Tenant Reviews for 101 WEST END AVENUE

I had to move out of the building before my one year lease ended because of the endless construction in this building. Management doesn't care, and they tell you directly that they don't care about the noise bothering you. Yet, they raise your rent to obscene prices, above market, each year. Dermot is a selfish, irresponsible property manager who doesn't care about tenants at all.

This property has seriously gone downhill in the last year or so since the new owners took over. Capital Improvements going on without regard to the quiet enjoyment of the tenants. I currently have an infestation of mice in my unit. Seriously considering breaking my lease. Don't be fooled by the Leasing agents...

Elevators frequently broken. Noisy. Security lax. Common areas not well maintained. Doormen not helpful. Management misrepresented amount of construction happening in building prior to our lease signing

Renovations are in progress, management is telling people lobby will be done end of November but we've heard it wont be till late January! If you are thinking about renting here ask people in the building how they like it...get the facts first

This building has just plummeted in quality. A new management company (Dermot) took over a few months ago and in their efforts to renovate the complex, I think they have displaced more than half the tenants due to their ambitious remodeling plans. Reckless constructions workers are at work all day during the day and frequently past permitted hours. When they renovated an apartment next door to mine, they actually drilled a hole directly into my apartment and were hammering so hard they knocked fixtures in my apartment down. Elevators are NEVER working....frequently only one elevator is available for an entire tower. ...... because workers use overuse them with total disrespect to tenants. I saw one worker hit a person with a wooden beam they were carrying when they did not notice she was in the elevator. Frequently, workers take the elevators down one flight when they are carrying nothing! There is dust and debris everywhere. One tenant said that the problem is due to the construction management team who should provide alternate means of the workers to access the floors outside the building so they do not have to use the regular elevators. Finally, they are offering promotions to switch to remodeled apartments that are much smaller and pricier than your existing apartment, under the ruse that the "fixtures" are better. The mail room people told me that more than half the building complex has left because of their dissatisfaction and we do not intend to renew our lease. The only positive aspect of the building is the wonderful front desk staff who have been here for years but who themselves admit that the current renovation project makes living here impossible.

I had a few minor issues with my apartment, but the building management stepped up and went above and beyond to resolve them. I appreciate the great follow through. They definitely care about making things right!

I truly loved this building when Equity Residential owned it. Management was decent and rent increases were good. Our family's plan was to stay there until we moved out of the city, we were happy. Then Dermot Management came in and shattered those dream, increasing our rent a total of 40%. We obviously could not afford a more than $2,000 increase for the same 1.5 bedroom apartment we were in with an outdated kitchen. They were basically kicking us out without actually kicking us out so that they could renovate our apartment. We really left at a good time though, elevators are HORRIBLE because 2/3 are being used by workers in the building and the noise from construction is non-stop. I normally work from home a day or two a week and had to completely stop because of the noise. The workers have no consideration for their hours either. It's really a shame because the staff that was there since Equity owned it like the doormen and concierge are wonderful. What else bothers me is that Management is so busy renovating apartments but the garbage shoot in the East Tower hasn't worked in over a year and the kid's playroom looks like a graveyard where toys go to die. They only care about increased rents, not tenant satisfaction. I feel horrible for anyone that moves in not knowing what they are getting into.

The building has been a perfectly good place to live for the last few years. However it's undergone quite a few changes of ownership, Tishman Speyer, Archstone, Equity Residential and more recently Dermot Group in conjunction with a Dutch pension fund PGGM. Equity seriously underinvested in the building, nothing was ever upgraded and repairs were only done when things got desperate and even then they were done on a minimal budget. Now the building is over 20 years old the cost cutting is starting to show. Elevators break down, the hot water fails, the bathroom vents don't work and wind whistles at the windows. The new management of the building has grand plans. An entire floor of apartments is being sacrificed for communal facilities such as a viewing room and work has already begun on refurbishing the lobby which will take almost a year to complete. One bed apartments are being converted to two beds and two beds to three, which makes them more claustrophobic but allows Dermot to demand more rent. While the work is going on there is noise and disruption during the day. It's a concrete building so noise easily travels 20 floors or more. They may be working on an apartment 20 floors above you one month or the one next to you the next. The elevators are being used by the construction workers who seem happy to crowd in with you with their tools. And they are breaking down more frequently, I suspect because of overloading or overuse. In order to implement its plan Dermot needs to move existing residents out and they make no secret that they'll be increasing rents to force people out. Rents on the refurbished apartments are going up by $1500 to $2000 which seems excessive, especially while the construction work is being carried out and there are no new communal facilities. There is more discussion than ever between residents in the elevators comparing notes on how they're being badly treated by the new management and the noise they're enduring. Another potential cloud on the horizon is the sale, a year ago, of the neighbouring ABC studios buildings to developer Silverstein properties in a deal worth over $1bn. It surely won't be long until building work begins on the site and a super-tall residential building is constructed. This would mean more noise and disruption for a year or two and the blocking of views from the north side of the building. Given all these problems and Dermot's desire to drive out existing residents it won't be long until the only long-term residents are the affordable housing/low-income residents who pay much lower rents and have guaranteed tenancy agreements. Who knows if they'll find new tenants willing to pay the sky high rents to live in a 20 year old building when there are many newer buildings around, but they will have to if they're to make a return on their investment.

Since a new management company took over, service has been awful. I would not suggest anyone moving here. It looks like this new company is only interested in having current residents move out. Heating system is not working while it is minus 14 degrees outside and, despite many notifications, nothing gets done. Hopeless.

Avoid this building and especially this management company if you can. Since they acquired the building they have disregarded any commitments and common sense. The building is dirty and noisy from construction and has lacked heat every time its been super cold. The building manager is completely unsympathetic and all they care about is to kick out people who have been calling this place home at absolutely the worse time to find other apartment.