Riverside Plaza in Minneapolis, MN

Pros

• The residents are friendly and welcoming.
• Riverside Plaza is described as a gem in Minneapolis.
• The location provides easy access to the Green and Blue Line light rail.
• The place is beautiful and peaceful with a spectacular city skyline view.
• The staff are friendly and do a good job.
• Some residents feel grateful to call it home and refer to it as home sweet home.

Cons

• Residents complain that the fire alarm is tested around 3:00 am, disturbing their sleep.
• Tenants report package theft in the mailroom and call for on-site security to protect deliveries.
• The complex is described as a nightmare with elevators that never work and safety concerns due to crime.
• Maintenance is described as ineffective and the building is filthy with an unbearable odor.
• Security is seen as useless and management is labeled incompetent and profit-driven.
• Bed bugs, roaches, and mice are rampant, with residents forced to throw away belongings.
• Parking is overpriced, elevators break down, and hot water problems mean inconsistent plumbing.
• The buildings are old and dilapidated, with insufficient upkeep despite rehab funds.
• Management is accused of ignoring tenants and failing to address frequent package theft.

Review

Riverside Plaza in Minneapolis is best suited for budget-conscious renters who need solid transit access and a diverse, socially engaged apartment community more than pristine facilities or perfectly reliable service. The location sits along major bus routes and near the Blue and Green Line light rail, offering genuine urban convenience for those who value easy downtown access or simple multi-modal commuting. Within the complex, a sense of community is repeatedly noted, with residents describing friendly neighbors and a willingness to help one another. For tenants who can tolerate aging infrastructure in exchange for affordable rents and proximity to public transit, Riverside Plaza can feel like a workable compromise.

Those who should consider alternatives are renters who prize reliability and ease of upkeep. Seniors or families who depend on consistently functioning elevators, stable hot water, or predictable maintenance will likely find Riverside Plaza inadequate. Prospective residents who require a high level of safety, proactive management, and secure, theft-resistant mail and package handling should look elsewhere. In short, anyone who cannot tolerate recurrent maintenance delays, pest infestations, broken appliances, or security concerns should seek a property with stronger upkeep and more dependable management.

The key positives - location, accessibility, and a degree of neighborhood cohesion - do offer limited offset to the principal drawbacks. The rooftop proximity and transit access support practical daily living, while a subset of staff and residents are reported as cordial and helpful when present. Yet these advantages are overshadowed by persistent and systemic issues: frequent pest problems (roaches, bed bugs, mice), aging plumbing and hot-water irregularities, and an ongoing cycle of elevator failures that disrupt routine life. Package theft is not a new story here, and the security picture remains uneven, with occasional improvements but no consistent prevention. The result is a complicated calculus: the appeal of location and community is real, but the daily inconveniences and safety concerns frequently erode that appeal.

Management performance emerges as one of Riverside Plaza's most consequential weaknesses. Reviews repeatedly cite unresponsiveness, inconsistent office presence, apparent prioritization of revenue over resident needs, and communications that feel distant or curt. The perception that management treats rent as a primary driver, with limited investment in building upkeep, undercuts trust. Alarmingly, reports of security lapses - people knocking on doors, elevated package theft, and insufficient front-desk oversight - combine with aging infrastructure to create a living environment where nuisance becomes a risk to daily safety. Even when new security guards appear, they do not fully resolve the underlying pattern of neglect or the fear that problems will recur after attention wanes.

Practical next steps come down to expectations and proactive planning. Prospective tenants should demand current, transparent pest-control plans and a confirmed elevator maintenance schedule, along with a clear process for reporting and tracking repairs. Insist on documented assurances regarding package handling and mail-room security, and verify hot-water reliability, water temperature controls, and overall plumbing integrity before signing. Tour during peak and off-peak hours to gauge noise and elevator access, and push for written commitments about office hours, on-site staff availability, and response times. A candid review of recent rent increases, along with a thorough check of lease terms around maintenance responsibilities, can prevent surprises that compound existing concerns.

In the end, Riverside Plaza represents a stark trade-off. It attracts tenants drawn to affordability and transit-connected living, plus those who embrace a strong community vibe in a dense urban setting. It does not satisfy expectations for reliability, pest control, or proactive management, and the combination of chronic maintenance issues, frequent outages, and security gaps makes it hard to recommend without caveats. For households with flexible tolerances and a willingness to live with recurring headaches, Riverside Plaza can still be workable. For anyone who values consistent maintenance, a truly pest-free environment, and dependable service, it is prudent to seek alternatives - properties with cleaner records on upkeep, modernized infrastructure, and a track record of responsive, resident-focused management.

Restaurants

• Maxwell's American Cafe (0.3 miles)
• Sawatdee Thai Restaurant - Minneapolis (0.8 miles)
• Owamni (0.9 miles)
• Aster Cafe (1 miles)
• Hell's Kitchen (1.2 miles)
• Gluek's Restaurant & Bar (1.4 miles)
• Cowboy Jack's (1.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Hennepin County Medical Center (0.7 miles)
• Csc Gi Lab (0.7 miles)
• University of Minnesota Medical Center - East Bank Campus (0.9 miles)
• Regency Hospital (4.4 miles)
• VA Medical Center (5.1 miles)

Parks

• Mill Ruins Park (0.8 miles)
• Gateway Dog Park - Off-Leash Play Area (1 miles)
• Franklin Terrace Off-Leash Dog Park (1.1 miles)
• Loring Park (1.6 miles)
• Boom Island Park (1.9 miles)
• North Loop Dog Park (1.9 miles)
• Longfellow Park (2.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (3.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• Westminster Presbyterian Church (1.3 miles)
• WW Studio (5.3 miles)
• St George Greek Orthodox Church (5.4 miles)

Cafes

• Dunn Brothers Coffee (1.7 miles)
• Spyhouse Coffee (2.3 miles)
• Roundtable Cof (2.5 miles)
• Groundswell (4.6 miles)
• Starbucks (4.9 miles)
• Jinx Tea (5.1 miles)
• Starbucks (5.5 miles)

Physicians

• Whittier Clinic (1.9 miles)
• HealthPartners Health Center for Women Clinic St Paul (2.1 miles)
• Dermatology Consultants P.A. (4.3 miles)
• Parkway Family Physicians (5.3 miles)

Transportation

• Minnesota State Fair Transit Hub (3.7 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Rosedale 14 (4.9 miles)