Condo review: Virginian Arms Apartments

jesslau · 27-06-2012, 05:11 PM

I am looking to rent a 1bedroom here because it is for such a great price and it's located right next to Gmac, which is where I will be attending school this september. However, there's got to be a catch... a 1 bedroom for under $700 right next to Gmac. Has anyone heard of any issues here??

Bed Bugs? Bad neighbourgood? robberies? Noisy?

EveB · 27-06-2012, 08:03 PM

This is a Mainstreet apartment. I'd do a search of them because they have a particular profile as landlords. I wrote my own experience in a different thread here. The area is a bit better than the area I came from. I lived near 107th Avenue and 103rd Street.

This may be a building they have recently bought in their current buying spree. They had taken over my old apartment in December 2011. The caretaker at the time told me that they had bought over a dozen buildings in that neighborhood at that time. The building you're looking at could be one of them judging by the location and the rents. What Mainstreet does is buy buildings that aren't doing that well, renovating, and then raising the rents. You can see this described on their website:

http://mainst.biz/company/companymodel.php

I moved out of the neighborhood after six and a half years not because of unhappiness with Mainstreet per se (though I had my issues), but because I got to dislike the neighborhood for its lack of anything that I wanted to come home to. Seeing as this place is right near MacEwan you won't have that problem. Also those extra few blocks west means that the neighborhood is slightly better and you are closer to real amenities.

As to the qualities in that particular building, it's hard to say. I had a basement apartment in a similar apartment and I found it too close to the ground in that when the weather changed I'd get bugs of various kinds. The people in the higher floors seemed a bit happier especially if they had balconies.

Noise depends on the side of the building. I believe the general back alley action tapers off the further west you go, so you should be okay. If you're worried, find a nice summer evening and wander by at about 11 pm to see if there are lots of non-resident types hanging about. The streets in that neighborhood tend to be pretty quiet, it's the alleys that attract a certain crowd.

The new LRT station will be finishing up soon which might separate the neighborhood from the social services side (105th Street and east). It will also provide an amenity and perhaps bring in good people to live and maybe some decent amenities. But my crystal ball is cloudy.

For what it's worth, that property is not listed in the bed bug registry. What I should mention about that is (a) sometimes people don't post the property because they're not informed about the beasties and the community that tracks that, or (b) on the positive side, sometimes a property is listed (my new one was) but it's clear that the landlords deal with them properly. A lot more is known about dealing with this pest than when I had my experience. Try not to obsess about this one issue.

So, in short, I'd go have a look at this place rather than agonizing. You probably won't find many people with experience in each building you are inquiring about. If you're househunting you're better off posting a more general inquiry. There are hundreds of walkups in this town. And Mainstreet apartments are not condos.

Eve

jesslau · 27-06-2012, 11:59 PM

Wow that was a very thoughtful reply, thank you so much. Lots of great tips, I'll be sure to use them when I go hunting!

Gord Lacey · 28-06-2012, 07:58 AM

You can also hang out around the building and talk to someone coming out and see what they have to say about the place.

Cal76 · 14-09-2012, 08:53 PM

If it is west of 109 St it should be fine (Queen Mary Park is rapidly improving from what it was 4 yrs back- I live here, belong to the CL and serve on my board). East of 109 St is Central MAcDougall, which is very 'mixed' in terms of amenities and crime/noise issues. Personally I won't live east of 107/106 St, especially around 105-107 Ave. A block or two north would be fine.

You are better off paying $100 more to live slightly west or north. Just my two cents!

27-06-2012, 05:11 PM	#1
jesslau First One is Always Free Join Date: Sep 2009	Condo review: Virginian Arms Apartments I am looking to rent a 1bedroom here because it is for such a great price and it's located right next to Gmac, which is where I will be attending school this september. However, there's got to be a catch... a 1 bedroom for under $700 right next to Gmac. Has anyone heard of any issues here?? Bed Bugs? Bad neighbourgood? robberies? Noisy?

27-06-2012, 11:59 PM	#3
jesslau First One is Always Free Join Date: Sep 2009	Thanks! Wow that was a very thoughtful reply, thank you so much. Lots of great tips, I'll be sure to use them when I go hunting!

27-06-2012, 08:03 PM	#2
EveB Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Garneau (previously North Downtown) Edmonton	This is a Mainstreet apartment. I'd do a search of them because they have a particular profile as landlords. I wrote my own experience in a different thread here. The area is a bit better than the area I came from. I lived near 107th Avenue and 103rd Street. This may be a building they have recently bought in their current buying spree. They had taken over my old apartment in December 2011. The caretaker at the time told me that they had bought over a dozen buildings in that neighborhood at that time. The building you're looking at could be one of them judging by the location and the rents. What Mainstreet does is buy buildings that aren't doing that well, renovating, and then raising the rents. You can see this described on their website: http://mainst.biz/company/companymodel.php I moved out of the neighborhood after six and a half years not because of unhappiness with Mainstreet per se (though I had my issues), but because I got to dislike the neighborhood for its lack of anything that I wanted to come home to. Seeing as this place is right near MacEwan you won't have that problem. Also those extra few blocks west means that the neighborhood is slightly better and you are closer to real amenities. As to the qualities in that particular building, it's hard to say. I had a basement apartment in a similar apartment and I found it too close to the ground in that when the weather changed I'd get bugs of various kinds. The people in the higher floors seemed a bit happier especially if they had balconies. Noise depends on the side of the building. I believe the general back alley action tapers off the further west you go, so you should be okay. If you're worried, find a nice summer evening and wander by at about 11 pm to see if there are lots of non-resident types hanging about. The streets in that neighborhood tend to be pretty quiet, it's the alleys that attract a certain crowd. The new LRT station will be finishing up soon which might separate the neighborhood from the social services side (105th Street and east). It will also provide an amenity and perhaps bring in good people to live and maybe some decent amenities. But my crystal ball is cloudy. For what it's worth, that property is not listed in the bed bug registry. What I should mention about that is (a) sometimes people don't post the property because they're not informed about the beasties and the community that tracks that, or (b) on the positive side, sometimes a property is listed (my new one was) but it's clear that the landlords deal with them properly. A lot more is known about dealing with this pest than when I had my experience. Try not to obsess about this one issue. So, in short, I'd go have a look at this place rather than agonizing. You probably won't find many people with experience in each building you are inquiring about. If you're househunting you're better off posting a more general inquiry. There are hundreds of walkups in this town. And Mainstreet apartments are not condos. Eve

28-06-2012, 07:58 AM	#4
Gord Lacey Addicted to C2E Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Strathcona - Mill Creek	You can also hang out around the building and talk to someone coming out and see what they have to say about the place.

14-09-2012, 08:53 PM	#5
Cal76 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Edmonton	If it is west of 109 St it should be fine (Queen Mary Park is rapidly improving from what it was 4 yrs back- I live here, belong to the CL and serve on my board). East of 109 St is Central MAcDougall, which is very 'mixed' in terms of amenities and crime/noise issues. Personally I won't live east of 107/106 St, especially around 105-107 Ave. A block or two north would be fine. You are better off paying $100 more to live slightly west or north. Just my two cents!