The Encore on the 7th by BridgeStreet

The natural light and views are incredible, and my apartment is spacious and stunning. The whole building, inside and out, feels sophisticated and elevated, like a peaceful little paradise. It’s polished, secure, sparkling clean, well kept, organized, and communicative, with service that’s hard to beat. The staff feel like a little family. Since I started looking for an apartment in Pitt, Encore staff have gone out of their way to help me again and again. They’ve been kind, patient, and welcoming. Erica, the Property Manager, has been lovely to work with, hilarious, and gave me the warmest hug when I moved in. William at the front desk is quick to help residents and sets a high bar. I couldn’t have asked for better staff, especially while dealing with several difficulties moving across the state. Do yourself a favor and check this place out if you can.

The spaces are lovely, and the building and units were pristine. William was great to work with, showing us options that fit our budget and needs. Top-notch service and a great guy. I was super impressed with Encore apartments and highly recommend it.

I lived here for over three years and want to share a long-term resident’s view, especially after the property management change and the building’s marketing push. The building is nice, maintenance is generally prompt, staff are polite and responsive, and the location is convenient for walking to restaurants, bars, and music venues. There are substantial extra costs. My rent went up 12% in one year, and increases can be steep. The lease is inflexible if work or life changes mean you need to leave early: subleasing isn’t allowed, so you have to pay a fee equal to two months’ rent and return any rent concessions from signing. Parking in the adjacent public garage is the most expensive I’ve seen in Pittsburgh, and it has gone up almost every other year. When I moved out, one car cost $215 a month. With utilities and other fees, expect around $350 in monthly costs on top of rent. There are hassles too. The elevators break down fairly often. Events and construction nearby regularly congest or close streets. I’ve smelled strong marijuana from other units more than once. Downtown traffic is loud, and some weekends the bar downstairs plays music late into the night. Depending on your apartment, you may hear a neighbor’s washer, dryer, or TV through the wall. My last bedroom shared a wall with the neighbor’s laundry area, and it could get pretty noisy. Living here had good moments, especially the convenience and responsive staff, but be prepared for the costs and occasional problems that come with the location. The way my move-out was handled overshadowed the experience and would make me think twice about recommending it.

I lived at Encore for three years, like the gentleman who left the most recent review, and want to give my honest view. The units are nice and the views are beautiful, but there’s a lot future residents should know. My rent has increased about 32% since 2022 while services have declined. Concierge service used to be a selling point, but now it’s almost nonexistent. More often than not, there’s a “Sorry, concierge off today” sign at the desk. I believe they leave it there so people touring think someone is usually there when they aren’t. The surrounding area also seems to be steadily declining. People commonly dig through the trash outside the garage or linger around the building. Along with downtown traffic and nightlife noise, it doesn’t feel like the secure, polished setting management advertises. The worst part was moving out. I wasn’t returned my security deposit even though the apartment had only ordinary wear and tear. They charged me to repaint the whole unit for furniture scuffs, and for damage that was already there when I moved in. In my view, management uses technicalities to shift costs onto tenants, which amounts to dishonest business practices. Be thorough with your move-in form and document everything, or they may take advantage of you. If you’re considering living here, document the apartment on the day you arrive and prepare for steep rent hikes, hidden costs, and a move-out that may cost far more than it should. It’s a shame. Read reviews from past tenants, not just someone who toured for 30 minutes.