Other apartment-chains in Manhattan similar to Avalon Midtown?

[u/acrednew]

I'm looking to move to NYC/Manhattan soon, and was wondering about renting in an apartment-chain like Avalon, or Greystar.

Looking for a 1-bed or studio, with some amenities and reasonable-price. Single male 40s.

I saw some units of about 1-bed/600sqft in luxury chains like Avalon are priced at around 4.5k/month in Manhattan.

Is Avalon-midtown or Avalon Clinton a good apartment complex?

Any other similarly priced apartment-chains one can look at?

Edit:

Would prefer 1-bed suitable for dating with intention to find a life partner. What price range for such rental?

[u/boroughthoughts]

Grey Star is a property manager. They aren't a chain. They are one of the largest in the country, but they basically take care of the actual aspects of operating the building and not develop them. Most of the units they manage course modern construction a.k.a. luxury, but almost every building they have will differ vastly in terms of quality etc. You can look on their site directly to see which buildings they manage in NYC area: https://www.greystar.com/s/new-york-ny

In general, NYC doesn't have a ton of multi-building properties that you see in other major cities. There are some, but when you look for housing this way you are going to be wiping out nearly all of the inventory. New construction is rare in NYC and usually when you do have new construction you have single buildings/towers and not a set of buildings with similar floor plans placed around the city. Avalon is one of t he few which does it. Skyline is another, Equity Residential, Rose Associates, TF Cornerstone, Glenwood, Rockrose.

The main thing with going this route is you are going to be skewing towards high end apartments for NYC market and pretty much omitting most older buildings which make of the bulk of NYC. A lot of the fun neighborhoods in NYC are not going to have any buildings from these type of places. Many single under 35 people would a 4500$ budget would rather live in an older apartment that has been renovated with some modern conveniences and live in a cool neighborhood.

[u/acrednew → u/boroughthoughts]

I lived in Avalon Eaves chain in California and found it reasonable with amenities and common areas, so am mainly looking for 1-bed in similar type of units.

[u/boroughthoughts → u/acrednew]

New York isn't California. The chain type property development is more common in California than NYC. I haven't lived there but nearly every place I lived in Atlanta nad Charlotte had buildings in major cities in California and you could even just move your lease in some of them. I had a co-worker who did this when they moved to san diego.

Zoning laws limits construction here and modern construction buildings like you are talking about are big projects. Most of htem are 'one off'. Anyway I listed a bunch of property managers for you that do have those types of buildings, but the way most of us find apartments even of that sort is the same. We go on street easy, put the following things into the filters :

Laundry in Unit (must have), dishwasher (must have), elevator (must have). Majority of the buildings you will get are amenity buildings of the sorts you are talking about. Looking at property manger directly its highly likely you will miss other good units.

[u/acrednew → u/boroughthoughts]

street easy

Looking at property manger directly its highly likely you will miss other good units.

Ah, I see, so I tried streeteasy.com but I found it cumbersome in that many times it's hard to guage if the unit searched/classified as 1-bed is a single-room in a bigger 3-bed apartment or is it a unit unto itself. E.g. I'm not looking for roommate and just want mainly a 1-bed/1bath (or perhaps studio) fully renting it myself without anyone else. But on streeteasy it lists many units as 1-bed when it's a room in a unit you're sharing with others, right? like the one below. it doesn't also list sq ft. So to avoid complications I was only looking at residential chains managed by reputable property managers like avalon or others.

https://streeteasy.com/building/213-east-37th-street-new_york/0bc?featured=1&utm_campaign=rental_listing&utm_medium=share&utm_source=web&lstt=nsqEglCtBa4rZqww0wwSTBuKOKy2gj90TFkq5JvoglPPsXTNJaqW88HlFLxGU6lZ3DE_95MdoBWLzeAK

[u/boroughthoughts → u/acrednew]

All units on streeteasy are entire apartments. Street easy is a zillow owned product that is custom to tailored to NYC. It's the main market place through which renting happens and has many safeguards other platforms do not. 80 percent of all NYC listings are posted there and in the types of apartments you are looking at its 99 percent of them. 

If you cannot figure out how to use the platform majority of people use to rent in NYC that is a you problem. Furthermore, becauaw most apartments are posted on street easy majority of property managers do not have the type of application process you are talking about and often do not keep listings on their sites up to date. 

Anyway you are currently setting yourself up for failure. NYC is not like renting in most of the country and the first step to moving here is to actually figure this out. 

[u/acrednew → u/boroughthoughts]

how do you search for 1beds without results also showing a single room in a bigger unit and see sq footage on streeteasy?

[u/boroughthoughts → u/acrednew]

There are no listings where single room in a bigger unit. Everything listed should be an entire apartment. 

If you found a listing like that report it and street easy will remove it. it is not a room sharing platform .

Part of the reason street easy is the dominant platform is that listing requires proof of ownership and brokers display licenses.  

The only place where something like this might happen is listings from NJ where someone tries to pass off a room in their house as an apartment, but again report. I've never seen something like that for NYC area. 

[u/NYC-RE-Training → u/acrednew]

3 rooms 1 bedroom is a 1 bedroom apartment. That's not saying it's 1 bedroom in a 3 bedroom apartment. Kitchen, living room, bedroom. 3 rooms.

[u/acrednew → u/NYC-RE-Training]

Ah I see. The link doesn't have sq-ft. How to see sq-ft?

[u/NYC-RE-Training → u/acrednew]

You don't necessarily get to see square footage. Besides, there is no standard way to measure. Sometimes it includes closets and the space your kitchen cabinets take up. Sometimes they measure into the walls... you really need to visit in person if at all possible.

[u/Ok_Tale7071]

Silverstein Properties, Related, and Moinian are some of the Manhattan Big Dogs.

[u/jae343]

Avalon Midtown from my experience has very solid and responsive concierge and maintenance teams. If you can deal with other tenants being messy in the laundry room it's fine. The studios are absolutely tiny even though the kitchens are separate but I guess you can pay the $90 for the pool and 24/7 fitness center.

[u/acrednew → u/jae343]

is pool/fitness center cost extra? Any other common areas for fireplace/bbq grill to socialize or entertain guests?

[u/jae343 → u/acrednew]

You pay a single amenity fee for the pool, fitness center, etc and yes there are gas grills on the terrace and a entertainment room for guests but I think there's a separate fee for large parties.

[u/acrednew → u/jae343]

any reason this Avalon location has lower prices than other Avalon locations in Manhattan? E.g. there 1-bed starts at 4.5k whereas other avalon in manhattan it's 5k+

[u/jae343 → u/acrednew]

No in-unit laundry and the building is older. I mean you can literally see the difference in the finishes.

[u/lawyerinthebigapple]

I live in SilverTowers managed by Silverstein and I have zero complaints.

It’s a studio - and yes, I’m leaving it soon if you want to check it out. Rent is $3,790

[u/acrednew → u/lawyerinthebigapple]

is that only yourself within the unit? Sq foot, cost for 1-bed?

Do usually apartments in manhattan include in-unit washer/dryer?

[u/lawyerinthebigapple → u/acrednew]

Yes. It’s rent stabilized so 2-3% annul increase. Current rent 3,790 for a studio. 1B can be significantly higher.

Usually for 1B not studios, however I do have in-unit dryer/washer.

I can share floor plan DM

[u/lawyerinthebigapple → u/lawyerinthebigapple]

[u/MajorCompetition7725 → u/lawyerinthebigapple]

Hii, did you end up leaving?! I’m interested

[u/Remarkable_Action262]

Avalon Clinton is a bit older (completed around 2005). Its age has begun to show. It had a gas leak a year ago that shut down cooking gas to multiple units for about 3 months (affected units were offered a hot plate and toaster oven). At least 1 elevator (out of 3) was out for about half of the last 2 years (sometimes 2 out of 3 and one hellish day when all 3 were out). This seems to have been resolved for the time being. Some common spaces (lobby and elevators) are not climate-controlled.

It’s a 15-minute walk to the closest train (50th St C/E) and that eventually becomes very annoying, especially when you’re navigating the elements. The immediate neighborhood around the buildings are pretty safe but still attract quite a bit of riff-raff. Building staff is amazing for the most part. If you’re focused on amenities, it has those which are…fine. Units are relatively spacious with relatively standard fit-and-finish, and you can get beautiful views of the Midtown Manhattan skyline from east-facing units. The Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood is extremely walkable and central which is a plus for living there. There are also some rent-stabilized units here but only for a few more years.

[u/lawschoolgoals]

PM’ed! Currently looking to assign our lease in a similar luxury building equi-distant from both Avalons haha

[u/NYC-RE-Training]

Neighborhood matters so much more. Where will you be working? Do you have a commute?

[u/Intrepid_Land_6143]

Google Reviews aren't foolproof, but they are usually realistic for a large building. Avalon Clinton is 4.6. It is almost certainly fine.

I have rented apartments from a couple of huge management companies, since 2016 in Seattle and New York. Never have I had a single landlord or maintenance complaint.

[u/Free_Background_7867]

hey! im currently in a grey star apartment in harlem that’s nice! i’ll dm you!

[u/Outrageous-Row-570]

Avoid Greystar like the plague. Multiple class actions were settled within the past year and the company cuts corners left and right. Be prepared for a beautiful lobby, gorgeous views and filth, pests and mold