LVL North — Local services in Philadelphia

I lived in this building for a year and moved out this past fall. Overall, I had a good experience and would recommend it to others who are looking for the most central location for the lowest price. However, I would not return as the cons outweigh the pros for me.

PROs: I loved the central location. It’s only a 20 minute walk from city hall, and the spring garden metro station is just outside. Also, having Giant on the ground floor was hugely convenient. The restaurant scene on spring garden isn’t the best in my opinion, but it was very easy to buy groceries and cook, or go elsewhere. Management and the maintenance staff were wonderful, from touring the place to moving out. They were very polite and responsive and would solve problems right away. The facilities were very nice. Having a modern studio fully equipped with appliances and hardwood floors was great. I also loved spending time in the gym, the rooftop space, the balconies, and the private study rooms. The game room is also a nice touch. Management took the time to organize building social events. I went to a paint and sip night with some friends and that was fun. I thought the rent price was a good deal. It fluctuates every day, but I moved in during an off season and because the building is new there seems to be lots of rent deals for new tenants.

CONs: I lived in a studio, and the space itself was very small. The bathroom felt quite large while the rest of the space didn’t. If I hadn’t been able to use the pro-rated rent move in deal, I don’t think this amount of living space would have been worth it for the price. It might be if you plan to spend more of your time in common rooms. I liked that there were plenty of large storage cabinets and big windows, I almost never turned overhead lights on during the day. This was probably the biggest con for me: the AC and heating systems were SO LOUD. When you turn it on, the compressor makes a loud thumping sound at first and then the rumbling blouse stays steady. Sometimes I would get used to it after a while, but usually I would turn it off completely and use a combination of opening the windows/ fans and space heaters. I had to turn off while working from home on meetings with coworkers, or while hosting friends and chatting, because we couldn’t hear each other. Side note- I’m not certain if I can attribute this to the building, but believe the constant insufficient airflow exacerbated my allergies a lot. I was coughing and congested pretty constantly after move in, and this issue resolved soon after moving out. I think this goes with the previous point, but some of the other construction decisions seem to cut corners. For example, the toilet lids are made out of a plastic, and mine snapped off while barely touching it. Upon move-in, a bunch of appliances stopped working right away- the AC, the combined washer/drier, and the garbage disposal (maintenance was great about this and fixed things quickly). I also kept getting mold in the tiles next to my shower. This could have been my own fault, but I tried to mop it up and air out the bathroom meticulously and it still happened. The shower boundaries are short and water leaks onto the floor easily. Also, the sewage system backed up into my shower one time and I had to stay with a friend for the night while they fixed it. I thought this was a one-off thing, but learned that others in the building were having similar issues from time to time. The sound from room to room was insulated enough and I never had an issue with this. However, the fire alarm went off at least 8 times during the year, having everyone clear the building and wait outside (felt like almost once a month!) The overall population of the building leans very young. There are lots of Temple students since campus is close by. For some this could be a pro, but I’d prefer a building with an older crowd.

I hope this helps someone who is making a decision! Thanks again to LVL north staff to...

Tyrell has been fantastic since our first tour. He kindly took us on three different tours on different days. And my wife and I ended up signing the contract.

Since we were one of the first tenants to move in, we ran into some minor issues here and there, but the maintenance team took care of them promptly (even during the weekend when we needed them once).

The location, in my opinion, is one of the best in town. Very close to great restaurants (El Purepecha, the best Mexican in the city; Kite and Key, a great pub; Gyu Kaku; Vetri, one of the best pizzas in the town; etc.), to center city, to great supermarkets (Giant is in the same building, Aldi, Target, and Whole Foods), steps away from the subway station, and we can walk everywhere (to the museum, franklin square, etc etc.). So much so that we even sold our car, and when we need it, we rent it.

Two negative things to me that I would like to point out (and they might even not make any difference to you): The apartments are smart, which is great! But everything is connected to the IOTAS' service. And they are not great. Or at least they haven't been great in our unit. I've been trying to contact them to fix my remote control of the lights and HVAC through the app, but their support is also not the best. I would prefer if I could connect everything (front door lock, lights, HVAC) to my Apple Home app, Google Home, or the Philips Hue HUB that I have. The apartments facing Spring Garden Street can get loud. If you have lived in the city for some time, you have probably noticed that some cars and motorcycles are really noisy. Sometimes I wake up at night with someone having fun on the streets with their loud engines. Not much we can do about them. That might be because I don't have curtains on the windows. I will try to install some soundproof curtains and see if it helps. I work from home, and video and audio recording is a big part of my work, and since I'm home all day, that is probably why this annoys me so much. It might not make a difference to you.

Back to the positives: We've been living in the community for about a month now and our experience has been extremely positive. I would also like to mention Walter and Carl from the front desk. They always greet us with a smile and make our days better.

The tenants are nice, the staff is very friendly and professional, and the amenities are great. I train in the gym every day, and our gym is great for beginners and intermediate lifters. Advanced lifters can definitely get some good workouts most days of the week. For the cardio people, you should have everything you need. Including peloton bikes, ellipticals, and treadmills. All excellent quality equipment. They also have a gaming room, meeting rooms, studying stations, recording rooms, and some other amenities you can check on their website. I can't wait to use them!

Oh yeah. The rooftop was still in the final stages last time I checked. But considering how much thought the team put into every detail of the project, I'm sure it will be phenomenal, and I'm very excited to barbecue up there with my friends.

Summing it up, I have had experience with many other communities in the city, and the one I am most excited about and satisfied with is LVL North. You should definitely tour here and see...

I lived in LVL north for a year, and I can’t give it enough praising with words. I was concerned for my safety when I came to Philadelphia, but this faded away just one day after staying in my Unit as I understood how secure the complex was with 24/7 front desk, key pods that only work for your own floor and the amenities floor, and maintenance team that are always ready to make sure you have perfect functioning apartments.

I celebrated my birthday in the common lounge that was large and suitable for eating, hanging out, and chilling. They have a game room where you can watch TV and play board games with friends and also more than 5 private study rooms to do your work. Also, an open air rooftop lounge that is quite fancy.

They also have a gym that is full of equipments and is constantly cleaned up. Units are provided with an existing Xfinity internet cable device that is ready to be activated, air conditioning system with both cooling and heating, washer and dryer, and two windows minimum.

The community in LVL north was just amazing, as they host events every now and then where tenants can gather and entertain themselves based on the theme they announce from time to another! Which made it easier to meet new people and enjoy.

The location is exactly how you’d want it if you’re in Philadelphia, it is literally on the main broad street near the spring garden subway station that’s two stops away south to the city center and three stops away north to Temple University. You’ll also have an exact bus stop near the facility.

The building is the same as “Giant” which is a supermarket located in the P1 floor of the same building that really made it much easier for me to get groceries as if the store was part of the building itself.

Don’t hesitate to contact Anthony, Bryan, or Raymond. As they’re all very nice and professional and I guarantee you they’ll be willing to help you in many different ways and answer your questions, solve your problems, and make sure your stay...