Mason on Chestnut — Local services in Philadelphia

UPDATE (6/11/24) - Building flooded and the electricity was turned off making the place unlivable. The management then sent all of the tenants to hotels (some to the wrong hotels) and gave the hotels a card with INSUFFICIENT FUNDS to pay for the rooms. I have been sitting in La Quinta Hotel for almost an hour and still have not been checked in. It is now 2:04am and the flood occurred around 1:00pm. I will now have to pay for a $30+ dollar Uber each time I have class & still haven’t been checked in. Also NEVER received a response to my email so the replies to these reviews are bull.

Considering litigation & notified UPenn I have a chronic illness that makes me intolerant to heat and causes my health to steadily decline in high temperatures. I have put this in writing to the property manager before moving in almost a year ago and have spoke with each of the new property managers about this (There have been several & the most recent one has now also quit). It is now 4:57 AM, I have a 12 hour nursing shift in less than 3 hours, and my room feels close to 90 degrees. My room as been unlivable for me for almost all of the time I have spent here in May. Management has not reached out to provide fans or any assistance to tenants and the AC is still not on. I withheld from writing a review prior to this but now my health and professional performance are declining due to the unbelievable conditions in this building. When asked how to file a complaint or who to contact, I was told "you have to speak to your Air BnB host"... I have a 12 month lease. Just in the month of may: I have been repeatedly harassed by a tenant at this building who is heavily intoxicated in the lobby almost daily. He has made comments about my race, body, and relationship with my partner.

I have been aggressively called a b+ch and a he by a staff member with access to master keys and when trying to reach out to any other staff to ensure my safety, I was told there is not a direct phone number for any property manager or owner and to just call UPenn police.

I have repeatedly attempted to get in contact with a property manager about the unlivable temperatures of my room as I do not find it legal to charge me rent for a place I can barely tolerate and I have only received automated emails about paying upcoming rent bills in return.

The only person that has helped me do anything including fix my frequently broken keys is the front desk man after 12 AM.

Prior to May... fire alarm going off for no real reason (Dates: 11/30, 12/6, 12/12, 12/20, 2/15, 2/27) -Asked the front desk to give my keys to my friend to water my plants while away on vacation.. they lost my keys and all of my things could have been stolen while I was away (4/01/24). -water turned off (11/15, 1/12, 1/16). -Lost $1.75 almost every time I wash clothes from either an error with the water hose or the machine washing my clothes in warm water that smells horrible despite me always selecting cold -Multiple floods and water leaking from the ceilings -pipes are not wrapped so dirty water drips down on you from the rusted pipes if you take a warm shower. -Wifi outages -Food stolen out of the community fridge in less than 3 hours (04/09/24) Three available treadmills in gym. Of the three, one has been broken the past year and one squeeks quite loudly. So one comfortable treadmill available. -Trash piles up, smells horrid in the heat, and attracts bugs -ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN I MOVED IN: No one contacted me about how to move in, what room I would be moving into, property manager at the time refused to return my emails and calls. Had to just show up after driving three hours with all my stuff and hope I could move in that day. Upon arriving the leasing manager (the one at the time, there has been plenty since) asked me if I could send him a copy of my lease because they didn't have it... This same leasing manager also pretended to be an automated system when I contacted him about move in dates. -Since my move in date I have actually received a response to 0 emails...

I never post reviews, but I have been traumatized by my experience living at The Mason. I am posting to desperately warn anyone to never ever sign a lease to live here. Prior to signing my lease last year, I read many reviews that were bad, but figured it would be okay given it's proximity to the universities in Philly. I was wrong.

Assorted Problems: After moving in, the situation was worse. We've had countless of lost mail and stolen packages, mice/centipedes/roaches, drug infested communities and drunk people in the lobby harassing residents for no reason, random nonresidents sleeping on our floor common spaces, and trash not being collected for days and piling so high that you can't even access the elevators (smelling horrendous with flies rampant). Originally, we had really kind front desk staff, but they were all fired after our third management change. Despite being a non-smoking building (besides the outdoors, side door area), residents smoke 24/7 on the balconies, which drift into the rooms.

The Unsanitary Kitchens: The pod kitchens are also disgusting. You may be lucky and live in a more clean pod, but mine was horribly unsanitary. Dishes filled with food were left out for days and weeks on end, the sink was constantly clogged, and the trash was simply collecting on the floor. Our rent includes cleaning staff, but since a few months ago, they have come very infrequently, and dirt, grime, and sticky substances collect on the floor with gnats/flies celebrating everywhere.

The Sealed-Shut Windows: My window was sealed shut by the maintenance man while trying to fix a severe rattling issue, which has led to extremely uncomfortably high temperatures in my room. The lack of AC, despite being promised that it would be fixed for over a month, contributed to a horribly unsanitary and stuffy room. I told the previous property manager, but he dismissed such issues.

Public Bathrooms: There are also "public" bathrooms for residents to use, but they are never cleaned. There is no toilet paper in there ever, and the seats are stained with pee and feces.

Safety Concerns: You won't be safe here. We don't have a security system, so anyone can walk into the building at any time. Despite telling us that the side doors will be locked after 10pm every night, they never are. After the construction for the Target building was completed, we were finally allowed to access the building through the front doors, which normally requires a fob to enter. However, the doors are always propped open with heavy poles, meaning that once again, anyone can enter.

Water Leaks: There are leaks everywhere that are never addressed despite the maintenance requests that I put in. Every time it rains, there are large puddles scattered throughout the building, testifying to the unsafe structures, plumbing systems, and holes in the ceilings. These unaddressed leaks culminated in a massive flood on 6/11, which has led to the displacement of all residents and the city ordering a "cease operations" on the property. I have been homeless for the past few days, which has been awful for trying to heal after a big surgery. Additionally, residents were forced to walk up and down a dozen flight of stairs in order to grab their essentials within less than 1.5 hour notice of needing to evacuate the premises.

No Response to Emails: I have been emailing about terminating my lease for an entire month, but no one has responded to my emails. Seeing the reviews about former tenants not getting their deposit back, I am worried about losing so much to this property, both monetarily and mental health wise. In general, almost none of my emails have ever been responded to, with the current Redstone Residential, and with the previous CSC Management companies.

I'm generally an understanding person. I understand that it's difficult to maintain such a large building with so many residents. However, enough is enough, and with my health suffering so greatly and having paid so many months of rent despite horrible living conditions, it was time to post...

Updated Review

I’m updating my review to reflect recent issues at this property, primarily following a significant flood incident on October 15, 2024. Redstone Residential arrived at Mason on Chestnut as of April. 1, 2024.

Flood Incident: On October 15, 2024, after the building’s heat was turned on for the season, a serious flood affected the building from the 5th floor down, flooding the lobby and causing extensive water damage. Residents observed the aftermath early the next morning, finding staff trying to mop the water with trash cans catching leaks from above. Despite claims from management that plumbers worked until 4 AM to resolve the situation, photos and videos from residents document that the flood started much earlier. Since the incident, there has been no communication from management about the flooding, nor have they acknowledged the impact it had on building systems. No professional remediation team, such as ServePro, was called, and the corroded pipes discarded after the flood indicate that needed maintenance was likely deferred long before Redstone’s arrival.

Staffing Issues: In the last week of September and the first week of October, several staff members were unexpectedly laid off, allegedly due to budget cuts, but were unable to receive unemployment support. The remaining team includes only a Community Manager, a Leasing Manager, and a Maintenance Supervisor, none of whom have adequately addressed resident concerns about building operations or communication.

Security Concerns: Recently, a security team was hired without any notification or explanation to residents. This “Ghost Security” team has been “patrolling the property”, yet their purpose, authority, and affiliation remain unclear. Multiple inquiries from residents about their identity and function have gone unanswered. A transparent approach to security would foster a sense of safety rather than creating a hostile environment where residents feel surveilled rather than supported.

Internal Conflict Among Staff: There appears to be a lack of alignment among the staff, with noticeable competition and conflict. Skilled team members are often overshadowed by those lacking basic understanding of policies and procedures, as well as effective communication skills. This disjointed staffing has led to inconsistent experiences for residents, further diminishing trust in property management.

Overall Management: Despite Redstone Residential being one of the largest property management companies in the country, they have failed to maintain a safe and hospitable environment here. Residents deserve a management team that is responsive, locally accessible, and committed to fostering a community that is safe, welcoming, and respectful. They’re not in alignment with the community that they serve.

When individuals with biases and hostility manage this property, it becomes difficult for residents to feel safe and valued. The presence of staff who have allegedly acted inappropriately toward residents, entered apartments without notice, and engaged in surveillance in private areas raises serious questions about the ethics and accountability of management here. There is no excuse.

Final Note: If the hiring of the security team or retaliatory actions against residents are substantiated, I will seek accountability through legal action. Management must address these issues proactively rather than reactively. Until then, I cannot recommend this property to others, particularly those...