Tenant Reviews for 250 W 50TH ST

In addition to what is below, WATCH THIS 4 min. Youtube video - cut + paste into Youtube: Be forewarned what goes on in this building. Read these RED FLAGS!! When U enter the lobby often thumping music greets you as if U have entered a CVS. Most folks want to come-in from the noise, not into it. If clean clothes is impt. to U, live elsewhere. Or send your laundry out (or cart it to a laundromat) - the 23 washers for a 41-story bldg. use little water. If any makes contact w/ a standard load of clothes it would be a miracle. Yet, Avalon brags that they have reduced water use by 15% w/o mentioning they’ve done so largely at the expense of your clean clothes. One could tout a 15% reduction in food costs (if U didn’t eat). Try showering w/ a 1/3 cup of water. Avalon’s only concern is their water bill - not your clean clothes. The correct ratio of detergent and water is paramount to clean clothes. Mgt. blames the washer problem on their vendor. The laundry room prior to Avalon’s so-called ‘renovations’ was 2.5x larger + had 2x the # of washers. That space became their oversized Leasing office. Now Mgt. often has to email residents to ‘play' nice in the laundry room due to the conditions they created. At one point residents were told to MONITOR + PATROL the terrace + report any misbehaviors. Let’s be clear whose job it is to ensure residents can peacefully enjoy their apartments 24/7 no matter the time of day or season. Residents should NEVER be put in a position of educating the 'socially unconscious'. And no one should be forced to listen to someone else’s party ‘soundtrack’. Heating/cooling units are clunky, ineffective, drafty and sound like a truck. U would think Avalon would have replaced them with efficient whisper quiet units that are 1/3 of the size. Avalon posts: “Respect fellow residents - Don’t smoke in your apartment.� (yet, it’s ok to disrespect those who overlook the terrace due to noise from parties). Another: “Live Up.� Another: “This is not just any Place. This Place is YOUR Place.� Another: “Somethings Never Change, Like Living Well.� And the King of them all: “You Deserve Better.� To get people to sign a Lease they resorted to offering $500 to residents who referred a friend (March 2025). Would U refer a friend so they can deal with the issues raised here? Stability and predictability are key to ‘Living Well’ — not coming home to a Coney Island-type circus. Safety issues. Avalon rents the terrace as an Event space. A parade of mostly 20, 30 yr. olds - most of whom do not live in the bldg. - are simply allowed to enter where they can wander freely. Just say that you’re going to the terrace. And Avalon expects residents to merely grin and bear the conditions these gatherings create. One resident’s gathering should NEVER be at the expense of residents peaceful use of their home. The terrace is also not a playground for screaming kids, nor is it a basketball court or roller rink. And the hallways are no place to leave your beer cans and bottles. 14 speakers, 3 TVs and 3 BBQs line the 2nd fl. terrace. Add yelling, screaming, sing-a-longs, and all types of boisterous behavior. There are v. good reasons EVENT spaces are ENCLOSED or indoors away from resident's ‘homes.’ But at AMW, the impt. thing is it looks nice in photos. It’s interesting, earbuds are required in public places like gyms, college dorms, and even on the NYC subway. Fights and arguments have broken out due to Management's mishandling of the terrace. Fyi, noise from major construction is taking place on 49th St. directly in the back of the bldg. This has included overnight work several times per week until next year. No regard whatsoever for neighbors. Expect glaring lights and the roar of cranes and trucks. CURRENT RESIDENTS… Defend your right to be able to live peacefully in your home 24/7 and post your videos. Visit the Leasing Office + play music + shout while Mgt. conducts business. We don’t want them to miss out on what we regularly are forced to contend with. Some of U armed yourselves with a bullhorn (why not buy two)? They want loud and disruptive? Give them loud and disruptive. The noise these parties create is a direct violation of your Lease. Giving credit where credit it due. Past Mgrs: Ayanna Adams; Jared Silverman. Chad Jeffries, who has since left (no doubt to avoid another summer of complaints). And team member, Deandra King. The facts are these issues have and continue to occur on their watch. Avalon says, “We appreciate residents feedback.� Just doing our part. We’ve pleaded and brought these issues to their attention to no avail. May 16th’s college get-together, not shown on this video, was award-winningly disruptive that they set off an alarm. May 26th’s party was a close second. This video will only be removed when/if residents who overlook the terrace get the peace and quiet that Avalon owes them 24/7, 365 days a year. Note: due to smart technology in-person volume levels are far louder than in the video. Future videos will be posted as necessary.

Avalon Midtown West should not be on anyone's list when seeking housing in New York City. The building is disingenuous in marketing damaged units to gullible apartment seekers as luxury housing. Cheap materials and poor construction abound in smaller than average thinly walled units. Noise is the norm. You can hear everything in the hall, between units and across the hall, even avec earbuds. Televisions, barking dogs, kids screaming, fights, phone calls, you name it. Metal doors without dampers provide apartment access. Every time tenants enter or exit, doors slam making a startling noise akin to a car backfiring. If you live adjacent to the garbage chute and room, which also houses the service elevator and recycling bin, be prepared for sonic booms as trash is tossed, especially glass bottles hitting the chute's tin lining. When maintenance empties recyclables, you will be bombarded with an intrusive melody of glass and metal smashing glass and metal in the building's collection containers. You should also get use to the constant sound of the clanging clank of the service elevator itself. If you are in proximity to the elevator bank, a piercing ding, ding, ding a thousand times a day will haunt you, if and when elevators work. Look down when boarding, for lifts don't always align with the floor. Live by the patio? Expect carcinogenic barbecue smoke from Avalon's three patio grills to billow blue choking fumes inside your unit. The community patio also emits constant noise from cell phone conversations, kids screaming, radios blasting and parties with drunk pot smoking teens that last long into the night. An errant ball will be tossed into your unit from patio sporting events, for there are no screens on windows. In the summer, uninvited bugs and birds will become your roommates. Most apartments feature twenty-three year old "classic" appliances. Faucets leak, stoves blow gas sideways out of burners on cold mornings, while temperamental dishwashers overflow. But none of these things prepared me for what was next. My unit contained a large closet, 12 X 3, X 8, accessible from the hall containing twenty four radiation emitting smart meters. Radiation closets are located every third floor and are incorporated into units. This explains why Avalon refused to provide a floor plan before I moved in, or allow me to view the unit in advance. My unit also suffers from structural damage due to the building's settling. Cold air gushes inside engendering frigid drafts, condensation and colorful mold. When I informed Avalon that conditions are unacceptable and requested another unit, management gaslighted me. They hired a third party "evaluator" who falsely claimed there was no mold, even though I provided two independent reports, one from a licensed contractor, to the contrary. Moreover, the bathroom does not have a vent and there is a large window in the shower which leaks cold air due to the structural damage. As a result, the entire ceiling is a rain curtain, perpetually dripping on everything including the tiny cheap vanity, toilet and floor. Cleaning is futile, a useless attempt to address the symptom instead of the structural disease. The bathroom tiles are in constant need or re-grouting and the mold stench is unbearable. Regarding utilities, heat is not provided as an essential service. Instead, you get a Motel-Six style inefficient blower, which runs on electricity. Expect your utility bill to be $100 plus as you literally toss money out the window to try to keep up with the cold air rushing in. As for water, there is no individual meter for your unit. Instead, Avalon charges a fee based on aggregate usage of many apartments. If you are away for a month, you still have to pay water for your neighbor. This scheme is patently unethical, especially considering Avalon is charging three to four thousand dollars a month for their perverted notion of "luxury living". I filed a complaint with the City of New York and my allegations were verified in August, 2022, after an exhaustive investigation by the Law Enforcement Bureau (LEB) . Even after Avalon was served with two counts of Probable Cause by LEB, they refused to remedy. Moreover, they failed to comply during the investigation and defaulted on a LEB deadline. When I inquired with management about the status of my request to be placed in a habitable unit, I was informed the manager refuses to discuss this matter with me. Indeed, Avalon dismisses my emails, calls and certified letters regarding these and other valid concerns. So, if you enjoy being harassed, lied to, and bilked, along with unbearable noise, dated appliances, structural damage, exposure to mold, drafts, carcinogens and radiation, then congratulations. Welcome to Avalon Midtown West! If not, run as fast as you can from this horrid excuse of a "luxury" rental operated by lying reprobates who relish in violating laws and making the lives of tenants miserable. Negative stars.

Things constantly break down in this building because appliances in the units are 10-20 years old. However, you have to fight with the building management to get anything replaced. After months of "inspections" by the maintenance staff who agree with you in person and then close out the online request without doing anything, a building super or the building manager will come to make sure you are correctly using the appliance. This has happened Here are a few examples: our blinds broke, and rather than replacing them, they insisted on showing us how to pull the cord "correctly." Our A/C broke, and they came to show us how to press the on/off button, claiming we weren't using it right... Our dishwasher broke, and they came to show us how to properly rinse and load dishes instead of replacing the faulty machine. We have had had to persist and escalate problems to higher levels to get anything done, as the modis operandi of this building is to ignore problems, hoping the tenant gives up or moves out. Sadly, these three examples are only that - examples. So many things are wrong with this building and with the management thereof. I strongly urge those looking to look elsewhere.

This building is a wolf in sheep's clothing. See the reality of the apartments here by the photos I've attached depicting the actual apartment as of 7/10/23. I've lived here for 8 years and despite my dozens of requests to fix the conditions, they persist. I've endured bug infestations, rotting wooden floors, pests, leaking refrigerator, broken microwave, mold, broken tiles, holes in the walls, my poor dog now has a seizure disorder due to all the pesticides that have been sprayed and the infestations will never stop until they will actually fix the floor- which they won't do since I'm classified under the affordable housing unit. I've lived with broken windows which were finally recently fixed while I was away and the maintenance worker left them wide open so that when I returned there was an additional bug infestation in my bedroom. Today the maintenance manager fixed three broken tiles and left my refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen so that I could no longer cook or access my fridge. When I showed him a video of the bug infestation behind the fridge he just shrugged and said "well I fixed the broken tiles". When I told him about the rampant infestation throughout the apartment due to the rotting wooden floors with holes and slits he said "well avalon doesn't make these floors anymore so it's hard to fix". I wish this wasn't reality but in fact it is and truly hazardous conditions to suffer and shameful of management. I won't even get into having my clothing stolen from the dryers or waiting for elevators usually 10-15 minutes. The latter would be tolerable if only I had a habitable apartment. Please save your money and health, steer clear from this building. The attached are some pictures of my current living conditions in my apartment at the Avalon Midtown west

You can do far better than the Avalon(bay) Midtown West. You can find, like we haver recently, laundry in the apartment and working elevators. You can find heating/AC units that are quiet not clunky. And washers that actually wash. If you’re considering signing a lease, read on, so you’re informed. Recently, all 5 elevators to nearly all 41 floors were dangerously out of service. Now, after a week of that, to go to e.g., the lobby, you have to go up a floor in order to go down and hope you make it to the lobby without getting stuck. As it is, you’ll probably wait in line (sometimes 10-15 people deep) to get on an elevator because there’s no telling what condition they’ll be in. And the real issue is that the elevator problems have been ongoing since we moved in several years ago. Hope you don’t mind taking the stairs, if physically you can. Has the manager (Ms. Adams - a sad excuse for a manager and Avalonbay done anything more than talk out of both sides of their mouths and seriously address these and the following issues? No. Their answer is to put a band-aid on these conditions. And the day will come when they will truly wish they had addressed the problems when there is an emergency. And more residents pack their bags and hit the road. Moving on… The building’s washers, as others have noted, are the worst. The HE machines look deluxe but your towels, kids and running clothes smell anything but fresh and clean. This is our first (and last) apartment we’ll live in that doesn’t have a washer/dryer in the apartment. Most newer buildings have them so if clean clothes are important to you, don’t sign on the dotted line here. Or expect to send them out. And management has done absolutely nothing substantial (like everything else) to address this issue except to say, we’ll call the vendor. That does nothing. We’d really like to rub their noses in how bad the clothes come out. Like us, several of our neighbors have opted to send their laundry out to be serviced. Another needless expense. In addition, The once spacious laundry room has been turned into cubicles post the buildings “exciting renovations” that took forever. They tore up the whole building. When the dust finally settled, the former roomy laundry area that once housed 50-plus washing machines now has 23 for a 41 story building, you do the math. And many times, several of the machines are out of order. What did Avalon do with the real estate that once was the laundry room? They allocated it to their sprawling new management office, naturally. Like everything else about Avaolonbay Midtown West, these things hopefully will make you, the potential tenant think that you have arrived on the shores of luxury when you most certainly have not. This is another example of Avalon’s showy style while they overlook the important essentials. The once palatial lobby is now a dark gray cave. Similarly, televisions, BBQ stations and speakers were installed on this narrow band of land they call the terrace. We’ve heard the stories and complaints about the groups of people, noise, music issues and partying regardless of residents whose apartments face the terrace. Avalonbay Midtown West, the owners and the management who they hire to supposedly run the building are pathetic. Recently they sent out an email to try and lure residents to tell your friends about moving into the building or move to their new upstate Avalon location for a $1,000 prize. If Avalon runs the upstate building like this location, run far away because any owner and/or management who overlooks what essentially are the necessities the way Avalon has doesn’t deserve you as an expensive paying tenant. And from the number of people who have or are moving out, that is exactly what current residents ought to do. Potential new residents you have been forewarned.

Avalon Midtown West is a kind of façade - made to look nice, but at closer inspection it's not. Unnecessary major construction (almost 2 years worth) was hell and turned a once beautiful lobby into a cold, dark ugly, uninviting place that you can't wait to pass through (blindfolded). But not only that… The once spacious LAUNDRY ROOM is now the size of a closet. Put 4 people in there and you'll be rubbing more than your elbows. It's also really hard on your back cuz' the (front load washers) are so low to the ground and the (dryers) are on top of them. Not only that there used to be counters. But managements new leasing office has taken up the space that was once dedicated to the laundry room. That tells you something. PLUS their new WASHERS do not really wash your laundry because they use almost no water or detergent. And it costs $3 unless you select Light wash which we don't recommend because that does even less! Residents have resorted to posting complaints in the elevators because if you complain to management they make you feel like you're the problem. That's their way of ignoring the issue so they don't have to do anything. We've heard that some residents have resorted to taking their laundry to the neighborhood laundromat. That tells you something. The ELEVATORS are nuts. Expect to wait in line as their new computerized system holds the 5 elevators on the higher floors. Don't be in a hurry during the AM/PM rush hours. It's really embarrassing how long you can wait. My husband badly bruised his shin twice cuz' the elevator didn't align with the floor. What a disaster. If it happens again we are suing. For months the front of the building and lobby played ROCK MUSIC. They have since shut off the outside "concert" and replaced the inside lobby music with jazz (mostly). What were they thinking? The problem is mgt. doesn't think. Anyone with a brain knows one persons music is another persons noise. Even the subway doesn't allow the playing of music. But that is what you'll get at Avalon Midtown West. Similarly… Dozens of SPEAKERS and 3 FLAT SCREEN TV's now line the back terrace area for all to hear day and night. And trust us, we've been in a friend of a friends apartment that overlooks the terrace. The summer months are hell. The terrace also fills up with dozens of college aged kids as if it were an all day all night bar. The noise is ridiculous. This is how you treat residents? And their homes? If residents want to sit outside and watch whatever nonsense is on television wear headphones. Or better yet, CROWD into their own apartments and blast their own TV's (or music) and DRINK and YELL at one another until dawn for all anyone cares. Just leave everyone else out of it. The terrace is suppose to close at 10pm. That's a joke too. Mgt. has an OBLIGATION to provide residents with shelter and do everything they can to protect the sanctity of residents homes. Either that or they are breaking your Lease. But do they care about us? Nope. All these things are a reflection of Avalon Management. And the latest? We hear the bldg. has been sued several times. Why are we not surprised? We hope they sell the bldg. and get real adults who know what they're doing to run the place. When my husbands work contract is up we're out of here. And don't get us started on the sky high rent. And the hidden fees when you move-in or out. Total nonsense. But that's what you get from a bunch of amateurs.

Can not express how much I enjoy living at Avalon Midtown West! Building it's truly high end and the location is perfect! I couldn't be any happier with my place and leasing process experience. The Management and Leasing Office crew are pleasure to work with and make you feel so welcomed. I love my new home! Entire building staff is very professional and so friendly. Best, Filip Risteski

The quality at the building is disgusting. There was a dead mouse on the floor when viewing the apartment. They have used white appliances, and fake hardwood throughout the house. Cheap finishes for a high quality price, considering the noise of the neighborhood.

Avalon Bay Midtown West looks nice, but its looks are deceptive. The walls are thin and its metal beams and doors are conduits for excessive noise. Soundproofing is a term banished from this building's architectural vocabulary. I can clearly hear private conversations emanating from surrounding apartments. Furthermore the entry doors are not staggered. They are often directly across the hall, separated by just a few feet. The design flaw only amplifies the transmission of unwanted sound. If people only knew the stuff I knew about them by de facto. Moreover, doors have no dampers. If you do not hold your heavy-metal-hollow-door when closing, it will forcefully bang shut producing a gunshot noise. The halls sound like war zones. Furthermore, when other doors slam shut, my door jiggles - as if someone is trying to gain entry. Great for Halloween. The constant vibrations facilitate large cracks on the entranceway wall, which are perpetually repaired in vain. Some units are adjacent to the forty-two story tall metal garbage chute. When trash is tossed, it sounds like pins being knocked down in a bowling alley and your head is in the pinsetter. However, when glass and metal cans are discarded, it sounds like combustable bombs detonating. It's surreal. The chute doors are also metal. When someone opens the door, no matter what floor, you can readily hear it. It's a cue to cover your ears in anticipation of a soon to be dropped rubbish projectile, thundering 420 feet down a metal channel, gaining velocity enabling it to mushroom then piercingly erupt behind a thin piece of sheet rock neighboring your bed. I have developed PTSD from the constant barrage of garbage bombshells. Tenants vary from considerate to obstinate. Common hallway offenses include obtrusive conversations, children using the space as a playground, adults airing their dirty laundry (metaphorically) and dogs treating it as an off-leash park. One notorious tenant revels in mindless cell phone conversations outside my door at 3 a.m. Unfortunately, he also posses a doppelganger voice akin to James Earl Jones. Should he ever ask me, NO do not sell the condo in Arizona. Your brother in-law needs a place since his release from prison. Just my 2 cents. The building is ostensibly smoke free, but people use the stairwells for nicotine and other illicit fixes. The smoke permeates walls, so if you do not like sweet pot incense, you will be bitterly incensed. Smoking on the outdoor patio is also common at night. We may not be able to see you, but we can sure as hell smell ya'. People have been known to use the patio's loungers as overnight accommodations and for, uh.. other things. The patio is also a popular late night hot spot for rowdy teens, impromptu parties and the occasional 2 a.m. brawl, which can be entertaining. Why Avalon Bay does not lock the sundeck after 11 p.m. is one of life's great mysteries. Cosmetically, units are replete with generic Home Depot parquet flooring, the same orange hue as Donald Trump. Some units are ridiculously claustrophobic, which is fine if you've begun conditioning yourself for burial. The plastic veneers on the kitchen cabinets are yellowed, chipped and frayed, but who wouldn't be after living here? Bathroom grouting is crumbling and mold is a battle I'm learning to win, thank you very much Clorox. On a bright note, I have have never seen ants, rodents or pests - other than the above mentioned tenants. The uniformed management are uniformly pleasant. They are efficient in matters of billing, leases, renting and Keurig coffee. They are less effective regarding quality of life issues, because there is no incent$ve. Maintenance ranges from good to excellent, especially in an emergency when a toilet clogs or the dishwasher overflows (don't ask). The building employs unionized concierges who are professional and gregarious. They also employ $10 an hour non-unionized security guards who.... uh, well.. they look smart in their uniforms. As for amenities, you have to pay $100 a month extra to access the gym. Surprise! You also have pay extra for heat! It's NOT included in rent. What is included is a noisy electric heating and cooling element à la Motel 6, circa 1990. Want a pet? Be prepared to shell out $600 for the privilege of having Fluffy sit next to you. The laundry room currently charges $2.75 per wash & $2.75 per dry. The machines work, except when someone pours bleach on your clothes for spite, or opens your dryer to see if it is empty and doesn't turn it back on when they close the door. Why the building opted for windowless dryers is another great mystery. A couple of things to note, Avalon Bay does have the resources to remedy the situation. They do, after all, charge a premium in rents. Moreover, the building has received millions of dollars in the form of abatements from the city and state since it opened in 1998. Tenants are notified about these abatements - so yes they are real and they do exist - via a rider amended to renewal leases. The finances are there, but the will is ostensibly not. Interestingly, one of the conditions for receiving these abatements is the building must provide heat as an amenity included in rent. The reality is, tenants pay separately for heat in all units. They are required to turn on an electric blower system, which they pay for on their Con Edison electric bill to access any form of heat. It's not provided as required by law. Midtown Manhattan is indeed an appealing local for workaholic corporatists, transient international students and affluent theater geeks, which comprise the majority of Avalon Bay's tenants. Unfortunately, the building exploits its location to justify exorbitant rents while concomitantly turning a blind eye to systemic problems. If you're still interested in living here, my unit will be on the market soon.. earplugs not included.

I really like Avalon midtown west, a very continent place with nice and warm hearted staff, I really enjoy my stay here. It gives me the very good first impression of New York. I would recommend it to my friends definitely.