Nowlin Hall Main Office

Pros

• Nowlin Hall was a home for him for five years.
• He describes the place as amazing with many wonderful things.
• It is a place you can truly call home and grow to love.
• The gardening and harvesting there produced amazing times.
• The amenities are outstanding, and the service coordinator provides peace of mind.
• The leasing staff and maintenance work well together to take care of residents' needs.

Cons

• The building is overrun with roaches and mold in the walls.
• There are no hood vents over the stoves, and upkeep is poor.
• The cabinets are falling apart and the bathroom sink is perpetually clogged and never drains.
• The kitchen sink is only partly functional because the garbage disposal needs reattachment.
• The carpets are extremely dirty and cannot be cleaned despite multiple steam cleanings.
• The resident would never recommend this place to anyone.
• The air conditioning is not working properly and it gets too hot.
• The management is described as bad.

Review

Nowlin Hall emerges in these accounts as a place of stark contrasts. For every note of warmth and community, there is a mounting list of maintenance failures and health concerns that blur the line between home and a difficult living situation. The more troubling observations center on pests and mold, with roaches reported in abundance and mold "in walls" that never seem to be fully addressed. Residents describe a building where upkeep has fallen behind, with concrete problems like cabinets that are literally falling apart and plumbing fixtures that don't work as they should. The frustration isn't limited to cosmetic issues: the bathroom sink is described as forever clogged, the kitchen sink runs on only one side because a garbage disposal needs reattachment, and the overall environment has left carpeting filthy despite attempts to clean it with a steam machine. A warning from pest control workers about food storage in cabinets underscores the severity of the situation, highlighting the tension between safety and daily living in a space that should feel like a home.

One particularly harsh sentiment in the collection is the sense of dislocation and discomfort - the feeling that the environment strips away a sense of family and normalcy. A reviewer starkly expresses that staying there can feel like "giving up your family" and likens the experience to living in a halfway house. The overall tone of this critique isn't just about nuisance issues; it's about a broader sense of being overwhelmed by conditions that should not be tolerated in a living space. The author makes clear that they are moving on, and they're currently already settled into a new apartment, signaling relief and a new start after a difficult chapter at Nowlin Hall.

Against this backdrop of complaint stand experiences that paint a very different picture: for some residents, Nowlin Hall has been a durable home with meaningful value. One former resident recalls a five-year residency that was deeply meaningful enough to relocate only to be closer to family, framing the place as a home worth remembering. They describe a life of gardening and harvests, days spent cooking on a patio with a grill, and lunches with neighbors in the dining room. The sense of community is palpable in these reflections, as are the amenities that come with leasing - an atmosphere of abundance and opportunity that goes beyond four walls. The storyteller emphasizes the social fabric: neighbors sharing meals, the chance to learn about and enjoy the property, and a space that invites growth and nurture.

That more favorable story is reinforced by another set of notes praising the staff and the sense of security and support available on the property. There's praise for service coordination and the idea that there is real peace of mind in knowing that someone is available to help with tasks like grocery rides. Maintenance and leasing staff are described as working well together to meet needs, reinforcing a belief in capable management and responsive service. For some, these elements - security, structure, and a dependable support network - create a foundation that helps people feel safe and anchored, particularly for retirees who may value routine and accessible assistance. The presence of a strong staff presence is consistently highlighted as a positive counterweight to the more negative reports.

The physical location and surrounding features add another layer to the mixed picture. Several comments point to the affordability of living in the area, with "cheap prices" mentioned and the property's placement described as quiet and somewhat tucked away, near a church on Nowlin off Truman. The parking situation is noted with a caveat: the lot has one entrance/exit, which can be easy to miss, especially given its placement next to the church. Proximity to local conveniences is also noted, including a nearby gas station, which can be convenient for residents who don't want to drive far for essentials. All of these factors - price, quietness, and accessibility to nearby services - shape a sense of value that many people consider. Yet the same notes don't ignore a practical concern: if you're counting on consistent climate control, this area's HVAC performance is a critical factor in comfort.

The threads of opinion about Nowlin Hall converge on a central tension: a place that can feel like home and community in one moment, and a site of ongoing maintenance crises in the next. The strongest negative stories focus on pest problems, mold, deteriorating fixtures, plumbing issues, and carpet cleanliness, all of which can erode the sense of home and safety. The strongest positive stories, meanwhile, celebrate the social fabric, gardening and food-sharing experiences, the existence of amenity-driven opportunities, and a reliable support network that makes life easier for some residents. And in between, there are mentions of great staff, but also critiques of management practices, suggesting a spectrum of experiences that may depend on unit, management changes, or the evolving culture of the property.

In the end, Nowlin Hall appears as a place of pronounced dualities. For some, it has offered a meaningful, even idyllic living experience anchored by community, outdoor cooking, shared meals, and a dependable service team. For others, it has proven to be a composition of persistent health and maintenance concerns, with mold, pests, plumbing woes, and safety considerations that make daily life difficult. The current traveler - someone who has already relocated to a new apartment - represents a personal exit from a complicated relationship with the space, while the long-standing memories of community and activity endure in voices that still remember the positive aspects. The property, therefore, stands as a microcosm of residential life: a place where care, community, and convenience can coexist with neglect, discomfort, and risk, depending on your experience and the moment you walk through its doors.

Restaurants

• Portia's Cafe (1.1 miles)
• Soiree Southern Cajun Fusion Steakhouse (2.5 miles)
• Garozzo's Ristorante (3.2 miles)
• Grinders (3.3 miles)
• Casual Animal Brewing Company (3.3 miles)
• Texas Tom's Restaurants (3.4 miles)
• RecordBar (3.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.6 miles)
• Costco 0375 (3.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)

Parks

• Budd Park (1.5 miles)
• Central Park (2 miles)
• Washington Square Park (3.5 miles)
• Rotary Park (3.5 miles)
• Bar K Dog Bar (3.7 miles)
• Skiles park (4 miles)
• Historic Hyde Park (4.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Kansas City VA Medical Center : Midwest Biomedical Research (1.8 miles)
• Truman Medical Center (3.1 miles)
• Children's Mercy Research Institute (3.2 miles)
• North Kansas City Hospital (4.6 miles)
• VA Honor Annex (4.6 miles)
• Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City (4.8 miles)
• Cambridge A Pre/Post (5.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Resurrection Downtown (3.4 miles)
• Trinity United Methodist Church (3.7 miles)
• Community of Christ Temple (4.9 miles)
• Central United Methodist Church (5.2 miles)
• North Cross United Methodist Church (6.8 miles)

Cafes

• Filling Station (3.4 miles)
• Messenger Coffee Co. (3.4 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.4 miles)
• Billie's Grocery (3.6 miles)
• Mildred's (3.7 miles)
• Starbucks (4.5 miles)
• Blip Roasters (4.6 miles)

Physicians

• Fairmount Family Medical Care (3.5 miles)
• KC CARE Health Center (4.3 miles)
• Cerner Healthe Pharmacy (4.4 miles)
• Orthopedic Health of Kansas City formerly Drisko, Fee & Parkins ( DFP ) - North Kansas City (4.4 miles)
• John D. Eatman, MD (4.6 miles)
• Graham Bruce D (4.6 miles)
• Mill Creek Park (4.9 miles)

Transportation

• KC Streetcar (3.6 miles)
• Amtrak Kansas City - Union Station (3.6 miles)