FRONTDESK 2015 East 4th Street Apts Downtown Cleveland

After seven years in the Buckeye Building on East 4th Street, living on both the 2nd and 5th floors, I recently moved out. The biggest drawback was laundry. One washer and dryer per floor isn't enough for the number of residents; machines often break and can take 1-2 weeks to fix. The payment app is clunky and times out a lot. It'd be better if laundry were included in rent. The elevator is old, slow, often out of service on weekends, and loud and rickety enough to concern my guests and parents. It's also too small for large furniture. Parking is separate from rent at around $200 a month. There are several garage options, but the spaces are tight around the columns and aren't a good fit for cars bigger than a compact SUV. The ramps are steep, so you can't back out and have to turn around between columns. Event nights can bring delays from valet traffic and crowds. Maintenance doesn't usually handle weekend issues until Monday unless they're emergencies, which is inconvenient for elevator or HVAC problems. There are some real advantages too. The location is great for accessibility, just a 2-5 minute walk to Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage Field House. Rent is reasonable for the area and increases predictably each year. Utilities are electric only and affordable, even during peak HVAC months, and the HVAC units are efficient despite the big windows and high ceilings. Amenities are modest but were recently upgraded, with a newer gym and rooftop area shared across several buildings. The one entrance and exit also created an accidental community; you got to know people while waiting for the elevator or holding doors. Most residents were in their 20s and 30s, with some families and older people. The building is regularly cleaned and generally well maintained. Maintenance usually responds within 2-3 days, and the staff are friendly and communicative. Still, a few times they left a mess after work orders, like appliance boxes, sawdust, or walls that needed repainting after appliance replacement. Interior noise is another issue. Thin walls between apartments and along hallways mean you hear neighbors, doors slamming, and maintenance staff vacuuming. If sleep matters, especially on weekend nights, try for a unit without a bedroom next to the hallway. If noise keeps coming back, contact the property manager; they may send a building-wide email or issue warnings or noise complaints to residents or units.

They had us come to the office twice to tour two-bedroom units. Both times, once we were already there, they said the unit had been taken. They never warned us beforehand that there wouldn't be a unit to see. This management group doesn't respect people's time and comes across as very unprofessional. I wouldn't bother booking a tour.

I was told I'd get a status call within 48 hours, but no one followed up, and by the time I chased them myself, the cancellation deadline had passed. My calls went unanswered until after that 48-hour window, while messages usually got a reply by email days later. The income requirement also shifted from 3× the rent to 4×, and despite my 814 credit score they still wanted a co-signer. They took my fees and down payment, then communication became difficult when I needed to resend my offer. The whole process felt misleading and frustrating, with very little transparency. Proceed carefully.

The ceilings are high, the interior has been renovated, and the downtown location is great. The leasing office and maintenance crew are also very nice and quick to respond. Still, the day-to-day issues take away most of the enjoyment for me. I live in the Buckeye Building apartment, called the Arlo, one of five buildings on the East 4th property. Noise comes through so clearly from the neighbors that I can hear conversations, coughing, sneezing, and even pages turning. I feel like I have no privacy or peace, and sometimes avoid phone calls because I know people can hear me. The shared washing machine on the floor is out of order more often than not, so I have to find another way to do laundry. Parking is another headache. The Woolworth basement garage has awkward, tight spots and a single lane for both entering and leaving. Finding space in the smaller garage connected to the Buckeye Building is nearly impossible. There’s no guest parking either, so visitors have to pay at the street or nearby public lots. The package room is in another building, though mail is delivered here. There’s also no intercom or buzzer, so I have to go downstairs to let guests in.