Pencil Factory Flats

Any serious maintenance issues are barely addressed. While ive lived here ive had my AC break about 5 times with the front office dragging their feet to fix it as well as literal mold in my unit they refused to fix aswell. After telling me they'd need to fix the door frame and floors damaged from water intrusion, they just put paint over it so I cant guarantee most of these units dont have mold that are just covered in paint

In the 15 or so days since I moved in, my experience with Pencil Factory Flats has been the furthest thing from satisfatory. Several apartment appliances were faulty, broken, or dirty at time of move-in, and no issue has been resolved as of writing this review. As it stands, I do not intend to recommend this residential community to anyone looking to move to Atlanta.

Pencil Factory Flats offers beautiful floor plans and is located in a conveniently central location to all major highways. The management on the other hand makes the living experience not so lovely. The staff changes frequently, they do not keep their word, lie about processes and procedures, only have two maintenance men for a huge complex, theft and crime are high. Greystar as a corporation does not care about their residents or our safety. They just want their money on time and any negligence you may experience during the month due to their lack of proper property management falls by the waste side. Plain and simple.

I’ve been happy with my experience living here. No one bothers me, I feel safe, & I have an ample amount of space & ability to make my apartment feel like a home.

If you appreciate a safe environment, timely assistance, responsive staff, clean and stress free move in, and full functioning amenities DO NOT MOVE HERE!

Due to the lack of security and the poor upkeep of this property, I will not be renewing my lease nor will I recommend anyone to live here. I dont feel like I like in an apartment community, I feel like I am living in an extended stay hotel. No communication to the residents whatsoever. Multiple changes in management.

This is a great property in a prime location. It is definitely a great investment.

The office staff was amazing and very helpful. My application process was seamless and moving in was easy as well. I had no setbacks or issues. I did have to place a work order request and it was taken care of the following day which was nice. I chowed the place because it’s super close to my job and I loved the way the apartment looked.

Billy, the Leasing Agent, went above and beyond expectations during the tour. His patience, great demeanor, and flexibility made the experience enjoyable. The Pencil Factory Flats is steeped in history, it comes down to what you desire. For me, the abundance of windows is a plus, as I love sunny spaces. If you decide to tour the place, make sure to ask for Billy. He is a top-rate professional who provides excellent customer care. Win-win, indeed!

Location is dope. I’m a native. Prime area, near belt line & Kroc street market.

Communication with staff and maintenance is the worst I've ever experienced. I feel like I have a part-time job just following up with them. New management, same issues.

Honestly what can you possibly say good about this place. Management sucks, something new breaks or stops working every month. Our elevator buttons literally have been broken since I moved in back in May and it is now October and the service sticker inside the elevator says it hasn’t been serviced since 2021! So crazy plus they make you pay for every single night that you have a guest which is $8.75 every single day. The only thing you possibly could say good about this place is that maintenance does try to help but they know the management sucks so it isn’t much they can do past their expertise.

Hit or miss great location but sometimes no so helpful just recently changed management team so it’s a bit hetic . But overall not a bad place to live for the price

Fantastic area, can get to everywhere you want to be in the city quickly while also offering a quieter area! Also some amazing choices for fantastic views.

Overall I enjoy living here. Things have improved over time. It’s much quieter and I truly appreciate that. There are still some improvements that can be made but overall my experience has been pretty good.

Amazing. Great service I really enjoy the ability to move around. The location is great and that is something I favor the most. The leasing office does a good job of responding as well

The apartments are very nice. The community is well-kept. The only complaint would be that people do not pick up after their pets and in this heat, it can be pretty bad. Otherwise, I love it here!

Move in process was smooth and easy! I didn’t have to worry about anything. Everyone was transparent about everything and always super kind!

First weekend complete and these are some things I noticed. Leading with the positives, the area is busy from Thursday to Sunday. Parking is not as competitive as I thought it would be. Facilities and areas are clean aside from the obvious dumpster. Communication is great from the office people. Negatives are the apartment was not clean thoroughly before move in and items are broken to include drawers, ice maker, outlets, and toilet.

So far it's been a good experience. A few things could use improvement but overall a great place to live. It's in a great location, access to public transportation and more.

I have lived at Pencil Factory for approximately eight years. I am on my second lease after moving back a few years ago. The location of property is perfect. You are less than five minutes away from all interstates. The Beltline is down the street. Multiple restaurants are a short walk away including Krog st and Madison Yards. The staff are amazing. Koko, Jordan, and Joseph deserve kudos for turning the property around after a previous property management firm before Ram did not do the property justice. They have made several improvements in the aesthetics and safety of the property. If you are able to get a apt with downtown view…the views are spectacular. You can see the entire downtown skyline all the way to Buckhead. Everything in Atlanta is expensive. The prices are fair for location and age of property. I would definitely recommend this property.

frustrations with maintenance and management but the building and apartments themselves are pretty nice and well sized. also located in a good spot

The front office is always so helpful,including maintenance..I love living at pencil factory. The community is gated so I feel safe here. Very convenient

I love the area I am close to everything you can need the staff is really nice and the whole community is nice and friendly if you don’t like interacting with people this is not the place for you

Overall, Pencil Factory has been a great place to live in the last 5 years. Property Management has changed hands several times, but the current people are good for recieving your packages in the leasing office.

My move in was smooth and any issues that I had with my unit were promptly addressed. I have only been here a short time but am enjoying my experience so far and am looking forward to exploring my surrounding neighborhood, lounging by the pool and working out in the gym.

I lived here in 2019 as a student and just moved back in this year. I love the location and energy. My favorite part is that I don’t have to drive far for work. I also like the fact that I can pretty much walk to any where i would like and eel safe.

Awesome so far. Leasing office staff are super friendly and moving in was a breeze. Love the unit and the location as well. Highly recommend

Pencil factory is a dope place to live . The staff is friendly and tries to assist whenever they can . Also security and maintenance are on point I feel safe and it’s always smells like a fresh clean !

I'm new to Atlanta and immediately felt welcome after touring this building. Joseph was accessible throughout the application process, and extremely helpful. Coco (hope I spelled it right) has also been great with sharing information and helping me get adjusted. One perk is the area is full of great brunch spots and boutiques, giving residents plenty to do on the weekends. I'm happy I chose this building!

This is a long, but honest review of my experience in Building 1 of the Pencil Factory. There have been positive changes to the appearance of the complex such as murals, new paint, updated pool chairs and new office furniture, but the things that truly matter and ensure the safety of the residents have not been prioritized. I've been living at this property for 3 years and this past year has been the absolute worst. There has been more than 4 changes in management, with each company bringing new fees, and more excuses. The cardio equipment in the gym has been broken for five months, the apartment walls are paper thin so be prepared to hear your neighbors' conversations, private concerts and every step they take (if above you). There is only one maintenance man, Andre', who works extremely hard but due to short staffing, requests take months to be filled. My car has been broken into four times, and even while parked in view of the security cameras and the robber's identity being clear as day, arrests were never made. As recent as a few weeks ago, over 20 residents had their vehicles damaged and broken into with no remedy or assistance from the leasing office or Fulton County Police. The property is located ABOVE a very busy strip of retail spaces, so you would think keeping the building secure would be a priority but it's not. The resident gate and building entry point doors (which used to require a key fob for access) have been broken for over three months, inviting all kinds of randoms not only onto the property but into our hallways. Amid the gates still being broken, management has implemented an hourly parking fee for our visitors and will boot residents AND visitors for not complying. Expecting a package? Good luck! Most delivery drivers leave packages pilled by the community mailbox outside instead of bringing them to your door, so many boxes go missing. If the package is left with a member of the leasing staff, they will not notify you that they have it & months could go by. There is a monthly pest control fee added to the rent but units are not serviced monthly. I could go on in regard to the gunshots and other issues, but I think you get the point. I give the property two stars because I love the location, and the size of my apartment. If you're going to be harassed monthly to pay thousands of dollars in rent, at least pay it at a place where your needs will be prioritized, and your building will be secured. Pencil Factory Flats is not it.

Do not live here! Here's a list of their ongoing issues, I strongly doubt if there will be any improvement in the near future: 1) Safety issue: -gunshot in the building in 2021, google it by yourself. -The elevator didn't work - for few months, and I stayed on the 3rd floor. - There's some stolen car abandoned in the parking area - for at least 6 months with no one taking care of it. - The gate of parking lot was almost always open(or just broken). The door in each floor of the parking lot was unlocked most of the time. - Some doors in the parking lot are pried. I at least twice saw suspicious people lingering around the parking lot. 2) Trash issue , filthy environment, low quality home equipment: -In our apartment, the carpet was very filthy when we moved in, the doors in the apartment were full of dust, the laundry area was full of trash, the showering areas are full of black mold! -The carpeted hallway is unbelievably dirty and stains all over, so does the elevator and the parking lot. -The management team decided to put cheap chemical air aroma stuff in the hallway instead of just hiring people to pick up the trash and seriously clean the carpets. 3) No problem-solving for the tenants: -Never on time: we paid for their valet trash and very often they don't pick up trash on time - without telling us in advance. -My packages and my partner's mails were gone for no reason - this happened at least 3 times for me and 2 times for my partner in 8 months. -On top of that, I 'found' my first lost package right in the apartment office. It was sitting there for 4 months. I 'found' it because I was in the office for my another lost package, the people there told me they don't know where my package was again. Then, they went back to their mail room and handed me the package arrived 4 months ago! - Pencil factory apartment was sold twice in a year. Every time when they are sold, tenants are asked to pay for extra dollars just to be able to continue to pay their rent using the new online system. This charge is unreasonable. Among all the issues above, still the management people decided to spend money on drawing more colorful paintings outside the wall of the parking lot(July 2022 was when I moved out, it's still on) - to sugarcoat all the real issues that we as tenants all care about. So, please make a smarter choice, save your money by not choosing pencil factory flats!

This apartment used to be great! a bang for your buck! but now we have new management and they SUCK. They could not care less about how they inconvenience you. They do not care if things happen in the apartment. The trash piles up. doors are broken everywhere. the leasing managers will lie to you about their information if they don't want to talk to you anymore. Just extremely difficult with a lack of compassion.

There is not one redeeming quality about this property. The worst living experience I have ever had. Poorly maintained units in every way, Entry holes throughout the apartment for pests to enter. Roaches. The rats at the garbage area are literally unbelievable. There are probably more rats in that area than tenants. So many that you run them over leaving the garage and they sit there and collect flies. I honestly don't have the words to tell you how bad the vermin are. There is speed racing in the garage. It's not uncommon to hear cars racing through. A racing car hit a parked car and the racers left their inoperable car right in the middle of the garage. The inside of the building is nasty. Neighbors leave all kinds of trash at the entryways and all over the parking deck. Security is a joke, the entry doors rarely work. They're either propped open or broken. USPS, Amazon whoever leaves the package down at the mailboxes. Not secured. Good luck w/ that. Maintenance. Not sure there is any. My ice maker was broken from the time I moved in, until the time I moved. Nothing is an emergency. You get on "the list". So yeah, this place is absolutely a nightmare,

Pencil Factory Flats, more like Problem Factory Flats. This is your warning not to move in here. My roommate and I have been living here for 5 months and we've already experienced more problems between the complex, staff, and maintenance than we've experienced anywhere else. Since moving in in August these are all the problems we've had to deal with: The ice maker was broken when we moved in. The door lock broke within the first 2 weeks of us living there, broke again 3 weeks later. My car was broken into in the gated resident parking garage, Pencil Factory told me they don't have any security cameras in the resident garage (great job protecting your residents). The toilet in the master bathroom started leaking, took days to get a maintenance person to come to fix it. The sink/garbage disposal in the kitchen started leaking and it took them a week to fix it. Our HVAC in our apartment broke and then the maintenance guy put an AC unit in our window that was covered in dust and grime and started to blow leaves into our living room when he turned it on. Not to mention he did a terrible job putting it in the window to where there were gaps letting in all the hot/cold air. This was supposed to be temporary, but a week after it was installed, Pencil finally found out our condenser was broken and they needed to order a new one. 4 weeks later they still haven't come to fix the HVAC and it took me calling multiple times asking to speak to the manager to get it fixed. It finally got fixed after a whole month with no HVAC. Our ice maker broke again and it took them over 2 weeks to come to fix it, and now today, 2 days later after they "fixed" it, it's broken again as we found puddles of water on the floor of the kitchen and in the freezer from the ice maker leaking. As well as our HVAC just broke again and as we've had it set to 70 degrees it will not go down below 78 degrees for the last 2 days. This morning was the straw that broke the camel's back as I went down to the leasing office to report both our ice maker and HVAC being broken again and I was met with attitude from the lady at the desk. I told her the ice maker needed to come to be fixed today as it was leaking and the best she could give me was "the maintenance guys aren't on site right now but I can let them know but if they don't think its an emergency then they aren't going to come today". Therefore I would have to put in a request and wait 2 weeks for them to come to fix it like last time.

Fair pricing, high quality beautiful apartments located in the middle of the city. Just perfect really

The one star is for location. This is the worst living situation I have ever suffered through in my life. Poorly managed amenities, decrepit structure and insufferable noise. Walls shake from cars/trucks passing by, you can hear every footstep from your upstairs neighbors, it sounds like the ceiling could collapse from their movement. The complex clearly needs a face lift that has been avoided for years. Hidden fees within their rent agreement add up here as well. I found this place and was excited because it is close to GSU. SAVE YOUR MONEY. This will be the most miserable lease you’ve ever signed. I wish I had known how terrible this place would be. I would add pictures but it’s hardly necessary, this place doesn’t care that paint is peeling. They don’t care that the walls are paper thin & I wake up from massive thuds weekly, THEY DONT CARE. Spend your money for where it will be valued, NOT at the pencil factory.

I think the maintenance guys are very good but overwhelmed

I would recommend it because it's in a greater location downtown and has well dated amenities.

It's in a good location in downtown so you're close to everything and the staff are nice.

It’s close to campus and they’re up to date modern units.

Would still recommend for location and quality of the apartments themselves but would advise them that getting maintenance done will be slow.

Have outlned above my concern/dissatisfaction with the grounds. Also, there is not nearly enough lighting in the main drive in at the leasing office, making it difficult to feel completely safe arriving home at night.

The location is convenient and the apartments themselves are updated and spacious. I love that parking is convenient and gated. I have had a positive experience during my first few weeks here. The one thing that Could be improved based on my experience here would be the package receipt. I along with many other people do not get off until 5:30 pm. It's very difficult to get back to the office in time to pick up packages when the office closes at 6 pm. Repurposing the business center into a package room with a key code system would be a better use of the space. Overall, I have no reason not to recommend Pencil Factory Flats and would do so based on my experience here during the past few weeks.

Would - Good office staff, nice flats, excellent location Wouldn't - Dirty hallways/lobbies/stairwells, thin ceilings/floors, pricey ps. Please put tall trashcans and building entries/lobbys/stairwells

My case is different from others; with the occurrences of the multiple floods in my apartment, as well as Greystar's lack of due diligence as well weather our living experience was altered or diminished or even just a lack of follow up.

Unfortunately, I see that other apartment inhabitants don't care for the community. Seeing trash and graffiti (not good graffiti anyway!) makes living here a little frustrating.

It doesn't always feel safe. Doors and gates are often left open but the location is great.

Lived here for 5 years. Summer ant infestation in building two, known broken AC unit that staff only temporarily fixes, trash in stairwells and back alley, once a month car break ins in parking deck, zero sound and temperature insulation of units, over priced rent, what more can I say? In short, sufficient for a young college student at GSU, but would highly recommend looking at one of the newer or just built apartment complexes in the area.

Honestly, Pencil Factory Flats and Shops is one of the most over-priced and overrated apartments in Atlanta. The cars of residents are constantly being broken into or towed. NONE of the security cameras work. When talking to an officer after having my care broken into twice, he advised me to keep my car doors open so I do not have to pay for a new window. The staff is incompetent and do not listen to the multiple concerns of the residents. The small pool, when it is open, is dirty and the water is always foggy. The gym is tiny and lacks a ton of the basic and modern equipment, and often the air is not working which creates a hot and uncomfortable environment. They've erased ALL of the negative feedback from their page ... instead of trying to solve the problems..WATCH OUT when you sign a lease.