Runway Apartments

I don’t often write a reviews but in this case I felt compelled after reading some of these reviews. I’ve lived here since the beginning of August. The apartments are well constructed. The tenants are friendly. The location is awesome and getting better. Finally the staff is BEYOND nice and extremely responsive. Any issue that has arisen, which have been very few, have been dealt with and responded to in a timely manner. I love living here. Some people just love to complain. Enough said.

We have lived here for about 3 months and I can tell you that it is a great place to live! Facilities are kept immaculate and Paul and the on-​site management team are incredibly responsive and customer service orientated. The work out and pool areas are very nice.
Highly recommend!

This is based on my initial impressions. It’s mostly about the staff simply because I’ve been living in the unit a very short time. I’ll try to keep it updated as warranted.
THE LEASING EXPERIENCE
I worked with Jennifer. No problems or hassles generally. All the concessions she offered we honored. One took a very minor escalation but it ended up just fine.
THE OFFICE & MANAGEMENT TEAM
Monica the leasing manager is wonderful. She’s great at remembering people and accepting feedback. She wants people to enjoy living here. In mentioning a minor problem with the freezer, she strongly urged me to put in a maintenance request (I haven’t yet, it’s not a big deal and I’m keeping an eye on it) she wrapped it up with a good line: «This is your home, you should be fully able to enjoy everything about it.» That’s what I want too and it’s good to hear the team acknowledge it.
I’ve had only a brief encounter with Marquis, the assistant property manager. He was polite, accommodating and insightful. He didn’t just say it was ok to have a Nest thermostat installed, he encouraged it. He noted that I could even have them install it.
Paul, the property manager, and I have never met in person. But in my email exchanges with him he has been terrific. He fixed an errant charge without any grief or delay. He’s frequent, forthright, and honest with his communication of issues about the buildings. Exterminators coming — you’ll get an email. Construction affecting traffic flow — you’ll get an email. Fire alarm goes off — you’ll get an honest and apologetic email. I have yet to experience any evasiveness or dodging. I doubt I will.
The janitorial and maintenance staff are great. Important requests are taken care of right away. Sure, my Nest isn’t installed after 3 days, but so what. I’d much rather they address serious issues (both mine and others’) first. And, that’s what they do. A toilet repair, a cabinet repair, and a burnt out light bulb in the walk-​in closet were all addressed almost immediately. Every member of this team has been smiling every time I’ve encountered them.
The team lives on premises — this is their home too. That is reflected clearly in their attitudes and actions. And always positively.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
* On not setting up the garage gates for Homelink (for fear that a departing tenant would retain the ability to get in the garage). Pretty silly. I’ve had Homelink enabled garage access for 10 years; in L.A., in apartments. I wish I had it here. But, at best this is a quibble.
* Ants– haven’t seen any. They offered to have the exterminator spray in the unit, I said yes, they did and I’m fine with that. Constructions zones generate ants (you tear up their colonies, they’re going to go somewhere!)
* Stainless counters — we’ll somebody made a bad choice. They scratch ridiculously easily. They’re non-​ferrous (a magnet won’t stick to them), so I suspect they’re actually aluminium. But this is not an issue for me personally.
* Being surrounded by construction — umm, did you not see it when you came to visit the leasing office? That is by no means the fault of the management team.
* A year from now the kinks will be ironed out. As long as they don’t raise my rent too much, I expect I’ll be very happy to stay here.

With many reviews this month, I wanted to take the opportunity to share my thoughts.
Leasing was a breeze (I worked with Jasmin) and there were no hidden costs or assumptions made. The cost sheet is self explanatory and if you do your research on Playa Vista, especially in regards to the Resort, nothing will come as a surprise.
This building is extremely quiet, the apartments are well appointed and the residents (that I have seen) are very friendly. The common areas, the amenities and the bonus Whole Foods across the street are all amazing.
I do not consider the construction happening around us in a 360 degree view a con since I was well aware of it prior to signing a lease. I would also include this into the fire alarms, which I have never heard in the middle of the night, only one time around 6am and the Ant issue which after a couple incidents became concerning, the building was extremely apologetic and very responsive to.
Lastly, who cares about Time Warner and their issues? Why sit inside or worry about wifi in the common areas when you can be on one of the rooftops or outdoor patios enjoying the sun and the grills!

So let’s start with the fact that I have read enough of the other reviews to understand what people are complaining about. It honestly sounds like people just like to focus on the negative verses all of the awesome aspects of Runway.
Anyone who expects to move into a place that is perfect is crazy, especially into a location that is surrounded by finalizing construction.
The management team at Runway — I have had contact with Jasmin, Monica and Paul and they all have been genuine and incredibly professional.
So let’s talk about the other things that are awesome.
1. My apartment is incredibly spacious, well designed with a lot of natural light
2. I have a wonderful ceiling fan in my bedroom
3. My AC kicks it out like an icebox
4. I love the washer and dryer
5. There are so many grills on the grounds it is like having my own outdoor patio
6. I have two lounges and a pool that I spend my weekends at with no complaints — bonus: outdoor shower and clean bathrooms at the pool
7. Did I mention the gym? or the yoga room?
So let’s talk about the things that other people are complaining about
1. The resort: It is a bonus, to the already available amenities! I’m sorry you have to check out a card to use amenities the other buildings in the community pay for.
2. The ants, I had them, the building responded and I now I no longer have them. P. S if they come back, they will gone as quickly as they were the first time.
3. Fire Alarms: what fire alarms?
One last thing. Do not mistake me for someone who doesn’t care about value for cost. I think this complex and its management are working hard to make this the best place possible for its residents. I think it’s awful that others think it’s fine to diminish its Unilocal star rating by focusing on a few small things that will be worked out with the right communication between tenants and management.

Nice to look at, but not nice to live in!
A lot of these glowing reviews are focused on the Playa Vista neighborhood, and not specifically about the Runway Apartments. I actually live here, so rather than talk about Playa Vista, I’ll discuss what it’s like to live at Runway Apartments. I held off on writing this review because I do not have many good things to say.
The apartments look great. I love the vinyl flooring with the hardwood look, the fixtures and interesting finishes around my apartment. I do not love the ant infestation that has existed since I moved in. I have seen ants in my apartment basically every day for almost three months. Management initially blamed the ants on me– before I even had my bed installed or was fully moved in. Now, management blames the ants on the new construction around the apartment complex, but rather than place blame it would be nice to see them be proactive and get an exterminator to treat the ENTIRE building, rather than spot treating affected apartments. I have not talked to a single person who does not have ants (including agents who work here).
It seems like they are still trying to figure everything out. This would be okay if it seemed like they actually cared about all the inconveniences a resident goes through living here. I lived in a nice place before this that cost less money and I thought I was moving to a better place, but I was sadly mistaken. It is not unreasonable to want to live in a place where you don’t have to worry about having an ant crawling across your chest while you’re brushing your teeth (this actually happened to my neighbor). I’m tired of complaining and I just want to enjoy where I live.
My best advice would be to wait a year or two before moving in, because if you don’t have time to deal with pests, random fire alarms going off at early hours in the morning, and endless excuses for anything else that happens, you will not want to waste your time or money living here.
I really wanted to love this place and I hope things improve, but I’m not holding my breath.

These reviews have been very helpful for me. I put a deposit on a very nice 2 story 1 bedroom apartment at Runway about a month ago. Like many I was told that I would have access to The Resort, which influenced my decision in moving to Runway since it would be right across the street. Well… not so much… you have to check out a key card, which there are a limited number of, so you never know when you will be able to use the Playa Vista amenities. I know their trying to lease apartments… but false advertising is false advertising, and you’ve got to maintain integrity even in the midst of leasing season.
No wifi in the common areas just doesn’t make sense… figure it out…
The leasing staff seem like nice people, but only were responsive when I had questions or needs that would result in them leasing a unit. Most of my less than exciting questions or emails took a while to get a response.
Yes the apartments are nice and they are conveniently located which is why I was willing to pay such a premium (they ain’t cheap). In retrospect, I think that Runway is about to go through some major growing pains, which is to be expected… but you can’t charge the residents a premium as you’re getting your S#&% together. Premiums should only be paid for premium luxury, and right now Runway just isn’t there. And if you’re going to get a less than perfect experience, there’s plenty of options at lower prices.
Tons of construction in the neighborhood supposedly will be done by end of year, which probably will translate into the end of March 2016. Right now you will quite literally be living in a construction site for 6 months.
End of the story resulted in me canceling my move in and eating my security deposit (a risk I knew going in)
That said, I would reconsider Runway in a year once they’ve worked out the kinks and completely neighborhood construction. Ultimately it will be a great place to live… just not yet

Living at runway thus far has been an inconvenience.
One of the major selling points that I and other tenants were falsely advertised was personal access to community pools and gyms. But after a month of asking for our keycards we were informed that there was a miscommunication and we would have temporary access on a checkout basis. They also will charge you 50 bucks for returning it late and 350 for lost cards!!!
Ants are everywhere. In our closets, counter tops, all over our dog, everywhere. We have had double digit treatments and still have ants everywhere in our apartment. The coordination of the treatments could have been much more organized. We would receive late notice and cancellations after taking days off work to take our dog out during treatment.
The apartment complex let us move in early. It was understood there were still things coming together, but that was July and the deck just installed lighting in the first week of October. The fire pits have never worked.
The ceiling fans in the bedroom are hilarious. The low, medium, high levels are controlled by a remote that the complex only has one of so you literally have to contact maintenance to change this. In our case the fan is a balance between not fast enough and noisy.
Time warner cable sucks, not really runways fault but something to consider if you dislike them like I do. The wifi doesn’t work around the complex.
The fire alarms work really well, especially at 2am.
The community is really nice, but for the price runway has been a broken mirage.

Hi Paul,
I wanted to share our recent experience with your leasing office. We entered your leasing office on Saturday and were denied a tour from the brunette woman you employ as a leasing agent. I myself am a PV resident of over 7 years and was excited to show my sister-​in-​law (a well-​qualified potential resident) leasing/​purchase options in our neighborhood. The leasing agent told us we needed to make an appointment a half hour prior to entering. Despite the fact that she was not working with anyone else, we were refused a tour. If you require appointments, then you should advertise as such, if you do not, you may want to retrain (read:replace) this young lady as she placed a higher priority on socializing with a young man that was visiting her, than leasing units. I don’t require a response, I just wanted to offer some feedback as a current Playa Vista resident.

I’ve been here for about a month. Initially, I was really excited to move in but I haven’t been thrilled with the experience so far. The apartment and community are great (except for minor things like the stainless steel counter tops easily scratching and lots of construction).
Without shooting myself in the foot too much (leasing office is currently managing building), I would like to mention that there are many hidden costs that you cannot avoid above the cost of an already pricey community. The leasing agent will tell you that you can easily have 2 cars, for example, but then the unassigned car will receive warnings for parking in the general area (to encourage you to purchase another $ 100/​month space). Club room I was told was free to rent (with deposit) turns out to be $ 75/​hour. You cannot move in until you sign up for required cable/​internet package with TWC for $ 65/​month. Wifi should have been installed in the gym but has not yet been installed in the month I’ve been here. The community passes you get to Resort you can only pick up during leasing hours and are fined for being late ($ 50) or loosing the card ($ 350).
Not to talk about the inefficiencies of having sales people manage the move-​in process. It took me days of consistently calling the leasing office to secure my apartment. After I got through finally, the apartment I wanted had been taken. Luckily, there was another one available for $ 100 more/​month. Overall experience was far more difficult than my NYC moves which is notorious for being a difficult renters market.
Lastly, whenever I politely call to ask about promised amenities or for information I am cast off like it’s no big deal. I’m not an aggressive person but I’ve had many frustrating conversations that I’m not proud of. Doesn’t help that the main entrance passes the leasing office and I have to relive frustrating experiences every time I pass by.
I hope this is helpful to anyone deciding between communities in Playa Vista!

Moved in two weeks ago and in love! Can’t list all of the great reasons to «Live at Runway.» Management has provided excellent customer care from the very first phone call. They are quick to respond and have maintained personal, friendly and impeccable service throughout the move-​in process.
The apartment was designed and built well with attention to detail with luxury appliances and modern fixtures. Amenities in the building are first class. There’s free basic cable with 200+ channels from Time Warner and free high speed internet. The property is well maintained with 24 hour security (and a cheerful guard who always has a smile).
Community is super dog friendly with a dog park minutes away. If you’re into spending time outdoors there’s walking/​running trails/​bike paths. The residents in the community are an eclectic mix and friendly.
It’s very quiet in the building and in the neighborhood. Our windows are facing construction and it doesn’t bother us at all, especially since they end before the business day ends. In the evening, the only thing you’ll hear is the melodic chapel bells from LMU’s Sacred Heart if you have your windows open.
Playa Vista is hands down, my favorite place to live in LA and Runway is a fantastic residence!

I’ve been mulling over this review for a few weeks now. As the second residents to move in, I wanted to reserve judgement to allow the honeymoon phase to die down some. Having now lived at Runway Apartments for well over a month now, I feel now is a good time to weigh in.
First, I believe a review is based on perspective and past experiences. So first let me kind of set the scene for mine: my wife and I lived in a pretty decent apartment by most people’s standards in the mid-​city west area, a few blocks west of the Beverly Center. If you know the area, you know the general vibe (and people) in that area. Although we met some really, really nice people (who live and work in the area), my wife and I never felt like we really fit in. After all, we like to smile and say hi, and try to be nice and courteous to everyone we encounter. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. It’s the human thing to do. After almost 5 years in that area, little annoyances began to add up into something insurmountable, so we decided to move. Now that you know my frame of reference and have a little insight to my psyche (you poor, poor reader), it’s time for the review.
Let’s, for the heck of it, start with the not so good stuff. Our washing machine is oddly loud. And sometimes the water doesn’t get hot quickly. It seems to be a common thing after speaking with some of the other residents.
Yeah…that’s all I got.
Look, nothing is perfect, so yes, Runway Apartments is still in the process of fully coming together and there were little hiccups here and there, which were all handled quickly, but I will say this — the staff has been amazing from the moment we inquired at the every beginning to now. As it stands, my wife and I love it here (and that’s without all of the amenities being in place and the rest of the neighborhood being constructed)!
The neighborhood and our building is an eclectic mix of ages and races, professions and experiences, and so far, every one is extremely kind and layback. It’s an entirely opposite vibe from our prior neighborhood. Those who have visited love it just as much and are now rethinking their living situation.
Playa Vista in general is surreal and almost utopian in the way the community treats its residents and grounds and Runway is no different. There’s a real sense of community. Being a stones throw away from all the community has to offer is a great selling point.
What’s even better, when you’re walking around the neighborhood, people actually say hello.
This concludes my 1.5 month review. I’ll update my review in another 5 months. Hopefully it’s more raving reviews!

I toured this one month old property today. The outside hallway leading to/​from the apartments had a large and obvious crack. No reason was given when I asked. Then I was shown a unit where the flooring had buckled. Why? The agent had no answers. Seriously?
I am not a genius, but I have to question the integrity of the building materials and construction, as well as the corporate decision to ignore the obvious. The experience reminded me of «The Emperor’s New Clothes.»

If you are looking for an amazing place to live in LA, it doesn’t get any better than Playa Vista.
It has a small town feel with big city amenities, and Runway Apartments deliver in all aspects of luxury living.
Marques and everyone in the office have been extremely helpful answering all our questions and getting us through the moving process. They never make you feel like you are bothering them and they always make time to help you. I’ve seen my apartment 5 times and I haven’t moved in yet — only a week away!
There are so many positives about Runway that I’m sure if you see what they offer and the surrounding amenities that will be completed soon, you won’t want to live anywhere else!

«Take it… till you can still make it»
This is a brand new apartment complex and per my information first one out of the 4 apartment complexes for rent. This is a superb community, upcoming and dazzling… Paul and his team are very professional and generous when it comes to leasing and helping out the residents with any questions that they have. There is a pool, a gym and also a yoga room in this complex. It’s pretty and modern… If you want a particular view don’t feel shy to ask Paul about the upcoming property next door.

I was the first one to move into the Runway apartments and I’m very pleased with my decision — Paul Chambers — The general manager and his crew are very professional and very helpful in answering my questions and following up on my requests. The facilities are first class and when all the retail shops open up it’s going to be a lot of fun to be living in this urban community.

Moving is considered to be one of the 5 most stressful situations in ones’ adult life.
Relocating to a new city, falling in love with a new development and being asked to put down a deposit without actually seeing the unit or model can add to that stress.
When I first heard about the Runway development I sent an email inquiry (which I was encouraged to do from the website). It took a bit longer to hear back from the management/​leasing company than I would have liked, but it was well worth the wait.
I was lucky enough to have Marques Brooks reach out to me. Starting our first interaction, Marques was an absolute pleasure to work with, immediately making what could have been a stressful situation an absolutely smooth process. Everything I expect from a leasing agent/​manager Marques excelled at:
Communication — prompt, concise, accommodating, friendly, authentic
Professionalism — handed me off to a colleague when I need to stop by on his day off, no pressure or sales tactics used, or at least I didn’t recognize them. Maybe he’s just that smooth
He even went above and beyond by answering each of my very specific questions about the unit and sending pictures that he had handy.
I would without a doubt recommend working with Marques if you’re looking for a new rental in the Playa area. His customer service is top notch. Thank you.
We haven’t moved in yet, but I’ll be sure to update once we have settled in to our new apartment home.