Grand Residence

I've lived here for a few months, and at this price it's okay, though a bit below what I'd expect for the location and management company's reputation. The building and streets are quiet, the rent seems fair, the location is convenient, and the app makes maintenance requests and online payments easy. But the interior common areas are a mess. I've never seen anyone clean them, and the halls and entryways are pretty disgusting right now. I know winter makes salt and sand hard to manage, but nearby properties at similar or lower rents have lovely, clean entrances. I'm embarrassed for guests to see this place. The walls are patchy and unpainted, and the water pressure is only okay. The radiator heat dries everything out and is hard to control, so it feels like 80 degrees all the time. Charging $20 a month for laundry feels like a money grab, especially when it's shared in the basement of a walk-up with no elevator. Plenty of people probably don't want to live with that setup. I'm not angry, just disappointed given the location, price, and reputation. I expected more for the money from this brand and management. This is much lower quality than anywhere else I've rented in St. Paul. There's no off-street parking in practice: there's a waitlist shared by about six buildings and very few spaces. You'll have to move your car around for snow emergencies and the no-overnight-parking rules on Grand Ave on Mondays and Tuesdays. If I'd known the real conditions instead of judging from the online photos and marketing, I wouldn't have rented here. I'd consider changing this to three or four stars, or more, if they restored some dignity with cleaner common areas and safe, well-maintained winter sidewalks. Just honest feedback for anyone considering living here.