Riverwalk Apartments

This place was a bad move for me, personally. I had come from a doorman building 15 minutes out of NYC with a rooftop pool and indoor garage parking. In a misguided attempt to save $ 400 a month and shorten my commute, I landed here. The reality is that the additional $ 400 was well worth it. Hindsight happens. Short version: While Riverwalk is better than most area apartments I’ve seen, that’s because there’s no existing market for luxury rentals here. Realistically, their use of that term is quite loose. I’ll break this down in detail below.
PROS:
–Modern looking apartments;
–Secluded feel to the property, which is offset from a busy county road and therefore conveniently located to everything;
–Large, undeveloped grassy areas contribute to the overall suburban feel;
–Gloriously large washing machines;
–Nice, large refrigerators;
–Central air with a wifi thermostat keeps cooling costs low (building 2 only);
–Package storage is organized and fairly secure in building 2;
–Stylish kitchen and bathroom tiling;
–Convenient intercom system with an integrated smartphone app and video calling;
–Responsive management staff.
CONS:
–YOU. HEAR. EVERYTHING. Literally. I could very often hear Mr. Lead Foot’s TV upstairs while I tried to sleep.
–A month into my lease I was notified of preexisting groundwater contamination. Talk about bait and switch (photos of notification attached). Scary that someone put a preschool on the property, but hey that’s corporations for you!
–Like some other «luxury» apartments, craftsmanship was lacking and build grade left something to be desired, *at times.* Perfect example: the older units in building 1 have garbage disposals (awesome!). Newer more expensive units in building 2 do not (bummer). My bathtub was cheap and plasticky. For nearly $ 2k a month, porcelain would be nice. The faucet on my kitchen sink was either actually made of plastic, or alternatively, of some space age metal that looks and feels exactly like plastic. The laminate floors were of only the finest discounted Home Depot selection, and the glittery «granite» countertops desperately scream Ikea.
–They advertise a virtual doorman. It’s an intercom, plain and simple. As a helpless female, I often worried that if ever pursued by a maniacal killer, I’d die before I managed to enter my passcode and let myself into the building. Tech is cool, but key fobs are still a good backup.
–Handicapped? Live elsewhere.
–The grilling area is shameful. They should just not even have it. My last building advertised a grill and delivered a grill. These things are like those $ 30 ones you take camping. Speaking of camping, don’t forget your coal and lighter fluid. I’m serious.
–The dog run isn’t grassy; it’s covered in some gravel-​esque stuff that most definitely hurts dogs’ feet.
–Closet space is nonexistent.
–To add insult to injury on the closet space, deduct 40 sq ft from whatever you’re told you’re getting to account for locked utility closets which house the water heater and HVAC units. There has to be a better way!
–Blink and you’ll miss the fitness room.
–Parking space lines are drawn for people with clown cars. I lived in fear of dents.
–Prepare to be spoken to like a child if you dare misbehave during tenancy. I was told that my parking tag looked a little too bent and perhaps I should leave it on my dash rather than force it on to my rearview. I left it on my rearview. I also recommend using a dummy email address unless you like scoldings to start off your work day. However, you will inevitably have to talk to someone when you need something. In that unfortunate event, here’s your guide: Aaron is the most human of the managers, and I could tell it pained him to have to pass down the BS. He handles everything with a super fast turn around, too. Hector, who may or may not be the super, is pleasant but if you’re on fire, he wouldn’t pee on you after 5 pm. Danny, the porter, is a doll. Always available to help in a pinch, and he’s got a pocket full of our twenties to prove it.
In summary, this place talks a big talk but delivers a very mediocre package and management takes every opportunity to act as if you’re living on Park Ave. My suggestion to the owner is to visit downtown Jersey City, Edgewater, and Hoboken before beginning construction on Phase 3. I want to say it’s a give and take, but my last landlord never spoke to me, didn’t email me, and employed a super who gladly snaked our toilet with 10 minutes’ notice on a Tuesday night, all while offering amenities galore. If you haven’t come from a true «luxury» rental, then this knockoff may not bother you, but having experienced both sides, I can say you get what you pay for. Next month, I’ll be paying about $ 350 more a month for a top floor apartment on the water overlooking NYC with access to a pool, clubhouse, basketball court, huge fitness center, normal sized parking spots, and valet trash removal… and I couldn’t be happier.

Nice apartments. New fixtures. Management company, particularly Peter Johnson, is very responsive to emails. Building includes a gym which is rarely used. Convenient place to stay if you have children because Goddard School is part of the complex. All in all, friendly neighbors. Quiet place to stay.

My wife and I moved in at the end of May 2013 and have been very happy with the accommodations. The staff is very friendly and the property manager even met us at 11PM to hand us our key and make sure we were good to go! (we were moving from NC and got delayed). Any time we needed something worked on or adjusted, the maintenance staff was very friendly and willing to help. I am moving for work at the end of the month and want to say a personal «thank you» to Pete Johnson for his help in making the transition out. The convenience of location (short drive to malls, restaurants, public transit and major highways), helpful staff and quality property make this an easy «recommend» to friends and colleagues in the area! Keep up the good work!

I love this place! It’s brand new and the management is super responsive! Any time I need something fixed or adjusted, they do it the same day. I’m so happy here, I got my sister to move in!
Plus, Pete, Aaron, Hector and Danny are some of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing!

Lived here since it opened. Have no issues with the business center surroundings, since the location is convenient for car transportation (with Rt. 46, 80, 20 and GSP all within a 5 min drive). Most tenants are pleasant and quiet, but as with all rental places you do have a couple of less savory personalities. Pet fee can add up, but it’s on par with what the Avalon communities charge. I liked the view out to the river and since the building’s still relatively new there is not much to complain about. There is one maintenance guy that lives on the premises and he’s nice, but I think it’s stingy that the landlord/​management does not hire a back-​up person. Once I had to rely on the leasing unit rep to help me deal with an electrical issue since I couldn’t get in touch with the designated property manager (Peter Johnson) who doesn’t return calls in a timely manner.
Now the bad parts:
As with all pet ok apt complexes you have selfish pet owners who do not pick up after their pets… poop can often be found around the complex. Gross especially if you have children.
Fitness room is small, nowhere near what a «luxury» complex should have.
Packages are sometimes stashed in a secure room or left strewn in the lobby. Minimal security. A luxury complex should offer a concierge or an automated locker system that protects your shipments.
Greedy landlord tries to raise rent every year, even as they’re building TWO more buildings and they are NOWHERE close to full occupancy.
Only convenient public transportation is NJ Transit bus #161… which is a TERRIBLE line. I have had drivers on this line pull over on NJ turnpike and pull out a PAPER MAP b/​c they don’t know how to get to NYC. From the turnpike. True story. Also have had buses that didn’t show at all, or buses that come one right after the other.
All in all, if you’re a laid-​back person who cherishes immediate access to highways (and you have pets) this is a fair choice for you. Otherwise, if you are bothered by any of the issues I pointed out, find somewhere else to live. Riverwalk is cheaper than the new Fair Lawn complex, but again, greedy landlord — who knows how long that’ll last?

The AC units don’t work properly. These folks can’t get it fixed, it’s been since Thursday. I feel sorry for anyone moving in. This is unacceptable.