Griffis Belltown

My time at Griffis Belltown has been marred by ongoing issues that reflect poorly on the management's ability to maintain a livable environment. The recurring pest infestations, elevator outages, and prolonged closures of amenities like the gym, pool, and hot tub have significantly detracted from the overall living experience.

Despite efforts to communicate these concerns, the management has been unresponsive and failed to take adequate action. The recent removal of the yoga room, a major... selling point, without proper compensation or alternative facilities, further highlights their disregard for tenant satisfaction.

Additionally, safety concerns such as reported break-ins to storage units raise doubts about the property's security measures. Prospective renters should exercise caution and consider alternative options until these issues are effectively addressed.

There are so many other options in Belltown and Seattle, I'd recommend checking out newer communities that wouldn't have all the issues and lack of management action that this one does.

The elevator was down on 13 separate occasions during my two years there, and each occasion was days - not just a few hours. The pool was closed on 3 separate occasions, sometimes for weeks at a time. The exterminator told me he visits the property frequently due to silverfish infestations. The property was built on an old trash dump, the bugs have invaded over the years (according to him). Lee mas

I moved out as soon as my lease was up. I never leave reviews, but for this place I had to. There was construction for over a year when I lived here. The construction noise was really annoying throughout the day. Also, there is a serious silverfish infestation. For those of you fortunate enough to not know, let me fill you in. Silverfish are these gross little bugs that are difficult to find and kill, and some people are allergic, as I found out the hard way. There are also a fair number of... spiders and other bugs. The no smoking policy is never enforced, and the elevators break down all the time. Management is friendly, but don't expect too much from them. The view from the roof is great, but the handrails on the roof deck are unstable, which is a serious safety hazard. Within walking distance of a really nice park, but overall, so not worth the amount of money they charge. Lee mas

This complex was better under the old management (Berkshires). Since Griffis came in, they've been under construction for the better part of a year, so those "amenities" we're paying for are never available. They redid a perfectly functional pool deck in the middle of summer, so the pool was only open for a month. They have now decided that they don't like the work that was done on the pool deck so they're closing the hot tub (supposed to be open year round) for the foreseeable future- based on... how long its taken all the other projects to be completed, I doubt it will be open until summer of 2018 (and that's being generous). They started construction on BOTH clubhouses at the same time, and neither are finished, rendering both rooms unusable. Equipment in the fitness center is never functioning properly (exercise machines, A/C, water cooler- you name it). They have yet to finish the courtyard (construction on that began in March of 2017), which means that there is no longer a safe place to take your dog out after dark; Belltown is not the most secure area, which they are well aware of, since there have been multiple break-ins, and not 1 BUT
2 assaults on women within the "secure" building. They didn't even notify residents the first time an assault happened on the property; instead, we found out about it from news crews which were stationed outside to interview unwitting residents regarding the attack.
Now that we've found a safer and more secure location that we can be comfortable residing in, we are being penalized for breaking the lease. But what penalties can we impose on a negligent apartment complex that isn't living up to their end of the bargain? If you're looking for a place to live in Belltown, you're better off at one of the other hundreds of communities within the area- especially for the rates they're charging (get a brand new apartment with functioning amenities; you'll be happier). Lee mas

My apartment is like a little townhouse. The bedroom and laundry room are downstairs from the living room/kitchen/dining area. The bedroom is spacious and has a nice walk-in closet. I work nights, so the quiet atmosphere of the downstairs bedroom is very nice.

This complex has great amenities as well as excellent management service. I stayed here for 1 year and I had a wonderful experience. If you enjoy walking around downtown, it takes just a nice 5-10 minute walk to be at the market or enjoying the views from sculpture park. Although the complex is relatively larger for downtown, it is still easy to get around since the elevator is fast and the buildings are easy to navigate. The rooftop has a limited, but beautiful view and has a decent amount of... activity during the summer. This place is also great due to the pool which is mildly used and not overcrowded. The building is relatively older than others nearby, but that it's not old enough to have any structural complications etc. There are many dog owners at this property and although the management tries very hard to keep it clean, there are parts of the property that make this fact abundantly clear. The walls are also thin and the demographic is mixed in age so not the place for blaring the music. All that being said, the day to day experience here is pleasant and if I were to move back to downtown Seattle, this would be my residence. Lee mas