The Ithacan Residences — Local services in City of Ithaca

When I first moved into this building, I was impressed by its appearance and excited about living here. However, the excitement soon turned to disappointment, and it seems I'm not alone in this sentiment.

Promotional Gift Card and Referral Credit: Upon signing the lease, we were promised a gift card as part of a promotional offer which should be paid off on our move-in date. It's been two months since I moved in on August 2nd, and I have yet to receive it. Furthermore, they have repeatedly encouraged us to refer others, promising referral credits, but have failed to honor their commitment.

Tremendous Price Change: My initial lease for a studio apartment was approximately $2500. Within a week of moving in, I noticed that another studio with extra 80sft next to mine was priced at around $2000. This disparity is unjustifiable, as I'm paying 25% more for a significantly smaller space. Initially, the building management explained this as an "affordable plan" only for non-student, US citizen with low income, but it turned out my neighbor, an international student with same status as me, secured this rate. The management kept giving inconsistent explanations ranging from “affordable plans” to “special promotions”. While some residents received price matches or upgrades after negotiation, they refused to give me the same compensation.

Package Loss: Despite living in North America for a decade without any parcel issues, I've experienced the loss of four parcels worth $1000 since moving here. Additionally, I incurred an $800 address change fee due to last-minute address changes of the building. Despite my requests to review security footage, the building manager repeatedly stated they had contacted the monitoring service, yet they never followed through with feedback. Each time, I was assured I’d hear back within 48 hours, but two months have passed with silence. I’ve invested considerable time following up, only for the manager to ultimately deny any responsibility for the lost parcels.

Inconsistent Communication: When I moved in, I was informed that printing services were complimentary. Later, I discovered they were charging unreasonably high fees for these services.

Duplicate Internet and Rental Insurance: Prior to moving in, we received emails from their Updater system, which indicated that we needed to select an internet plan and rental insurance. However, after moving in, I was told that the mandatory building internet and rental insurance were separate from what I had originally signed with Updater. The building management claimed ignorance of the Updater system, despite the emails clearly stating it was powered by Greystar.

Overall, it's disheartening that this "luxury building" has consistently disappointed its residents with deceptive practices and a lack of accountability from the management team. All residents I've spoken to share...

RACIST STAFF & BED BUGS

Initially, I enjoyed living in The Ithacan and believed the customer service was decent. The building is nice, but is unclean and poorly maintained. Often trash and spills remain in common areas for weeks on end. Bugs remain in hallways and on entry way tables for months unless tenants intervene. The elevators are regularly out of service also. Most of the staff are helpful, but can only help to an extent and are hard to get a hold of. Often emails go unanswered and the staff are only available for a few hours in the middle of the day.

When seeking assistance with bed bugs coming into my unit through crevices in the walls and vents, maintenance and Orkin refused to spray the unit twice because they didn't see any bugs upon their visit. My roommate and I lived with bed bugs for two weeks while seeking assistance with the staff. As we sought help, we were racially discriminated against and screamed at by Jessica Austin in the lobby of the complex in front of several of our neighbors. She called us aggressive, screamed at us to get out of her office, and more as we politely asked for something to be done. She was verbally and physically threatening. She also admitted to reading the emails we’d sent and had no intentions of replying. She then attempted to gaslight us into believing the bugs were ants. This occurred on August 26th, 2024 and after speaking with several managers at the Cardinal Group, nothing has been done to correct this as of October 3rd, 2024. We have had to beg for assistance from the unresponsive managers over the building for over a month.

After doing research on the owners of the building, The Cardinal Group, they are known for their lack of customer service and numerous lawsuits across several of their properties around the country. If you’re thinking of living at the Ithacan or any property owned by this company, think twice. The Ithacan/The Cardinal Group foster an environment of discrimination, racism, and negligence. Many of the good reviews are probably due to the flyers requesting them in the elevators of...

I moved into this property in August with high hopes but have encountered several concerning issues: Gift Card Delays: I was promised an Amex Gift Card when signing the lease, initially for July, later changed to the first two weeks of September. It's now late September, and I haven't received it. Treating Residents Differently: On September 21st, I approached the manager, J, regarding the gift card but was met with indifference, while she prioritized other matters. This, coupled with the treatment I received from her and a colleague, left me feeling like I was being treated differently from other residents, in contrast to how others are handled. Maintenance Problems: I've faced two significant leaks, with staff unable to identify the causes. My request for a washer replacement was mishandled, leaving me without laundry facilities for nearly ten days. Furthermore, my damaged luxury goods and bedding were not acknowledged. It caused me to lose a lot of money I have to rebuy all of my beddings from sheets to pillow to blankets. The damage to my clothing and bags is even more substantial. Inconsistent Communication: Repair personnel provided conflicting information regarding the leaks, causing confusion and inconvenience. I've also reached out to my university’s off-campus office and been directed to legal resources. Attached are photos for reference, including one of my damaged goods from the washer. I hope this feedback helps address these concerns and improve the overall...