Property Management responds, states that facility is of good quality, staff is responsive to concerns.
By Tom Ossa, Correspondent
HAVERSTRAW, N.Y. — Numerous complaints have arisen by some former and current tenants of Admirals Cove, a residential apartment complex located in the Village of Haverstraw. The facility is owned by GDC Rentals, which owns approximately a dozen residential facilities in the tri-state area.
The reporting is based on several personal interviews with tenants, a review of public posts and online reviews, as well as an invitation by property management to tour the facility. More information will be provided in the coming weeks.
Mold and Maintenance Concerns
During today’s Rockland News broadcast, a former tenant identified as ‘Elsie’ (real name withheld to protect identity) described issues she said she experienced while living at the complex. According to Elsie, several months ago she believed to find significant mold in her apartment, and submitted maintenance requests. She said she did not receive a response until she told management she was considering moving out.
Elsie stated that visible mold was later cleaned and painted over while she was not home. She said she had asked for independent mold testing before any cleanup took place, but that request was denied. She also said the work was done by regular maintenance or cleaning staff, not certified mold remediation professionals.
According to Elsie, mold later appeared on some of her personal belongings, including items stored in a walk-in closet. She said limited testing that was performed after she moved out identified mold types that could specifically worsen asthma or other breathing conditions. (Because some areas had already been cleaned, she said not all locations could be tested.)
Other Tenant Accounts
Rockland News also reviewed numerous Facebook posts shared last month by people who identified themselves as current tenants. In the post, tenants raised concerns about slow responses from property management and general building upkeep. One individual said they pay “about $3,300 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and were looking for a way to end their lease early.” Another tenant – in a previous interview with Rockland News last week – corroborated this story, citing numerous residents seeking to end their leases. Elsie also noted that property managers typically only will allow a lease to be broken if they sign an NDA – otherwise known as a ‘non-disclosure agreement’.
A Reddit post shared about a week ago by another tenant described ongoing issues with the building’s heating and cooling system. According to the post, residents cannot switch freely between heat and air conditioning, which can cause some apartments to become very warm depending on sun exposure and time of year.
The same post also mentioned strong odors in hallways and apartments that the tenant said came from smoking by other residents, (although smoking is not allowed under the lease agreement). The tenant also raised concerns about noise and thin walls.
Another former resident reported that they lived at Admirals Cove more than a year ago. While they said they liked the surrounding area, they described problems with apartment construction quality and temperature control. According to that former tenant, their apartment was often above 80 degrees, and management suggested opening windows as a solution. The resident said this was not practical due to safety concerns involving a pet. They said their rent was more than $2,200 per month before additional fees.
Prior Awards Replaced by Complaints and Issues Since 2024
While GDC Rentals – owners of Admirals Cove and over a dozen other residential complexes in the Tri State area – has received a steady stream of awards over the past 6 years since COVID (largely for its Westchester residential developments), Admirals Cove seems to be encountering an inflection point.
Admirals Cove is located in Haverstraw, and marketed publicly as a luxury rental development from Ginsburg Development Companies, held its grand opening on June 15, 2023. Located on the Hudson River, the complex featured 245 units across four buildings at its time of grand opening, with several more planned for following development phases.
Two years ago, a Google review was provided by someone who said they were among the first tenants at Admirals Cove. That post described problems during the property’s early period, including frequent changes in property managers, disputes between tenants and management, appliance and electrical issues, elevator outages, parking problems, and a large flooding incident that reportedly affected several floors. The post also raised concerns about communication after the incident and disagreements over online reviews and lease terminations.
Some tenants, including ‘Elsie’, stated that residents contacted local and county agencies, including the Rockland County Health Department, as well as the Haverstraw Building Department inspector (note: We need to confirm whether Elsie meant the Village or Town Inspector), to report conditions at the complex. “We’ve been in contact with them,” in a phone call leading up to today’s interview. They said they can’t really do anything about it. So, we decided to get together and share information with each other, so that the story can get out there.”
Response From Property Management
In response to questions from Rockland News, a property manager for GDC Property Holdings, which manages Admirals Cove, provided the following statement to Rockland News:
“Admirals Cove is a 250-unit complex that is a very well-maintained property. We pride ourselves on being very responsive to our tenants’ needs and concerns. We are more than happy to provide a tour to Rockland News to show the condition of the residential units.”
Rockland News will follow up on this invitation. We plan to arrange for a tour within the next week.
Ongoing Reporting
Rockland News emphasizes that the statements included in this article reflect the experiences and opinions of individual tenants and former tenants over several years. Reporting on this issue is ongoing. We’ll continue to review documentation, speak with residents, and seek additional responses from property management and public officials.
Further updates will be published as more information becomes available. Current or former residents of Admirals Cove who wish to share their experiences may contact Rockland News by using the form below.
