Kelly Assisted Living Svc

Pros

• Essex House is a great place to live with a fantastic location.
• The staff is extremely friendly and communicative.
• Maintenance requests are handled quickly and professionally by the staff.
• The apartment is large and features a balcony.
• The building seems well managed.
• It is one of the best apartments in Pittsburg with reasonable prices.
• They love the place and the management.

Cons

• Residents must pay for other people's parking in their assigned spots.
• The office provides no help on weekends because there is no staff available.
• Tenants cannot call towing themselves; only the office can, leaving them stuck until it opens.
• There is toilet water leaking from the ceiling at 3 am with no prompt help or compensation.
• The manager is extremely unhelpful and claims that flooding happens all the time because they manage multiple properties.
• The manager is reportedly too shy to open the office door and instead uses a speaker to apologize.
• Tenants received only 40% of their security deposit back after cleaning.
• Residents risk losing important documents, such as work permit cards, at this building.

Review

Essex House draws strong impressions from a broad mix of residents. Several reviewers frame it as a great place to live, underscoring a fantastic location and a consistently friendly, helpful staff. For the respondents who have been there a relatively short time, the sentiment is broadly positive: the staff is described as extremely friendly and communicative, maintenance requests are handled quickly and professionally, and the apartment itself is noted to be spacious with a balcony that many enjoy. The location and the building's doorman presence are repeatedly highlighted as definite positives, contributing to an overall sense that Essex House offers a solid living environment.

Two residents who have lived there for a couple of months elaborate on the day-to-day experience in very favorable terms. They praise not only the staff's friendliness and responsiveness but also the reliability of maintenance services, describing them as quick, professional, and courteous. They also point to the apartment's size and the balcony as standout features, with the location once again described as great. Taken together, these accounts paint a picture of a building where the initial experience is uplifting and the fundamentals - space, amenities, and access - meet expectations.

Yet the reviews also contain a persistent chorus of warnings and frustrations. A recurring complaint centers on parking and how assigned spots are managed. One reviewer bluntly cautions potential renters that they may end up paying for other people's parking in their own rented spot, adding that getting help on weekends is nearly impossible because the office is closed and towing can only be arranged by the office, leaving residents stranded until staff return. This combination of parking disputes and limited weekend support creates a sense of precariousness for residents who rely on predictable parking enforcement.

Maintenance problems are another major thread in the commentary. A particularly alarming report describes toilet water leaking from the ceiling at 3 am, with no prompt assistance or compensation offered by the building. A reviewer also notes that an unhelpful manager claims floods happen all the time and that the properties under the same management handle issues in a broad, multi-property fashion. These experiences contribute to a perception that, despite some positive day-to-day interactions, there can be serious delays or insensitivity when urgent problems arise.

Security and communications add their own tension. One account suggests a risk around important documents like work permit cards, with mentions of friends losing EAD cards in proximity to the building. There is a concern that video surveillance could be misused by delivery thieves if residents don't pick up deliveries in time. On the communication side, another reviewer describes a manager who appears reluctant to engage directly, opting to apologize via speaker rather than opening the office door. This paints a picture of a building where some residents feel heard in certain moments, but others feel the management lacks accessibility during real issues.

The kindness and reliability of some staff members, notably the doormen, are highlighted as a bright spot amid the concerns. One reviewer emphasizes that the two points of contact at the doorway are very friendly and helpful, suggesting that the day-to-day frontline staff do a commendable job even when other parts of the operation fall short. There's also a nod to the building's appearance and upkeep, with a comment that the property is older but well maintained, hinting at a sturdy, long-tenanted feel that some residents appreciate.

Financial experiences vary widely as well. While some praise the location and overall value, others recount mixed-to-poor financial interactions, including initial equipment issues and not recovering a full security deposit after moving out. One resident notes only 40 percent of the security deposit was returned despite cleaning, while another mentions charges for minor dirt, signaling a friction point around move-out policies and upkeep expectations. There's a reference to the property being among the best in the Pittsburgh area with reasonable prices, but this Gem of a counterpoint appears alongside warnings about inconsistent treatment of deposits and charges.

All told, Essex House emerges as a place with undeniable appeal: excellent location, friendly front-line staff, and well-maintained common areas can translate into genuinely positive daily living experiences. At the same time, the collection of complaints - parking conflicts, weekend service gaps, dramatic maintenance incidents, and contentious move-out charges - paints a more complex reality. Some reviewers feel that management and maintenance can be responsive and effective, while others describe communication barriers and management insensitivity in times of crisis. The net impression is a building that can offer a strong living experience for many, but one that requires a careful consideration of parking policy, maintenance responsiveness, and move-out practices before committing.

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (0.1 miles)
• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1 miles)
• Stanton Negley Drug Company (1 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.5 miles)

Restaurants

• 5801 Video Lounge & Cafe (0.2 miles)
• Wendy's (0.2 miles)
• Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar Penn Ave (0.5 miles)
• Spork (0.5 miles)
• McDonald's (0.5 miles)
• East End Brewing Company (1.1 miles)
• The Porch at Schenley (1.5 miles)

Cafes

• Arriviste Coffee Bar (0.2 miles)
• Redstart Roasters (0.5 miles)
• Starbucks (0.8 miles)
• Bakery Square (0.9 miles)
• Trace Brewing (1.1 miles)
• The Abbey on Butler Street (1.7 miles)
• Brooklyn Bagel At Arsenal (1.7 miles)

Physicians

• Aiken Medical Building (0.3 miles)
• Bellissimo Plastic Surgery & Medi Spa (0.7 miles)
• Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC (1.7 miles)
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (1.8 miles)
• Kaufmann Medical Building (1.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Hillman Cancer Center (0.5 miles)
• Western Pennsylvania Hospital labor and delivery (0.7 miles)
• Western Pennsylvania Hospital (0.7 miles)
• UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (1.2 miles)
• VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (1.7 miles)
• UPMC Presbyterian (1.8 miles)
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (1.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Calvary Episcopal Church (0.6 miles)
• First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood (3.1 miles)

Parks

• Arsenal Park (1.6 miles)
• Schenley Park (1.7 miles)
• Leslie Park Field (1.7 miles)
• Frick Park (2 miles)
• Frick Park Blue Slide Playground (2.2 miles)
• Aspinwall Riverfront Park (2.6 miles)
• Filmet Park (3.6 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak - Pittsburgh Station (3.2 miles)
• Bus Station (3.3 miles)