West Village Apartments

Pros

• They liked the layout of the apartment they looked at.
• They thought it wasn't a bad place to live and had never had a problem.
• Google Maps worked great with no problems getting to their location.
• They considered it a great place to live.
• They liked everything else about it.

Cons

• The apartment is rough.
• The place has regular shootings and stabbings.
• The apartments are a little small.
• The office manager's Facebook activity about residents is problematic.
• Fights could be heard upstairs, and a cop was shot in front of the house.
• There was a roach infestation caused by an upstairs hoarder.
• There were frequent parties, fights, and screaming.
• Neighbors hated each other, and there were shootings and robberies.
• The staff seemed to hate working there.
• The place is not as safe as it once was.

Review

The place described by these reviews is a real mix of impressions. On one hand, several residents compliment the layout and architecture of the units themselves, noting that the design and physical feel of the spaces have potential and can be quite appealing. One reviewer begins with a candid acknowledgement: they liked the layout of the apartment they looked at, even though they admit it's "kinda rough." They suggest they can handle rough conditions if the rest of the living situation is workable. That sentiment runs through a thread of respondents who see the physical space as salvageable with the right attitude or tolerance for rough edges, even if it isn't turnkey luxury.

Long-term residents bring a different tone, emphasizing history and familiarity over pristine modernity. One person is blunt about their attachment to the place, expressing that they have lived there for six-plus years and even pleading for others to stop tagging it in places they've visited. This request hints at a broader fatigue with how the property is perceived or categorized in maps and listings, but it also signals the depth of attachment and routine that can come from a prolonged stay. For these residents, the address has become part of daily life, regardless of the occasional roughness.

Safety and crime are pervasive themes in several reviews, coloring the overall impression with a high-stakes undertone. Some reviewers are stark about the risks, with phrases that convey a sense of danger and instability. One reviewer's wry line - "Love it, if you enjoy shootings and stabbings on a regular basis" - reads as a bitter shorthand for chronic safety concerns rather than genuine affection. Others describe a neighborhood atmosphere where drugs and violence appear to be common enough to shape daily life, including multiple mentions of fighting on the streets, noise from neighbors, and a general sense of insecurity. There are even accounts of violent incidents right outside homes, including a cop being shot on the block and numerous shootings and robberies that left a lasting impression on residents who stayed through the years. Pest problems compound the distress, with one long-term resident noting a roach infestation tied to a hoarder upstairs, an issue that can be particularly maddening in a multi-unit building.

Personal history adds layers to the narrative, presenting a more nuanced, if unsettled, picture. A resident who says they've lived there for nine years paints a complicated portrait: on the main street, upstairs noise from fights, and a sense that law enforcement and safety fluctuated over time. The same account mentions an infestation problem traced to the upstairs neighbor's hoarding habits and describes moving to Abbott to escape some of the noise and disorder. They acknowledge the architecture as decent and the staff as a mixed bag - familiar enough to know everyone, yet it seems the staff did not enjoy running the place, which colors how residents experienced the management. The reviewer's overall takeaway is that the place was rough - yet, paradoxically, there were aspects they still found likeable or acceptable, indicating a "rough but with redeeming features" dynamic.

Perspective on safety has contradictions across the board. Another review notes, "It is not as safe as it was back in fall of 2002 when my mom and I first moved in," suggesting a decline over time and a memory of a safer past. Yet, there's also a defender's note: "Not a bad place to live I've been here almost 3 years," accompanied by a defense that the core problem is not the place itself but the kinds of people one ends up surrounding themselves with. The reviewer cites the issue of small apartments and suggests that two- or three-bedroom layouts could be more functional - pointing toward what they feel is a design mismatch rather than an inherent flaw in the building's safety.

Management and community dynamics emerge as a recurring concern. Several lines imply tension with the management and how information about residents is shared or discussed outside the premises. One reviewer bluntly warns, "If you don't want the office manager on Facebook talking about you. Then you should move somewhere else." That sentiment captures a sense of discomfort with the level of visibility and scrutiny that can come with living in a smaller, tightly connected community where staff knowledge of residents spills into social media or informal chatter. In contrast, another voice emphasizes a community aspect - arguing that West Village isn't inherently bad; rather, the problems stem from the people you choose to associate with. They acknowledge small apartment sizes but defend the idea that with different neighbors, the experience could be more positive.

Amid the mixed, often grim, anecdotes, there are occasional brighter notes. A few reviewers refer to the physical charm or "architectural" appeal as a redeeming feature that stood out even amidst the chaos. One reviewer simply states, "A great place to live," acknowledging that despite the chaos, there are moments or aspects that make it worthwhile. There are also practical, everyday details acknowledged in the reviews, such as Google Maps working without issue or the general accessibility of getting to the location, which can be meaningful for newcomers or visitors navigating the area.

Overall, the collection of reviews paints a complex portrait of a property that can feel like two places at once: a potentially comfortable, well-laid-out living space with decent architectural features and a long-standing community, and a neighborhood history characterized by noise, crime, pests, and a sense of instability that can overshadow the positives. The experiences vary widely depending on individual circumstances, tolerance for risk, who one ends up living near, and how much one values the layout and architecture versus the social and safety environment. For prospective residents, the message is clear: there are compelling positives to the units themselves, but the surrounding safety, management dynamics, and neighbor interactions require careful consideration and firsthand due diligence.

Restaurants

• Spring Buffet (0.6 miles)
• Maxie's Supper Club & Oyster Bar (0.7 miles)
• Chili's Grill & Bar (0.8 miles)
• Liquid State Brewing Company (0.8 miles)
• Wendy's (0.8 miles)
• Arby's (0.8 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (0.8 miles)

Pharmacies

• Wegmans (0.6 miles)
• Walgreens (0.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Apothekara (1.3 miles)
• Green Street Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Kinney Drugs (1.4 miles)

Physicians

• CNY Medical Professionals (0.7 miles)
• Kumar Manoj MD (0.7 miles)
• Cayuga Foot And Wound Care - Dennis Gould DPM (0.8 miles)
• Ithaca Dermatology (1.1 miles)
• Cayuga Dermatology (1.1 miles)
• Cayuga Family Medicine (1.1 miles)
• Family Medicine Associates (1.2 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (0.9 miles)
• Gimme Coffee (0.9 miles)
• Waffle Frolic (1.4 miles)
• Gimme Coffee (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Dolce Delight (2.1 miles)
• Allechant (3.2 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (0.9 miles)
• U-Haul Moving & Storage (0.9 miles)

Parks

• Conway Park (1.1 miles)
• Buttermilk Falls State Park (1.2 miles)
• Cass Park (1.3 miles)
• Dewitt Park (1.3 miles)
• F R Newman Arboretum Park (1.4 miles)
• Taughannock Falls Overlook (1.7 miles)
• Ithaca Dog Park (1.8 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemapolis (1.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Temple Beth-El (1.4 miles)
• St Paul's Methodist Church (1.5 miles)
• Tabernacle Baptist Church (1.7 miles)
• First Congregational Church (2.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Hammond Health Center (1.7 miles)
• Cayuga Medical Center Maternal Child Health Unit (2.5 miles)
• Cayuga Medical Center (2.5 miles)
• Cayuga Hospital (2.6 miles)