Grand Venetian At Las Colinas

DO NOT MOVE HERE!!! If it was possible to give ZERO stars I would.
Let’s see where to begin… HA!
*The day I moved in paint was chipping off my walls, my tub was yellow and the manager came up there and was trying to scrub the residue off herself. My patio was covered in dirt, the microwave was cracked, the walls had cracks in them. I was unhappy from day 1.
*This place is going downhill really fast it «looks» nice but it’s a complete shithole.
*I didn’t have a working oven for almost 3 years. Put in probably close to 10 maintenance requests. NEVER GOT FIXED.
*I had a refrigerator that would leak water down the kitchen floor. I had to put in 4 maintenance requests and go into the office and literally yell about it before they got me a new fridge.
*My AC went out not once but twice they waited 2 days to even come look at it.
*The rent statements are always messed up you have to go in there and have it fixed.
*The gate which is supposed to be closed to keep the community safe is ALWAYS broken and wide open for whoever to come in and mess with vehicles.
*There are wasp nests on a lot of the balconies I put in several requests for them to spray they never did. Prepare for your dog to get stung!
*The parking situation is HORRIBLE. There is absolutely no guest parking. I had to pay for an extra spot just for when I wanted to have a friend over.
*They raised my rent every year I lived there at least $ 50-​$ 70+.
*The leasing staff NEVER calls or emails you back. The blonde girl that works in there (not the manager) is probably the rudest woman I’ve ever talked too. The manager is actually really nice but won’t do anything to help you in the long run.
*I had professional carpet cleaners, painters, and house cleaners come fix everything when I moved out. My apartment was SPOTLESS. It looked better than when I moved in and they still kept my $ 400 deposit AND sent me a bill for $ 260 for «damages» I told the leasing manager this was a joke and would see them in small claims court.
WORST PLACE I HAVE EVER LIVED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

This is a follow up after all the frustration …
There are n number of reasons why I hated this place. First of all, the management sucks, no one knows how to handle the residents, get a etiquette class guys, seriously. I lived here for almost 2 and a half years, I did go through a break in in between. You know what the management said when we wanted to move out, we couldn’t terminate and move without the termination fee, I should have got these guys to lawsuit, my bad. Despite of all this mess, I continued my lease again and went through all sorts of maintenance problems (refrigerator totally stopped working and didn’t replace it for two days, water leakage in the closet but we were charged with the fee for that, stove didn’t work for so many days). The reason that we wanted to move to this place was because of the pool but no sort of maintenance lately, so dirty and filthy. Anyways I did move out now and happy I did it. I wouldn’t recommend this crap to anyone whatsoever… I want to give a zero, but there’s no option …

Worst management I’ve ever witnessed. The leasing office makes an abundance of mistakes on rent, water, parking, etc. I’ve consistently had to come to correct them on errors. Not to mention every time you come in they are fixing other residents issues. They don’t value the tenants and I could not be happier to leave this place!

Coming to the end of my time here at Grand Venetian. I can’t say that I will miss here.
The parking situation is the worst that I have seen at 5 different apartments since I moved to Irving in 1999.
The management is peculiar about fixing something that is UGLY. They will explain to you that it is cosmetic your problem. So I didn’t trust them from the beginning, so just make sure you still file a gripe and keep your documentation for future reference, if you don’t want to experience how the definition of cosmetic changes from when you just arrived to when you are trying to get your lease money back.
Someone should train staff members that how you treat someone is the most important part of customer relations.
Just Yesterday was beating. An employee needed to correct me on something MINOR (and in front of the rest of the staff no less too), but this employee was hopped up, bitter and antagonistic. I let it go then, but in over a year they have never had to bring anything to my attention before, So I was a little surprised with the bad attitude.
So be ready for the Dr Heckle and Mr Hyde treatment here.

I’ll give it 2 stars because the property grounds are well and I really like the floor plans but that’s about it. The complex is super old and dated. Even with some of the updated units. They are VERY over priced for what you get and the parking situation is a nightmare unless you have a garage or reserved spot so you can kiss having company over goodbye. Security is also a concern because the gate is open 90% of the time. There are a ton of options in Las Colinas for around the same price or better and they are newer properties.

Oh, what difference a year makes. I am currently very unhappy with Grand Venetian at Las Colinas. Last year, the rent increase was $ 37.00, which was manageable. It is expected that in any apartment you rent, the rent will increase every year. However, this year the rent increase is $ 118.00! I am beyond flabbergasted and disgusted by this ridiculous increase. What excuse did the leasing office use to justify this rent increase, you ask? «Market.» That is bullshit. I find it very hard to believe that in just the span of a year, the rent increase went up 300%. I have lived in several apartments in the last ten years and never have I seen a rent increase this high or even close to it. This is just straight up a shady and greedy practice by the property owners, Morguard.
Also, the parking situation still sucks. You are practically forced to pay for a guaranteed parking space ($ 25.00 for a covered space /​$ 75.00 for a detached garage /​$ 100.00 for a full garage). If you are one of those people that work odd hours or just go out at night for dinner, good luck finding a spot after 10:00 p.m. You’ll most likely have to park in Starbucks across the street.
The trash valet charge of $ 21.00 (plus some other $ 8.00 fee I have no fucking idea for what exactly) is forced on you. This service (yeah, if I can really call it that) is only provided five days a week. They do not come on Fridays and Saturdays which are obviously the heaviest days for trash, so what does that mean? An overfilled and very stinky dumpster. Morguard supposedly wants to improve the aesthetic of the outside but do nothing about the fact that the trash overflows and stinks like dead fish over the weekend. Remember, this trash valet is forced on you for $ 21.00 a month and they don’t even have the decency to come 7 days a week. Oh, and some days they don’t pick up your trash at all but that’s another paragraph.
The only reason I am giving Grand Venetian two stars is for the area and the community itself. It is a safe area with all your favorite grocery stores and restaurants within walking distance or a short driving distance. The community is quiet. I like that I could take a nap in the middle of the day without worrying about our neighbors playing loud music or working on their motorcycle.

Grand Venetian is a quiet, family friendly apartment community. Office personnel are always pleasant and helpful. My wife and I live in a ¹⁄₁ and are happy with the space. The design is spot on too with the built-​in book shelves and computer desk.
There are unavoidable charges tacked on to the monthly rent, one of them being $ 21/​month for trash valet. Having been used to taking out my own trash, the idea was foreign to me. I’ve come to like it, though.
My only gripe is with the parking situation. Covered parking and garages are reserved and cost $ 25/​month for a covered spot. Garages are $ 75 or $ 100 — I’m not too sure. There are also unmarked spaces which are free. These latter are limited in number relative to the amount of residents/​vehicles in the community. Generally speaking, if you’re not home by 21:00 at the very latest, you’re out of luck on finding parking. In a way, residents are forced to get some form of covered parking.

I’ve only lived here for about 6 months, and I hate it.
The leasing office has TERRIBLE hours. If you work a regular 9 – 5 job, GOOD luck getting a package if its been left there by the mailman. You’d have to either swing by during lunch or hurry home in rush hour to make it before their ridiculous 6pm door closure. If there’s still employees in the office a few minutes after 6? «Sorry, we’re closed. Try again tomorrow.»
The maintenance staff is just as rude. More than once I’ve been home and they come in without knocking. I get letters at my door *frequently* saying they’ll be in the next day (usually less than 24 hours later) to do some sort of inspection. I lived in my previous apartment for 2 years and never had so many «inspections» as I’ve had in the past 6 months here. Once I was notified they’d be in to check the air filters for the AC. They came in without knocking, quickly walked around the apartment going in every room and entered the laundry room (which has no air vents), and never removed or inspected any filters. Not sure what it is they are looking for.
As mentioned before in other comments, the parking situation is terrible. They wasted too much space building detached garages that there is virtually no public parking. If I have friends over, I have them park in the parking lot down the street in front of Taco Diner, and then I swing by and pick them up. Incredibly inconvenient for friend/​family get-​togethers.
The pool is their best feature, apart from the ugly orange-​yellow structure that I used to drive by and wonder what the heck it was. Nitpicking now, with such a complex pool design, there is space to have put a hot tub in. Seems like most apartment complexes in Las Colinas have at least one hot tub. I was disappointed when I was told by the office staff that there was not one here.
Overall, I would not recommend living here at all. I’ve noticed most positive reviews on this place are merely comparisons to how bad their old living situation was. Lesser of two evils? Las Colinas in general is an expensive place to live in, but there are other apartment complexes that will give you more bang for your buck, and more respect and privacy in your own apartment.

Pros
Prime location
Great apartments, very good wall insulations.
Nice shaded parking.
Safe and secure they have cops patrolling the community at night.
Online payment option is very convenient
Cons
When i moved in the community somewhere in august 2012 staff was really great and helpful
Management Staff was changed and it is worst staff ever, they are rude, attitude problem, not at all reactive if you have some problem wait for months to get the resolution. Worst service ever!!! If they answer the call in the first go you are lucky. If office hours are till 6:00 they would close the doors by 5:30 they wont allow you to get in the office even to get your mails… happened with me twice.
Not enough guest parking
Definitely lots of pros over some cons but if you happened to interact with the management staff have zero expectations… even greetings with a smile on face is s a bit of high expectation.
But i loved the apartment quality and location…

worst management i have ever seen. leasing office guys are so rude and have attitude problems. If you ask them for information or help with something they make you sit for 1 hour and tell you that they can’t do anything. They totally waste your time and test your patience. Atleast one maintenance request is needed every month. The gym is never clean and smells, don’t even get me started on how bad the laundry room smells. They never quote the right rents, each says different prices and availability of apts. i have had a bad experience!
1. for the same price range i will get a much more spacious apartment.
2. finding a parking spot after 8 pm is difficult.

I just moved here, and was scared after seeing some negative stuff online about this place, but let me assure you, this place is great!
There were two big concerns I had about this place that I read about online: slow internet and parking.
-
This apartment complex had Time Warner cable installed last year as a
another option (I forget what the original one was that everyone hated so much). I signed up for Time Warner, and while it took forever to finally get installed, it’s fine — plenty fast and works great. No issues at all. I also notice a bunch of people have dish service, and I’m not a fan of the ugly dish hanging off your deck, but whatever.
-
Parking: They said parking was a pain and I can definitely see that. But, for just a little more per month, you can get a reserved covered spot. Or, like I do, you can pay a little more and get a garage. Most garage spaces have a car-​length spot in front of them, so if someone comes over, they can always park there. I don’t know anyone here yet so it’s not like I have visitors so to me parking is not a deal-​breaker.
—
You get a lot for your money. Believe me, I looked all around this area, and when I first saw this place, it immediately blew me away. The design of the units, the fact that it was a gated community, had a really nice gym and a cool pool area (beach volleyball??!) — all of this impressed me. The apartments themselves have some character — they aren’t your cookie-​cutter boxed in units. There’s some angles to the rooms — some curved archways, built-​in shelves. Stuff like that. Now, the quality of my plumbing hardware and kitchen cabinets are very low-​key apartment stuff, but, you can also pay extra for a top-​notch apartment.
One thing I liked is that you are allowed to PAINT your walls! As long as you prime them before you move out, they let you do that! I paint all the time — or at least I used to — so I’m psyched to do some accent-​walls in my place. Cool!!!
-
I’ve had a few issues that needed to be looked at /​repaired, and they have been awesome at responding to and working on them. Nothing major. I saw some complaints online but let me tell you, they take care of you here.
-
The people working in the office have always been nice and helpful. I was a bit upset about a few things upon moving in: if you get a unit with a fireplace, note that it takes up a TON of wall space. Also, the B3 unit has the more space in it — as opposed to the B2 which is slightly smaller.
-
A couple small drawbacks are that the main gate off Love Drive is almost always broken /​open. What’s the point of a gated community when it’s always open?! Also, there’s a small police station across the street and hearing the cops/​ambulance take off every once in a while is annoying. But, my last place back in Massachusetts was far worse.
-
So far I like it here. They do little community events from time to time and they’re nice. The grounds are nice. They always sign for your packages, so you never have to worry about anything getting delivered. The gym is nice. The pool is great. The place has character and is in a great spot in Las Colinas. Good stuff!!!

Review only about first impression. The first day we stopped by it was pouring rain and we were able to get in just fine through the back gate which was open. We sat down with a leasing agent who explained the process and community, it had everything that we were looking for but it wasn’t as new as the first place we stopped at and the agent seemed bored or busy, not enthusiastic at all. We left and reviewed our options that night and ended up coming back the next day to physically look at the apartment. This next time we came back both gates were closed and every time we called into the office the phone ran off the hook and sent us to an automated system (even using the intercom at the gate), we finally snuck in after a tenant at the back gate. The second leasing agent was much more enthusiastic and helpful. She provided personal answers to questions regarding utilities and tips on how to choose providers. This apartment was more bang for the buck with the amenities we needed (pet friendly and attached garage) however, I hated that the stairs were on the exterior of the apartments and use a shared open hallway.
The layout wasn’t what we wanted and although there is a gate, its not very exclusive (we were able to sneak in twice).

Great community.
Pros:
1. Good layout.
2. great swimming pool, gym etc.
3. Great maintenance support
4. You can keep your trash bag just outside your main door. There is a pickup almost 6 days a week.
5. Kroger, Target, Walmart, Sams Club etc are within 5 minute driving radius.
Cons:
1. Very expensive.
2. The recent leasing office staff is not very helpful and sometimes rude.
3. I have heard many complaints on their sheer overcharging for small scratches on cook top /​walls /​doors when moving out.
All in all, one of the best options to stay if you have to live in this area. Be prepared to fork out extra cash because this place knows its value and will charge for it.

Me and my wife lived in Grand Venetian apartments for 9 months and we love it here. Ours was a 3^rd (top) floor 830 sq ft 1 Br place with a patio.
Pros:
1. Spacious, clean and comfy apartment with lots of natural light!
2. The community is good mix of all races, not just desis (btw, we are indians)
3. Has probably the best swimming pool, gym, lawns, parking etc. Staff are friendly, community event co-​ordinators Candy and Paul are good people
4. No bugs, roaches! BIG plus
5. It’s at least $ 150 costlier than other apartment complexes in the area but we feel that it is worth it!
Cons:
1. When we moved out of the place, they kept my $ 150 deposit as cleaning fee + charged me another $ 115 for damages to kitchen counter top… which by the pictures they sent me… looked more like a 2 – 3 inch yellow rust stain mark removable by a strong spirit… I think it was heartless of them
2. Our electricity bill was $ 250 in dec and $ 180 in Jan (usually it is $ 75)…outragious…and we didn’t get any help at all from the office/​maintenance guys to find out if something is wrong with the heating system
3. We were told that the rent would be $ 1000 including everything… but we realized after signing the lease that with other add-​ons it came out to be $ 40 – 50 more each month. It was okay, but we would have liked if someone has mentioned this fact.