McKenzie — Local services in University City

Rude, Poor Professionalism and Terrible Customer Service!

I toured McKenzie this afternoon. I am a physician in town for work and McKenzie Lux was on the list for afternoon tours. I currently live Downtown Dallas (Victory Park) right next to the AAC in a high rise on a high level 2/2 1400sf unit with 360 floor to ceiling windows corner unit by myself…valet and 24/7 concierge perks for residents…so I am no stranger to “luxury living.”

My first impression was that the property is “not bad” considering this is the midwest mid sized city of STL and not a major metropolitan city. Although, given this, their rent prices are a bit steep. I personally don’t want to shell out 4-5k for housing anymore esp if relocating to a state like MO so was advised that the lower price points for what I’m targeting wouldn’t be available until late summer. However I will NOT be giving this property my business.

The utterly poor professionalism and customer service is a complete turn off for how I (a potential tenant…and a high earner at that) was treated.

After my tour, I hung around in the visitors garage doing some last minute things for work knowing that 1hr later I had a sensitive video conference call I had to jump on. Coffee shop wouldn’t be appropriate. For some reason wasn’t getting good signal in garage. Also I needed to return the rental car right after the call and the airport is right by here. 15 min to time I went back to the leasing office but no one was there. I called the main # and was instructed to find someone to help me. I saw one agent (black lady) who was clearly annoyed by me asking to use the conference room for work call after explaining I had just toured and was from out of town. But she walked me to the area (no one was in the 2 subsequent conference rooms) about 5 min to time. Just as I’ve logged in she comes back in and says I’m going to have to leave b/c I’m not a resident. I said I explained the situation and was on a call. She said sorry you’re going to need to leave the room but can sit in the lobby area. I tucked myself back In this corner area of the main lobby area and continued with the call. About 10min later, another employee (black male) said I’d have to leave as I’m not a resident. By this I’m shocked to how their management is treating someone who JUST toured the property… but it gets worse.

After alerting the people on the call, I moved to outside the building on the front steps. Not even 5 min later the agent who toured me (white lady) comes and says that I’m “loitering” that I can’t be on the premises. EXCUSE ME…LOITERING… I JUST toured to be a prospective tenant with my license information given to them. I’m not some random bum who just came off the street…

Ironically, the same exact scenario happened to occur when I was touring my current building 1 year ago involving a friend who was with me on the tour. So considering this… The mgmt of McKenzie Lux are APPALLING. My friend needed to be on a video call after the tour she so asked mgmt for a conference space while I left her for a hour to tour 2 close by properties. They GRACEFULLY showed her to an empty conference room for residents and they noted didn’t think any reservations were for afternoon. When I came back 1 hr later…mgmt THANKED HER for accompanying me for the tour and THANKED ME AGAIN for visiting. They sent WELL WISHES for the rest of our Dallas trip. THIS IS HOW YOU SHOW APPRECIATION FOR A CUSTOMER TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER THE BUSINESS…A BUSINESS THAT MAKES MONEY OFF TENANTS CALLING THEIR PLACE OF SERVICE HOME.

The over inflated McKenzie prices aren’t it considering this is MO. The mgmt demonstrated piss poor customer service. Cant imagine what living here would be like. And reading some of the negative reviews around…it appears they use the “glam” and “newness” to entice tenants to a place that they (the complex) are not the norm (not a major city with a housing market reflective of that but trying to give those “vibes” and “that experience”).

This place… yea NO thanks. This...

Let me start by saying, I have lived at three different properties owned by this company (Chelsea, SoHo, and McKenzie). Aaron was the leasing agent I worked with, I would highly highly recommend him to anyone looking to rent. He is very knowledgeable and super helpful. He helped transfer my lease from SoHo to this location, and I am super grateful to him.

Overall, I would say McKenzie is the best - location wise and management wise. I am in law school, and I work full-time at a law firm, so I need to live somewhere that is convenient and doesn't have a lot of issues. Having a gym, office area, and cafe on site saves me a lot of time, and for anyone willing to pay somewhat higher rent, I would say it is definitely worth it.

The location I currently live at, McKenzie, is not completely built, but it is still the best in my opinion. SoHo had a lot of issues, mostly due to the location, and I would NOT recommend living there. If you are between Chelsea and McKenzie, I would say the amenities are comparable depending on what you're looking for. The gym here is bigger, there is a basketball court, there is a rooftop lounge. On the flip side, Chelsea has a sauna, and bigger dog park/area. I do prefer Mckenzie's location, as it is just outside of Clayton. There is also a walking trail right next to the building, and no matter what time of night, it is pretty safe. You are also just far enough from Brentwood Plaza to not get all the traffic, but close enough to go to Target whenever you want.

The reason I say that McKenzie is the best, however, is because the management, maintenance, and other staff. Alexis is the first property manager I have dealt with, that is absolutely on top of everything. I don't know if/when she sleeps, but I have contacted her directly multiple times and she has promptly addressed and/or fixed the issue. When someone was in my spot, she made sure their car was tagged within the hour. When I noticed the trash chute was stuck, she had it unblocked within the hour. When the Amazon/UPS/USPS were having issues delivering when the apartment was first built she set up clear instructions so nobody's deliveries would be sitting outside. She has also personally delivered a very expensive package of mine to my apartment because I was worried about it being delivered while I was gone. Every time I see her buzzing around she says hi and checks in. Everything runs very seamlessly here, especially compared to the other locations I have lived at.

In addition, the other property manager at this location, Allison G., is great as well. My dog has become very attached to her, as I'm pretty sure she gives him a treat every time she sees him. Allison was at SoHo when I was there as well, and has always been super friendly despite the stressful situations she's been put in at that location. She has a lot of patience, and has also been super helpful when I need anything. Her and Alexis complement each other very well, and it's not surprising this building runs better than the others (in my opinion).

I also want to acknowledge the person in charge of maintenance, Yener, as I don't feel he is acknowledged enough in these reviews. I see him constantly running around doing almost everything under the sun, I imagine he works above and beyond what he is scheduled because he is always doing something. He has always fixed any maintenance requests within the day, and he is always super friendly and says hi if I pass him in the hallway.

Lastly, we have the event coordinator, Cassidy. She has planned events at SoHo and McKenzie and they are always spot on. She has done everything from a wrestling event to an upscale dinner, and she's absolutely great at it! I can tell it's not an easy job, and that she just makes it look easy.

I know that people are generally skeptical of good reviews for places, but I can assure you I am not a robot, nor am I lying (I don't get anything in return for this review). I would definitely choose this apartment building over other high-end...

I recently had the pleasure of working with property manager Alexis and leasing agent Aaron in my search for a new home, and I cannot express enough gratitude for their exceptional assistance in finding the perfect residence, McKenzie.

From the moment I reached out to them, Alexis and Aaron demonstrated a level of professionalism and dedication that truly set them apart. They were incredibly responsive, promptly addressing all of my inquiries and ensuring that every step of the process was seamless and stress-free.

Alexis's expertise in property management was evident as she navigated through various options, providing valuable insights and guidance tailored to my preferences. Her attention to detail and commitment to ensuring that McKenzie met all of my requirements truly made the difference in finding the ideal place to call home.

Additionally, Aaron's enthusiasm and genuine interest in helping me find the perfect fit were truly commendable. His knowledge of the local market and proactive approach in scheduling viewings and negotiating terms were instrumental in making the entire experience enjoyable and efficient.

Together, Alexis and Aaron formed a dynamic team that exceeded my expectations at every turn. Their professionalism, expertise, and unwavering dedication to ensuring client satisfaction are truly commendable. Thanks to their efforts, I will be settling into McKenzie soon, and I couldn't be more grateful for their exceptional service.

I wholeheartedly recommend Alexis, Aaron, and their team to anyone in search of a reliable and dedicated property management and leasing agency. Their commitment to excellence truly sets them apart, and I have no doubt that they will continue to exceed expectations for all their clients...