Belfort Partners Llc

The building staff is genuinely excellent. The doormen are fantastic, maintenance is responsive, and day-to-day operations are very well managed. We truly enjoyed living here because of the people who actually run the building. Unfortunately, the leasing office is a completely different experience. After our first year, we received a 16% rent increase to supposedly bring the apartment to “market rate,” something we had never experienced before in NYC. The process felt rigid and purely profit-driven, with little regard for retaining reliable tenants. Move-out was equally frustrating. Despite a pre-move-out inspection where no major issues were identified, and despite maintenance staff assuring us certain items did not need to be fixed beforehand, management withheld more than half of our $1,000 security deposit. Routine wear and tear was treated as tenant damage, and additional cleaning/service charges appeared that were never requested or authorized. Prospective tenants should also know the AC units are highly inefficient, leading to very expensive utility bills during the summer. To be clear: the building staff deserves praise. The issue is specifically the leasing office and management practices, which felt unnecessarily aggressive and predatory throughout renewal and move-out.

I lived in a one-bedroom apartment at Columbus Square Apartments for four years. Pros: The apartments are built with high-quality materials and have excellent soundproofing between units. Maintenance requests are generally handled promptly, and the amenities are attractive and well maintained. Most of the doorman are very friendly and helpful. Cons: There are numerous hidden and add-on costs, and the management tends to nickel-and-dime residents. 1. The buildings have a “D” energy efficiency rating, resulting in very high utility bills—approximately $300/month in the summer for a small one-bedroom and around $100/month in the winter. By comparison, similar luxury apartments typically average about $150 in summer and $40 in winter. 2. Water and sewage are billed separately and average ~$75/month. 3. There is an annual amenity fee of $100. 4. Routine maintenance can be reclassified at management’s discretion, resulting in charges. For example, they charge $15 per light bulb, even if it burns out just a few months after move-in. 5. A standardized move-out fee was recently added to the lease, including $600 for painting and $300 for a mandatory deep clean, regardless of apartment condition. 6. There is little loyalty to long-term tenants. Annual renewal offers often increase rent by ~$500/month (10–12%)—for example, $4,400 to $4,900—while the same apartment is advertised to new tenants for around $4,600. Overall, while the apartments themselves are well built, the escalating fees, high utilities, and renewal practices significantly diminish the value for long-term residents.