Heritage Village at Lawrence

Pros

• The reviewer regards the place as a Cool Place.

Cons

• The place is infested with roaches and possibly bed bugs.
• It is a dirty, nasty, and unsanitary environment.
• Six hundred families have been displaced from their property due to flooding on the first floor only.
• No one has been allowed to return to the property.
• Management keeps telling residents to make appointments to retrieve winter clothes, but no one calls back.
• It has been over a month, and the only communication is letters demanding rent for a place that no one can enter.
• Calls and messages to the management go unanswered.
• Another veteran feels screwed by the handling of the situation.

Review

Residents paint a harsh, unflinching picture of conditions and management at a place that sits in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The overarching tone is one of alarm and disgust, with multiple voices emphasizing a pattern of neglect, pests, and unsanitary surroundings that make the property feel more like a hazard than a home. The first thread of the story is a stark indictment of the living environment: roaches are present everywhere, and there is a strong likelihood of bed bugs as well. The language used is blunt and unambiguous: this is described as a dirty, nasty, and unsanitary setting, so much so that some tell others not to come to this place at all. The sentiment is not merely about inconvenience; it's framed as a health and safety concern that casts doubt on whether the property ever receives proper upkeep or monitoring.

Beyond the immediate physical conditions, a second thread centers on a catastrophic disruption of life for hundreds of families. The flooding of the first floor forced the relocation of roughly 600 families, while those on the second floor and above reportedly sustained no damage. The displacement has been total in practice, with residents effectively barred from returning to their homes. Compounding the distress is the frustrating lack of timely communication about when or if they can reclaim their belongings and resume their lives. The authorities directing the process have allegedly offered only infrequent updates, and those updates come in the form of written letters that demand rent for a place that residents cannot even access. The clock has been ticking for more than a month, with winter fast approaching and no clear reassurance about when the situation will resolve or when displaced tenants can re-enter.

The discomfort and danger of the situation are underlined by a bitter dose of irony and sarcasm. In one line, the review surfaces a contrast between the stated expectations of a "cool place" and the actual lived reality - a sharp, almost caustic use of irony that signals how deeply residents feel misled. The phrase, though seemingly simple, is loaded with disillusionment: a place advertised or imagined as better than a typical apartment or complex has instead become a source of ongoing strain, confusion, and fear for those who rely on it for shelter and safety. The incongruity between the idea of a desirable residence and the reality described by tenants underscores a broader complaint about misrepresentation, mismanagement, or both.

Communication, or the conspicuous lack thereof, emerges as another persistent grievance. Tenants describe making numerous calls and leaving a flood of messages, yet receiving no response in return. The sense of being ignored is palpable, as is the expectation that someone within the management structure should be accountable for the levels of disruption and the ongoing distress. Reviewers call for someone to investigate the situation, to question the individuals who receive messages and letters via the site that residents have used to reach out. The absence of dialogue has left many feeling voiceless, as though their fears and needs are drifting into a void rather than being acknowledged and addressed.

A personal thread adds a layer of human experience to the overall account. One reviewer points to the physical location's former identity as an auto repair shop, grounding the narrative in a place with tangible past uses and a different set of expectations about how space should be managed and maintained. The mention of serving in the military - "Uncle Sam's vacation," as phrased - places the witness within the veteran community, and the closing note - "Another Vet screwed" - carries a weighty charge about trust, service, and the perceived betrayal of those who have served. This personal lens suggests that the frustrations are not isolated to generic tenants but also touch veterans who may have hoped for reliability and decency in a place that claims to serve their needs.

Taken together, these reviews form a cumulative indictment of a property or management situation that residents feel has failed them on multiple levels. The core complaints - pest infestations and unsanitary conditions, mass displacement with indeterminate timelines, rent demands for inaccessible spaces, a troubling lack of responsive communication, and the sting of perceived betrayal by people who were trusted with their welfare - evoke a portrait of systemic neglect. The emotional undercurrent is one of anger, fear, and exhaustion, amplified by the cold reality of approaching winter and the practical impossibility of reclaiming a sense of normalcy while the situation remains unresolved.

Ultimately, what emerges is a compelling call for accountability and a demand for clear, concrete action. Residents want to see a credible plan for remediation of the physical conditions, a transparent and humane process for the displaced families to regain access, and a reliable line of communication that respects their situation rather than leaving them to chase silence. They seek acknowledgment of the responsibilities owed to those who live and have lived there, including veterans who may have suffered additional indignities. The narrative is not simply about isolated complaints; it's a plea for the dignity, safety, and stability that every resident deserves, especially in the wake of a disaster and during the vulnerable months of the year when cold weather and uncertainty nip most keenly at the edges of daily life.

This part of Lawrenceville, New Jersey offers a convenient and diverse array of amenities for seniors looking to settle in the area. With multiple pharmacies such as CVS and Walmart nearby, access to medication and healthcare products is easily accessible. In terms of dining options, there are various cafes and restaurants within a few miles radius catering to different tastes. For medical needs, several physician offices are situated close by, including Nottingham Medical Associates and Delaware Valley Pediatric Associates. Transportation options are also readily available with Hamilton Station and Trenton Transit Center in close proximity. Additionally, there are parks like Cadwalader Park and Veteran's Park Hamilton for seniors to enjoy outdoor activities. In terms of healthcare services, Mercer Family Health Center and Capital Health Medical Center are nearby for any medical emergencies. Places of worship like St Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church provide opportunities for spiritual fulfillment. Overall, this neighborhood offers a well-rounded environment for senior living with convenient access to healthcare, transportation, dining options, outdoor spaces, and places of worship.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)

Cafes

• Van Gogh Cafe (1.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (4.1 miles)
• Starbucks (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (5.9 miles)
• Panera Bread (6.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Rat's Restaurant (1.3 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (1.5 miles)
• Taco Bell (2.6 miles)
• McDonald's (3 miles)
• Amalfi Cuisine (3.5 miles)
• Applebee's (4.1 miles)
• Broad Street Diner (4.2 miles)

Physicians

• Nottingham Medical Associates (1.4 miles)
• Princeton Eye and Ear (2.2 miles)
• Retina-Vitreous Center PA (2.3 miles)
• Delaware Valley Pediatric Associates (2.3 miles)
• Lawrenceville Dermatology (2.4 miles)
• Delaware Valley OB/GYN (2.6 miles)
• Lifecare Internal Medicine Of Lawrenceville (2.7 miles)

Transportation

• Hamilton Station (1.7 miles)
• Trenton Transit Center (2.4 miles)
• Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) (4.7 miles)
• NJT - Princeton Junction Station (7.4 miles)

Parks

• Cadwalader Park (2.5 miles)
• Veteran's Park Hamilton (4.2 miles)
• Sharp's Lane Crestwood Park (4.6 miles)
• Mercer County Park (5 miles)
• Delaware River Canal Tow Path (5.5 miles)
• Washington Crossing Historic Park (7.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Mercer Family Health Center (2.7 miles)
• Trenton Psychiatric Hospital (3.8 miles)
• Capital Health Medical Center (5.9 miles)
• Frankford Hospital-Bucks County (8.4 miles)
• University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro (8.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church (5.4 miles)
• Princeton University Chapel (7.9 miles)
• Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, New Jersey (8.3 miles)