Riverbend on the Charles

Great property not to mention in an excellent location.. I am very impressed with the management team. Nicole and Alex are always very helpful and patient with my questions.. Rolando the new maintenance supervisor is the best Riverbend has ever had. They are all so friendly and Welcoming! I love living here and you will too!

I've been living here for about three years now, and I absolutely love it! The staff is always friendly, cooperative, and quick to assist whenever needed. Communication regarding updates and apartment-related matters has always been smooth and transparent.

The building itself is well-constructed, providing a quiet and comfortable living environment. The amenities are excellent, and the location is incredibly convenient—everything I need is just a short distance away.

I truly enjoy living... here and look forward to many more years in this wonderful community! Lee mas

ROTC is comprised of 2 buildings. One us way across the street diagonally. No amenities, sane rent. The parking area is very small and literally only partially covered....this makes no sense!!! With this high rent, and the winter weather here, you should have a covered garage! Also for personal safety & to protect car from thieves & vandalism. The carpet is covered with dog per --- I love dogs & it's what they do, but the management should CLEAN it. It is eerily quiet here. The location sucks.... Watertown is super depressing.....nothing at all in this town. I stopped around to a lot if places and you can do MUCH better elsewhere for the price! I wrote this so you don't waste your time. The gal who showed me around was very nice, but no. Just no. Lee mas

As Block A residents for 3 years (Riverbend has already come under the management of Berkshire Communities when we moved in), we love this apartment home. Property Manager Cole makes the stay easy for us from day one. Though, as the rental has been rising, it's fair to wonder about its values. Riverbend's strong points are compelling:

1) Fully-covered garage means never having to shovel; parking lots are assigned, they kept a lookout so adjacent vehicles' sizes fit well together
2) Healthy... trail Charles River Bike Path is literally at Block A's *doorstep*!
3) Gym machines w cable TV (busy ~7am and 7pm, great all other times)
4) Better feng shui than the apartment community near Farwell Road graveyard
5) Refreshingly restful compared to living downtown, or even by Watertown Square/Yard where there's a constant flow of traffic (Bonus: During day time in spring/summer, Blk A's courtyard sounds like a bird sanctuary - delightfully tranquil)
6) The 24x7 incoming-package lockers have been very assuring and easy to use!

Other conveniences:
7) The ONSITE maintenance team keeps getting better too - current team Jaime and Patrick are responsive, respectful of hygiene (they wear shoe covers when entering the apartment), and cleaned up all dirt/dust - impressively considerate

8) Easy access to Mass Pike. Short drive to 10 supermarkets. Walkable to 24hr CVS.

10) The pool and jacuzzi area (open form Memorial Day to Labor Day), has some 40 deck chairs and that's plenty; the firepit and two BBQ grills are open year round from 8am to 10pm

Some initiatives that may help:
*Water pressure: The showerhead's water-saving but time-consuming. Changing it (to a self-provided Kohler's Awaken 2.0gpm, ~$25) has been a great move from day one, and the maintenance team gladly helped.

*You may hear activities at the hallway, from adjacent units during summer when windows are open, and muted thumping from upstairs (hello happy but heavy dogs, shoes on uncarpeted floor). Curtains and rugs help keep it soft.

*A Maintenance Request or amicable conversation with the management may easily address areas for ongoing improvement. The Starbucks machine in the lobby is generously refilled now. Fresh new carpet has been installed in the lobby too.

At the end of the day, when you come home to the spectacular sunsets, the gorgeous river teeming with life, and strolling amidst all these, all are good indeed. Now, time to bake some cookies in that nice Whirlpool oven... Lee mas

The interior of the apartments themselves are nice, but as a whole, I think Riverbend is way overpriced (which is probably why there seems to be such a high resident turnover). There are several amenities (e.g., gym, pool, outdoor area, visitor parking), but they're not really sufficient for the community size. This is also not a good place to live if you don't like dogs - they're basically impossible to avoid as there are are a ton in the building and in the neighborhood.

Communications from... the management office could be better - some notifications are sent too late or don't contain helpful information. For example, we were notified that the fire alarm systems would be tested, but were NOT notified exactly what this would entails - the high-pitched, screeching alarms basically going off for hours (with short breaks). Lee mas