urbanSTL

Still not surprised. Although I did notice they were working on finishing the north facade.

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 wrote: ↑

Feb 24, 2022

doellingd wrote: ↑

Feb 24, 2022

doellingd wrote: ↑

Feb 12, 2022

February 11 update. All five February 5th Google Reviews removed and three new reviews up. 

I won't get deep into the two 5-star reviews that were left, but they read contradictory of themselves, and interject dismissive remarks about other tenants' experiences – you won't find tenants doing that on, say, Chroma reviews... 

Two more reviews, before they're deleted. 

How is it that they are able to get the negative reviews deleted (seemingly) so easy?  Anyone familiar with the process?  A potential conflict of interest where Lux is a customer of Google analytics/advertising or something? 

Was wondering the same thing. Not that online reviews are particularly reliable (e.g. good ones can be bought). But this seems to undermine even having a review system.

Article in the PD with quotes from a lot of people, including Vic Alston and Chris Stritzel, who is noted as being on the Lux Living payroll:

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... fe99c.html

^Interesting. 

Time to run this clown show out of town

This makes re-reading the posts / criticisms regarding Lux and responses to these concerns, starting on page 9 of this thread to present, way more interesting.

Say what you will about me working for them but I'm happy to have the opportunity to be part of the process. Lux or not, it doesn't matter. 

On my previous comments on this thread: I speak for myself and not for Lux. I'm old enough to understand the consequences of my actions and what I'm getting myself into. I'm excited for what's next and the new direction that will be taken.

I appreciate Lux is investing so much and I am fine overlooking the past if they actually get it together and improve. People/companies can make mistakes but they need to learn from them and start doing better.  They have enough developments under their belt now that things should be figured out. But it seems like that hasn’t happened yet. Hopefully it happens soon

They seem to be moving in the right direction. Their newest proposals look much better than their earlier efforts, and they seem to be able to get things done. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

My biggest problem with Lux/CityWide is not that they make mistakes, but that they regularly fail to own up to them and completely disregard complaints from tenants.

Chris, I don't know you, and I've only been following this forum for a short while. But it seems like you're really invested in the city and I'm glad Lux has someone like you working for them. That being said, your comment to the Hudson tenant was basically indicative of my entire problem with Lux. He complains about a genuine concern (safety/homeless people entering the building) and you basically responded "ha, shouldn't have lived in Debaliviere Place next to a sketchy Metro stop." What's the point of building new developments in neighborhoods if we're just going to focus on the neighborhood's negative past? If Lux is going to build "luxury" buildings, they should also provide adequate security measures and customer service, which they don't. Also, disparaging one of the most popular Metro stops to a newcomer is just going to further discourage Metro ridership. 

I hope you're right though that Lux is moving in the right direction. We'll see.

Suds wrote: ↑

Apr 02, 2022

My biggest problem with Lux/CityWide is not that they make mistakes, but that they regularly fail to own up to them and completely disregard complaints from tenants.

Chris, I don't know you, and I've only been following this forum for a short while. But it seems like you're really invested in the city and I'm glad Lux has someone like you working for them. That being said, your comment to the Hudson tenant was basically indicative of my entire problem with Lux. He complains about a genuine concern (safety/homeless people entering the building) and you basically responded "ha, shouldn't have lived in Debaliviere Place next to a sketchy Metro stop." What's the point of building new developments in neighborhoods if we're just going to focus on the neighborhood's negative past? If Lux is going to build "luxury" buildings, they should also provide adequate security measures and customer service, which they don't. Also, disparaging one of the most popular Metro stops to a newcomer is just going to further discourage Metro ridership. 

I hope you're right though that Lux is moving in the right direction. We'll see.

Your comments are understandable and my comments, while parts were serious, were very much designed to elicit a negative reaction out of certain people more than brush off the concerns (which worked in a way). I passed the comments along the resident was making to the necessary people at the company the moment they were posted.

Honestly though, outside of my employment (where the situation was serious), I did find the homeless guy in the gym a bit funny. It's just the most random thing that could've happened that it almost seemed set up. It wasn't of course, I admit that, but there's still some hilarity to it a bit and looking back, I hope some residents laugh and joke about it. 

On the serious end of it, as long as I'm there, I'll push for better designs and better products for the neighborhoods and the residents. An example would be the Optimist, where I was partially involved in the redesign. I'm more into the design side of things more than anything (I'm obsessed with it). I don't have a lot of power of course, but in my occasional fits of rage and quiet periods, some productive things come out of reflection that can lead to better outcomes (both for myself, my family's businesses, and Lux). Some ideas that I get are even sent to two other local developers.

I believe that the right direction will become apparent fairly soon. The way I see it, a curve is being turned towards a more mature company that's taking what it's learned (both the good and bad) and pushing ahead onto better things. There are so many exciting things I want to talk about but can't. Eventually, those things will come out, but you won't find them on my blog or posted by me on here just because I rather keep my work separate from my hobby.

  "in my occasional fits of rage and quiet periods, some productive things come out of reflection that can lead to better outcomes . . . "

This is the key. We all express ourselves in different ways, but the important thing is to be able to ultimately listen, think, and be open to the idea that the other guy just might have a good point. 

You should try to check your "occasional fits of rage and quiet periods." You cause irreparable harm to your reputation and goodwill each time. 

Reading the RFT article from 2016, and I get that bringing something up from years ago isn't necessarily fair like I still see the "Out-of-control shoplifting at the St. Louis Galleria. Violent attacks in the Delmar Loop. Is MetroLink a vehicle for crime?" from 2008 brought up now and again, and reading the issues tenants have expressed recently, it doesn't seem like things are getting better. I feel especially bad for those that have just moved from out of town, have little to no support system here, and then have negative experiences with their living situation. These are people we hope find out that out city is awesome and decide to put roots down here. 

quincunx wrote: ↑

Apr 02, 2022

Reading the RFT article from 2016, and I get that bringing something up from years ago isn't necessarily fair like I still see the "Out-of-control shoplifting at the St. Louis Galleria. Violent attacks in the Delmar Loop. Is MetroLink a vehicle for crime?" from 2008 brought up now and again, and reading the issues tenants have expressed recently, it doesn't seem like things are getting better. I feel especially bad for those that have just moved from out of town, have little to no support system here, and then have negative experiences with their living situation. These are people we hope find out that out city is awesome and decide to put roots down here. 

I know a lot of people in Lux/CityWide properties and every single one has complaints. Hudson and Chelsea have had the issues of moving people in far too early. Hudson has also had issues with the AirBnBs/short-term rentals Lux does. Someone in Park Lux had to have half their apartment gutted because of sewage issues and mold. Park Lux also had all the dumbbells stolen from its gym and has yet to replace them over a year later; also, the multipurpose machine in the gym is literally held together by tape and a plastic Walmart bag. Triumph on the Park has had hundreds of packages stolen from its mailroom over the past year and CityWide claimed no responsibility until some residents threatened to sue. CityWide also has raised the rent in Triumph to absolutely ridiculous rates for their size and lack of amenities. My friends in Tribeca have all had issues with some seriously concerning structural problems, mostly sewage-related. Someone just got killed in Ely Walker but they're raising the rent. 

Mac Properties is probably the closest thing Lux has to an equal here, but the worst thing I've heard from friends that rent from them has been basic maintenance issues that get handled pretty quickly. I love the density Lux is bringing, but geez.

I dont even want to think about the pool and 'spa pods' that some of these clapboard places tout
I have chatted with property managers and all agree that a pool is a nightmare
We have properties with pools.  Some are good, some are not. 

• Higher insurance premiums.
• Care and service for the pool.
• Higher water and sewer bills.
• The pools on the roofs are never ending leaking issues.
• Behavioral issues. 
And ongoing cleanliness regarding the spa's ? ya right

This is neither here nor there, but I've booked an AirBnB in the Chelsea before, to stash friends visiting from out of town.

Of far more concern to me than a homeless guy showing up in one of these crackershack trash condo buildings is the vibrant African American street life these crackershack trash condos have sought to replace.

throatybeard wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2022

This is neither here nor there, but I've booked an AirBnB in the Chelsea before, to stash friends visiting from out of town.

Of far more concern to me than a homeless guy showing up in one of these crackershack trash condo buildings is the vibrant African American street life these crackershack trash condos have sought to replace.

Oh please. We all know that parking lot, strip mall, old Talayna's joint, and the site where Chelsea stands were all eyesores that made the neighborhood far less safe than it is now. If those promoted "vibrant African American street life", then I'm the second coming of Christ. 

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2022

throatybeard wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2022

This is neither here nor there, but I've booked an AirBnB in the Chelsea before, to stash friends visiting from out of town.

Of far more concern to me than a homeless guy showing up in one of these crackershack trash condo buildings is the vibrant African American street life these crackershack trash condos have sought to replace.

Oh please. We all know that parking lot, strip mall, old Talayna's joint, and the site where Chelsea stands were all eyesores that made the neighborhood far less safe than it is now. If those promoted "vibrant African American street life", then I'm the second coming of Christ. 

I thought you left this forum two months ago.

And it's precisely the stuff you yourself have written that convinced me of the nefarious racist/classist motives of the developers. You made that case for me.

throatybeard wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2022

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2022

throatybeard wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2022

This is neither here nor there, but I've booked an AirBnB in the Chelsea before, to stash friends visiting from out of town.

Of far more concern to me than a homeless guy showing up in one of these crackershack trash condo buildings is the vibrant African American street life these crackershack trash condos have sought to replace.

Oh please. We all know that parking lot, strip mall, old Talayna's joint, and the site where Chelsea stands were all eyesores that made the neighborhood far less safe than it is now. If those promoted "vibrant African American street life", then I'm the second coming of Christ. 

I thought you left this forum two months ago.

And it's precisely the stuff you yourself have written that convinced me of the nefarious racist/classist motives of the developers. You made that case for me.

Clearly you live under a rock. I’ve been back for a little bit now.

You’re literally the only one on this forum who has bitched consistently about the Hudson and Expo projects because they’re built of wood or somehow developers have a racist/classist take on it when that’s not the case at all. But believe if it you like. If you truly believe it, I expect you to go around and call every single developer who has invested in the city in recent years and people who have bought homes from minorities and poorer people (and possibly renovated them) racist and classist when in fact it’s the market that dictates these moves.

Just because your favorite bit of suburbia in an urban core are gone doesn’t mean that it was racist to get rid of those things. I’m glad that the places where druggies used to shoot up and sell their products and hookers used to get laid have been eliminated. Whether you like it or not, It’s for the betterment of the neighborhood.

Both of you give it a rest.

That’s nothing beyond speaking the truth, Matt and everyone else

Off the rials folks. Right off them.

jshank83 wrote: ↑

Apr 02, 2022

I appreciate Lux is investing so much and I am fine overlooking the past if they actually get it together and improve. People/companies can make mistakes but they need to learn from them and start doing better.  They have enough developments under their belt now that things should be figured out. But it seems like that hasn’t happened yet. Hopefully it happens soon

I understand the desire to give developers the benefit of the doubt, especially when they seem to be pouring money into the city, but it's past time that we recognize bad actors when we see them. Vic Alston likes to claim that Asprient is a thing of the past and that they have improved, but there is absolutely no evidence of that. CityWide and Lux Living are simply a rebrand, not an improvement. There is no difference between Lux Living, CityWide, and Asprient, other than what they charge. Vic Alston and his brother run all of them. The same employees manage the properties, no matter which company it falls under. 

So when we see constant issues like poor maintenance, shoddy construction, wrongful evictions, faking reviews, bullying/ignoring tenants, unsecured buildings, abuse of tax incentives, etc., we can see that these are features, not bugs of the Alston/Chakraverty portfolio. This is how they run their business. They are not learning lessons, except maybe how to lie better. And then you remember that Vic Alston was fired from his company in California because he lied about his age, previous employment, and education. He misled investors by falsifying financial records, and hid his activity from auditors. The SEC banned him from working with securities for five years. This is a long track record of lies.

The latest renderings are impressive, but they are just pictures. They are building so many buildings so fast that we haven't had time to see if they are as good as they claim, but we have evidence to the contrary. The negative reviews that appear and mysteriously disappear, the tenants who say they were offered monetary compensation to remove bad reviews or post positive reviews. The recent complaint by local labor that they are using the equivalent of scab labor, paying below standard wages and using substandard materials. This is who they are.