Garrison Square

Absolutely do not move here. Garrison Square markets itself as “luxury,” but that label is laughable. There is nothing luxury about this place—except the price. They clearly rely on the location alone to justify charging absurd rents, because the actual experience doesn’t come close to matching the cost. The so-called concierge is completely useless. They don’t help residents, don’t solve problems, and mostly just make the lobby smell like weed. If you’re expecting any level of professionalism or service, lower your expectations immediately. Resident services is another disaster. Joshua Brandao and Jennifer Rose-Minihan are consistently rude and impolite, and their communication consists almost entirely of condescending, useless emails that solve nothing. Any actual issue you raise is met with bureaucracy, attitude, or silence. Charging $125 per month for a pet is not “pet-friendly” in any universe. It’s openly anti-pet and feels like a punishment for owning an animal rather than an accommodation. Inside the units, everything is cheap. Appliances, fixtures, finishes—things break constantly, and management rarely tells you when (or if) they’ll be fixed. Maintenance is slow, opaque, and frustrating, especially considering how much you’re paying to live here. There’s also absolutely no sense of community. This place feels transactional, cold, and indifferent to the people who live here. In short: overpriced, poorly managed, unfriendly, and misleadingly branded. Do not move here

Amazing service! Anytime I need help in the apartment, whether it’s replacing a door handle or fixing something in the sink—they are always quick and proactive. Ailton came by today and made a few adjustments, and he was fantastic: very kind, professional, and extremely helpful. This is such a great place to live, especially because you can always count on the support and service provided for residents!

I have lived here for years and absolutely love it. I just recently had some maintenance work done in my unit and Ailton was quick to respond and was knowledgeable as well as clearly communicating what would need to be done. The maintenance team here is top notch!

I have lived at Garrison for over 4 yrs with excellent service from site mgmt & maintenance (Joshua, Henry & Ailton), an accommodating Concierge staff, and an environment that is clean and well cared for. The grounds are particularly attractive this season because of the new landscaper, and compliments to the caretakers for their daily diligence. Overall, a very, very good experience.

The staff here are all very helpful and friendly. The grounds are well-kept and the complex has a cozy, welcoming feel. Special shoutout to Ailton from maintenance — he’s efficient, kind, and always follows up to make sure the job’s done right.

Ailton and Joshua were amazing help! The AC was broken and they came first thing in the morning to come fix it. They also provided and window unit for the time being to help with the temperature in the summer months. And it was fixed by the early afternoon. Really great help and super nice!

Booked an appointment online for a showing and was told us there weren’t even units available. The person there blamed it on an AI system and wasn’t even remotely apologetic our wasted time. Luckily we lived nearby, but be weary if you are taking out time for

The maintenance team, Hilton and Joshua, are awesome. Responsive, friendly and they get the job done effectively.

I am a realtor with Coldwell Banker and deal with many relocation clients and have to arrange tours for them often at short notice. I recently accompanied a client to Garrison Square Community , We were nearly an hour early for our pre arranged appointment on a Saturday morning and were greeted by the leasing consultant, Kevin Owens. Kevin promptly made us feel comfortable and soon introduced my client to the concierge and patiently showing the common spaces, the roof deck and a few of the available rooms which were readily available to show .. Even though on this occasion my client didn't choose Garrison Square, she decided the location was not as ideal for her work commute as some of the alternatives available. Should I have anyone else interested in the Back Bay Area I will not hesitate to give Kevin a call to arrange the showing. Not only was he a friendly face but he was very professional and knowledgeable . Well done Kevin and keep up the great work!Garrison Square have an invaluable asset with you working there and representing them. Thank You

Poor management, feels like a hotel with people moving in and out. Very impersonal. Thin walls, little sense of community. Landlord keeps coming into the apartment for various checks.

The complex is beautiful, well maintained and in a great area. It's close to both the green and orange lines and everyone there is super friendly. The maintenance staff, concierges and especially the property manager are attentive and very helpful. I loved it and recommend it without hesitation!

Terrible Customer Service. They hired some Artificial intelligence company to book their tours for them because they're too cheap to hire a human being because they don't care about their customers. I wouldn't ever want to live here. These people are too greedy.

I'm a current resident, name changed for privacy. TL;DR don't rent here. The only elevator in one of the buildings on this property has been broken for over 4 months and there haven't been any accommodations or concessions to renters. Also, most of the people here seem to be undergraduates, so there are frequent parties on the weekends, in addition to dogs barking. Although it's a smaller issue, there also aren't trash chutes, which becomes a bigger issue when you don't have an elevator. To be very clear, this isn't a luxury building: the management company is taking advantage of a good location and a public park/playground/dog park nearby to charge prices that are way overpriced for the quality of the building and services. To end on a positive note, the on-site property manager Joshua is very nice and responsive but UDR (the national management company) doesn't seem to care about the people who live in their buildings. Don't trust the 5 star reviews, don't be tempted by the one-month discount, and look elsewhere.

The customer service provided by Jacob was exceptional! He was very kind to my family and I who were visiting my cousin for her wedding over the weekend. He coordinated key-up because my cousin wasn't available to let us in her unit. Jacob was the most friendly, genuine & caring concierge that I have come across and I really appreciate his compassion for others. Thank you again for welcoming my family & I :) Garrison Square, I hope you really appreciate Jacob because he really is a great asset to your company!

Management is quick to reprimand, but will not easily, if ever, accept responsibility. As tenants, it feels disregarding. And one realizes that it's a big company and we are very small. It's unfortunate.

Very unfair treatment of residents, citing "fair housing laws" not as a way to help residents, but in order to get as much money out of you as possible. Be wary of anything you sign with them.

Don't just walk away from this building, RUN. We lived at Garrison Square for 2.5 years. I never write reviews but feel it's necessary to put the truth out about this building to help others from making the mistake of living here. If you are considering residence at GS please inform yourself as living here will negatively affect your quality of life due to the manner in which UDR and the management office have chosen to operate these buildings. 1) UDR is abusing the system of short term rentals that is currently unregulated in Boston 2) GS is run like a creepy makeshift Airbnb hotel instead of a residential apartment building +They do not disclose this and they will lie to your face about it + Do a search, you will find GS advertised on Expedia, Kayak, Stay Alfred, etc. People are able to book apartments (might be next door, on your floor, or in your building) for as short a stay as 1 night. + They keep padlocks on the #30 building gates for "hotel guests" to gain access. Doesn't that just scream "luxury building"?! + There are multiple buildings, the #30 buildings, the #40, the #50, and the #56 building. DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER living in the #30 buildings as most of the temporary units are housed there. 3) For the amount of rent they charge, the amenities, upkeep of the property, and the management office is a complete joke. I wouldn't even consider this a "full service building" 4) There have been many incidents with "hotel guests" coming to stay here to party and packing apartments with people, noise violations, police having to come, etc... There is a serious issue of safety and security here. I have brought this up many times with management. 5) The management will respond when there are problems but they are not proactive. They are lazy and do not like to leave their office. +They will also lie to your face. I can personally say this happened to me more than once regarding the temporary stay units 6) You will live surrounded by confused tourists asking where they check in, where the trash goes, etc. Their suitcases will crowd the lobby, they will crowd the lobby, the courtyard and the rooftop and it makes for a terrible quality of life in your apartment building 7) There is no gym 8) There are no trash chutes - you have to lug your trash down to the trash room in a far corner of the garage 9) You have to collect your own packages from an asinine locker system in a room in the garage. This room isn't even nicely maintained. The concrete floor is crumbling and falling apart 10) The concierge isn't 24/7 and is constantly being pulled away by the temporary guests. GS should have a separate 24/7 concierge dedicated to the temporary stay guests so actual residents have a concierge available to them 11) GS doesn't have a grasp on who is coming to stay on property. I once encountered a mother and her three children being evicted from a temporary stay apartment in the #30 building. She said they had come to stay from a homeless shelter and were told without warning they had to get out immediately. Living in a city can be stressful enough, who wants to overpay to live in a fake "luxury" building surrounded by confused tourists, their garbage, their rudeness and a management office that refuses to take the time and make the necessary financial investments that they could to help improve the quality of life of their residents. With so many new developments in the area, I don't know why current residents put up with how deeply SUBPAR this building and the management of it is. Many residents don't pay full price here because they know it's such a terrible product they will negotiate rent. We moved into the #30 building in April 2016 and nothing was disclosed to us about the temporary units we would be surrounded by. We renewed there after being lied to about moving the temporary units out and consolidating them elsewhere. Shortly after, they turned the unit next-door to ours into a Stay Alfred (without notifying us). We threatened to cancel our lease and they moved us to the #40 building. The problems kept happening. 2 units near ours had such filth their stench crept into hallways constantly. Management took over 10 months to fix the issue, fining one and transferring the other to #56 to become someone else's problem. Shame on UDR for running a building in such a beautiful neighborhood in Boston this way. Neighbors notice. They see the padlocks on the gate, they hear the constant rolling of suitcases. I was under the impression there was a housing shortage in Boston. Why can't you fill these apartments with real residents? UDR can't have it both ways. If you want to keep renting units to companies who allow short term rentals, you need to invest and put operations into place to improve the safety and quality of life of your real residents.

We have lived here for about a year now, and it has been one of the best experiences we have had in the city of Boston so far. From the office staff to the maintenance, they all have been above reproach. Trever in the main office has been an extreme delight to work with.

Impressed. We landed here a couple of weeks ago and have been pleasantly surprised with how accommodating the staff at Garrison Square is. The minor items we needed repaired were quickly fixed with no fuss; the move was well coordinated and, well, as painless as a move can be. Gabriella, Terrance, Josue, and the entire team we have worked with here have consistently done all they can to make moving to, and living at Garrioson Square a joy.

Location location location. That's the primary selling point of Garrison Square. The property is located right on the border of South End and Back Bay, two of the most vibrant and sought after neighborhoods in the city. The location puts you within easy walking distance of the best that Boston has to offer. Of course, you pay for the convenience. Garrison Square charges some of the highest rents in the city... high even for pricey Back Bay. So, what do you get for your money besides location? Garrison Square is small scale, charming, and beautiful. It is a good compromise if you want the character of a brownstone with the updates and services of an apartment complex. There are two beautifully landscaped and maintained courtyards and a very nice roof deck with a grill. The units have lots of amenities that are hard to find in Boston, including central air conditioning, in-unit washer/dryers, and wood-burning fireplaces. All of the apartments have just been renovated with contemporary colors and finishes. Every apartment has a unique floor plan, many with balconies or patios. The property is very pet friendly, and there is a great dog park behind the building. There are, however, significant concerns. Garrison Square is an older property, and even with renovations it doesn't compete with other luxury communities in terms of amenities. There is no community room, no business center, and no pool. A fitness center is currently under construction. There is no overnight concierge service. Common areas will soon be renovated, but at present they are shabby and poorly maintained. Overall, the property doesn't have the premium feel that the astronomical rents would suggest. I enjoy living here, but I do question whether I am getting sufficient value for my money. There are a number of newly constructed luxury apartment complexes in the city that offer state-of-the-art amenities and a more premium feel for less money. But for location and charm, Garrison Square can't be beat.

Just left Garrison; it's time to get to a full-time place to call home so we are leaving with mixed feelings. The staff took care of us till the end. We are especially appreciative that Trevor came in on his day off to let our cleaner do her last clean. If you are wondering if this is the place for you; go visit. We hope you love it..

AVOID STAY ALFRED I booked a Stay Alfred rental for one night in the Garrison Square apartments. When I arrived that night the air conditioning didn't work and the temperature in the apartment was 81 degrees. After speaking with Customer Service for 30 minutes, they said all they were willing to do for me was to let me check out and find alternate accommodation on my own, at 9:30 at night. Stay Alfred bills themselves as an alternative to hotels and corporate housing and they've made no arrangements for contingencies like this - having backup apartments to move people in my situation to, relationships with hotels, etc. All of these would be easy to put in place but Stay Alfred chooses not to invest in such alternatives. They literally threw me out on the street at 9:30 at night and told me good luck. Do yourself a favor and use Sonder or stay in a hotel.

We lived in this building (St. Botolph building) for more than two years. We will not be renewing. If you're considering a professionally managed community in the area, I would suggest you look elsewhere. There are many newer, more amenitized, competitively priced communities now in the South End, Back Bay, Downtown Crossing, Fenway, and elsewhere nearby. First, the good news. I generally like the site staff. Ryan has always been responsive to our needs and in one particular occasion went above and beyond and saved my vacation (FedEx'd my passport). Maintenance is pretty good though they often come outside of the hours specifically requested, which can be difficult if a baby is napping. Concierge, Jacob and Rachel, is always friendly and helpful. Now, to the reasons why we moved and why I do not recommend this community to friends and colleagues who ask my advice. When we moved in, we had a one year old. While we live on the first floor, it's a half level up so the only way to bring a stroller in was to use the handicap elevator. For more than a year, the elevator worked only occasionally. Ryan seemed to work diligently to try to get it fixed, and from what I understand there were permitting issues, but this was a major inconvenience and at times a danger (my son almost stepped into the elevator with an open shaft because the locking function didn't work). Next, in 2015, the building invited residents to attend a meeting for plans for an amenity space nearby for residents. Besides concierge and a package locker system, Garrison Square has no amenities (fitness center, pool, community room, etc). These plans were scrapped and besides hallway upgrades, no amenities have been added or will be anytime soon. When we left in 2018, the elevator still wasn't fixed. Finally, occasionally, I play with my kid in the hallway. We roll a soccer ball, "fly," etc. Always supervised, we're careful not to be too loud, and we stay away from the elevator or residents as they walk in. Of course, there are exceptions. Recently, one resident told me to my face "these hallways are not meant for kids." Mind you, it was below freezing and icy outside. I let it go. Two days later, the community issued this email: "It has come to our attention that children are being allowed to play with toys in the common hallways of the building. The common hallways of the building can not be used as a play area at anytime. This is a safety issue and a disturbance to neighbors. Please ensure children are playing within the apartment home or outside of the building." Needless to say, this community is not meant for young families. There are other small issues, like the fact that our unit was quite dated, but the main ones center around the obsolescence of the building, lack of amenities, and nonexistent support for young families (several other families have voiced similar experiences).

The Garrison Square Apartment complex has an excellent location, bordering on Back Bay and the South End. It's an easy walk to restaurants, mass transportation (Green, Orange, & Commuter lines), groceries, Symphony Hall, and the Boston Public Library. The apartments have interesting and diverse floor plans, most with wood-burning fireplaces and small balconies or patios. Although Garrison Square touts itself as a "luxury" apartment, it is not! Nonetheless, there is a lot of potential here to make this a true luxury complex, but at present, it lacks much of the ongoing maintenance, amenities, and cleanliness of a luxury community. While Garrison does charge the rental fees of a "luxury" facility, the overall environment, services, communications and management are just average...not luxury! The trash room is often over-flowing and unpleasant. There are a minimal number of recycling bins, and those too are often overflowing (that is, if you can get into the trash room to get to them). The underground garage is crammed with small parking spaces, occupied by large SUVs parked down there. Garrison should be less greedy and make the spaces a bit larger, which could probably be accomplished by just eliminating one space in each row. The staff members at the concierge desk are friendly, but the services provided are not those of what you'd receive in a luxury building, and there is not 24x7 concierge coverage. When present, the concierges spend most of their time moving and storing the volumes of packages delivered into the small lobby by UPS, FedEx, etc. The concierge desk is often unoccupied while they work in the basement to store the packages. To give the impression of having a "coffee bar" at Garrison, a coffee machine ($1/cup) was installed in the small lobby. It is often broken and rarely used, except by the short-term guests who stay at Garrison, as there are several apartments which are rented out on a night-by-night basis. These short-term visitors can be noisy as they come and go during late hours, as they are often there on vacation, while the "real" residents of Garrison are attempting to get some sleep before going to work the next morning. The security of the facility is rather weak, but there has been some progress on upgrading the locks and surveillance of the buildings (which was promised over a year ago, but work just recently began on this). Information is gathered, and a credit check is preformed on residents prior to moving in, but the short-term guests come and go freely, without signing in or registering with a photo ID, as would be conducted in a hotel. Seems like a bit of a gap in ensuring a safe environment at Garrison Square, especially since there is no concierge on duty late at night. Garrison Square often gives the impression of being managed with a small budget, as simple services (such as cleaning the lobby daily) are not part of the routine. They also need to decide if they want to be a hotel or an apartment community. Currently, they are trying to be both, and it just isn't working. For the money, there are better (and newer) rental options in Boston.

My partner and I have lived at Garrison Square for close to 3 years now. We recently came up on our lease renewal and happily signed on for another year. We just couldn't see leaving this location for many reasons. First of all, the staff as a whole are just fantastic! The leasing team Ryan, Gabby and Sarah are beyond professional and handle anything you may need to be comfortable. They always go above and beyond and we have never been disappointed .The maintenance/service team, are super reliable and handle all repairs quickly. A very friendly and helpful team day in and day out! Great apartment with hardwood floors, modern kitchen, fireplace, washer/dryer, central heat & air, parking garage, concierge, a nice roof deck and package service!!! We love our apartment! Our dog is equally happy to call Garrison Square his home too! Super pet friendly community! All around this is a fantastic place to live!!

I've lived at Garrison Square for over two years and love it. The management is great and always helpful. It's in a great location and close by to everything. I would recommend it to anyone!

I lived at Garrison Square for six WONDERFUL years before begrudgingly moving to the city after my daughter was born. I cannot overemphasize how unbelievably fantastic this residence is as an apartment community within the city of Boston. Having lived in other areas of downtown Boston prior to moving to Garrison Square, I can honestly attest to its sense of family living and community. Every maintenance manager, concierge and leasing agent knows your name from day one and never forgets it. The staff never hesitates to meet your every expectation of luxury living and will bend over backwards to accommodate your personal needs. I always felt safe and comfortable in my apartment, and was delighted by the roof deck and parking amenities! And I suppose it goes without saying that Garrison Square is unrivaled in its proximity to the T, Prudential building, Back Bay shopping, and even a supermarket. The location is one in a million and far surpasses neighboring properties such as the Avalon and Greenhouse apartments in terms of quality and price. I was engaged, married, and brought home a newborn in my apartment. I considered Garrison Square to be my home and was heartbroken to leave once my family's needs outgrew our space. If you are even slightly considering luxury apartment living in Boston, LOOK NO FURTHER. Garrison Square is the absolute best of the best, and I cannot wait to visit and ultimately look forward to moving back once my babies are grown! Thank you so much for making Boston my home. I have nothing but praise for Garrison Square and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find a true community and home in the city of Boston.

I love Garrison Square! I lived there for almost three years and can't say enough good things about it.

I love Garrison Square Apartments! The location is perfect and Ryan and Sarah are so friendly and helpful. I love being so close to Prudential Center and Newbury Street without feeling like I'm in the middle of the fast pace of the city. My apartment is a retreat from the hustle and bustle but it's right there if I want to enjoy it. You will not be disappointed with Garrison Square or the staff, Top Notch!

In the spring I had to move to Boston on a temporary work assignment. Finding a place for my wife, kiddo, and dog that would allow short-term rentals was a challenge. In the middle of the epic snow storm, I stopped in to Garrison Square and met Ryan, who dropped what he was doing and took me on a tour of multiple units. He also provided me great information on the best places to rent furniture for my short stay. We've been living at Garrison Square since April, and it has been so amazing. Our toddler is in love with all of the parks and playgrounds nearby. And our patio has been great for enjoying the hot summer days. The staff is super friendly and helpful, and the location cannot be beat. When my work assignment in Boston is over, I'm going to miss Garrison Square!

Have lived in two different apartments in this community for nearly 4 years and could not have been happier. It is the perfect location in Boston--beautiful tree lined streets right between Boston's best neighborhoods, the South End and Back Bay. Classic Boston style with modern amenities. Leasing office staff of Ryan and Gabby both very friendly and accessible, and the maintenance staff ensures that any issues are promptly resolved. Cannot imagine wanting to live in any other rental community in Boston.

I have been a resident at Garrison Square for over a year now, and I plan on renewing my lease. I love the location, the peaceful courtyard and my apartment. The office staff Gabriella & Ryan are friendly and helpful. Concierge, especially Jacob goes above and beyond for any requests we may have. It's a nice place to call home.

I would have given 0 stars, but that's not an option. I am moving to Boston and a real estate agent took me to Garrison Square to show me what was available for rental in the neighborhood I was interested in. The young woman who received us requested my email address. Giving her a valid address was the worst thing I ever did. These people have harassed me nonstop. I have "unsubscribed" from every email they sent me, but they only seem to take that as an invitation to send 10 more. They called my office and left messages, and even when I got a personal email response telling me they would remove me from their contact list, this turned out to be a lie! Still more emails! Even after I told them that I have purchased a home, and therefore have zero interest in any products they offer, they continue to harass me. Clearly any place that requires such hard-sell tactics has issues. And by the way, the apartment they showed me was gross, and for $4K/month - seriously? A trailer would be preferable.

My husband and I lived here this past year, and couldn't have been more excited to leave. The friendliness of (most) of the staff and the location in the South End/Back Bay were the only redeeming qualities of this building. We were NOT told before moving in that many apartments are set aside as short-term AirBnB-type rentals, otherwise we would not have chosen to live there. These short-term rentals were often used for noisy parties. We were woken up at 2 or 3AM every weekend (and sometimes during the week) by drunken people stumbling in the courtyard, shouting, and loud music. Furthermore, people were always coming in and out with suitcases, loitering by the gates while they tried to figure out how to get into the building, and smoking in the courtyard which is not allowed. When we complained to the leasing office, the staff there said that a concierge was on duty until midnight each evening (but rarely did anything if there was noise), and that if we heard noise later than that in the evening, we should call the cops. They couldn't have cared less. Considering the premium rents they charge to live here, it is definitely NOT worth it.

I only give an OK review because of the following explanations. I agree with the other reviewers about the apartment amenities and its close proximity to a lot of conveniences: Back Bay Station, Prudential Plaza, Newbury Street, etc. However, please be aware of where you are staying in this apartment. The floors are hardwood. I am on the 3rd floor and my back window is facing straight to the dog playground so don't be surprised if you hear dogs barking at 6.30am. I also have an upstairs neighbor on the 4th floor who likes to stomp his feet while walking and thus I could hear his every steps. If you are planning to stay here, please choose the 4th floor apartments, and far away from the dog playground!

Garrison Square is an oasis in the city. There are few better locations in Boston. The staff is attentive and competent. The community offers something for everyone whether that be food, fun or quiet in the city. A water heater erupted in my apartment and within 3 hrs on a Saturday morning a new heater was installed. I have lived in many communities and owned my own properties, it does not get better than that!!

My boyfriend and I have been living at Garrison Square since January, and we both absolutely love it. The residences perfectly balance luxury and amenities while still having a homey feel. Our apartment is lovely. The floors are amazing hard wood, and our kitchen looks like something out of a magazine. But the best part of the apartment- our huge private patio! It's definitely gotten a lot of use this summer, and it's just perfect for our dogs to play. We have been so impressed with the level of customer service here at Garrison. Service is prompt, friendly, and over-all top notch! We've had a few maintenance requests, and they were addressed straight away. Our packages and dry-cleaning are delivered to the concierge, which is a fantastic perk. The only thing I am not in love with at Garrison are the electric bills in the winter. Heat is included, but the electricity required to pump the heat still runs a few hundred dollars a month. They installed a Nest in our apartment, so hopefully the electric bills will be lower this year!