295J Apartments — Attraction in Jersey City

Do you love noise from construction and your neighbors and their dogs and the smell of cigarette/weed smoke? THEN THIS PLACE IS FOR YOU!

Unfortunately this building was not built properly for a number of reasons.  If you are especially sensitive to noise and smoke, then keep reading for my experience here.

When I initially looked at different units, I stated that my biggest concern with an apartment is noise as I used to live in another apartment where I had issues living above the courtyard and always heard people.  I looked at two units; one facing the courtyard and one facing construction which was just starting so of course I was hesitant about both, especially the one facing the courtyard since my previous experience.

I mentioned to the team that I was leaning towards the one facing the courtyard since the construction would seem to be more of an issue than the courtyard but I was reassured that the unit facing the construction would not be an issue as the windows are double pane which will eliminate the majority of any noise. Also, it also had west facing sun and bigger windows. (Unfortunately there ended up not being any sun).

Fast forward to nearly six months later, I have been woken up by construction every single M-F either before or right at 7:00AM up until 5:00PM.  My work colleagues even mention that it sounds like trucks are backing up INSIDE my apartment when I am on work calls.  There is ZERO, I repeat, ZERO sound protection whatsoever from the noise outside.

You also hear EVERYTHING outside - one person walking by, a car driving by, the freight train going by, a person sneezing, etc. The manager from the building even came by during the day and agreed that it is loud and did not think expect it to be that loud.

On top of the noise outside you may also get lucky enough to hear your neighbors inside whether that be dogs barking most of the day or a party they may have until 2AM.  IF you are still considering this place and are sensitive to noise, then I would consider looking at a unit that is not facing the courtyard, main road, or the construction (but who knows if construction will start around other parts of the building in the future).

The other con is that you may get the pleasure of smelling cigarette/weed smoke from your neighbors.  Someone has been smoking since I moved in November 2020 and it's usually a daily or twice daily occurrence that lingers inside my unit for 1-2 hours at a time.  This issue was raised to Management in November 2020 and has yet to be remediated.  Unfortunately they are unable to locate the source of the smoke and indicated that it is not their responsibility in the building (despite there being a clause in the lease indicating Smoking is Prohibited).  I know others in the building have complained too and my only solution is to "Call down to the front desk to let them know." so I have done just that about.. 20-30 times over the course of 6 months and every single time "no one has smelled the smoke in the hallway so we can't pinpoint the source" so the residents just have to put up with it.

These concerns were raised to management since moving into the apartment in November and their offer was 1) $100 credit or 2) pay the transfer fee + cost of additional rent to move to another apartment, but it would not be guaranteed that the smoke would NOT be an issue in another unit and they are not responsible. Unfortunately I couldn't afford to pay extra for the potential of having the same issues so I stayed and continued to pay my already expensive rent.

Despite the above, there are pros like the staff including maintenance and front desk are so nice and friendly.  Although the issues have not been resolved, Management still tried to remediate the situation where possible by looking at alternative ways to decrease the noise (all in all, management didn't build this building, but they are selling it so should know what's wrong with it).  Lastly, there are nice amenities so if you like to work out or hang out then there's plenty of...

The move-in process here at 295J was really smooth, and the management and community teams have been very helpful. I'm pleased with their responsiveness and helpfulness. You'll find the staff here great to work with, whether it's Cara, Scrappy Pete, Laura, Li'l Stevie, Carlos, Big Rig Rita, Jacks, Damian, Edgy Reggie, Ol' Watson, Cesar, Inspectah V., Cory, Yasin, Birdy Bubu or Brainicious Jones.

I was concerned at first when I came to realize the building was haunted, but I burnt some sage and brought in a Santeria priest who blessed the building, and now 295J is even safer than before. You're welcome. There's good access to transportation and NYC. The light rail is pretty cute and makes one reminisce about San Francisco....with 99% fewer earthquakes. I love that Liberty State Park is so near, but I am concerned about the nefarious activities of the squirrels in the trees who are always scheming and judging. But my therapist says I'm being unreasonable, and it's really the crows and Canadian geese stealing the jobs of hard working American ducks we should watch out for.

Inside the units, the sliding pocket door to the bathroom is really cool and makes me feel like I'm in Star Trek. Sometimes I just open and close it for hours pretending I'm Jean-Luc Picard as I "enter the bridge". The electric oven/stove is cool too, as it glows a beautiful red. The heat settings go from 1 to 10, but I wish these go to 11. I believe it would shave 10% off my cooking time so I could get to eating faster. The refrigerator even comes with an upstairs part which I'm told is called a "freezer", so now I can hoard large amounts of small pieces of very cold water called "ice cubes". Sometimes I feel like technology is moving too fast for me these days.

I've really been enjoying the building's environment and looking forward to the warmer weather to take advantage of the courtyard and pool. Until then, I've been using the cardio room and its clean mirrors which are great for enabling me to put more focus into my body dysmorphia, but I do wish there were more pogo sticks and hula hoops like we used to have in the old days.

The weight room is quite impressive for an apartment building gym, though since it's still too new, it unfortunately doesn't yet have that broken-in, stale, sweaty smell. There is also a strange guy who keeps yelling "LIGHTWEIGHT, BABY!" while blasting Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch on his phone when he trains. Other than that, I'd suggest to management to add more modern equipment like a ThighMaster or ShakeWeights, even perhaps some archery equipment.

One thing I'm confused about is the sauna. Despite multiple conversations and after a concerned management find me a few weeks ago, I was immediately informed that I was, in fact, in the supply closet. I'm still suspicious though. I think they just want to keep the good stuff for themselves.

The lounge is very modernical and stylacious, so it provides a great environment for me to pretend to do work and mine bitcoin, or at least charge my phone, and even hide from my girlfriend. I do think the lounge would be more classy if it had a chocolate fountain or Champagne pyramid. Another building I lived in that I just made up in my mind used to have one.

Oh yea, and the walls/ceilings/floors are quite thin, so my neighbors can hear me practice crying.

With all that said, I've used an extensive evaluation process incorporating many criteria and a weighted scoring method to rate the experience on a careful 78-point scale. This resulted in a score of 62, which I've adjusted to this more simplistic 5-point scale, and rounded...

I have been living at 295J for the past two years, and it has been an absolutely wonderful experience! The entire staff is incredibly friendly and always greets you with a warm smile. Angelica and Yassine in particular continue to always go above and beyond to consistently provide a welcoming environment each time I walk through the front entrance door and are always able to answer any questions I may have; further proving their commitment to excellence and their commitment to providing a stellar resident experience. The management support team goes above and beyond to address any concerns and truly cares about the tenants' needs.

The amenities at 295J are top-notch; my favorites are the gym and the courtyard pool/grilling area. The gym is well-equipped and maintained, making it a joy to work out and stay fit. The pool and grilling area provide the perfect setting for relaxation and socializing during those warm summer days.

One of the highlights of living here is the convenient location. Whether you're heading to Jersey City, New York City, or even Liberty State Park, the building's location offers quick and easy connections. It's a dream for anyone looking for accessibility and a bustling city lifestyle, while also having the option to retreat to a peaceful environment.

Overall, my experience at 295J has been fantastic. The combination of the friendly staff, responsive management, high-quality amenities, and ideal location make it the perfect place to call home. I highly recommend 295J to anyone looking for a comfortable, convenient, and enjoyable living experience in...