The Octagon — Local services in New York

I’ve been a resident at The Octagon for 5 years, I can confidently say that this community has exceeded my expectations in every aspect. From the moment I stepped foot into this tranquil oasis, I knew I had found my perfect home, and 5 years later I still feel that way.

When I first moved in, Bozzuto was managing the community. The next year, they renovated the fitness and amenity spaces- they’re so much nicer now. We have an actual squat rack and bench press, which is huge for an apartment building. When Covid hit, I ended up transferring to a bigger apartment for a lower rate. I had an idea rates would go up when it was all over, and I was right. But honestly, I’m happy I made the switch, even with the 20% increase I got last year. Because my rate was so low, I’m still under market for what the apartments rent for now. Greystar recently took over, and I can’t speak to any major changes, other than system delays, which is to be expected when this kind of thing happens.

Roosevelt Island itself offers an escape from the Manhattan while still being part of the city. Living on our own island is a tiny sanctuary and I adore it. The stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the East River are my favorite part of my home.

The apartments themselves are a mix- my first home had parquet flooring, but now I have upgraded floors and I love them. The Octagon is historic architecture but still incorporates contemporary design, creating a unique living experience. My home has so much natural light, and it makes working from home a great experience. I never feel cramped and in the dark. I even have washer and dryer now, which is a huge plus.

Another aspect that sets The Octagon apart from anywhere else I’ve lived is the sense of community it fosters. The management team organizes regular social events and activities, which helps us to connect with one another and form friendships. In fact, I actually know my neighbors and love that I can feel like an actual community member. This year, our annual party was Middle Eastern themed, and the henna and freshly grilled kebabs were amazing!! I had so much fun watching a dabke performance, and honestly, the team is always trying to change things up. I’m excited to see this years holiday party, because they always go above and beyond.

From the leasing office to the maintenance team, everyone is dedicated to providing tier 1 service. They are always responsive, professional, and go above and beyond to ensure resident satisfaction. I’ve never had an email missed by the team, and they help anywhere they can. I had issues with my electric meter, and had been estimated for a long time. Cera, the leasing manager, promised me a permanent solution was coming. Sure enough, a few months later, we all had our electric meters replaced and transitioned to a new company for billing.

When it comes to staff, I don’t know James, the manager, very well, but that’s a good thing. I’ve never felt like I needed to go to him, because the others always make sure things are taken care of. Mary recently joined and is incredibly sweet. Jennifer handles my rent and seems nice. Cera helps me at each renewal, and honestly, reading some of the reviews- I have to say, she’s never made me feel uncomfortable. It seems like she’s the one that usually has to enforce the rules, and so I’d say give her the benefit of the doubt- the person that tell you no is never really going to be liked as much as the others. I do miss Lindsay and Rob, because they were integral parts of the community. Leo, the new building maintenance supervisor, is a joy to work with. In fact, I would have given Octagon 4 stars, because maintenance before was lacking. But now that he’s joined, I feel confident that my home will be taken care of.

Even though the Octagon is the furthest community from public transit, it’s worth it- it’s so quiet on this side of the island, and I love it. I recommend making The Octagon your new home; I’m looking forward to being here for...

I just moved to Roosevelt island to escape from the crime, homelessness, and landlords violation of rent stabilized laws inflating rents by 20% to 40% and abuse of 421A programs which they are supposed to protect tenants and local communities. This island is heavily patrolled by NYPD and the Sheriff’s departments. Everything that you need is right here from supermarkets, small business owned fantastic restaurants serving authentic and a great variety of healthy meals. From Starbucks, to the Panorama bar and restaurant, to breath taking vies of Manhattan, great green fields for children and those of us who want to experience nature and escape the madness of our collapsing and unsafe cities. Great schools, great hospitals, and a safe promenade to run or walk. The OCTAGON leasing team made all these possible for me. They are super kind and accommodating, ethical, professional, hard working, and above all, their rentals are super competitive with state of the art remodeled and cleaned units. Security and tenants satisfaction are top priorities. The tenants here are professional, serious quiet students attending Medical schools across the river, multicultural people without being harassed or discriminated. The island offers free bus service to the subway and the tram which are 5 to 10 minutes away from the Octagon. The bus stops at all locations for shopping, dining, walking, visiting historical monuments, or running. The OCTAGON offers an excellent gym, pool, fantastic outdoor areas to sit and enjoy life. The team offers very competitive reasonable rents with great periodic concessions. There is zero noise since the construction of the units are mainly concrete. There is zero craziness here and zero tolerance for any unlawful behavior. There is no trash on the streets due to the latest technology allowing you through an online application to dispose trash in the containers. There is a ferry that can transport you to various locations in Manhattan or if you drive to NJ for work. You are there in less than 20 minutes depending on your destination. The building has a very professional concierge and maintenance team. Few and well trained to help without games. The lights operate when the tenant comes out of the elevator reducing significantly the cost of electricity in contrast to buildings in the city running $180 to $200 a month electric bill for a studio. The units are super sunny. The building include the prestigious historical landmark breath taking dome designed by the famous architect Alexander Jackson Davis using a 4,500 years old metamorphic granite stone. The lighthouse is also a breath taking with the famous Four Freedoms Park. The ferry also takes you near CT and the Hamptons. In a mood for some authentic Greek food? Astoria is 10 minutes away! The team at OCTAGON is very selective of who they accept to live here. The selection process is quick and very fair. No fees and unnecessary costs. Amazon delivers hourly and everyone says hi and super kind. This team made it so easy for me and for my sanity. They greet all of daily with so much love and appreciation. The security to the building is state of the art and top priority. Great and clean laundry facilities with some apartments include laundry and dryer. The units are very spacious and not closets where you feel uncomfortable. Thank you OCTAGON for helping me to recover from the recent deterioration of NYC, a city that I love but it has become impossible and unsafe to live. Thank you for not having to pay $4,000 for a studio the size of a closet and not having to tip 20+ staff who by the way I miss. OCTAGON also works with normal and few selective realtors free of cost to you. However, feel free to walk in and find your dream apartment and experience the essence of living as a...

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