Summit House

Pros

• Samantha, the manager, is friendly and efficient at handling paperwork and tasks.
• The building has a security door and an intercom, enhancing safety for residents.
• The property is well maintained and features a nice front porch that residents enjoy.
• Jeff, the maintenance person, is reliable, listens to residents, and fixes issues quickly.
• The location is convenient, within walking distance of the library, bank, and Fareway grocery store.
• Management promptly addresses apartment issues in a reasonable time.
• Tenants are friendly, and residents have made many friends.
• The community offers potlucks and bingo, with a trolley service for appointments and shopping.
• The gathering room is attractive, parking is easy to access, and Summit House is a positive addition to the Creston community.

Cons

• The carpets in the hallways and elevator are dirty and disgusting.
• The entire building smells awful, largely due to cigarette smoke.
• Parts of the stairwell walls are missing.
• There is mold along the kick strip by an exit door that keeps reappearing after supposed fixes.
• The building has numerous smokers, and management reportedly does not adequately address cigarette odors.
• Drug selling and using is described as getting worse, and the property is not recommended for older seniors.

Review

Summit House in Creston, Iowa emerges in a tapestry of experiences that blend warm community life with ongoing concerns about comfort and upkeep. For many residents, the building is more than just a place to live; it's a neighborhood hub where daily routines, social activities, and practical support come together in a way that feels personal and dependable. The property's physical design supports this sense of security and connection, starting with a secured entry that helps create a calmer, more controlled environment for those who call it home.

One of the most consistently praised aspects is the management and maintenance team. Samantha, the building manager, is frequently described as friendly, efficient, and fast at handling paperwork and other administrative tasks. Her approachable style and willingness to help seem to set a positive tone for interactions with residents, making administrative processes feel manageable rather than daunting. Jeff, the maintenance technician, is regularly commended for his reliability and responsiveness. Neighbors note that he listens carefully to concerns and works to address problems promptly, contributing to an overall impression that urgent repairs and routine fixes are prioritized.

Beyond the staff, Summit House offers features that many residents appreciate on a daily basis. The building's security door and intercom system provide an added layer of safety and convenience, allowing residents to screen visitors before they are buzzed in. The property is described as well maintained, with a well-kept front porch that is particularly inviting on warm days. The location is another strong point: within easy walking distance of a library, a bank, and Fareway grocery store, which makes errands and day-to-day tasks more convenient for seniors and their families.

The community spirit is clearly a focal point for some residents, and the building's amenities help foster that sense of belonging. A resident who has lived there since 2022 expresses enthusiasm for the living environment and indicates a plan to remain until transitioning to a nursing home. There's also a sense of continuity through family connections, as one reviewer notes their mother has lived there for five years and benefits from regular social activities such as potlucks and bingo in the commons area. The availability of an elevator and coin-operated laundry on each floor, together with a trolley service that can shuttle residents to appointments or shopping, further reinforces Summit House as a place designed for ongoing daily living and accessibility.

Not every voice, however, shares the same level of satisfaction. Several reviews raise serious concerns about cleanliness, odor, and safety. Some residents describe the building as being home to a significant smoking presence, noting that hallways and common areas can retain cigarette odors despite claims of a smoke-free policy. Complaints about dirty carpets, a pervasive and unpleasant smell throughout the building, and visible wear such as missing wall sections in the stairwell contribute to an impression that certain maintenance issues have not been fully addressed. There's a specific mention of mold along a kick strip near an exit door, with residents arguing that repeated attempts to fix the problem have not produced lasting results. The sentiment from these accounts is that older adults and those with health issues deserve a cleaner, safer environment, and that more robust cleaning or remediation efforts are needed.

Safety and quality of life concerns are further intensified by reports of behavioral and social issues within the building. Several reviewers describe drug selling and drug use as worsening problems, with one person explicitly noting meth activity on the second floor and advising against the building for older seniors. These remarks underscore fears about safety and the overall atmosphere, particularly for residents with health conditions that heighten vulnerability in a shared living space. While some residents have positive experiences with staff and amenities, others feel that management prioritizes financial considerations over maintaining a clean, safe environment, a sentiment that can understandably erode trust over time.

In addition to these tensions, there is a recurring sense that some maintenance issues are not being resolved in a timely or effective manner. Instances of mold returning after supposed fixes, and ongoing odorous conditions despite assurances of corrective action, contribute to a narrative of intermittent problem-solving rather than sustained improvement. Even as the property staff is praised for their responsiveness in certain situations, the contrast with unresolved concerns paints a complex picture of what it's like to live at Summit House.

Amid the varying experiences, a note of pride in the building's potential persists. A reviewer who attended a community sale observed that the gathering room looked especially attractive and highlighted how accessible the parking lot was. This positive observation reinforces the idea that Summit House has strong attributes that can shine through when conditions are well-maintained and when a community is actively engaged in events and gatherings. Taken together, Summit House presents as a place with many immediate positives - secure access, dedicated staff, convenient services, and a sense of community - paired with notable challenges related to cleanliness, odor, and safety that some residents feel require more urgent and sustained attention.

This area of Creston, Iowa boasts a variety of amenities and services that cater to seniors looking for convenience and comfort. With several places of worship nearby, including Holy Spirit Catholic Parish and Jerusalem United Methodist Church, residents can easily maintain their spiritual practices. The proximity to transportation options such as Creston Station and Amtrak makes it convenient for seniors to travel when needed. Additionally, there are numerous parks in the area like Rainbow Park and Taylor Park where seniors can enjoy the outdoors and stay active. Access to restaurants offering a range of cuisine options, pharmacies, hospitals like Union County Greater Community Hospital, physicians' offices, and even a movie theater provides seniors with everything they need within a short distance. Overall, this part of Creston offers a well-rounded community for seniors seeking a comfortable and supportive living environment.

Places of Worship

• Holy Spirit Catholic Parish (0.1 miles)
• Holy Spirit Church (0.1 miles)
• Jerusalem United Methodist Church (0.2 miles)
• Ucc Congregational Chr-Creston (0.4 miles)
• United Church of Christ (0.4 miles)
• Presbyterian Church (0.6 miles)
• Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mount Ayr (0.6 miles)

Transportation

• High Plains Taxidermy (0.1 miles)
• Creston Station (0.4 miles)
• Amtrak (0.4 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (1 miles)
• Conner's Taxidermy (3.5 miles)
• U-Haul (16.2 miles)

Parks

• Creston Elementary School (0.2 miles)
• Rainbow Park (0.8 miles)
• Taylor Park (1.3 miles)
• McKinley Park (1.3 miles)
• Cedar County Park (4.4 miles)
• Three Mile Lake Wildlife Management Area (7 miles)
• Lake Orient Recreation Area (10.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Una MAS (0.3 miles)
• Montgomery Street Pub (0.3 miles)
• The Lobby (0.4 miles)
• Casa De Oro, Authentic Homemade Mexican Cuisine (0.5 miles)
• Side Tracked (0.5 miles)
• Chuong Garden Restaurant (0.8 miles)
• Chong Garden (0.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Family Vision Center (0.3 miles)
• Crest Haven Care Centre (0.7 miles)
• Creston Chiropractic Center (0.9 miles)
• Union County Greater Community Hospital (1.1 miles)
• Medical Arts Plaza (1.2 miles)
• Internal Medicine Consultants (1.2 miles)
• Creston Nursing & Rehab Center (1.2 miles)

Theaters

• Creston Movie Theater (0.3 miles)
• Strand (0.4 miles)
• Grand Theatre & Videos (17.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Medicap Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Crest Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Nucara Pharmacy (16.2 miles)

Physicians

• Precision Optical Group (0.9 miles)
• New Life Family Medicine PC (1.2 miles)
• Creston Vision Clinic PC (1.2 miles)
• Greater Regional Orthopedics & Sports Medicine (1.3 miles)
• Lenox Medical Clinic (16.2 miles)
• Kopp, Bethel, Md - Alegent Health Clinic (16.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1 miles)
• Kansas Street Deli & Purple Cow Antiques (8.9 miles)
• Clearfield Cafe (17.6 miles)