Uptown Apartments

Summary:
Although I stayed in the same apartment for 5 years, I would not recommend this apartment to others. It is convenient, but overpriced and with management that actively tries to make life as difficult as possible for residents.

Pros:
I moved to Cleveland in 2012 to begin medical school. When I moved in, the building had just opened. Because of this, the amenities are nice - central heating and cooling, painted wood floors, modern kitchen with all electric stove and oven, in unit washer and dryer, high ceilings, large windows that span floor to ceiling in one room and the length of the room in the other, etc. It has a modern aesthetic (or at least tries/claims to), with all white walls, countertops, and appliances; grey painted wood floors; sliding doors; plenty of sunlight with large, uniquely shaped/sized windows; and exposed concrete ceilings (though in my estimation this aspect manages to look lazy instead of modern/chic). It is walking distance to 3 of the 4 major hospitals in Cleveland - 3 blocks or so from the VA, 2 blocks or less from UH, and about a 20-30 minute walk from the Cleveland Clinic. It is in University Circle, which houses Case Western and many cultural institutions (Museums of Art, Contemporary Art, and Science; Botanical Gardens; Symphony Orchestra; Wade Oval; etc). The area has many restaurants - both faster fare such as chipotle, Panera, Chopstick (Chinese), etc. and higher quality food in Little Italy. It is also on both the Health Line, which is an excellent bus route that extends from East Cleveland through Downtown along Euclid Ave, and the Red Line, which is a train line that goes through Downtown and extends to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Cons:
The apartments are significantly pricier than comparable apartments in the area. A short distance away you can pay roughly half the price for an apartment with twice the space. These other apartments also have more common spaces/lounges, gyms, and other amenities.

The windows are vent style and do not have bug screens, making them essentially unusable in the summer - you either have to let bugs in, become overheated, or pay for AC or electricity for fans. The windows also fog up in the winter, causing water damage.

Management does not care about the tenants - they actively make living there more difficult and pretend that it is making it easier. For example, they have repeatedly changed bill pay systems while claiming that the new systems would be better for the tenants as they would be easier to pay with and allow for maintenance requests. Not only did the changes do naught to facilitate payment or maintenance requests (both systems worked perfectly and simply in the past), these changes actually made the payment system more onerous - management began to charge fees for using the system to pay at all - both credit and bank to bank transfer are associated with a fee for EACH payment, making the already overpriced apartments even worse of a value. You cannot make recurring payments without this system, as utilities is a variable price per month. They have also further changed their policies so as to make it more likely that tenants are charged a late fee.

Management also has a very restrictive lease and enforces asinine policies. If you are late on payment, which is easy to do given the continually changing payment system, they send you an eviction notice which states "We are asking you to vacate the premises immediately or you will be sued." There is no warning, even though I have paid every time. When I confronted them about this they said "That's our policy." They demolished half of my lobby to place a failing restaurant in it. They do not allow footwear in the hallway, despite 95% of residents requesting this for winter, and began to have maintenance remove the footwear and charge residents to retrieve them. They did not provide rationale for these policies when I formally requested a change in policy and outlined

I have tried living in many places since I moved to Cleveland last year. Most people told me not to invest in Uptown apartments when I first got here. They said things like "its too expensive" and "not worth it." But honestly, as a single grad student living alone this was my best option. With some serious budgeting I can afford this fantastic place with minimal financial strain. I did need a co-signer, but I am always able to cover all of my living expenses myself on the SOM stipend. It is safe, spacious, clean and one of the best locations for SOM graduate students. Windows are huge, and I love the high ceilings. My two cats and I love it and we are not leaving anytime soon.

Bigger units have lots of storage space but are on the expensive side. Smaller units are affordable but could use a little more storage space. Overall, a very convenient location and great management team!

This apartment is perfectly located in the University Circle. There are many attractions and restaurants nearby - there are several restaurants and shops in the building and many more within 3 blocks, it is down the hill from Little Italy, walking distance to the museums and orchestra, and walking distance to UH, the VA, and the Cleveland Clinic. Each apartment has its own washer dryer combination and amazing sunlight. The major downside is the price for the size - it is at least $2 per square foot. Many other places in Cleveland run less than $1 per square foot, especially if you have a roommate. The convenience of the washer/dryer, proximity to school and hospitals, and the numerous shops and restaurants is what has kept me in this apartment throughout med school though.

I have lived at Uptown Apartments for the past 4 years of medical school and overall am very pleased with my experience there. The best part, hands down, is the location of the property to Case Western and University Hospitals--my commute can be as little as a 5 minute walk! The neighborhood is very safe (they have security guys patrolling at night) and Uptown has done a wonderful job of bringing in a lot of local restaurants, bars, etc into the area so you never have to go too far for a great meal or for groceries. The apartment itself is almost brand new with new amenities, a washer/dryer included in the unit, and I've never had a problem with bugs or rodents. The staff do a good job of responding to maintenance questions/concerns and I've never had an issue with management. One thing I think it is lacking is a real gym (they have a treadmill, elliptical and bicycle per building but it's really just those three machines). Additionally, my apartment doesn't have great storage space so I've had to get creative in terms of how to fit all my stuff compactly in my closet. The rent is definitely pricey for Cleveland, especially given the size of the unit. However, you are paying for the location and the facilities around you, so it depends on what you value in a living space. Overall, I'm very happy with my time there and would recommend it to any graduate student at Case or resident/physician working across the street at UH!

The short of it: If you are a single law student looking for convenience above all else, this is a perfect place for you.

Uptown Apartments is about a 5-7 minute walk from the Case Law Building. It's the perfect location for a busy law student who doesn't spend a ton of time at home other than to study and sleep. The Apartments sit above a market/grocery, Barnes & Nobles, and just about every fast casual chain in town these days, plus some nicer restaurants and bars. It can't get much more convenient than that.

The apartments themselves are new compared to many buildings up the hill and very nice. They somewhat lack in storage space and kitchen space for those that may find that important. There is a laundry/dryer ensuite, plus a dish washer. The building is protected by fob entrance and doors autolock behind you. Packages can be delivered right to your room and maintenance has a good response record.

Parking varies depending on what building you're in, but is covered.

I spent all three years here during law school and overall I have no regrets!