Royal Towers Apartments in Kansas City, MO

Pros

• Mashair is welcoming, knowledgeable, and incredibly helpful.
• The Pickwick Plaza leasing team is wonderful and clearly cares about helping potential tenants feel at home.
• The tours showcase excellent features with a patient and positive attitude.
• The property offers amazing amenities and a lively, welcoming community with frequent events.
• The gym and other facilities are outstanding and highly praised by residents.
• The staff are friendly, courteous, and go above and beyond to assist residents.
• Residents enjoy a safe, well-maintained, and pet-friendly environment.
• Corey and Tinia are responsive and helpful leasing representatives who make the process smooth.

Cons

• They note the upkeep is poor, with the pool dirty from hair and grime and chairs in the pool room that are dirty.
• They say one or both elevators are frequently out of service, and the working one is very slow.
• They claim management makes false promises and imposes hidden, high fees, including move-out charges and an amenity fee.
• They describe unsafe conditions and unresponsive management, including harassment incidents not addressed and residents feeling unsafe.
• They report HVAC and ventilation problems: no heat in winter, windows that won't open, and significant mold/CO2 buildup.
• They mention security issues: garage break-ins, homeless people in the building, and incomplete security camera coverage.
• They say communication and maintenance requests are poorly handled, with slow responses and lack of transparency.
• They warn others to avoid living there, calling it the worst apartment they've experienced.

Review

This community is best suited for adults who crave a lifestyle built around standout amenities, a thriving social calendar, and a modern, historic downtown vibe. The draw is clear: a sprawling gym, an indoor pool and spa, a sauna, a game room, a mini-mart on site, and frequent resident events that foster a sense of community. For residents who want convenience, security features like key-fob access and highly visible staff involvement in day-to-day operations are repeatedly cited as major positives. When everything is functioning as advertised, the experience feels polished, sociable, and maintenance-enabled rather than transactional.

Those who should consider alternatives are precisely the ones with low tolerance for operational instability. The most consequential red flags appear as recurring elevator outages, inconsistent heating in winter, and in some cases mold and poor air quality. Several residents describe long periods without heat, windows that can't be opened, and CO2 buildup that affects daily comfort and health. Maintenance responsiveness is praised by some, but many accounts highlight slow fixes and mixed communication. Security concerns - both real and perceived - plus rising move-out and ancillary fees further tilt the risk profile toward alternatives for families prioritizing predictable, straightforward living arrangements.

The attractive features can offset some drawbacks, but only to a point. The amenities and the resulting quality of life are substantial: a large, well-equipped gym; a heated indoor pool and spa; a dog park; a plentiful social program; and a lobby-to-residence experience that many residents describe as welcoming and responsive. When management is proactive and consistently courteous, these strengths create a strong sense of value, especially for households that place a premium on on-site conveniences and a lively community. However, when the same team grapples with ongoing mechanical problems, the halo effect fades quickly, because daily comfort and safety come under question and the cost of recurring inconveniences compounds.

Prospective tenants should walk the path with a clear checklist: confirm the status and history of elevator service and the expected timeline for any needed repairs; obtain a transparent record of heating reliability and what contingencies exist during cold weather; ask for a current mold and air-quality assessment if available, and insist on a documented plan for any remediation. Inquire about parking costs and the true, all-in monthly price, including any new amenity or access fees. Request a detailed maintenance response standard - how quickly requests are resolved, and how residents are kept informed during outages. Speak with current residents about safety, noise from amenities, and the consistency of front-office communication. These steps separate a temporary inconvenience from a long-term problem.

For families weighing assisted living and similar options, the decision hinges on stability versus lifestyle. If value is defined by the breadth of on-site amenities, a sense of neighborhood, and highly responsive staff, this property can be compelling - provided the major mechanical and safety concerns are methodically addressed and kept transparent. If stability, predictable heating, airtight communication, and a risk-averse financial footprint are non-negotiable, cautious comparisons with other downtown and suburban peers are prudent. In short, the right move recognizes that the upside is high and the downside is real; the decision should hinge on whether the expected maintenance reliability and safety assurances align with those family priorities.

Ultimately, the recommending lens is practical and decisive: prioritize places with proven, consistent climate control and dependable elevators, and demand explicit maintenance timelines and transparent fee structures before signing. The strong community, robust amenities, and personable staff can be transformative, but only if the operational backbone - heating, ventilation, safety, and clear, respectful communication - meets the standard expected by residents and their families. If those assurances cannot be retained as a baseline, it is wise to look elsewhere for a more predictable day-to-day living experience that still delivers comparable lifestyle benefits.

This part of Kansas City, Missouri offers a convenient and vibrant urban lifestyle with easy access to essential services and amenities. The area is dotted with pharmacies such as CVS, Costco, and Walgreens, making it easy to access medication and healthcare supplies. There are also a variety of restaurants offering diverse dining options, as well as cafes for leisurely coffee breaks. For spiritual nourishment, there are several places of worship nearby. In terms of healthcare, there are reputable hospitals and physicians' practices in close proximity for any medical needs. Additionally, the area boasts several parks for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded environment suited for senior living, with a mix of conveniences and leisure activities.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Costco 0375 (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• Walgreens (3.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)
• Sun Fresh (3.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Johnny's Tavern (0.3 miles)
• John's Big Deck (0.3 miles)
• Quaff Bar & Grill (0.5 miles)
• RecordBar (0.5 miles)
• Garozzo's Ristorante (0.6 miles)
• Casual Animal Brewing Company (0.7 miles)
• Taps on Main (0.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Resurrection Downtown (0.6 miles)
• Trinity United Methodist Church (2.7 miles)
• Central United Methodist Church (4.8 miles)
• North Cross United Methodist Church (5.4 miles)

Cafes

• Messenger Coffee Co. (0.6 miles)
• Mildred's (0.9 miles)
• Blip Roasters (1.2 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.3 miles)
• Filling Station (2.1 miles)
• Billie's Grocery (2.4 miles)
• Broadway Cafe (3.5 miles)

Parks

• Bar K Dog Bar (0.8 miles)
• Washington Square Park (1.2 miles)
• Central Park (3 miles)
• Budd Park (3.2 miles)
• Historic Hyde Park (3.5 miles)
• Loose Park (4.8 miles)
• Swope Park (6.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Children's Mercy Research Institute (1.2 miles)
• Truman Medical Center (1.3 miles)
• Cambridge A Pre/Post (3.4 miles)
• North Kansas City Hospital (3.6 miles)
• Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City (3.8 miles)
• Kansas City VA Medical Center : Midwest Biomedical Research (3.9 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak Kansas City - Union Station (1.2 miles)
• KC Streetcar (1.2 miles)

Physicians

• KC CARE Health Center (2.8 miles)
• Orthopedic Health of Kansas City formerly Drisko, Fee & Parkins ( DFP ) - North Kansas City (3.2 miles)
• Vibrant Health - Wyandotte Neighborhood Clinics (3.2 miles)
• John D. Eatman, MD (3.5 miles)
• Graham Bruce D (3.6 miles)
• Cerner Healthe Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• Mill Creek Park (3.9 miles)