Gateway Plaza

"We heard the bad reputation of Gateway Plaza" THAT SAYS IT ALL

Yes. I live in Gateway and think the management is extremely sub-par. It is the projects of battery park city. They need to convert to condos already.

is this a rental?

largest rental complex in bpc

Please don't wish a condo conversion on the tenants of Gateway. We are some of the many "refugees" from 333 Rector Place who have moved into Gateway in recent months following the condo conversion going on there. After the shockingly poor treatment we received from the owners of 333 Rector Place--a building we loved and were tenants of for more than 15 years-- we have decided to take the minor inconveniences and annoying attitude of the Gateway management in stride.

Drafty windows, leaks from upstairs, faulty toilets - might these not be health violations that could/should be reported to the city? I'd look into it; why allow yourself to be poorly treated?

I don't understand it. The maintenance guys seem competent and somewhat personable, but the work can only be described as "patchwork" or "bandaid." This goes for prepping apartments for rental as well as repairs. It's as if they are not incented to address problems for the long term.

Can health or housing violations be reported anonymously so that the city would start digging without highlighting anyone's name to management? For that matter, I would have expected the city to have done something over the past 10, 20 or more years, but then maybe leFrak is too well connected (like Castimedies-sp? with Gristede's).

Try calling downtown & see what the process is. Call from work because so many people today have the caller ID. Perhaps the owners are so cheap that they won't pay more for quality work & their workers know this.

they just paint and plaster over stuff so don't expect much.

Gateway's management is as cheap as one can get. Bottom tier

Ok. GP's plan is to seal/stain then paint over the damaged area. (Comment #10, you are pretty much on the nose.) I hope it's timely, and it works; I don't need mold in my ceiling/apartment. +But+, I have my reservations. Why, you ask. Because when I asked about the source of the leak, and repairing that, I got a response akin to a shoulder shrug. I sure hope they are still going to try finding out what is causing it, then maybe fixing it.

If the leak is coming from a running tub, that's obvious but a leaking roof is notoriously difficult to determine. You know the water is getting in but from where? Of course since they're as bad as everyone says I shouldn't be making excuses for them.

where is gateway?

sounds like hell ;)

We have lived at the Gateway for over 2 years and LOVE IT! Whenever we have a problem, they apologize for making us wait til the next day to have it fixed! The grounds are well kempt, the staff are extremely polite, and our apartment is in fine working order! The only things I don't like are the people that think that putting more than 3 people in an elevator is too much and therefore refuse to move and let you in and the people that have dogs and let them go the the bathroom right at the back door so that it smells like pee no matter how much they try to clean it!

We have lived at the Gateway for over 2 years and LOVE IT! Whenever we have a problem, they apologize for making us wait til the next day to have it fixed! The grounds are well kempt, the staff are extremely polite, and our apartment is in fine working order! The only things I don't like are the people that think that putting more than 3 people in an elevator is too much and therefore refuse to move and let you in and the people that have dogs and let them go the the bathroom right at the back door so that it smells like pee no matter how much they try to clean it!

comments 16 and 17 are management. sneaky bastards.

I'm a Gateway resident and hate the management. Bunch of slimy sneaky crooks.

My experience with the mgt office is that it is ok. The maintenance guys seem ok too, but there is this appearance of lethargy (repeat: appearance). Not sure why but the work is almost always satisfactory.

gateway blows, management, building, location, you name it...

what are the problems with gateway? it looks like the location is good and I know the builidng is ugly but what other prbolems are there? (thanks-prospective tenant)

Absolutely no frills, no modernization whatsoever but they do a nice job with the interior gardens. Ray Kelly, Police Commissioner has lived here for many years. Good security!

I see the scaffolding is up. This complex looks like something out of a Batman comic. Why anyone would live there is beyond me. For that matter, why anyone would live in BPC is beyond me.

You have to be kidding #23! BPC is like living in the suburbs but only a few minutes to the city! We live in a park and love it!

#24--BPC sucks its like living in boston or some other lesser city. its not new york. in fact it didnt exist 30 years ago.

North BPC is just a couple blocks to Tribeca. It is just a really beautiful quiet place to live, stunning views, then walk 2 blocks and you are in tribeca. Walk another few blocks and you're in Soho. When I first moved, I really missed my old neighborhood (central/west village) but now Ilove it. That having been said, would probably not live further south on the water.

Quiet??? There's like two constant construction sites in "north" BPC. Are you blind? Or do you just work 24/7? I'll admit the park in North BPC is serene, but is segmented off from the rest of the City. Plus its all rentals (save the overpriced riverhaus, or whatever they call it. Plus the low end hotel full of baseball hatted tourists and Chevy's Tex Mex and the WFC fare as your local eating choices. blech!!!

Thanks for asking, but no not blind thankfully, and actually I work at home. Living on the water and warren street, the proximity to Tribeca is such that why would anyone walk south to eat? And yes the only condo in the area is the riverhouse, yes I rent for now. You clearly do not understand the area since you seem to think that the northern tip is the same as WFC and that hotel.

I never said the northern tip is WFC #28. "North BPC" as you call it is the area directly above WFC. I know the area. I've worked down here for more years than you've lived in this City.

Actually born and bred in nyc, #29.

No, BPC is not like the "real" or stereotypical NYC. Guess what, neither is LIC or the Seaport or Staten Island or Woodside or Fresh Meadows or Cambria Heights or.... The point is that there are many types of neighborhoods and BPC is one. If someone doesn't want to live in a relatively quiet, family oriented area, then BPC is not for them. There is much greenery and less traffic here, and more space between buildings. There is also more fresh air and breezes. (It does have its problems like bad drivers, cyclists riding on sidewalks, (minor) graffiti, nomads who camp out on benches and outdoor seating, and LOTS of construction noise.)

For the person who asked about Gateway Plaza. (It has now been renamed "Gateway" because of its "luxury rentals".) What's good: location and RELATIVELY lower rents, variety of age groups, incomes, and professions, as well as many kids/families, some good doormen and maintenance teams.

What's bad: Urine odor is almost constant. Appearance (style) of buildings. Roofdeck above the parking garage is infested with miniscule red insects living in the benches. (There's more but I will leave the rest to other posters.)

yeah - I am your "other posters" - lets talk about the rats that infest the parks as soon as the sun goes down. I lived down there for 6 years and yes, there is a lot of good points but THERE ARE rats, and a lot of them in the evening.

Two more things to watch out for: Bathroom doors that get stuck during warmer, humid weather. (This is a serious fire hazzard.) Killer elevator doors, the kind that once they start closing, you better make sure no one is in the way. (Did someone mention this already?)

One more good thing: The courtyard, especially during the Chrismas and Holiday season.

I spent 9 years of my child hood in 600 Gateway Plaza. It's definitely not the nicest building in BPC but for the price you pay (relatively cheaper) you're getting a deal. Apart from a few minor apartment issues that were addressed, I don't have anything negative to say. Actually, there is no other neighborhood I would have rather grown up around. It isn't NYC. But that's the best part. Its a great escape without crossing bridges or tunnels.

I live in building 400 and if they can finally get my toilet to stop running (been almost 3 years and replaced by two tanks), have the 4th elevator working so I'm FINALLY able to make it to work on time, and fix the elevator doors (god forbid you're tying to catch it as it's closing, no motion sensors there meaning you need to be SUPERMAN for it not to slam on your body and mutilate important parts).
I'd be a content tenant. heh

i have lived here almost 15 years , i think that the value compared to what we pay is excellent , big apartments, fantastic views , clean common spaces . i cant get a studio for what i pay for a 1300+ sf 2 bed room . yes the elevators are bad, the appliances can use a upgrade , and the look is dated to the 70's. but in my own space is my '' palace'' , but its this or a studio/ 1 bed . i will take this any day .

Residentnow,
Yes the value is what keeps us here and granted, we were lucky enough to get a river view.
But, that will probably all change 2009 when they "may" raise the rents to market value or go condo.

I've heard the electricity bills are quite here. Is this because of BPC or specific to the development? Also, any idea what the rate is?

Anyone have an idea of what 1br are going for in Gateway Plaza these days?

They are cheaper - check streeteasy.com (hey!!?!?!?) they list units for rent. HOWEVER, rents are lower all over BPC and FiDi these days, so Gateway is actually not cheaper at all than comparables. Only worth it if you want to live there long term (over two years) and care about rent stabilization.

Almost all the Gateway apartments have a nice harbor view, but it comes with the price: the building is old and window insulation is literally non existent.

The built-in a/c units are not insulated as well, work poorly and maintenance people will do nothing about it.

They will whisper you "get an indoor heater, it will be cheaper".

After I got 2 heaters to warm my one bedroom, my electricity bill is about $400 a MONTH.

Please add this to your rent for about 4 months and it makes me rethink staying here, even though the view is spectacular.

The walls have cracks, the building is not old by NYC standards, but old for battery Park.

It is rather poorly maintained on top of being built cheaply.

I love 24/7 doorman, location and premises.

But it is TOO DAMN COLD despite paying $400 a month heating cost on top of your rent.

Also this building will be zoned out of prestigious PS 89 September 2012, so it will make it less desirable for families with kids.

Stay away from the 600 building (395 South End Ave) - not sure if the others are better, but now I think my friend wasn't entirely joking, asking if I was going "back to the trailer". Dog shit and piss everywhere. The previous poster maybe likes it Miami hot in winter but to keep it at a cool 70 degrees - add at least $250 for a 1 bedroom. So many air leaks, might as well be living in a tent. This summer I was paying the same for the AC which barely works. And the noise! I was so excited when I looked out and saw the North Cove view from my window. Big mistake. The ferry noise goes on non-stop from 6am to almost midnight, the WFC cleaning crews have some equipment or other beeping or whirring starting at the crack of dawn. Jack-hammer drilling from I don't know where for the past 2-3 months. And those concerts on the plaza - the concerts themselves are okay but forget sleep as they set it up and haul away the equipment all night long. Did I mention the ferry noise? I haven't had a good night's sleep in months. I wonder if I can get City windows and send the bill to Gateway - the noise wasn't disclosed to me. The guy said - oh, you'll love it, it's very quiet here. Quiet my ass. And the management - see if you can walk into the building without stepping on fresh or dried dog urine. They don't believe in hosing down the side walks. Most of the staff is okay but surly and don't do anything. Avoid. Like the plague.

I could write a book about all the things a tenant has to put up with from the freezing winters cause the windows are so bad to the neighbors with 20 "roommates" to the 20% lease increase's. etc. etc .etc
So let me spare You the details and say..
DURING THE RECENT STORM, OUT OF ALL THE BUILDINGS IN ALL OF BATTERY PARK CITY THE ONLY ONE THAT THE POWER WAS TURNED OFF BY MANAGEMENT FOR OVER A WEEK WAS GATEWAY PLAZA. ALL OTHER BUILDINGS HAD POWER . THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CON EDISON. MY ADVICE STAY AWAY !!!

This was one of the worst living experiences for me in my 20 years of living in NYC

1) electric bill - I'm used to paying $50-90 (summer) a month for a 1 bedroom. At gateway my build skyrocketed to approx $400 a month. The windows leaked and every time it rained water came in the building

2) a pipe burst in my unit line and the water caused damage to our walls, floor and my clothes. We were out of town and no one bothered to call us. A bunch of my clothes were ruined and they refused to reimburse me for any of the dry cleaning or even the new clothes that still had tags on them. They eventually said they'd take it off the next months rent but never did. The out of pocket cost to me was a few hundred dollars.

3) We had two months left on our lease and asked if we could move out early, perhaps even forgo the security deposit. They told us we could move out early for the cost of three month rent. Everything they do defies logic

4) We ended up moving out 3 months early and still paid the rent. Our electric bill remained at $150.00--WHEN NO ONE WAS LIVING THERE! I address it to them and eventually they reduced my bill to less than $20. That was only after months of emails, phone call, stopping by to talk to them. They are completely unresponsive.

5) When we received our security deposit back it was for less than half. No explanation, nothing itemized, or no reasons for the reduction. Again, can't get anyone on the phone to respond.

6) The smell. The garbage situation is so bad that I lived on the 12th floor and could smell the compactor in my unit.

I will say the doorman, the maintenance guys, the neighbors are all lovely. No problems there. Seriously, I lived in other buildings in BPC and do yourself a favor. Save the hassle and dont get sucked it.

we have lived overhere for the last 4 years and things have improved significantly oflately. The mgmt. does respond to maintenance requests in a timely manner. Building 400 (375 south end) is the best. Doorman's are good, very helpful, well maintained apts and we never faced any major issues in the last 4 years.....

Electricity bills are still out of control - we received bills of $700 per month for Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb for a 2-bedroom apartment, and management is totally unresponsive on this subject. Apparently, they buy electricity wholesale and sell it to tenants - so, it is in their interest if you have leaky drafty windows, faulty meters or just random billing errors that result in inflated bills.

nyc_res
9 minutes ago
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Member since: May 2007
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Electricity bills are still out of control - we received bills of $700 per month for Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb for a 2-bedroom apartment, and management is totally unresponsive on this subject. Apparently, they buy electricity wholesale and sell it to tenants - so, it is in their interest if you have leaky drafty windows, faulty meters or just random billing errors that result in inflated bills.

yes, it is in their interest to have miserable tenants.

Can anyone confirm - Glen lastname? - head of the tenant's association has TWO rent stabilized apartments courtesy Gateway management? Which is kinda illegal. But would explain a lot.

anyone familiar with what the actual cost should be for a one bedroom rental at Gateway. I currently live there and have since 2002. Thus, i am rent stabilized, but pay about $3K a month. I have asked other tenants who have lived there for the similiar amount of years and they are paying much less. I belive market for a renovated aprtment is only a few hundred dollars more? Is there something wrong here or am I just unlucky with timing?
Appreciate the help.