Claire B.
The positive reviews that appeared after mine are, I believe, from friends of the leasing and management team, not people who live here. They don't seem to describe what it's actually like to be a resident. Some people staying in Airbnb units for a day or two may also be posting positive reviews. The location in Broad Ripple is great, close to the Monon, and the apartments in the fire- and water-damaged section that had to be repaired are updated and nice. There's a relatively new maintenance crew, and they've been responsive, capable, and friendly. That's where the positives end. The main issue is security, and management seems to care very little about residents' safety or experience. No one from management staffs the lobby office, but the front doors are left unlocked every business day from 9 to 5, Saturdays included. Packages often disappear from the delivery room in that unlocked lobby. I have family nearby, so I send my mail and packages there; without them, I don't know what I'd do. Once through the lobby, there's no fob needed to reach the residential floors, the fifth-floor common area and bathroom, the roof deck, or the workout room. As a woman, I can't understand why management hasn't addressed that, given the security problems here. While I was moving in, a homeless man who was later convicted of assault was often in the building trying to get into apartments. After I reported that he'd entered mine, management didn't even call me back. I asked them to post his photo so residents would know he was frequently around, but they never did. As a woman, I find that unforgivable. It felt like they were waiting for something worse to happen before acting. There are also often people in the garage who don't belong there, and cars are broken into regularly. From the garage, people can get into the whole building because only one of its three doors has a security fob scanner. Graffiti is present in an interior stairwell accessible from the garage. I also have neighbors who repeatedly yell at me and throw or pour things onto my balcony. I've reported at least five incidents, but management does nothing and gaslights me about it. They say there's nothing they can do, yet won't let me break my lease. Twice they've told me my best option is to call the police and see if I can press harassment charges. I could write much more, but I hope this explains what living here is like. I don't think Birge & Held cares or will improve security. I'm genuinely worried they might retaliate against me for posting this, but hope my experience saves someone else the same trouble.
