Vandeveer Estates

This review may seem odd… but I grew up here between 1957 – 1963. The irony is that we moved out in the summer of ’63 due to the very beginnings of the horrible downside of these projects that were built in 1950. We began to see property neglect, increasingly indifferent tenants, mice, roaches and the wee beginnings of crime. It is sad that 46 years later… in reading multiple reviews of «Flatbush Gardens» (the new name) many of the same problems still exist. Some improvements, yes, I’m sure… but not enough to call this project «comfortable» and «livable».

The one star is because you cant post without a rating…
Run away from it! I had the unfortunate experience of living here. There are some things i never understood of this place while i was there for over a year. I have to say, the apartments were spacious, and utilities are included. But the quality of life is unfortunately low.
The management of this complex seems to have been making a real effort to put the place on its feet with many improvements and additions to the buildings. None the less when they fix one corner, there is already something falling apart on the other end. This is not the fault of the management as much as it is of the older tenants. This is a place where if you are in some hardship you should be able to live quietly and save for your actual place. Rents are pretty low for the space.
The unfortunate thing here is that even though there are several humble and honest families through out the complex, like me, trying to get by, there are also many that do not intend to get better and prefer to leech on the system and to snort or smoke their lives away. It would be nice if there was an ideal way for a management company to clean up places like this, but there isn’t. The little they could do, they didn’t enforce. I was pretty happy with the custodian on my building, who was there sharp every morning and cleaned up the place leaving it spotless for the day. When i got back home it seemed that a parade had just passed, with papers, liquids spilled and writings on the walls… whats up with that? And to top it all off… the nice scent of weed all over the hallway. They even tried to conceal the smell with incense… can u believe that?
Well I’ve said my two cents here… If you are in real hardship… well, be strong and you will survive through rude, uncaring tenants, loud music and whatever else through the walls and not much commercial access unless you reach Norstrand ave. You have been warned.