Camden South End Apartments

I’ll update my review over time, but I have truly enjoyed my time living at Camden so far! Maybe it’s because I live on the 4^th floor and have an amazing view of the city, but overall my apartment is great.
I live in a 2 bedroom 2 bath. It’s in great shape and the floor plan makes it feel really homey. I wish the living space was bigger, but the bedrooms make up for it. I also have lots of closet space (plus built ins). In addition, all two bedrooms come with a free 5×5 storage room. Score.
Like I said, over time I’ll update this review but here are the basics:
PROS
— location!
— big apartment size
— comparable pricing in area
— decent size pool
— quiet
— modern updates to apts
— free gas with fireplace apts
— large closets with built ins
— dining room area
— FAST maintenance
— gym isn’t crazy busy
— free gym classes
— mix of young professionals and families (some college students– boo)
— did I mention location!!!
CONS
–little noisy on weekend, but nothing to complain about
–extra storage isn’t in your building (at least ours isn’t)
— parking sometimes sucks
— limited guest parking
— you can hear traffic, but you live in the city. Get over it.
At the end of the day a lot of people will post only negative things on apts, because why not? But I’m glad I could and have experienced positive things at Camden!

12+ month resident. Studio apt.
Pros:
Location (in Southend, within walking distance to uptown, near bars and light rail)
Timely service for repairs and requests
Friendly & helpful community staff (they have a tough job, to their credit they do their best)
Parking spot in parking garage
Pool
Cons:
Can be noisy w/​construction & late night near uptown
Can be difficult to find good parking on weekends
Not much interaction between neighbors IMO (met cool people at the pool on weekends however)
Overall: Great location, standard living arrangement at an average price. Across the board quality time living here (first time living in the city.) Nice appliances, built in closet (saves money on having to buy a dresser), valet trash ($ 30), cable+internet ($ 80).
Side note: Regarding the 1 star «rant» reviews on here — yes, in an apartment complex you will have some kind of a younger crowd. Yes, they obviously are going to be more active, «out and about,» and louder. If that is not your cup of tea, the suburbs might be a better option for you.

Forever frustrated with everyone involved in this apartment complex. Unexpected monthly charges and they keep losing my mail then lying about it!!!

Absolutely the worst place I’ve ever lived. I don’t even want to waste my time typing out all of the things I hate about this place because I will just get angry thinking about it. Word from the wise: don’t waste your money here. Go somewhere that will appreciate you and not fine you for the craziest things that SHOULD be included in your rent.

I moved in a week ago and have already fell in love with this community. Management is great, Super attentive. My appt is super quite at night. Location is great! Also price is what I expected to pay in this area. Prices are fair market value. Only thing I would change would be more visitor parking but it is in the city so I get it. If you are looking for a great place to live and lots to do this is the right place to live! It’s so convenient!!! Once again the management has been awesome as I transferred from a Camden in DC area and it was so easy!

I sure feel for these people who have literally lived nightmarish lives at Camden Southend. I’m just thankful that despite my husband and I having planned to move there, I had a «bad feeling» as we were signing the lease. I told the Asst. Manager repeatedly that there better not be any construction or outrageous noise having been reported outside the unit we were going to rent. She assured me that they were not aware of any construction (one of Charlotte’s worst ongoing nightmares) and even walked around outside with us pointing out that the Lite Rail was to the far side of the building (away from our unit), the parking lot across from us was where their prospective tenants parked, etc. Before we signed the last page of the lease I reiterated that if any construction began within six months of our moving in I’d go ballistic, we were moving to get away from noise. The only things we liked about the building was it’s location with lots to walk to as well as the apartment layout. Then I got a call from the Asst. Mgr. saying she just wanted to be polite and let us know that they just heard there was going to be some building across from us, maybe a few townhomes, she’d let me know when she heard more. REALLY? Told her I’d be able to find out what was happening there and get back to her within an hour. Made my round of calls through permits, etc. & was informed that there were about a dozen David Weekly townhomes going in (in that parking lot she said there couldn’t be any building in since Camden uses it for their prospective tenant parking).
The CharMeck permits man informed me that Camden management was lying as two permits had already gone through — one to build on the space and one to address the townhouses — they would have known about this for months! David Weekly homes (also based in Houston like Camden) told me that they were all set, hoped we’d consider buying from them instead of renting. Permits man also sent me a blueprint of the townhomes that CharMeck had approved and addressed. Sent this over to Camden’s Asst. Mgr. asking her how I could find all this out within an hour and they were clueless (well, we know the answer — she and her boss lied). I told them to consider the lease «null and void», insisted on it in writing and expected our application fee back. The Manager was very snotty and said they already did the work and we would not be getting anything back except our dog deposit. SO, I e-​mailed her and CC’d several people going all the way to the top folks in Houston corporate. Took 20 minutes to receive an e-​mail from Asst. Mgr. «sorry about delay, check should arrive within two weeks». Yes, got the check.
I wouldn’t have bothered to write this at this point except I have heard so many horror stories about Camden Living, the latest being yesterday, and it was BAD, BAD, BAD. Folks, do not rent anywhere in this town without doing some very intense research, and always get EVERYTHING in writing, and I mean EVERYTHING. I agree with the person who advised one rents from a private owner — you work your own deal with them and don’t deal with the B.S. these huge complexes throw at you. And it is a good time to buy (we did, and certainly not in Southend which is projected to have the most construction going on aside from Uptown over the next ten years). GOOD LUCK!!!

After spending the past 15 months as a Camden South End resident I give this review:
Location:
Right outside of Uptown Charlotte, there certainly is now shortage of things to do. Breweries, Restaurants, Parks, and Museums to name a few. This comes with its fair share of traffic which has only gotten worse since S Tryon now has parking spaces in the outside lanes. This traffic also brings lots and lots of noise into the apartment. I don’t hear my neighbors, but I hear the 2 a.m. drag races every night (you know who you are… Here’s an idea: STOP).
Exterior Apartment:
Nothing spectacular here, hallways and stairwells are almost always clean. Game days tend to be the dirtiest. This translates outside the complex as well. Game days often yield empty beer cans and broken glass the moment you step outside (at least on S Tryon). Currently their in construction which is only temporary and never really posed a problem for me.
Apartment Interior:
My unit has a great layout and there are plenty of layouts to fit almost anyone’s needs. The units are modern looking and our unit was well maintained. Unfortunately, over time I began to notice how quickly this place must have been built (seems to be the case with all apartments). Slightly crooked hardware on the cabinets, some cabinets ever so crooked themselves, my sink is also off center, and crown molding does not appear on one wall even though the rest of the walls in my kitchen have it.
Community:
This place feels like a ghost town. I’ve run into my neighbors 15 – 20 times max in 15 months. I’m truly unsure which units are occupied and which are vacant. I will admit, Camden hosts community events which I have not attended. Maybe this is why the place feels so cold.
Overall:
I’ve had a pleasant run with Camden South End. It has the same downfalls typically found in an apartment (cheap materials, poor construction, ridiculous trash policies, etc). What it does have is a convenient location that puts many great places in walking distance and it’s a minute walk to the light rail if you destination is further. However, the traffic and the noise is terrible and is a trade off to really consider before renting here.

Second email in the past few months concerning car break ins in the gated parking garage. No responsibility accepted by management or plans for future break in prevention. See email below:
From: Rebecca Dennard (Assistant Manager) May 28, 2015 9:48 AM
Subject: Important Notice– Please Read
May 28, 2015
Dear Residents,
I am writing to notify you of recent incidents that occurred at our community. Over the past two weekends, there have been some car break-​ins in the area parking garages. If you have any information regarding these incidents please contact the police directly by dialing 311, their non-​emergency number.
While nothing can guarantee that you do not become the victim of a crime, there are measures you can take that may reduce your risk. With the uptick in crime the South End neighborhood has recently seen, it’s important you take responsibility for your safety.
* Do not leave personal possessions in your vehicle. Anything of obvious or potential value is an attractive target for thieves.
* Lock your vehicles and make sure all windows are rolled up at all times.
* Be aware of your surroundings. Know who and what belongs in the area, and do not be afraid to contact the authorities about suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities.
Please remember, crime can occur any place at any time. We care about your safety; if you have any questions regarding these incidents please contact the Charlotte Police Department by dialing 911.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Dennard
Assistant Manager

I highly recommend Camden South End for prospective renters. The area is great and easily accessible to Uptown Charlotte via the Light Rail or a short walk.
Having lived at two different Camden properties in Charlotte, I enjoyed nice upgrades and amenities as well as an amazing leasing staff at both. Maintenance requests are always completed the same day and any additional issues are addressed in a timely manner.
I’m moving out of the country, but look forward to renting again from Camden when I return to Charlotte in 2017. Thank you Camden South End and Cotton Mills for making me feel at home for so many years.

1. Parking: parking is across the street from half the complex. This may not seem like a big deal unless you drive frequently and realize you have to go from the 1^st, 2^nd or
4^th floor to the third floor to cross the bridge connecting the complex to the parking garage, then up however many floors your car may be. If you don’t pay a premium to reserve a spot, you could be up as high as 6 floors up. If you live in the building attached to the garage it’s not so bad.
2. Paper thin everything. I can hear the person above me talking on the phone and when it vibrates on his bed side table (which is probably directly above mine since we have the same floor plan.) it’s lovely to fall asleep to…
3. Non-​negotiable $ 30 a month valet trash fee and $ 54 in cable. $ 84 down the drain already if you don’t have roommates.
4. There are so many places in South End and more flying up every few months. Sure it’s cool being by All American Pub and the light rail stop on Carson, but .5 miles south (South End) or to the east (Dilworth) you get nicer real estate.
5. Construction: the property itself is getting an extensive makeover and the apartments facing the light rail have exposure to a new complex going up. Construction has been going on 6 months and I haven’t even seen a wall go up yet, so this is a pretty long going deal.
**Camden South End has greatly improved since late 2014. The construction has ceased and they’ve made many improvements. I still think it’s only ideal if you’re in the main building, but I would recommend considering Camden South End.

I forgot to mention the event of road side construction starting at 11:30pm and lasting until at least 5 – 6 in the morning right outside my window. I know because I was leaving for vacation in the morning around 6, and they were still tearing up the pavement when I left. It was a non stop barrage of pavement grinding and drilling and large truck back up beeping, the entire night… I did not sleep very much, boarded a plane for California, picked up my friends when we got there, drove until at least 2am California time, ended the night in CA being up for about 24 or so hours. I really enjoyed the late night road fixing that had to be happening outside my window.

Be prepared to be shaken down by the infamous tow truck driver (white truck) who is definitely in cahoots with someone in management. Don’t leave your car parked in the garage at night even to unload groceries for a few minutes. We had a great run in while unloading groceries and even though we had a parking pass. Guy wanted money to not tow the car just because we were unloading heavy items for 10 mins. The dude eventually backed down, but got really heated and intense. He’s out every night (gotta make the quota) preying on so many others, what a shame. I wonder what the buildings cut is?
Had a corporate studio apartment that was just OK, but for the price there are definitely better options close by. The building is in OK shape and is in a great location for downtown Charlotte and is the only reason I gave this one star. The pool brings out shady folks at night and the gym is basically worthless equipment wise. The people in the building are a mix of young and professional folks as well as no kids. The building alarm tends to go off for nothing every few weeks and is quite annoying since you need to evacuate and wait for the fire department to give the OK.
Overall there are much better options so definitely a stay away

Don’t be fooled and judge a book by its cover. Sure they look lovely with the granite and pretty courtyard, pool… a lil fancy maybe. Renters should be able to test drive apts before renting. This place is built so poorly that you can hear everything upstairs and downstairs — floor to ceiling. For about $ 1250 a month, its ridiculous to live like a college student. Camden will force you to pay for cable (even if you don’t want it) and valet trash — when there is a trash shoot in every hall!
I rented for a few months and got out of my lease because I couldn’t sleep though the night anymore. I would never rent from a Camden again. Honestly, I would never live in an apt complex again. Look for private rentals. better pricing and more peaceful.
This place is good if you are right out of college and live a party lifestyle & care less about noise.

If I could leave ZERO stars for this property, I definitely would. The management is absolutely HORRIBLE. Not only was my rent raised 500% after my lease term, but my apt received no upgrades whatsoever. The carpet is the cheapest, most disgusting stuff you’d ever see in your life and they can’t even change it. Mind you, I’ve already lived here 15 months and the it wasn’t ever changed or cleaned before I moved in. The random fees are absolutely ridiculous as well. If they ever have to communicate they don’t even call you; instead they will hide behind an email and take over 24 hours to respon while dodging your calls.
The one and only saving grace is the location. The mosaic apts and the circle are right next door, cheaper, an much nicer.
Do not move here!

The first 5 — 6 months were pretty good. Location is right next to the light rail, a YMCA, uptown (easy walk to the museums) and the highways.
Then all the sudden I must have gotten some really heavy neighbors above, because every morning and every night I hear them lumbering about. It’s really, really annoying.
And I know they’re just walking. But it’s so loud!
Plus, it’s expensive and without much character.
4÷29÷2012:
They don’t really care about you once you leave. Nothing I haven’t experienced before with other places, but I was hoping for better here.

I wish there was a way to put 2.5 stars, cause that’s what I’m feeling.
There is good and bad to everything but especially to this apartment complex. I’ll start with the good —
* the location is awesome, I can walk to work everyday if I want or take the free trolley or light rail
* South End itself is a cool little neighborhood, there’s a bunch of cute little shops and restaurants to check out
* The apartment interior is nice and pretty quiet
* You can pay your rent online/​submit a maintenance request/​apply all from your computer
* The pool and gym are nice features as well as the «gated» parking
The Bad:
* We moved from Boston in September to a first floor apartment (that was dumb on our part) within 2 weeks someone broke in and stole our flatscreen tv, laptop, digital camera, ps3 and nearly every other piece of expensive electronic stuff we had — thank god for renter’s insurance!
* the management was willing to waive our «transfer fee» to move to another apartment in the complex but wanted to charge us MORE rent for a smaller apt, after a few days of aruging we were able to keep our rate but for a slightly smaller place on the 2^nd floor
* you have to pay $ 30 per month for someone to pick up your garbage, this is non negotiable
* after staying for a year lease, if we decide to rent for another year there is no incentive and our rent would be almost $ 400 more expensive per month because the rent is based on the «market rate»
All in all, it’s not a bad place but it’s become WAY overpriced in the last 6 months and in all reality isn’t all that safe. The location is wonderful and our 2^nd floor apartment has been great, I don’t think I would stay for more than a year though…

How I wish I never moved here. The ONLY positive about this rental is the location, even with that it’s not worth it to live here. Even that doesn’t hold because The Circle, The Milenium and a couple more rental complexes have been built. They are newer, close to Uptown and (hopefully) managed a LOT better.
I would not trust the management for a moment. I see why there are moving trucks blocking the garage every weekend. There’s no incentive (like not getting your rent hiked or living in a safe community) to stay and the management gets more suckers (like me) to move in when residents finally end their leases.
I would completely agree with another reviewer:
«They are friendly when giving you tours of the apartment and when you are paying them, but as soon as something goes wrong or there is a dispute they become cold and unnegotiating. I understand that they are trying to make money, but it seems like that is their only purpose, they have no goals to try to make the „community“ feel like a home.»
The maxim ‘you get what you pay for’ is also not true: You pay far more than what the apartment is worth (headaches and worries included with mandatory cable and trash charges).
Lastly, it is not safe, even your own apartment. The ‘security’ doors leading from Tryon and from the garage are broken more often than not. I came home once from getting coffee and found four men (none of whom were from Camden) in my apartment doing a ‘repair’. That is completely unacceptable. I can’t wait for lease to end. I wish I had recourse but I signed a lease and let them walk all over me. Don’t do the same.

Agreed that it’s a great location, but HORRIBLE property management. The maintenance service is prompt and well-​done, but other than that not a good place to live.
There is a required $ 30/​mo valet trash removal fee, whether or not you wish to use it. I said I could bring my own trash to the trash chute but they said I still have to pay the $ 30. The general feel of the management staff is also very fake. They are friendly when giving you tours of the apartment and when you are paying them, but as soon as something goes wrong or there is a dispute they become cold and unnegotiating. I understand that they are trying to make money, but it seems like that is their only purpose, they have no goals to try to make the «community» feel like a home.