The Highland Square Apartments

I’ve lived here for four years on both sides of this 10 story building, in both a 1 & 2 bedroom apartment. I’ll try to be as comprehensive as possible while keeping it brief.
Pros:
— Apartments have a modern feel with updated appliances.
— Concrete walls make for a great noise barrier.
— Everything above floor 6 has pretty incredible views, especially in the east-​facing units.
— Lobby is nicely renovated.
— Management and cleaning staff keep the place looking good.
— Shoutout to the maintenance guys around here who are quick, polite, and do a great job.
— The neighborhood is the best in town where something is always happening. Great local cuisine, a variety of bars, and new development popping up everywhere.
— Diverse community with college kids, young professionals, families with kids, and senior citizens.
— The building has multiple businesses on the ground floors providing a busy and working-​class vibe.
— Management has always been great, especially Shelly from when I first moved in. (Shelly where ever you are now, you rock)!
— Includes vending machines, a turtle sanctuary, and a fitness center.
— Extra storage in the basement is always nice.
— Plenty of above-​deck parking, and a good amount of covered parking. You can get a private underground spot for somewhere around $ 40/​month.
— UPS Box and USPS box directly out the front door.
— Metro has a stop for the 1 bus right outside the door.
— Secure package room with pretty easy access.
— Nice community garden and flowers all over the place.
— Rent is a little higher than other parts of the metro area, but the location is worth it.
Cons:
— The elevators are something out of a horror movie, and have been my #1 complaint about living here. They slam off of the walls when they are riding up, they miss your floor, you wait for up to 15 minutes, they smell horrid, and the doors have no sensors and will slam into you. A few weeks ago there was someone stuck in the elevator on the 6^th floor, and it took the fire department almost an hour to free them. I have exited the elevator with it halfway between floors. Management has said that the elevators will be updated by the end of 2014, so keep your fingers crossed.
— The laundry room is pretty terrible. I swear I’ve lost well over $ 100 to those wretched machines since I’ve moved here, plus, they beat the crap out of your clothes. These could really use some updating, but until that happens just take your laundry elsewhere if you can.
— If you park under the deck and it rains, a nasty combination of concrete and run off water will drip down on your car. This unpleasant white stuff is like paint, and is nearly impossible to remove from your car. All of the cars under the deck are covered in it, and it pretty much ruined the roof of my vehicle.
— There are two doors on the first floor, one on the outside and one in the lobby. The outer door is locked at random times throughout the week, and even more sporadically on the weekend. The kicker is that the intercom is on the inside, meaning you’ll have to go let your guests in, sometimes even at 3 in the afternoon.
— The parking policy is very strict on paper, giving you only one guest past per apartment. I have yet to see them enforce this policy, but if they did, some of the rules are quite ridiculous like, «don’t leave your car in the same place for more than 72 hours or we will assume it’s broken and tow it.»
— It’s hard to keep up with Ohio’s winters. That being the case, watch your step because the grounds often go unsalted. I typically bust my face at least twice per year, and I’m a fairly balanced person.
— In my experience, the west side of the building experiences much more noise from drunk hipsters than the east.
— This is still Akron, you will see all of the fantastic hood things that come with inner-​city living, but it is still quite safe.
Overall, I have little qualms with the building or the management, and I had a very pleasant experience. The management is always understanding, the neighborhood is awesome, and the people who live here are great. With a little patchwork, this could be THE spot to live in Akron, and it definitely beats the overpriced «campus suites» down by UA.
4-​stars for a great 4-​years, thanks Highland Square!