Plaza West

Pros

• The staff is pretty cool.
• The Plaza West Apartments are well maintained and very clean.
• The management and maintenance staff have been very helpful.
• Mona, the manager, and Jose, the maintenance man, are the best.
• The current manager is great.
• The service coordinator is awesome.
• They care about the residents.
• They help residents secure apartments quickly and affordably.
• All maintenance issues are dealt with in a timely manner.

Cons

• The owner relies on only one maintenance person for an old building that is slowly falling apart, which is unacceptable for residents.
• The property is plagued by bed bugs that persist, and pest control is seen as ineffective or unhelpful.
• Management is described as bullying, condescending, and quick to blame others, including filing false lease violations.
• There are accusations of illegal evictions and belongings being taken, with claims of harassment and racism.
• The office rarely answers the phone or returns voicemails, making it hard for prospective or current residents to get information or pay rent.
• Tenants are told it is their job to sweep, mop, vacuum hallways, and wipe things down, rather than having staff do cleaning.
• The owner is suspected of being a slumlord and using the property as a tax write-off due to neglected conditions.

Review

Plaza West Apartments elicit a wide range of experiences, from high praise for attentive staff to deep concern about upkeep and management conduct. On one end, residents consistently describe the staff as caring, hardworking, and responsive when issues are raised. They point to Mona James, the manager who took over in late 2023, and Jose, the maintenance technician, as a strong team that keeps the building clean and functional as much as possible. Several reviewers credit them with going "above and beyond" and note that issues are addressed in a timely fashion, with a service coordinator who is "awesome" and clearly dedicated to residents. In these voices, the building feels well-run, the halls are kept clean, and residents feel supported by people who truly care about the community.

But beneath that positive sentiment, there is a persistent and mounting set of concerns that trouble many residents. The building is described as aging and slowly falling apart, and several tenants are openly worried that there aren't enough maintenance staff to keep up. The complaint isn't just about cosmetic wear - it centers on structural and safety issues that are slow to be addressed, and a sense that the owner's priorities may not align with the day-to-day needs of the residents. A recurring accusation is that ownership acts more like a distant figure than a hands-on steward, with one reviewer suggesting the owner could be a "slum lord" if the situation is viewed through a purely financial lens. This tension between frontline staff who try to do their best and a perceived lack of sufficient support from ownership threads through many comments.

The topic of bedbugs appears in a large portion of the feedback, coloring the overall experience with anxiety and frustration. Multiple tenants report ongoing infestations and cite a cycle of treatments that doesn't seem to fully eradicate the problem. There are accounts of prior residents having bed bugs, carpet and baseboards being replaced, and tenants being asked to take extreme personal measures - such as sealing box springs with protective covers and laundering every item - while still finding live pests weeks later. In some posts, residents attribute the persistence of bedbugs to factors outside their control (neighbors or the building's layout) and to management's handling of the issue. The consensus among many is that bedbugs are a serious and ongoing problem, with some tenants feeling blamed by management rather than supported in solving the issue.

Communication and responsiveness are another hot-button issue. A number of reviewers recount that the office can be hard to reach: calls are not returned, voicemails go unanswered, and at times the office appears "temporarily closed" while tenants still need help paying rent or arranging repairs. This disconnect between tenants and the front office amplifies frustration, especially when urgent concerns - like pest management or safety-related questions - arise. In contrast, those with positive experiences tend to emphasize direct, helpful interactions with the manager and maintenance staff, suggesting that the experience largely depends on who is managing and how problems are framed and communicated.

There are also strongly negative anecdotes that complicate the overall picture. One reviewer, in particular, describes an extreme and highly contested eviction situation, accusing the manager of bullying, illegal eviction practices, and intrusive, even invasive behavior such as entry without permission and allegations of a security-camera presence in units. Such an account paints a portrait of a hostile environment for some residents and highlights the potential for serious conflicts between tenants and management. While these claims are specific and severe, they exist alongside the more positive testimonials, illustrating a spectrum of experiences that can vary dramatically from one tenant to the next.

Amid these divergent narratives, there is a call for residents and management to work together and be proactive about maintenance, pest control, and adherence to lease terms. Several comments suggest that following the lease and reporting problems promptly is essential to getting timely responses and corrections. Others urge prospective tenants to enter with a clear understanding of what responsibilities fall on residents and what the management ought to handle, particularly in an older building where wear and tear are more pronounced and pest issues can be stubborn. The recurring message is that communication, accountability, and timely action are key to making Plaza West a better place to live.

Ultimately, Plaza West Apartments comes across as a place of contrasts. On one hand, many residents sing praises of a caring and capable staff - the manager and maintenance team who they feel are doing their hardest to keep things running smoothly and maintain a clean, safe environment. On the other hand, a substantial body of feedback centers on unresolved maintenance challenges, persistent bedbug problems, and disputes over management conduct and ownership responsibility. The experience appears to be highly individualized: some tenants thrive in a supportive, well-managed setting, while others contend with anxiety, frequent pest issues, and a sense of disconnect with the ownership and administrative structures. The resulting picture is a community with strong, dedicated personnel at the ground level, but with systemic issues that many residents hope will be addressed through increased staffing, clearer communication, and more consistent management practices.

This part of Topeka, Kansas offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors looking to settle in the area. With numerous dining options such as Bar 'N Grill, McDonald's, and Chipotle Mexican Grill, seniors can enjoy a variety of cuisine within close proximity. Additionally, there are several pharmacies nearby including Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy for easy access to medication and health supplies. The presence of healthcare facilities like Tallgrass Oral Surgery and Topeka ER and Hospital ensures that medical needs can be addressed effectively. Places of worship such as First Lutheran Church Elca provide spiritual support while parks like Gage Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded environment for seniors seeking a comfortable and convenient place to call home.

Restaurants

• Bar 'N Grill (0.1 miles)
• McDonald's (0.1 miles)
• Taco Villa (0.3 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (0.5 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (0.6 miles)
• Noodles & Company (0.6 miles)
• Hardee's (0.6 miles)

Cafes

• Classic Bean (0.2 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• CBD Nation Topeka (0.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.5 miles)
• Kansas Pharmacists Ass (1.6 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (1.7 miles)

Physicians

• Tallgrass Oral Surgery (0.4 miles)
• Kohake Deutscher & Hefner (0.6 miles)
• Capital City Oral Surgery (0.8 miles)
• Goering Family Optometry (0.9 miles)
• Jeri Dianne Stonestreet, LSCW (1 miles)
• The EyeDoctors Optometrists (1 miles)
• Beltone Hearing Care Center (1.2 miles)

Theaters

• Topeka Wheatfield 9 (0.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Topeka ER and Hospital (1 miles)
• Topeka Veterans Affairs Medical Center (1.5 miles)
• Topeka VA ICU (1.5 miles)
• Veterans Health Administration (1.6 miles)
• Colmery-o'Neil Va Medical Center (1.6 miles)
• Cotton O'Neil Urish (1.8 miles)
• Washburn Surgery Center (2.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Lutheran Church Elca (1.3 miles)
• Wanamaker Woods Church of the Nazarene (1.8 miles)

Parks

• Gage Park (2.3 miles)