Cottages of White Bear Townshp

Pros

• Residents are friendly and very helpful.
• The community offers inclusive activities with equal opportunity to participate, including weekly coffee socials, monthly lunches, crafts, and game nights.
• The community is caring, neighborly, and helpful.
• The community is a great place to call home, with residents planning to stay long-term.
• Lori is described as amazing and the best; Jim the maintenance is wonderful; staff are friendly and helpful.
• Residents have formed wonderful friendships and enjoy interacting with neighbors.
• There are many social events to keep residents busy.
• Maintenance and services are reportedly taken care of in a timely manner.

Cons

• The new ownership left residents with no information on how to pay rent; the website is gone and the phone numbers just ring, which is unhelpful.
• Since the ownership change there is limited contact with staff and low responsiveness to maintenance and ADA accessibility issues.
• The property is not ADA accessible for mobility-challenged seniors; there are long sidewalks, high curbs, and uneven, cracked driveways.
• Visitor parking is unavailable and handicap parking is very limited.
• Maintenance is severely limited (often only three days a week or less); exteriors are not cleaned and outside windows are not washed.
• Drainage from rain gutters causes mud on the lawn and water on sidewalks; trees are growing in rain gutters on garages.
• Maintenance staff have been caught sleeping in a vacant apartment multiple times, indicating mismanagement.
• The fountain in the pond has not worked for at least three years.

Review

The voices from this community paint a picture of a place where warmth and neighborliness are the standout strengths. One reviewer notes that their grandmother "likes it so far" and that "the residents are friendly and very helpful." Another writer, who has lived there exactly one year, describes the overall experience as "for the most part this place is great to make my home at," emphasizing a sense of belonging that comes with a steady stream of familiar faces and supportive neighbors. The impression across these comments is that, at its core, the community fosters connection and daily opportunities to interact with others.

Social life is clearly a strong selling point. There are a variety of activities designed to involve residents of all backgrounds and interests: a weekly coffee social, monthly outings to restaurants, a weekly crafts day, and regular game nights. The sense is that the management or organizing teams try to ensure equal opportunity for participation, creating a calendar that gives residents frequent chances to mingle and contribute to a shared life. For many residents, these events are not just pastimes but central to why they feel at home and connected to their surroundings.

Yet the experience is not without notable caveats. Several comments highlight significant growing pains tied to a change in ownership and management. Since April, a new property owner and staff have been in place, and the feedback cycles between hopeful and frustrated. Some residents describe limited contact with staff and a slow or insufficient response to property maintenance and accessibility concerns. The sentiment is that while the community remains friendly, the administrative side of the living environment has grown less predictable and harder to navigate, especially for urgent needs or questions about how to access services.

Accessibility and mobility emerge as recurring themes, particularly for a senior community that is supposed to be ADA-accessible. Commenters point to long sidewalks, high curbs, and cracked driveways that complicate movement for people using walkers or wheelchairs. While the community is framed as senior-friendly and accessible, several residents feel that actual day-to-day mobility within the grounds could be improved. In winter, for instance, getting to the garage becomes an especially challenging task, underscoring a gap between design intentions and lived reality for residents who rely on mobility assistance.

Another thread in the feedback concerns finances and information flow related to payments. One reviewer bluntly notes a new company has taken over and there is "no information on how to pay rent," with the website gone and phone numbers that simply ring. This absence of clear, reliable channels for rent payments and other essentials adds stress for residents who expect straightforward, predictable processes. It's a practical barrier that contrasts with the otherwise appealing social and community-building aspects of the place.

Within the mix of praise, there are also strong endorsements of individual staff members who have made a meaningful impact on people's experiences. A resident who moved in July 2019 lauds Lori as "simply amazing and the best," and Jim the maintenance person as "wonderful" for being helpful and approachable. Such testimonials highlight that, where the staff are available and engaged, residents feel supported and valued. Another resident notes that interactions with neighbors and the sense of community are a defining benefit, reinforcing the view that personal connections can thrive here even amid organizational challenges.

On the downside, maintenance and upkeep sometimes fall short of expectations. Several comments describe maintenance as being limited in frequency - "only three days" in some weeks - and accuse management of being "mismanaged." Outdoor areas receive particular criticism: sidewalks for seniors are described as "unbelievably terrible," there is "no parking for visitors," and "very, very limited handicap parking." Other concerns include exterior cleaning being neglected, windows not washed, and drainage problems that leave mud on lawns and water on sidewalks. A more troubling note points to maintenance staff reportedly sleeping on the job and a fountain in a pond that hasn't worked in years, illustrating broader concerns about reliability and accountability in operations.

Taken together, the collective voice presents a nuanced portrait: the community is cherished for its warmth, social life, and the people who show up to help one another, yet it is challenged by managerial changes, inconsistent maintenance, accessibility gaps, and financial communication hurdles. Residents who value strong neighborly ties and frequent social activity may overlook some imperfections, but for others these unresolved issues - particularly around accessibility, upkeep, and rent-related information - are real barriers to comfort and stability. For anyone considering moving here, the balance between a lively, friendly community and the practical realities of management, maintenance, and accessibility will likely weigh heavily in the decision. In the end, many residents express a clear commitment to making it their home for as long as possible, even as they cautiously watch how the community addresses its ongoing management and maintenance concerns.

This part of White Bear Lake, Minnesota offers a convenient and vibrant community for senior living. With multiple pharmacies, cafes, restaurants, physicians, places of worship, parks, hospitals, theaters, and transportation options nearby, residents have easy access to essential services and amenities. The close proximity to St. John's Hospital in Maplewood ensures quality healthcare is readily available. Additionally, the variety of parks and recreational areas provide opportunities for outdoor activities and relaxation. The assortment of dining options cater to different tastes and preferences, while the presence of theaters offers entertainment possibilities. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded environment for seniors looking for a comfortable and active lifestyle in White Bear Lake.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.9 miles)
• Walgreens (4.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.7 miles)
• Starbucks (5.3 miles)
• Caribou Coffee (7.2 miles)
• Starbucks (9.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Culver's (0.8 miles)
• Admiral D's (1.7 miles)
• Cup & Cone (1.8 miles)
• Washington Square Bar & Grill (1.9 miles)
• Eat at Banning and Fifth (1.9 miles)
• The Alchemist (2 miles)
• Big Wood Brewery (2 miles)

Physicians

• Victhom Human Bionics (0.9 miles)
• Jaksa Stephen W DDS (1.8 miles)
• Northern Lights Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine (2.6 miles)
• Suburban Radiology (2.8 miles)
• Minnesota Vein Center (3.4 miles)
• Entira Family Clinics (3.5 miles)
• Page Graydon T MD (4.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Mary of the Lake Church (1.5 miles)
• Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (4.5 miles)
• North Heights Lutheran Church (6.1 miles)
• St Jerome Elementary School (6.4 miles)
• Transfiguration Catholic Church (8.7 miles)

Parks

• Bear Park (2.6 miles)
• Lake Varney Park (3.3 miles)
• Red Pine Park (3.5 miles)
• Legacy Pines Park (3.8 miles)
• Snail Lake Regional Park (3.9 miles)
• Playcrest Park (4.4 miles)
• Hazelwood Park (4.5 miles)

Hospitals

• St John's Hospital-Maplewood (4 miles)

Theaters

• Oakdale Cinema Oakdale, Mn (5.3 miles)
• AMC Rosedale 14 (7.8 miles)

Transportation

• Lino Air Park (8.4 miles)