GENERAL HOLDINGS LLC · avg 2.3 ★★★★★ · Los Angeles
“Cristina Raeger was honestly the best thing about the Evanston Apartments and the owner is very lucky to have someone like her running this nightmare property. Anytime there were issues with the unit, (and there were MANY) she was on top of it. Very efficient and considerate, honestly if it weren't for Cristina, I would be giving the Evanston Apartments 1 star. With that said, as good as an apartment manager may be, there's a limit to what they can or cannot do and this building had many issues that are worth noting before you sign a lease. 1. Roaches. BIG ONES. I was on the 6th floor, NO KITCHEN... So no dishes sitting around, trash had to be thrown out every day, no food left out, apartment was CLEAN and there would be giant roaches in the front room, climbing the walls, in the SHOWER, it was hell. And I'm not just talking the little ones, BIG FULL GROWN ROACHES ON THE TOP FLOOR. ------- CAN CLIMB!!! 2. Water leaks: the heater would randomly spew out puddles of water, I turned mine off completely and came home one day to a soaked floor. At one point, water started leaking from the ceiling and when the contractors went in to fix it, they stepped through my shower ceiling and I had roaches coming in and out of my horrific standing shower for weeks over the holidays. 3. Someone died in this building, apparently on the floor beneath mine. Rumor has it it was Unit 504. Not a brutal death or anything haunting and horrific, but just a heads up. Don't quote me on the unit number though, just residents shooting the ---- to forget the hellhole we're living in. 4. Parking in Koreatown is HELL. For the entirety of my stay here, I was on the waiting list for parking but was never given a spot. As a result, my car was hit and totaled literally ACROSS THE STREET while parked. 5. Laundry facilities SUCKED!!! Like half of the time, the machines were out of order, and if they weren't labeled as such, it was pretty common to have to wring out your wet clothes and pray to your god that the dryer would make a difference. Ah life at the Evanston! 6. CONSTRUCTION!!! During my time here, there was loud construction happening on the buildings on either side of the Evanston and it would start as early as 6am going as late as 9-10pm and it was relentless. Loud drills, power tools, construction vehicles, nonstop. Sometimes residents would be so frustrated, you'd hear angry screams echoing from the windows. Good things about the Evanston: 1. Rooftop. It's a climb and mostly occupied by litter bugs that leave cigarette butts and empty beer bottles lying around- spoils of the loud parties that could happen every now and then. 2. Deposit: they give it back pretty fast.”
“Excellent experience. The manager Cristina is a excellent professional and a very nice person. They returned my deposit in 2 or 3 weeks and it was very fair. I recommend the building and the real estate company for sure! Erik Baptista”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Does not return security deposit at all and will make up multiple major bogus charges that don't make any sense just so they can keep your entire deposit. Also said I owed money in addition when I left the apartment spotless upon exit.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Everything is broken down in this building. In the bathroom, there are very large cracks in the tile that management refuses to fix. Even caulking won't help cracks that large that continue to grow, and I've seen bugs go in and out. There is an electrical shortage in the building so management routinely puts up signs stating that all electronics must be turned off when not in use. Water is continually shut on and off as they refused to fix the pipes for so long that now the water has mildewed the walls internally. I see large roaches every time I go to do laundry as well as inside the apartment. Avoid! I will be moving as soon as possible. Koreatown buildings are often neglected by slumlords, but this one is really bad.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Don't do it, I regret it. There is construction outside and everything inside is trash. They only make it appealing on the outside to get you to sign the lease. Then, you're on your own.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“One of the nicer buildings in ktown, but the reason for the extremely high turn over rate is the managers paranoid delusions. Makes fake excuses to come into your apartment at least 1-2x per month. You do not need to check my smoke alarm this month when you just used that reason to enter last month and I watched you test it without issue. I suspect they have rented to serious criminals in the past without a care until it was too late. Or maybe the landlord suffers from a mental illness. Its very creepy. Not a problem because there's nothing to hide, but who wants to pay some of the higher rents in ktown to be under the paranoid control of a strange woman who sits by the only entrance hours per day and says things like "I see every single person that comes in and out of this building"? ...Okay??? Either don't rent to problematic criminals or seek treatment for unresolved issues.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Prewar building well located in Koreatown. No amenities except for laundry. Pros: Walk score of 95 which is nearly unheard of in LA. Tons of restaurants and shops around, Metro just a couple of blocks. Very happening neighborhood. Responsive manager. Takes care of requests promptly. Pleasant. Rents are a bit cheaper than average for the area. Units in good condition. Kitchen has refrigerator and gas stove. Cons: No parking. Neighborhood lots are ~$120 per month. Forget about street parking. Tiny laundry room, just totally inadequate often with broken machines. Vermin. Huge roaches and pigeons shitting all over everything. Noise. There's a construction site on either side plus an unaffiliated parking lot out back. The idiot valets are constantly setting off car alarms, and drunks picking up their car late at night make a racket. Residents running Air B&B. It's against lease rules but you never know who your neighbors are. Kitchens are tiny. Hard to cook.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“An old building and the owners don't care about the property. The apartment manager is great but she can't do all that much, so it's frustrating. Cheap but you pay for it in other ways. Major issues: No heat: The heating is broken and we've been told their not going to fix it until next fall. Last night was a cold one, 46 degrees. Really sucks. Water: They turn the water off frequently for repairs, so if you work from home, expect to be without water quite often. Sometimes they give you notice, sometimes they don't. They won't invest in updating the pipes. Pigeons: Welcome to the Los Angeles Pigeon Refuge. The landlords won't do anything to dissuade or remove the pigeons and they are plentiful and annoying! If you park next to the building, expect to increase your expenses with all the car washes you'll need to get from the pigeon's exploits. They're loud too, so if you like the sound of pigeons cooing persistently, you'll be right at home. Neighbors: They don't really screen, they will stick 3 people in a small 1 bedroom, rent to crackheads who are up all night banging around. Sounds: If you like to hear everytime your neighbors flush the toilet, take a shower or listen to a TV Show, this place is for you! Cockroaches the Size of Range Rover: Although they spray upon request, the cockroaches are persistent, unbelievably large and very smug. And don't forget, every time you ask for a spray, you have to empty every single cabinet, shelf and it takes 3 days to go prepare and put everything together. Annoying.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“If you want to live among 4 inch cockroaches, then this is the building for you. If you want to live in a building where the water is shut off multiple times per week because they didn't care about plumbing maintenance (or any maintenance) until they absolutely had to, then this is the building for you. If you want to live in a building where the landlord police's how much energy you're using (because utilities are included) then this is the building for you.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“The landlord is a nut job and lives on site. She is paranoid, has major control issues, and is always in a hostile mood.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“I lived in this apartment for a little less than a year and a half and I loved it. The building manager was always very nice and whenever I had a problem, I could always count on her to have the maintenance guys come to fix it. I would also like to note that I have lived in a lot of other apartments and the building manager here has been the only one to do a pre-walk through before I moved out to make sure that I would get a deposit back. The only thing I could really complain about living at the Evanston was the parking situation.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“I had been living this apartment almost 2 years, the big problems of this apartment are noisy and no parking lot space. For noisy problem, every moring you gonna hear noises from outside building, construction, trash truck and blowing leaves machine. These sounds always make me loose my head. The second one is parking space. This apartment doesn't have enough parking space for tenants. I had to rent outside building parking lot space for $85 per month and every Friday and Saturday nights I must wait for parking space because the restaurant which located near building also rent this parking for valet parking. It was terrible when I back from work place almost 11 pm. and I couldn't find parking space. For parking space in this apartment you have to wait long long queqe and pay per month $75. I can't wait for apartment parking space because I don't want to pay for street parking ticket so I had to rent outside parking which located behind this building. If you want to stay this apartment, I would recommend you guy (if you don't have car) this apartment is perfect but just 2 ploblems that you have to confront....”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“I moved in about a year ago to start law school in the area. I had probably spent about 2 weeks looking at apartments in the area and the Evanston was the last place I decided to look before I was going to settle for another apartment building in the area. When I was shown my future apartment it was just nicer than anything else I had looked at within my price range. I had been looking at a lot of the old 1920's style buildings for studios under $1k a month. New carpeting, kitchen separated from the main room by a wall with a nice little spot for a 4 person dining table with a ceiling fan above in a room. My large window looks out South into the little building courtyard, with a few palm trees visible right outside my window. I've liked it and will probably stay until I graduate. With regard to safety, I haven't had any problems as a guy. Granted I was a little concerned when I read the review below before I moved in about some guy getting shot in the head, but it's LA I guess. The apartment entrance is always well lit at night and the street is pretty quiet usually, I've walked around a lot at night and it's been safe, not a lot of people around. I've never seen anyone loitering inside the gated courtyard at the entrance. Koreatown is an interesting place. It can look run-down while almost seeming upscale sometimes. 7-Eleven shopping centers with valet parking full of Mercedes and BMW's every night for one of the 20 Korean BBQ places within 3 blocks. I don't love Korean BBQ that much, but I like the area well enough. Management was quick to respond when I needed my ceiling fan and light fixtures replaced. Downsides - Two things. Parking sucks. I've been on the waiting list for a parking spot for a year, I'll probably move out before I get a spot. I walk to school and can live with a car down here, so it's bearable, but street parking can be a pain whenever people come visit. It's not that big of a problem, but there is the occasional cockroach. Yea, I don't like them, they're gross. I have small traps down and as long as I keep my apartment clean I rarely see them. It's a decent building and area. I love my studio in particular, so if you don't need to worry about parking I'd say it's worth a look.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Honestly, it's an old building and the owner is inattentive, cheap, inconsiderate and loves to cut corners. We haven't had heat now for over a month & more often than not, any maintenance that is being done, happens on the weekends and/or during holidays when most people are home... HOWEVER, having said this, the manager is on it...or at least trying to make life here better than the owner allows. I love our apartment. Neighborhood is to be expected, given its proximity to downtown. And yes there are bums in the dumpster, parking stinks, things don't always work properly, neighbors aren't always considerate, and there are sometimes bugs, but I have to say, I still like it. The rent is alright and I think the area will continue to improve as there's a school going in where the Ambassador used to be. Lots of great food around. Some landmarks too. For dense apartment living in LA, I would say that overall, I would recommend the building as I truly believe it will continue to improve. OH. Our "Evanston" neon sign doesn't seem to work either.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Great, big studio apartments that are well maintained. But no patios, and absolutely no parking for guests. The wilshire blvd. homeless folks occasionally sleep near the entrance. I was a single girl living there alone and had no problems, but a friend of mine got attacked outside.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Not only was some guy shot and killed in front of the front door in the middle of the after noon....my car is broken into on a constant basis.....my apartment is infested with roaches and has been flooded twice....my radiatior doesnt work....my landlady comes in to my apartment at her own free will.....and is a rod stewart loving nut job. I think shes the worst thing about living here. Shes as sweet as can be the first month or so and then she turned.....And FYI when she says that its a safe neighboorhood and that there arent any shootings, its crap.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“I've been live in this aprtment for years only thing that I like is the location convience for my work. Other than that it's a nightmare almost every month,I decieded to move out this month and I definitely don;t recomMend anyone to move here. You will be damm dissapointed if you move into this 80 somrthing years old apartment. I can tell you many problems with this apartment, it's not only for me it's for evryone who lives here and I can't believe people can live with this kind of condition. Problem as follow:<br>1. They shut down the water almost evey month or even evry weeek. becasue the pipe is to old and they need to repair.<br>2. every morning or every night when you take a shower, you will see some dirty water looks like a red color, becasue of pipe is too old I guess<br>3. Apartment smells really bad. Since new management take over. carpet is really diry & cockroaches all over.<br>4. There are two outside parking lots manage by some unknown company. almost evry night these young kids(LOOKS GANGSTER)gether and drinking alcohol & sometime doing drugs. Don't even try to call LAPD, they wouldn't come to this place becasue it's dangerous place in K-town.<br>5. For the past 4 months I saw 3 people got killed surrounding in this apartment. The last one I saw is last sunday jut infront of this partment's parking lot, this guy got two shots on his head and it happens just 40 feet form my window.<br>6. Another nightmare is water is licking from the ceilling, it's 3rd time already and it smells like a ----, water is all over my FLOOR and the management still didn't do anything yet. THE MANAGEMENT IS VERY MEAN, NOT FRIENDLY!!<br><br>I have so many more problems with this apartment, AND MY LAWYER IS PREPARE SOME LAW SUE AGAINST WITH THIS MANAGEMENT. I HOPE MY MASAGE WILL HELP YOU.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“I first moved into the Evanston in January of 1999 and it was awesome. An inexpensive centrally located studio apartment in Mid Wilshire for $500 per month. The place had great charm and character which initally allowed me to overlook the single (ocassionally broken elevator)the ocassional roach and the fact that I had to pay $50 per month to park my car in a lot outside the grounds. The tenants were a mix of people which also made living there attractive. There were elderly people who had lived there for decades as well as young actors and others who needed that central, quick place to reside. I was a professional photographer and the building was great to shoot in and around. The manager even allowed me to do so without a problem. I was even allowed to shoot on the roof. Major drawbacks in the building were that they would constantly turn off the water for hours at a time WITHOUT prior notice to the tenants. Not only that but the single elevator was now broken 30% of the time. Sometimes this happened in scortching upper 90 degree heat which was unacceptable in an unairconditioned building. If the broken elevator did not make my climb with bags of groceries to the 5th floor easy, imagine the sheer angst for the elderly depended on it to reach the higher floors. <br><br>On one ocassion, there was a stench in the hallway for what seemed like weeks. The odor was absolutely intollerable. After weeks of smelling this odor we asked management to check for the source. As it turned out, an elderly tenant was found dead in his apartment after weeks of decay.<br><br>I lived only four doors away. <br><br>The first and second year saw many changes in the building. The sweet young manager who ran the building was replaced with someone from Central Europe who was not nearly as kind as she. She began to systematically post herself in the front hall and harass my guest who came to see me,one by one. Her attitude was outrageous. She singlehandedly offended my guests to the point where I just could no longer tollerate living under the same roof as she. Management did whatever they could to piss off enough tenants to have them move so that they could gain higher rents for the now changing price points in the community. I eventually had moved from my studio to a one bedroom that they could have received $1000-$1200 for but I was renting for $800 rent controlled. <br><br>In short the building had tremendous potential with hardwood floors covered by industrial carpeting, decent sized rooms and an antique feel. If only the owners would invest in not only the beauty of the building, but its internal operations including, design, heating, air condition, elevator system (s) security, and most importantly (the people aspect of the building) THE MANAGEMENT.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“This apartment buliding is good compared to some of the apts. in this area. reasonable rent compared to other apts in this area. Apts themselfs are good in size, clean, clean grounds and comfortable. Heating units sucks (radiator). <br>Manager is nice. Now the parking is HORRIBLE! <br>Apartment owner charges tenents a monthly fee to park in your own apt.parking lot.Pagking lots are way to expensive,$60 to $90 dollars a month! The area is nice. Lots of places to eat once you get to know the area. Apartments next to this apt., down the street, does have some unlikable tenents, and that apt.is an eye sore along with the ajoining parking lot. Owners of the Evanston, also owns apts. next door. Doesn´t seem to care who moves in and hangs around taht apt. Needs to be cleaned up!LAPD patroles the area pretty good. They have a Wilshire security patrole, which is nice, but they should patrole also at night just for some added safty. <br>Tenents are mainly nice, but there are some that think they´re better than you.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown“Not a very good area, parking lot is packed on weekends w/ very unsavory thugs. Good manager, mostly respectful tennants, but a few bad ones cast negativity on the whole building.”
— 630 S KENMORE AVE · Koreatown