The Brightleaf Building

Isabella Anzures

My husband and I have lived here for almost 3 years and I would say like with most things in life there are pros and cons to this building. Pros: The apartments are stunning inside. We love the huge windows, hardwood floors, and high ceilings. Also in comparison with some of the other apartments in the downtown area you get more square feet for your money which is nice. We also love how the rent is all inclusive, made paying our bills incredibly easy. The location is great! We are about 5 minutes to downtown Norfolk and only a few streets over from what is arguably the cutest part of the city, Ghent. My husband and I rent the city scooters all the time to go out to eat or get some coffee (before COVID obviously). And lastly there is Victoria, our property manager. She’s really one of the main reasons why we have stayed for so long because if we have any questions or concerns she is always quick to help us solve whatever the issue is. Now cons: The biggest con we have is the noise. And I am not even talking about the noise coming from our location because you move into this building knowing you live next to a train, cola plant, and major roadway. The walls here are paper thin. We are lucky because we are on the top floor in a corner unit so we only share one wall but my God can we hear every little thing our one neighbor is doing. Phone conversations, movie nights, their seemingly nightly rave parties, and yes, even their intimate moments. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be socked in on the 2nd floor, I would probably loose my mind. Maintenance is another huge issue for us. If they can fix the issue the first time they respond to a request its great but if they have to wait for parts or replacements for something it can take WEEKS to get it done. So for example when we moved in and had no AC for almost 3 weeks or a broken washer for like 2+ weeks this past month it is very frustrating. I will say the maintenance staff is incredibly kind and respectful, so it’s not even the staff that is the issue because every guy that has come to the apartment has been great, it’s just the wait times for important repairs that is the problem. Also the windows don’t open which has upon occasion made me want to take a hammer to them for some fresh air when someone is smoking some illegal substance or cooking horrendous smelling food. Lastly, the crime. Now if you know anything about Norfolk its not really one of the safest cities in the area, so be aware of that. For us moving from a little town in Texas it was kind of terrifying to walk out in the morning and see car windows busted into and hearing the occasional gun shot from somewhere. But this really isn’t a management issue so much as a city wide issue so I can’t really fault them for something they can’t control. Just thought I would mention it because I would have liked to have known myself before picking this area. I do wish our management company had done more for our safety when the break ins were particularly bad in 2019 but for the most part the building itself feels safe and we personally haven’t had any issues as of yet. Overall we love living here and our apartment has become my little oasis in a city I don’t totally love. If you’re someone who isn’t to bothered by noise or the more charming aspects of a historical building you might really like it here! Oh one last thing, if you can check out your specific unit before your move in day. I am not sure if this happened to anyone else but when we arrived to our apartment after driving 2,000 miles straight from Texas it was filthy. Like turn the bottoms of your feet and palms of you hands black from the layer of dust/dirt covering every available surface. An easy fix with some good scrubbing but not super fun when you have no AC in the middle of June and you just drove thousands of miles and can’t even put your mattress down on the floor for a nap for fear it might get ruined.

Christopher Mooney

I’ve been here for about 3 weeks now. I was skeptical about moving here due to the reviews but was enticed by the high ceilings, exposed beams, and overall attractiveness of the apartments.. so I signed! I will say yes the halls smell like a certain smoke occasionally (you live in the city, it’s expected) The surrounding area is generally fine in my opinion and it’s very close to shops, restaurants, etc Could I see my car window getting smashed? Sure. Could I see that happening anywhere in the city? Absolutely.... The noise level is about what I expected given the thinner walls the “restored building” apartments everywhere have. I hear the train during the day a few times but I’ve never woken up at night (I also use an air filter for white noise) Overall, I love living here. It’s close to everything and the apartment is beautiful. I can’t speak to other people’s experience and I’ve only been here three weeks, but I don’t feel the apartment deserves the lower rating it has. I gave it a 5 just because of that. If I could rate without that in mind I would still give 4.5 stars.

Kandace Richards

I currently live in the Brightleaf Building and we are welcoming a new addition to our family. I come home everyday and think about how I have to strategically find the few larger parking spots so people don't add to the dings to my car I've acquired since I've moved here. Majority of the spaces are small and there not enough spaces or street parking. I'm worried my car will get broken into. They supposedly hired security, but I've seen the man once and never again. Everyday I think about how I can't open my window (so no fresh air) how there's no privacy in my apartment because I hear ALL my neighbors living normally all the time--above me the girl works out all hours of the day and night with zero consideration, to the right of me the girl blasts her music and talks on speaker all the time, to left of me dude just talks loud in general, there's a dogs across the hall that howls, you can hear people and dogs walking past your door talking, yelling, laughing. Someone has been sick for I swear months and I hear them coughing all the time. The insulation is pretty much non existent. Dogs poop everywhere, owners don't clean up and the trash is always overflowing, water leaks, rain leaks, etc. Feels like they just threw this place together. PROS: it's all inclusive, the aesthetic is dope and the location (not mentioning the train tracks or Coca Cola).

Madeline Harris

I want to say that I really like this building. Obviously with any apartment, you will have your issues. The walls are thin but mostly the neighbors are quiet. It isn't so bad that you can hear every little thing but it is normal noise. It's a dog friendly building, more than 50% of residents have dogs. It would be nice to have the grass in the parking lot in the back to be fenced off and add a bench, because everyone takes their dogs back there to run around. Adding that would just be nice security. Crystal is a great property manager. Seeing someone who has much passion for her work is nice. It is ALWAYS busy in her office, I let in a lot of prospects in to come tour. She takes inquiries and comments seriously and makes sure it has been followed through. Whether you are complaining or someone complained on you. She knows how to prioritize and make sure all is taken care of. I often see her past close, working. The parking could be better but without the room it is understandable. The towing company makes sure to see to the cars without a pass.