Hillside Garden in Proctor, MN

Pros

• Residents describe Hillside Gardens as fast, professional, and easy to deal with, with great maintenance and management.
• The building is beautiful and makes residents feel blessed to have their home there.
• Stacy Basset is described as a friendly person who contributes positively to the community.
• The atrium is incredible, beautiful, and a standout feature.
• The one-level layout with no upstairs or downstairs neighbors is appreciated.
• Wildlife and lush plant life around the property are enjoyed by residents.
• The community room and grounds feature banana and orange trees, adding charm.
• Overall, Hillside Gardens is considered a great, quiet, clean, and well-managed place to live with a welcoming community.

Cons

• The rent is too high for an efficiency with no outside window.
• The smell of marijuana pervades the apartments due to in-unit smoking.
• The neighbor is a drug dealer and nothing is being done about it.
• The management is terrible and fails to address maintenance issues or resident concerns.
• There are mice in many parts of the building and the water is turned off frequently for repairs.
• Some windows do not open and fog up, and repairs are not promptly addressed.

Review

Hillside Garden in Proctor, Minnesota, is best suited for independent seniors who want a calm, largely one-level living environment with a strong sense of community and attractive shared spaces. The mix of a quiet, well-kept building, an inviting atrium, and visible gardens creates a daily backdrop that appeals to residents who value beauty, serenity, and uncomplicated routines. Maintenance and management are frequently cited as positives, with staff described as responsive and easy to work with. For buyers who prize a welcoming hall, routine social contact, and the chance to enjoy wildlife from common areas, Hillside Garden offers tangible benefits that can make everyday life feel grounded and comfortable. That said, the community may not fit every budget or every maintenance standard, and potential residents should weigh those realities carefully.

The strongest pros center on service and ambiance. Fast, professional handling of inquiries and ongoing upkeep help residents feel secure and supported. A friendly, down-to-earth team, led by managers who are perceived as approachable, produces smoother day-to-day interactions and fewer friction points than might be found elsewhere. The building itself is repeatedly described as clean, well lighted, and aesthetically pleasing, with an interior atrium and gardens that uplift the mood and provide a pleasant backdrop for daily life. Residents report a quiet atmosphere, a sense of safety, and genuine warmth among neighbors, factors that contribute to a stable, low-stress living experience, especially for those who value routine and a predictable environment.

However, significant caveats surface in the cons column, and these deserve close consideration. Rent for a relatively small, efficiency-style unit is flagged as high for what’s offered, which can be a stretch for budget-conscious seniors. A recurring grievance in the reviews is the lack of open exterior windows in many units, limiting ventilation and natural light. There are also credible concerns about neighbor behavior, occasional drug activity and odors in some apartments, that undermine the perceived safety and comfort for residents. Maintenance and repair issues are not uniformly problem-free; some long-tenured residents recall periods of delayed service, inconsistent fixes, and even water shutoffs that disrupt daily life. Ownership and management turnover over time adds another layer of uncertainty for residents who depend on stable policies and reliable issue resolution.

These pros and cons can be reconciled best when the community’s strengths are prioritized by those who place high value on environment and social fabric. For residents who relish a pristine, aesthetically pleasing setting, the atrium and garden vibe, coupled with quiet living and visible maintenance care, can offset a lot of the daily annoyances. The warmth of the resident community and the perceived responsiveness of management to routine questions create a sense of belonging that is hard to cultivate in more anonymous buildings. In short, for a buyer who priorities quality of life artifacts, cleanliness, beauty, social interaction, and easy-day-to-day management, the positives can substantially outweigh the negatives, provided budget constraints are manageable and expectations are aligned with reality.

Prospective residents should approach a move with a practical checklist and a plan to verify key risk areas. First, confirm the current rent for the desired unit and ask what it includes, then compare to similar nearby properties to judge value. Seek a unit with an exterior window if sunlight and ventilation are critical, and insist on a clear explanation of any ongoing maintenance or pest-control commitments. During tours, inquire about noise, odor, and security in neighboring units, and talk to several current residents about response times and follow-through on repairs. Request a written maintenance protocol for how issues are escalated, and ask about owner stability and the management company’s track record with turnover. Finally, examine lease language around remediation timelines, amenity access, and any penalties for late repairs.

The bottom line is decisive. Hillside Garden is a solid fit for independent seniors who value beauty, quiet, and a supportive on-site team, and who can absorb the reality that rent may be higher for a small unit and that not all maintenance needs are perfectly predictable. It serves best those seeking a community-centered environment with an appealing interior landscape and a sense of daily life that feels well cared for. For anyone prioritizing budget stability, guaranteed pest control, universal open-window units, or rock-solid, trouble-free maintenance, alternatives in Proctor or nearby towns warrant exploration. Visiting, meeting multiple residents, and getting a transparent sense of current management performance will reveal whether Hillside Garden truly aligns with the resident’s long-range needs.

Pharmacies

• LTC Prescription Providers (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Clarity Hearing Center West (4.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.9 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (4.9 miles)
• Super One Foods (5 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (5.1 miles)

Parks

• Proctor City Ball Park (0.5 miles)
• Proctor Historical Park (0.5 miles)
• Norton Park (2.3 miles)
• Lincoln Park (4.4 miles)
• K9 Haas Memorial Dog Park (5.8 miles)
• Canal Park (6.2 miles)
• Duluth Parks & Recreation Department (6.2 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (1.7 miles)
• McDonald's (2.9 miles)
• North Pole Bar (3 miles)
• Taco John's (3.2 miles)
• Perkins Restaurant and Bakery (3.7 miles)
• Clyde Iron Works (4.4 miles)
• Duluth's Best Bread (4.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Queen of Peace Parish (2.3 miles)
• House Of Refuge Assembly Of God (5.6 miles)

Physicians

• St Eligius Health Center (2.5 miles)
• Denfeld Medical Clinic (3.1 miles)
• St. Luke's Eye Care - Miller Creek Medical Clinic (5 miles)
• Weis Eye Center (5.3 miles)
• Northern Eye Institute (5.4 miles)
• Avada Audiology & Hearing Care (6.1 miles)
• Northern Foot & Ankle Associates (6.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Denfeld Medical Center (3.1 miles)
• Choice Recovery Center (6.3 miles)
• Va Superior Clinic (6.8 miles)
• Saint Marys Hospital Heliport (6.8 miles)
• Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center (6.9 miles)
• Essentia Health Urgent Care - Duluth (6.9 miles)

Cafes

• Blue Rock Coffee and Wine Cafe (5 miles)
• Empire Coffee (6.1 miles)
• Caribou Coffee (6.7 miles)
• Duluth Coffee Company (6.7 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Moving & Storage (5.2 miles)
• BNSF Railway (5.7 miles)
• Afterburner (6.6 miles)

Theaters

• Duluth Cinema Duluth, Mn (6.5 miles)