Moda

The building has recently changed ownership and things aren’t looking good. The new management company (Pinnacle) evidently didn’t have a plan in place for how to run day to day operations on day one.
The elevators that residents use in the garage are filthy (but they did manage to clean the one they use for showing perspective residents), fitness center smells bad and TVs aren’t working, and dog park is disgusting (animal feces, trash cans full, and smell bad enough you wouldn’t want to stay there).
Also another concerning fact is from what I can tell on Pinnacle’s own website, this is probably the highest end property they manage in Dallas. One can only hope they step things up and deliver service and amenities that one expects when paying rent this expensive.

Foreword: I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars. Johnny has done a great job since stepping in as manager for the property, and things are definitely trending up from where they were when I moved in.
I moved in August 2015, and was impressed with the facilities and the general vibe. A small, but nice gym, a decent business suite/​lounge area for residents, and an awesome pool. Definitely my favorite of all the apartments I’ve been too. However, there were some drawbacks, mainly due to compromises you have to make to live in this area. I’ve waited until the very end of my lease to give a review, and I’ll try to stay as unbiased as possible.
Summary: (1 – 5 stars)
Apartment: 4
Staff: 4
Amenities: 5 when clean, 3 at best by Sunday
Parking: 4
Traffic: 4 during summer, 2 during winter/​spring
Area: 3 (ok, but there are better locations, especially for the price)
Apartment itself: nicely furnished, neutral colors throughout that are easy to work with as far as décor goes. I can tell some of the cabinets and stuff were a rush job — drawers in the bathroom have never shut properly, and the shower isn’t level, so if you play softball or anything where you get slightly dirty, there will be a pile of sediment in the corner. Closets are huge, lots of natural light from the big windows, and nice granite counter tops. Wish there was a bit more pantry space and room to work around the stove, because those get cramped at times. Other than that, pretty nice over all.
Staff: started out, they didn’t really want anything to do with the residents. Maybe two resident events in the first 5 months I was here (during the tour, I was told «at least monthly»). Normally I wouldn’t complain, but this is marketed as a «luxury apartment», so I kind of expect a little something every once in a while. Many other complexes in the area in this price range have events often. However, as I mentioned, Johnny has done a great job since taking over, and there’s been probably 3 or 4 events in the last 2 months. A Deep Eddy’s cocktail night was really well done this past week. Maintenance is the fastest I’ve ever seen, with everything being taken care of within 48 hours.
Parking: Plenty of it, however, they’re strict as hell. But that’s what you get when you live within a 9-​iron of a basketball/​hockey arena. I learned the hard way — had my new truck towed the first night after I bought it (a random Wednesday in late August, so not even a crazy weekend or anything). Also, they used to make all visitors park in the «visitor» spots on the first floor, of which there were about 15 or so spots. For a building with hundreds of residents. And each visitor must have a guest parking pass. The tow company probably made a good chunk of revenue just going back and forth to MODA. However, earlier this year they started letting guests park inside the gates, as long as they had a pass. Like I said, things are trending up.
Community/​Amenities: As mentioned before, this is the best apartment pool I’ve been to in Dallas. The people «in» the pool, however, can at times make it unbearable. There’s a group of mongoloids that blast EDM remixes on what seems like every Saturday at the pool, where they drunkenly yell all afternoon and evening over the bass reverberating around the southern portion of the complex. This group largely contributes to the piles of trash that get left around the pool every weekend, and I’ve personally witness beer cans being left to float off the (very pretty) infinity edge. Because that’s just what I want when I’m looking to relax and enjoy the skyline, a beer-​can-​flotsam-​island. Special shout out to the morons who broke glass in the pool and forced management to close it for a few days during June! Because there’s nothing I love more than having no pool in the summer in Texas.
Traffic: 6 months out of the lease — great. Easy to deal with when you learn the streets in the area (that intersection where Harry Hines meets Pearl is a nightmare every day around 5:30, so avoid that). The other months are basketball and hockey season. Nightmare central getting home, because… well would you look at that, gametime falls right around the tail end of rush hour. But I digress.
Surrounding Area: The Katy Trail starts a block west of the apartment, so that’s handy if you’re a runner/​biker, and it’s about a mile to Katy Trail Ice House if you take that route. «Walkable to bars» if ¾ths of a mile (at minimum) is walkable, because you’ll likely be going to Uptown, not Victory Park. That’s walkable to me, but then again I’m also not opposed to a nice walk, and I’m a guy. A girl may want to think twice about walking around by herself at night. Restaurants in the immediate vicinity: Saint Ann’s (cool but expensive), Meso Maya (regional Mexican cuisine), and La Ventana (window service place that has a patio and street tacos and beer, plus churros!). Victory Park is dead at night, so not much to speak on that front other than House of Blues.

This place would be awesome if it weren’t for the pool parties every damn weekend and sometimes during the week. No security here and management does nothing about the noise. Lots of young drinkers here. Don’t live on the pool because you will hear everything! View is great but for the money you will pay I would go elsewhere. One morning I walked out of my apt door to find vomit up and down the hallway and it wasn’t cleaned up til the next business day. Another time someone had thrown a cheeseburger and fries all over the carpet and walls. It all sat there for two days. And when hockey and basketball are in season you can forget going anywhere. Traffic is insane before and after all games.

I had mixed emotions about Moda. I am a current resident at Moda. My lease will be up this summer and I will not be resigning. Cons: As stated below the towing policy is very strict. I have often seen throw up in the halls from other drunken residents. You feel like your living in frat house. I also got a $ 200 inconvenience fee for having 5 of my family members over at the pool grilling out. YOU CANT HAVE MORE THAN TWO GUEST. It would be one thing if were loud and partying but it was my parents and siblings. I apparently broke the rules by having 5 of them over. The Management use to be really good when Amanda was there. Aldrin acts as if she’s better then you and will not give you the time of day unless she’s touring new residents. The apartment slopes really badly. Pros: the view from the roof and pool are AMAZING! The apartment itself is nice. The other residents who are not consistently drunk are actually really nice and friendly. If you have pets they are super pet friendly! small dog run area for your dogs to run around. The location is also very walkable! Its all about experience hopefully others has a better time here at Moda.

Bad noise on west side of building from the AAC Audi Parking garage. Horns, loud drunk people, etc. Also was woken up in the middle of the night by their fire alarm. It took them several hours to turn it off. Some residents even had to stay at hotels. The cheap thin floors allow you to hear every tiny step from your upstairs nieghbor. Kept up well, decent parking, nice small gym.

Granted it has a decent location but various reasons to stay away include: 1. We woke up on a Sunday at 3 a.m. to 20+ gun shots across from the Little Mexican Village facilities neighboring the apartment (visible from our balcony). One person dead. 2. Too many animals in this place, literally two days went by with dog poop laying in the hallway on weekdays. 3. Stiff towing of residents/​guests. The requirement if to walk a parking pass down to your guests’ cars and retrieve them when they leave. The parking passes are good for one month so you must renew them during office hours in the lobby. I personally paid the $ 200 and the 20 minute drive to help a friend of mine when he was towed after a two hour, weekday visit. 4. The management has been notified about broken public restroom handles yet has not fixed them lending to two mishaps — 1. being walked in on and 2. being locked inside the bathroom due to the handle leaving the door itself. 5. Loud pool area on weekends, but if you are into partying and leaving your beers in the pool you will fit in. 6. After asking to move out, with a 60 day notice I must pay ~$ 3500 or about ~$ 7000 for an immediate move date — as they do not negotiate transferring lease to other tenants.