Thread for Renting at the William Beaver House

I checked out the WBH a few weeks ago, and I must say, that I loved the 1 bedroom layout. How much did you end up paying, Scout? What kind of incentives are they offering?

Congrats Scout...mind my asking what the final effective rent calcs out to?
Under $3K per month?

i think the beave is a great rental and you will love it....
also think where a lot of the angst comes from is regarding purchasing... very different then renting.
enjoy the beave and keep us posted on the experience...
while i personally would not buy there in a million years, renting seems like a fun experience there!!
ENJOY and best of luck!!

mjsalisb, if one can rent a 1BR in a bldg. of THAT stature in FiDi for under $3k, you should grab it immediately.

The incentive that was effective was your standard 1 month off, but I was able to squeeze it about 1.5. Net came out to about $3,050/month.

Scout: seems like a fair deal....enjoy

NYC212: "stature"? Not sure that's the noun I'd immediately think of in the context of a building commonly referred to as "the beave".....

Sounds like a good deal, did you go through the building sales office or an external broker?

Also mind my asking high, medium or low floor?

That's a ridiculous bargain, considering what you'd pay elsewhere in FiDi.

mjsalisb: I originally meant it in terms of "class" or "status," but now you've mentioned it, the phallic connotations would be inevitable... I'd move there, just to be able to say the word, beaver, publicly and loudly.

just FYI...i also looked at the beav...and when i looked at the floorplan, i couldn't quite understand how they got 832 sqft, so i measured myself. when i measured (max length x max width) i got 650 sqft. i didn't understand how the building official floorplan culd say 832 when i measured 650...and then i read somewhere (sorry, don't remember link) that this building adds a prcentage of the ammenities (hallway, common spaces such as gym ect..) to the sqft of the apt units. this makes me nauseus..is it even legal? at least at 20 pine or 75 wall, when they say 860 sqft...its real.

can anybody else corroborate me on this...or am i missing something?

Interesting nyc212. Last weekend I saw a real beaver in a park. Just eating some of the forestry.

Buildings built ground up in the past several years, too many irresponsibly missed the opportunity to build green. Wm Beaver is a great example of one that overplayed the sexual angle, and with all of the amenities could have been a responsible green building. Others like 101 Warren with the Whole Foods and Barnes and Noble.

not a big fan of yellow on grey

I looked at several units at 20 Pine, 6 months ago, and so I'd be interested in looking at this for contrast, and leave aside the name and worrying about what the exterior looks like.

nyc212 - are you kidding on the "ridiculous bargain" comment? The 1BRs that we saw at the Beave are all at the high end of FiDi pricing. $3295 for a 750 sq ft 1BR? We've seen similarly sized 1BRs at buildings like 56 Pine for less than $2400. The Beave has great amenities for sure (and the tubs in the apartments are super) but the pricing reflects that (and more).

steven - interesting exercise. The units felt smallish to us too but it's tough to tell with the awkward bathroom etc. Did you ask the broker about it?

http://downtowny.blogspot.com/2009/05/skinny-on-all-of-those-rentals-at-beave.html

decent apt with nice gym, pool ect seems like a good deal to me. and the ugly gray and yellow, if you are renting who cares and enjoy. the question i have always had is WHO in their right mind would buy in this place. if you ask me it was a bunch of fat guys that could not get laid and bought the marketing hype. that or foreign finance guys that wanted a place in the city when hotel rates were sky high.

no need to criticize fat people.

one thing to be careful of: if it's true that the "building" agents are acting as agents for many rental units belonging to different groups or individuals, but acting as if it's "just a group of available units", a renter should be careful from who they end up actually renting and where their security deposits will be held, etc.

If the particular owner ends up in financial trouble, and therefore loses the unit for whatever reason, the lease will be void and you probably won't get your security deposit back (and if they are foreign and/or the deposit is held in some foreign bank, forget about going after them).

i have nothing against fat people... what turns me off is fat guys that think they should be with super models. and think the things they have will attract them

good point 30 yrs, i did not know that... helpful information

30 makes a good point....though if you keep your ear to the ground (and your eye on ACRIS every once in a while) you'll probably know well in advance of a pending foreclosure on your unit...long enough to withhold rent equal to your security deposit...not that you really need a headache like that....just saying...

That's an excellent point 30yrs - we hadn't thought about it that way at all. It seems as though the sales agents are renting out units for individuals that own maybe one or two apartments, and investors that own a large chunk have hired their own agents. I wonder if any buyer actually lives in that building.

http://downtowny.blogspot.com/2009/05/skinny-on-all-of-those-rentals-at-beave.html

Downtownster: assuming that is correct, it's even more reason to be wary of the rental units show by the buildings agents because my guess would be that foreign investors buying in bulk would probably (at this point in the cycle) be doing so in a stronger position than those buying a single unit or two earlier on. I'd be curious to see the details on the bulk transactions and see the prices and if they are leveraged. Have the transfers on those closed yet?

If your owner is out of state or out of country, DO NOT pay when the first regular month is due, hold back by one month. The owner can't do anything and you can remain friendly by having an excuse and being on time in arrears.

Small Claims court won't help an out of state owner suing you, there are a lot of ways to get an adjournment which becomes hugely inconvenient to the owner outside of NYC to show up a different date and time. Yet it will help you if you sue the owner because the owner can be served via his or her ownership of property in NYC (as long as they have property here, which obviously they do) and if they don't show you can get a default judgment which can be assessed against the property.

If ACRIS provides you with information that says a foreclosure is pending, sue immediately in Small Claims for your deposit back so that you are ahead of the bank.

"sue immediately in Small Claims for your deposit back so that you are ahead of the bank"

You're not ahead of the bank. It's not based on when you start your suit, it's the priority of liens. But it also doesn't matter because the bank is going to go after the property, not the seller's liquid assets.

but if you want a real trick, here you go:

By law, security deposits must be kept in separate accounts and not 'commingled' with other funds. After the first month, ask your unit owner to see a copy of the bank statement showing they have your security deposit in a separate account. They won't, because almost no single unit owner does this. I've said too much already so I'm not going to tell you nasty tenants all the dirty little tricks you can play (well, not for free anyways ;) ).

poor person has not even moved in and we have him suing for his deposit back!!!!

75 Wall. My company has a fully-furnished rental apartments there. Currently we have a 3 bedroom corner apartment. With 4 bathrooms and 2 washers and dryers etc. Just a set monthly rate with no fees, everything included. Local,national phone calls. High-speed Internet, maid service, premium cable, health club etc. Email me if interested. elizabethh@tempapts.com (ABA-IDEAL Corporate Housing).

Am also renting at the William Beaver House and loving almost every second of it. It's very, very early, but so far I'm impressed with the quality across pretty much everything - front desk staff, management, build, amenities, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. But there are things I don't like that much:
- I'm with Scout27 on the bathtub size - I'd rather have a small murphy office than that huge 2-people tub space, particularly since the 2nd tub (I'm in a 2 BR) is already quite big.
- I'd also do some changes to the kitchen if I'd be the owner - it's just not that practical for people who love to cook, but still better than at 20 Pine, I think.
- I'm on a lower floor and can feel/hear the subway running underneath the building. It's really just a far-away rumbling, and we've already gotten used to it, but it's something we didn't realize when viewing the space (wouldn't have been a deal-breaker, though).
- There are some minor repairs that need to be taken care of (i.e. cabinet doors that don't close properly, missing apartment numbers on doors), but again, the management is very reactive and attentive

Will update again in a few weeks, after the rooftop inauguration party!

Nypaloto, I am moving in as well in a few weeks - any tips for move in day?

"I'd also do some changes to the kitchen if I'd be the owner - it's just not that practical for people who love to cook,"

From what I see, they are all essentially Pullman kitchens and therefore violate the "Kitchen Work Triangle" principle.

http://www.renovationexperts.com/kitchen-work-triangle.asp

drums - Assume you've received all the move-in instructions from the Resident Manager. As long as you provide the required deposits/paperwork, he'll arrange everything directly with your moving company, tell them where to go, what freight elevator to use, etc. I believe there are two loading ducks available, both underground; rain or shine, your stuff will stay dry! If you come with your own/rental car, there are two spots you can park your vehicle during the move, very handy - just ask the doorman.

By the way, any WB residents up for some Squash (beware, I'm a beginner)?

Nypaloto, I should hopefully be moving in the coming weeks, just waiting for application approval. Would love to make use of the squash court, I am very much a beginner as well.

I've had the pleasure of experiencing The Beav for a solid week now. I can honestly say, from the rental standpoint, that it is great so far. As Nypaloto pointed out, the staff is very friendly and attentive.

So here is a basic evaluation from where I stand now:

Pros:
-----
- Very responsive staff and good common amenities. Gym is nice and well kept, screening room is an actual screening room and not just a 42" Plasma with some office chairs. Although the penthouse rooftop terrace has not yet been completed, the core space looks spectacular.
- Low occupancy level makes it feel more "at home", rather than a large sprawled out/disconnected community (which could obviously change at any given moment).
- Onsite concierge/"Luxury Attaché" that offers assistance for anything you could possibly need (legally of course).

Cons:
-----
- Stand up shower. They should have given a little more thought to the design and functionality of the standup showers. First, while it is convenient to have a hole to reach in and turn the shower head on with, I found it too much of a mess after even a brief 2-minute shower as water shoots out of it like a civil rights movement. Also the engineering of the rear could have been a little better thought out as when I am often done there is a small puddle of water on the floor outside of the shower waiting for me.
- Kitchen. As we've already covered the kitchen is not designed for somebody who cooks. Placement of certain finishes, as well as the clearance of the overhead storage is mediocre at best.
- Poor insulation/soundproofing between living/bedroom spaces.
- The community is still under construction (ex. only 2 of the 4 elevators operational full-time, no labels on doors of units, etc.).
- I guess this could be a pro too... the bathroom size is a little unorthodox, if you were to remove the walk-in closet, tub, shower, sink and toilet it could functionally be another bedroom lol.

Notes:
------
- In-community parking garage is not open, they are estimating that it will be open in 3-4 weeks. In the interim, they offered monthly parking at the Icon on S William St (1 block) for $450/month (gotta love NY parking rates).
- The community dry cleaning pick-up (Whirl'd) is great but pricey even for simple laundered/pressed shirts ($5-$8/shirt). I would recommend looking in the area as there are a few that offer pick-up/delivery and are cheaper ($3-$5/shirt) and of equal and/or greater quality.

P.S. On a wild goose chase last night I tried to venture out for a liquor store since the one on the corner of William closed. The closest wine/alcohol store is a little place on Maiden Lane (6 Maiden Lane actually).

Nypaloto, I would love to but the only squash I know is the type you can eat...

I've created a forum for all current residents. E-mail me (thebeav1515@yahoo.com) for the link.

Scout27 - Pretty much second all of your comments and appreciate some tips (i.e. booze). Two other things I'm excited about: Pre-wiring and A/C. This might be standard for new condos, but being able to choose from 8 different cable/phone jacks throughout the apartment is brilliant. Just got FiOS installed, no wiring, no drilling, and now I can place my TV and Wi-Fi Airport wherever I want. And controlling the Air/Temperature individually for every room comes in handy as well.

I'll email you separately re forum, but why not use the Community Board of the building's website? It's longing for some online activity.

"P.S. On a wild goose chase last night I tried to venture out for a liquor store since the one on the corner of William closed. The closest wine/alcohol store is a little place on Maiden Lane (6 Maiden Lane actually)."

May be time to fulfill my lifelong dream.

how is it going?
did the roof deck open and how was it?

how is life at wbh... are all the amenities done

Life is good, as far as I'm concerned. Still really happy with the building, the apartment, the amenities; still warming up to though the neighborhood (need to stop comparing it to the West Village...). And still don't understand the A/C system, but that's a minor issue - it keeps us cool. Had a nice 4th of July party on the rooftop. It's gorgeous up there, with an awesome space for private parties, but the actual outdoor space is tight - once the building fills up more, it'll be a struggle to get a spot in the sun. Gym, pool, sauna, jacuzzi, squash court, basketball court, all up and running. Some gym classes (extra fee) should start soon. They're also finishing up the bike storage and laundry room. And it seems as if some work is going on at the restaurant place.

I am a big fan of Balazs but this is the lamest project of his I have ever seen. I can see renting here for fun but who the hell would buy into this? Everything this guy does is cool but this building!

Nypaloto and Scout27 - thanks for the insights on quality of life as a renter. Do you think that current owners share your enthusiasm about the building? I visited yesterday and agree with you both - the rooftop lounge and deck are absolutely gorgeous.

TOTALLY cool rental. Who bought, middle aged fat guys with big guts thinking this would help them to get laid by hot chicks

jim123 - don't know what owners feel about the Beave, but would imagine they're a bit less enthusiastic, despite the glimmers of real estate market hope shining through. Me, I'm still enjoying every bit of it!

Any preferences on this vs 75 Wall?

It's not a good sign that the "www.williambeaver.com" website is no longer operational.

Oops. My bad. Must have been a bad link up above.

So looks like the rooftop terrace is finally open. I had a chance to go up last night and I must say it was pretty impressive. The view is one thing, but the arrangement/decoration and overall layout of the terrace is very appealing and yet still somewhat spacious.

That means that just about all the major amenities for the building are online now. Although I still haven't had a chance to screen a movie in the screening room, it cosmetically looks great and A/V components seem top-notch from looking at the backbone of the components in the rack.

i'm thinking about renting at the beave... any thoughts from people who live on lower floors about noise level (street noise, etc)? thanks!

I've lived a few blocks away on a low floor. Zero noise, except for when the black cabs back up for the ibankerlosers working until midnight. Other than that, a noise free paradise. Weekends you can open the window, watch a baseball game and hear the gentle hum of commercial air conditioning in the distance.

I live at the WBH on a lower floor. There's the occasional (very annoying) honking if the traffic backs up on William St - happens about once a week. And you can't avoid hearing some construction work from afar every now and then. But for Manhattan standards, it's quiet. Can't say anything about neighbor noise as we're the only ones on our floor. What's slightly bothering, however, is the rumbling of the Subway. Now, with sinking temperatures, this has gotten a bit worse. As renter it's OK, but this would definitely stop me from buying one of the lower floor units.

i live about midway up the building and can say that its really pretty quiet. I would second most everything that nypaloto says. construction noise very minimal, no rumblings on my floor, my floor is about half occupied - would recommend renting, staff is great, amenities are great as well. make sure that you get enough light on the lower floor, the buildings across on william street get further set back the higher up you get.

Yeah, good point Drums: light. Assume you (Wallstgrl) have already zoomed in on a unit. But just FYI, we're in a E-line and the light is surprisingly good. Really doesn't feel like you're on a lower floor.

thanks! this is very helpful, i'm hoping you guys are real tenants and not broker trolls, you never know on this board ;-) but i do appreciate the thoughts.

Nypaloto - crazy that you are the only one on your floor.. do you mind me asking about where your lower floor is? (you can give a range if you want, i.e. 7-10, 10-15, etc.) i am not crazy about subway rumblings, i wonder how high up i would need to go to avoid that. thanks again!!

also - any thoughts on ages of people living there? i assume this place doesn't allow 4 22-yr olds to split up a studio w/ fake walls (like my current building)? could do without the dorm environment ;-)

I'm between 7 and 10.

"What's slightly bothering, however, is the rumbling of the Subway. Now, with sinking temperatures, this has gotten a bit worse. As renter it's OK, but this would definitely stop me from buying one of the lower floor units."

Nypaloto, what exactly do you mean by this?

I am asking because I will be looking at this building come February-March 2010 timeline, as a possible rental. I am in California right now.

Gsotoday - why on earth would you want to move in February from sunny California to freezing New York?

The 2/3 Subway line runs underneath the building, and if you're on one of the lower floors, you'll not only notice the rumbling of the trains, but feel the vibrations in the apartment. We even had to rearrange some of our dinnerware to stop the clatter and now have some rattling popping up behind the bathroom cabinet. It's still subtle and surely won't keep you from sleeping, but I'd nevertheless consider it quite a drawback.

how much are studios being rented out at wbh? also are there any condo application fees if i were to rent?

I'll be doing the bi-coastal commute, as my clients are colleges and universities. CA, NY, and PA states have the most colleges and universities throughout the USA. Is car parking an additional amenities expense at WBH? Like tbshkan, I too am interested in studios at WBH.

anyone has the latest pricing at WBH? specifically 1BRs?

kk405, based on what's available, there are not many one bedrooms in the building, and one bedrooms are going for $3400 - $4200. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions

ok,ok at what price does it become complleing to buy AND, how many owners are living there

Hi there. I saw an 1100sf in Beave with price dropped to $2500. Actually, 2-3 different brokers, same price.
Has anyone intel on this? Low floor?
It doesn't appear to be renovated. I am interested because at least the size we need is now closer to what we can afford right now.

Thank you, as always for your opinions.
h

been here since oct '09. no major complaints. on a high floor, great view, great light. no rumbling. very quiet. amenities are great and i use them a lot. cook about 2 nights a week and kitchen could be better but it's not THAT bad. IMO much better value vs. 20 pine (lived there before) or 75 wall (friends live there). oh forgot to mention the parking in the building is great. elevator right down to the car is excellent. wish they would put a nice restaurant in the empty retail space. would love a houston's or dos caminos....

for those of you currently living there, did you use a broker? paid fees? or direct from owners or the building? any help is appreciated

Interesting that aboutready has nothing negative to say about William Beaver House, after she was cursking like a toilet whore on the Setai thread and bitching about people living at 20 Pine.

beaverenter - how much is the monthly parking charge? Thanks!

I think the weird slats/opening between the bathtub and bedroom are useless and a dumb design idea.

Hi everyone,
Sorry for not commenting before, but the real facts are that Sapir owes a lot of money both to Blackstone (mezz loan) and iStar (Senior loan). Due to those debts they can't close any sales in the last 7 months! They can't even get contracts out. Basically, the brokerage there which is Prodigy lies about the situation and percentage sold and they keep on putting the open house signs, which is BS to bait clients to come and then maybe catch them and sell them in other buildings in the neighborhood. Everything about the building and brokers working there is shady!! be ware of them and their bait ads for sale or rental in the building... I responded to an ad and this chic tried to convince me to see other buildings with her after I realized they don't really have anything available there!!! But I guess there will always be suckers, so they'll keep on putting those baits until the state department will go after them and their licenses! Too bad for the building because it is a gorgeous building and amenities. At this point Sapir has to sell buildings to pay his debts or the WBH will go to foreclosure.

Does anyone know what the lease signing process was like? Did they require to see bank statements and credit reports? Did they have minimum income requirements?

Hi there. I'm a professional woman in my early forties seeking a rental studio in this building. If you know someone who has an investment property or has to run back to Europe and needs someone to take over his/her lease, please email me at creativesoulny@yahoo.com. I am from NY, so I know what studios go for in the City. Usually, with condos, people are most concerned with a responsible person to take care of the property. Hope that's the case here as I can't pay some of the prices I've seen listed for this place! Thanks in advance, Charley/

insearchof
about 15 hours ago Hi there. I'm a professional woman in my early forties seeking a rental studio in this building. If you know someone who has an investment property or has to run back to Europe and needs someone to take over his/her lease, please email me at creativesoulny@yahoo.com. I am from NY, so I know what studios go for in the City. Usually, with condos, people are most concerned with a responsible person to take care of the property. Hope that's the case here as I can't pay some of the prices I've seen listed for this place! Thanks in advance, Charley

so you are looking to house sit essentially but don't think you should have to pay market rent? people who own condos also like money.

Steven5thAve -- your comment on "just FYI...i also looked at the beav...and when i looked at the floorplan, i couldn't quite understand how they got 832 sqft, so i measured myself. when i measured (max length x max width) i got 650 sqft. i didn't understand how the building official floorplan culd say 832 when i measured 650...and then i read somewhere (sorry, don't remember link) that this building adds a prcentage of the ammenities (hallway, common spaces such as gym ect..) to the sqft of the apt units. this makes me nauseus..is it even legal? at least at 20 pine or 75 wall, when they say 860 sqft...its real." <-- that is OUTRAGEOUS

I definitely also noticed that the unit i saw that was labelled as 800sf did NOT feel like 800sf. And when i used a website that lets you custome design rooms i put in the measurement of one wall and sketched followed the layout and the system also calcualted 651sf so i am glad to know i am not crazy........

also noticed the pricing in this building is ALL OVER THE PLACE.

"Ward, I'm worried about the Beaver."
At least you don't have to worry about being stuck , married to aboutready; who boasted about her imaginary: " I kind of miss the old days on the Madoff's terraces. Those were good times."
(aboutready to "drdrd", on the "Con Ed Rates -WTF?" discussion. "drdrd" calls aboutready "luv" and is "Glad that you're still around, AR. xox".)

I don't know what aboutready has to do with William Beaver. I thought her husband's name was Ralph. And what's with the beaver part? I really just don't get it.
Hey, are there beavers up in C0lumbia C0unty?

huntersburg:
I connected the aboutready dots and explained where to find the discussion :
"Con Ed Rates - WTF?"

The "beaver part " was already in play on this discussion thread.

"drdrd" "luv(s)" aboutready. Her "xox" shows a "luv" that didn't need to be expressed on streeteasy.
aboutready claims to "kind of miss the old days on the Madoff terraces. Those were good times".

It's a one of a kind "luv" affair.

Obsessed, much? Why hide your comments on unrelated threads?

drdrd and I have had a very civil relationship here for years. people are afraid of you here because you are insane. bunny boiler.

Oh, here's more from aboutready! She, who has" a full-time job" caring for her "son".
I'm not "hiding my comments". aboutready is trying to divert attention from her comments.

"People are afraid of you here because you are insane."
Oh, really? Who is "afraid of me here"?

"bunny boiler": oh, another failed attempt to insult me.

aboutready claims that she and "drdrd" "have had a very civil relationship here for years."
She also claimed, on the "Con Ed Rates - WTF" discussion, that she and "drdrd" were the guests of Madoff, "on Madoff's terraces" and "those were good times."
How "civil" of you and "drdrd".
",no?"