabby disrepair, and some of the current occupants are a little scary. At this moment, there are six different security gates won't close or lock, which puts a crimp in the whole security aspect you pay for; a square of cardboard is taped over a light in the A building garage-level elevator room to cover a bulb that has been flickering in a seizure-inducing way for a couple of months; there are more shopping carts left abandoned in hallways and garage than you would find in many homeless camps; and the elevators often smell like (I'm guessing and hoping, dog) urine. Of course, you won't see any of this on the carefully guided tour they give that weaves through a specific route that gets regular upkeep. And finally, at least three recent service requests have gone unanswered for up to two weeks, after which we got an email asking if "your sink/door/fireplace is still broken?" The sole focus of UDR is renting out more apartments to new tenants, not seeing to the needs of those tenants who have already signed on the dotted line. Once they get you, they'll forget you. Used to love living here. Actually told people we would never move. We're now looking to relocate to one of the other truly luxury "luxury apartments" on the Island.

One of this property's biggest pluses is that it is super close to major thoroughfares, Seattle, and the rest of the Eastside. It has all the modern touches that one would expect for a building on Mercer Island, as well as friendly neighbors. I can truly say that I enjoy living here!