301 W 53RD ST, Manhattan, NY 10019

This place is horrible. They will keep you security deposit for several months after you move out. Then they charge a ton of money regular wear and tear. DO NOT MOVE HERE, the management company here is among the worst in NYC.

Feb. 28, 2012 - There is really no reason to recommend this apartment building to anyone especially considering the other options in the neighborhood. In summary, VERY SLOW ELEVATORS (I've waited 5 minutes for an elevator), NOISY HEATING SYSTEM (Sounds like pipes being beaten by a metal bat every morning in winter), BATHROOM PIPES CLOGG CONSTANTLY (Needs to be unclogged bi-monthly), NOISE FROM POLICE STATION DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO BUIDLING (Police sirens every hour and in middle of night), UNRIGHTLY WITHELD A PORTION OF SECURITY DEPOST (Charges for wear and tear!, which is illegal). For more details read on. The units appear to be nice however most people do not realize that the building is an extremely old, built in 1979, (renovated in 2007) with numerous structural issues. The first issue is that there are not enough elevators in the building to support the number of tenants. There are only 3 elevator shafts that operate on flawed and old elevator software, sometimes leaving tenants waiting for 5 minutes on their floors. On top of that the building uses one elevator to move tenants in and out of the building exacerbating the waiting issue. This problem is the worst during rush hours. The next issue is the quality of the units. As I mentioned the units appear to be very nice however most of the stuff is cheap. The sink faucet breaks, the cabinets are cheap, the counter tops are cheap and the dark wood floor, which looks nice, scratches very easily. Another annoying issue is the dated baseboard heating systems that each unit utilizes. That means the landlord controls when and how much heat to pump into each apartment leaving the tenants either sweating or freezing during the winter. Additionally, the heating system is again dated and has likely not been renovated since it was installed in the 1970's. The heating units make tons of noise in the early morning and at night. The noise sounds like someone beating the pipes with a bat and usually lasts 30 minutes to an hour. I had the building management try and fix the issue but it s structural with no remedy. I had to buy ear plugs to sleep in the winter to try and sleep through the pinging noise! Next up, old plumbing, leaving the tubs and sinks clogged. Once again as a result of the old infrastructure the pipes easily clog. My unit had 2 bath tubs; both tubs need to be unclogged on a bi monthly basis. Finally, beware of your security deposit and for excessive charges from management. They charge their tenants $50 if they get locked out of their own apartment!!!! Additionally, I had the apartment cleaned bi-monthly by a professional cleaning service and left our apartment in impeccable condition and were still charged a $270 cleaning fee that was deducted from the security deposit. In addition they try and stretch by charging the tenants for ridiculous items like light bulbs, and blinds! We were also charged over $1000 to refurbish their floors! As I mentioned the dark wood floors obviously scratch and lose their shine, apparently they think it s appropriate to charge the tenants for this expected wear and tear. Additionally, my security deposit was held for 90 days rather than the 60 days that was stipulated in the lease. In conclusion I would not recommend this building as I would rather go with a more reputable building management company and landlord, one that understands how to keep its tenants happy and not try and squeeze as much money out of them as possible. I should also add that I I'm suing the building for the portion of my security deposit that was unrightfully withheld. Who in their right mind wants to deal with that! My neighbor was also taking legal action against the landlord so I know this is a reoccurring issue. Companies like this do not deserve to be in business.

I lived in this building for 1 year. PRC Management is the worst management company I ever had to deal with. They are rude and the building is run poorly. We were continually lied to about services we were supposed to receive. Furthermore, it takes at least 10 minutes for an elevator during peak hours. The doormen would also allow anyone and everyone into the building without realizing that they did not live there.

I lived in this building for 1 year. The management is terrible. It takes 15 mins to get down from the 22nd floor to the Lobby from 7-9am. After 6 it takes about 20 mins to get up to your apartment. It's all college kids who have no idea about talking in elevators on their cell phones, acting as if they are important. If you enjoy un air conditioned hallways - poor Air Conditioning Units - un air unconditioned elevators - slow elevators - poor maintenance - thin walls - terrible dry cleaning services - and most of all mice - then this building is perfect for you!!! So you can get an idea of what I am like - 24 years old from Fairfield County, CT. Hands down the worst - People laugh about the elevators in this building.

I love living in The Metro, it's definitely a beautiful building. I really no serious complaints asside from the plumbing. We have to use drain-o weekly because if we didn't then we would have water up to our shins while in the shower. It's kind of annoying. Maintenance also takes a while to fix things, which can be annoying as well (although we do have a new Super now, so we will see how things go now). The walls are thin, and we have had instances where we complained to the front desk about our neighbors, but after about two or three times they got the hint and we haven't heard them since. The building is really young, so if you are looking for a family building this is definitely not the place for you!

Very disappointed with management (impolite and careless) and the place was so dirt that we had to buy mop and detergents to clean the apartment. I have never seen such dirt even in the worst accommodation in undeveloped countries. I firmly do not recommend this hotel.

Contrary to the other two reviews which were probably posted by management of the Encore, I am writing to explain how TERRIBLE the staff and management of this apartment complex have been to me and all of the residents I know. First, they will lie and go to whatever lengths they feel necessary to try and convince you to lease a condo or apartment. They will find every way to steal money from you, all the while providing apartments that are dirty and unlivable. When you first visit, they'll show you two models that are located within the front office leasing center. Be aware that the ACTUAL apartments are NOTHING like the models. They are dirty, filled with bugs, and dangerous. I can't say enough about what a mistake it would be for you to consider living at the Encore. Don't do it!!!

Friendly and helpful staff, clean apts. with large rooms. We are a family of four and were put into a two-bedroom apt. with lots and lots of space,(for the same price as a small hotel room with two double beds). The desk coverage in the lobby is 24 hours and professional staff in the management office made this very enjoyable. Plenty of room without the hassle. A great New York City experience. <br><br>The location is in the heart of the city - walk to everything. MSG, theater, shoppping.

I had the privilege of living in The Encore for three years prior to its pending conversion to condos. It has THE BEST staff, location, is spotlessly clean (not a single roach in 3 years). Extell (the new owners) is emptying out the place so that it can go condo. I hope they keep the staff...and the layout. A real five-star experience for a very reasonable price.