AVA Somerville — Attraction in Somerville

I lived at the AVA from 2017-2021 and over that course of time there have been a couple changes in staffing and a pandemic. Initially, I found the community excellent and the location is right on the orange line T which will get you downtown in about 30 mins. Trains are crowded but you are far enough up the line to grab a seat or find a comfortable place to stand before everyone starts coming on in Sullivan or Community. Through out my years I found that the management to decrease in quality. Community events because less common. Trash began building up in the trash rooms. Several exterior and building maintenance issues were left unchecked and unfixed. Lightbulbs were broken or the trash doors would be inoperable. Handling of packages became more and more of an issue as residents moved in and out and it hit a fever pitch when everyone was at home during the pandemic. Management could not/did not figure out a solution and still didn't by the time I left Jan 2021. I had multiple packages stole and I know other residents did as well. The total cash value was well over $1000 ( I was never reimbursed) and it was all during 2020. Management knew it was an issue but didn't address it properly and packages continued to be taken. An online fb group began between the residents to inform others if the packages were left outside the front door and we moved them into a secure location for each other. Overall, it is hard for me to recommend this community. I was extremely happy to join in 2017 but over the course of my time there I found the management(although friendly) unable to proper correct emerging issues.

On another note, I really like the maintenance staff. They are responsive, friendly and helpful for in unit issues.

Building quality this is a production apartment. it's "luxury" living and it has amenities for people to enjoy (grills, lounge area, gym) but internal quality of the build is mediocre.

location excellent for access to Boston downtown -i93North outbound is convenient outbound and only jams up at the connection i95. if you stay in the left two lanes you'll clear most of the traffic with minimal slow down. i93South inbound is good since the exit doesn't have much traffic before the exits for the city. if you miss this exit you will be stuck in traffic the next turn around is in the city. convenient access to orange line T stop -shopping/food/exercise/healthcare all in one place local traffic towards wellington can be a parking lot. luckily this location skips that if you are coming out on i93. If you are choosing between this location and station landing, assembly is way better for traffic. You'll save about 20mins each way everyday and it's worth paying more for those hours of your life back.

Overall, If you want an entire ecosystem/ community within a few blocks, assembly is a great place to live. If you are considering the AVA, I wouldn't be able to recommend this apartment complex. There have been too many unresolved issues for the price that you'd be paying. I've only named a few issues but there have been a lot more. This only happened recently though so I am unsure of why management took such a steep...

AVA Somerville. Hands down best apartment ever. Let me break down it to you. (If you don't feel like reading all this TLDR; Live Here. I highly recommend. You won't regret it.)

Location (5/5) - AVA Somerville is located in Assembly Row, which is this up and coming shopping center/outlet. There's a lot of construction right now which kinda sucks, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the area is amazing. Plus when you're reading this, the construction will probably be done anyways. There's everything you could ever ask for. Department stores, restaurants, AMC, ice cream, and even freaking Legoland. The apartment is located about a 3 min walk to the Assembly Orange Line T stop which is only like 15-20 minutes from downtown.

Management (10/5) – Most of the reviews here say that the management is awesome, and for good reason. The management team really does a good job to make you feel at home. From making sure that your transition to AVA is smooth, to answering all your questions, and to unlocking your door for you when you’re a nub and forget your keys, they’re always willing to go out their way to help. They are also super friendly and great to talk to.

Community (5/5) – The surrounding area seems more like a developing area for young people and young families. I have definitely felt no sense of fear walking around at night. AVA Somerville also hosts community events often like the annual BBQ. The place is super pet-friendly so you’ll often see people with their dogs around which is great if you’re a normal human and love seeing adorable dogs.

Price (5/5) – Honestly, for the location and the amenities, the price is pretty good. Obviously you could go slightly cheaper by renting some apartment off of craigslist but the few hundred dollars to upgrade is definitely worth it to have a nice clean apartment managed by a great management team. If you get something in the city around as many shops like Assembly Row, it’ll definitely be around the same price or even more expensive for a not so nice place.

Apartment (4/5) – AVA Somerville is great in all aspects. My only complaint about the apartment is really the use of space. We get a huge closet room and a pretty small room. Though it is really nice to have the huge space for the closet/shower/bathroom, I wish they could’ve gave more room space and less closet space. Furthermore, there’s not really a lot of privacy in the 2 bedroom apartments (at least the one I’m staying in). There are sliding doors but they don’t really lock and there’s not much noise cancellation. I’m honestly not one that is crazy about privacy but just something to note since this is an honest review. But I still love it! The apartment as a whole is really nice though. It’s very hipster and modern. There’s a really cool lounge and two outdoor lounges with a reflecting pool and fire pits and...

I recently moved to Boston and rented my apartment at the AVA "sight unseen" around 4 months ago. It turned out to be exactly as shown in the pictures. The Assembly Row area is awesome - top notch shops, super convenient transportation (with the Orange Line), and a good crowd. It's a safe neighborhood and it feels that way. And it's all cheaper than downtown Boston or Cambridge, considering the value that you get. Despite the fact that the AVA has a "younger charm", my neighbors have been great. No parties, no loud noises. Residents range from graduate students to families with young kids. Parking is ridiculously convenient and driving around here is stress-free. You get all of the benefits of being near a city, without the annoyances that come with living downtown. The building is also "smart", so it has a bunch of cool tech features that make life way easier.

But to my total surprise, the absolute best part of living in this building has been the staff. I never knew how important it was to me to have friendly and accommodating staff until I moved here. Mike, Mike (there's two), and Kori are seriously top notch. They knew me by name before I even met them and they continue to display the same attention to detail today. For example, I was just in the lobby and as I walked by Mike, he told me that he had a package for me. As he was walking to get the package, he asked about a recent maintenance request that I had placed online (in the resident portal), citing specific details that were listed on the work order, and inquiring as to whether everything was completed quickly and to my satisfaction. He didn't quickly look anything up; he just knew this stuff - the staff knows the residents and constantly keeps up with everyone to ensure that they're having a good experience. And speaking of maintenance, every request that I've placed has been filled promptly (in less than 24 hours) by friendly workers.

AVA is owned by a big, national company (Avalon Communities). That was a major deterrent to me, because whenever I've rented from corporations in the past, they've been really friendly and accommodating right up until the point where you sign the lease. Then their attitude and tone totally changes. For this reason, I've usually rented from individual landlords that care about tenant satisfaction. My experience with AVA and the staff here has completely restored my faith in rental companies (or, at least in Avalon).

I was originally referred to the community by a friend. My experience here has made me want to refer friends as well. It's a...