MONACO ON THE TRAIL Apartments – INSIDER REVIEW

LOCATION

The Monaco on the Trail apartments is a recently completed mid-rise apartment in Uptown Dallas. The location is in a mid-section of Uptown Dallas, about one quick block away from McKinney Avenue (the main street of Uptown Dallas). It is just a few minutes walking distance to McKinney Avenue and also to other restaurants and night clubs nearby that are NOT on McKinney Avenue.

If you walk directly around the Taylor Uptown, you will notice that it is quieter than if you lived on McKinney Avenue. The Monaco on the Trail apartments is bordered by the quieter Carlisle Street on one side (this runs parallel to McKinney Avenue) and then the KATY TRAIL on the other side. Another new residence is right next to it, a recently developed high rise. There are also some very small office buildings nearby. Overall, since there is no retail directly within the block.

The area around Monaco on the Trail apartments definitely has more of a neighborhood feel than the kinetic energy McKinney Avenue. However, as I mentioned above, there are also quite a bit of activities in very quick walking distance to the Monaco on the Trail. So, this forms one of the best locations in Uptown Dallas for being able to walk to much of what Uptown Dallas has to offer, but also to have more quiet at night.

Another enticing benefit of this location: If you work in downtown, you have a better ESCAPE ROUTE to get out of Uptown Dallas. You can use the nearby Lemmon Avenue, and avoid the highly packed McKinney Avenue in the morning. This is important, because this will cut up to 10 minutes off of your commute at least in the mornings. This also means quicker access to the airport, North Dallas or West Plano.

Uptown Dallas is about having an amazing and fun social life. Uptown is also about CONVENIENCE… being able to quickly WALK to as many features of Uptown as possible. If you are in NYC, walking distance can mean one thing…but in Texas, we Texans are lazy…and most things we like to walk to in about 7 minutes or under! So, let’s see how the Monaco on the Trail apartments does for getting you WALKING DISTANCE close to the 4 Key Features of Uptown Dallas:

• Night Life in Mid-Section – A well-known “super cluster” of Uptown Dallas night clubs is on McKinney Avenue, starting at Boll Street and ending around Holland. Many people think of this section as “the night life”, even though there are several other terrific sections. Residents of the Monaco on the Trail apartments can NOT truly walk to this section. However, a trolley ride or drive can get you there quickly.
• West Village – The West Village is the largest concentration of shops and restaurants of Uptown Dallas in one place. It is important to be walking distance close, because there are great restaurants AND night clubs there. Along with a lot of shops and boutiques. And the good news is: The Monaco on the Trail apartments IS indeed walking distance to the West Village. Home Run!
• Katy Trail – Being walking distance close to the Katy Trail means it is easier to stay in shape! And, it may mean a better social life! Not only are you close to the Katy Trail…the Monaco actually is directly in front of the Katy Trail! Simply walk across the street to get to one of the few private entrances. You will be on the trail in 3 minutes max. Touchdown!
• Uptown Trolley – Being close to the FREE Uptown Dallas Trolley means is important because the Uptown Trolley connects you to just about ALL of the key parts of Uptown, including the 4 key Features of Uptown. With the Monaco on the Trail apartments, you are only about 1 short block away, on Cole and Snead. So, you can walk to the Trolley in under 5 minutes. He shoots…he scores!

Walk to Groceries? Good news, you are also walking distance to the Minyard’s that is nearby, on McKinney Avenue near Lemmon. And, Walgreen’s is right next to it. If you need more choices, check out nearby KROGER with organic, Texas grown produce, (drive on Blackburn and cross the freeway). You can also take a quick drive NORTH on McKinney to then get to TRADER JOES or south on McKinney to quickly get to WHOLE FOODS.

Let’s see what the social scene is like at the Monaco, shall we? 🙂

SOCIAL SCENE

The social scene of the Monaco on the Trail apartments is still newer, but there are many indications that the social scene will be strong here. Here are some of the reasons why:

Restaurants and Clubs in walking distance: The West Village and the Trolley are walking distance. Great Uptown “insider” night clubs are also walking distance.

The Katy Trail. You are right next to the Trail. In fact, you can get an apartment with terrific views of the Katy Trail and Downtown. If you are not from Dallas, and haven’t lived in Uptown, let me tell you why this is SUPER important to live nearby it:

• So many people in Uptown now use the Katy Trail. And, many people use it not only after work, but during lunch and other times of the day.
• It is super wide and can hold a lot of people. So, it works with biking, walking or even rollerblading. It is also semi private, so you can only access it from a few key points of Uptown.
• Most people know the Katy Trail is a huge social focal point of Uptown. People that run on it want to meet other friends too.
• It is hard to emphasize enough how fun being near this great venue is…just take my word for it.

The Amenities: The amenities are very nice at the Monaco on the Trail apartments. They don’t go over the top, and they don’t have the highest amount or number of amenities in Uptown. But, the amenities that they do have, they have done a great job with it. They feel comfortable and very much an extension of the Monaco on the Trail apartments. For example, the terrific pool is intimate, with a great view, but not wild. The gym is also not the largest I have seen, but feels clean and fun. And, other nice touches in the Trail will make you smile. It feels very nice here.

Building Setup: The building setup is an important factor on helping you meet other residents. Things like a common set of elevators and a common mailbox area help give you a nudge to meet others. The Monaco on the Trail apartments has set this up nicely as well, so that you will definitely have opportunities to meet other residences.

Monthly Activities: Most Uptown Dallas apartments have a monthly activity to help you meet residents. However, the monthly events usually take place in a bar. But, the Monaco on the Trail apartments is different. Their monthly activities are typically related to the KATY TRAIL and are athletic based. YES! Finally…what a great idea!

To sum it up: The location is walking distance to quite a bit in Uptown. The building is well designed and the social events will help you meet others. One of the best social scenes in Uptown.

APARTMENT

The Monaco on the Trail apartments takes a different take on their apartments. They are nice inside and very clean…and also seem to be minimalistic. They don’t try to cram too much into the apartment. They seem to focus more on good livable space but still have higher level finish outs. There was obviously some creative and design thought with the Monaco.

The Monaco on the Trail apartments is a SMALLER property, with 192 units. They don’t have as many apartment per floor as other Uptown properties. They do give a feel of more of a boutique hotel.

If you want to live here, but not pay anywhere close to the median price, they offer a smaller studio unit that is affordable to most in Uptown (though a tad small). They also offer standard one and two bedroom floor plans.

For the features that are included, let’s explore some of the better features:

• Hardwood style floors, with a twist – The floors here are actually EURO PLANK flooring. This is different than the typical hardwood floors. They are more natural, typically coming from a single piece of wood. They look better and last longer.
• More WINDOWS: The Monaco on the Trail apartments does a great job of including more windows than most Uptown Dallas Apartments. It feels nice inside due to the natural light from these windows.
• Newer appliances – Stainless steel appliances, fridge.
• Washer/Dryer included: A washer/dryer is included at no cost.
• Patio/Balconies included: Most of the units have balconies to enjoy the KATY TRAIL, and other parts of Uptown.
• BIG CLOSETS – I like the large closets here.
• Great Views – You have great views of the area her, including downtown, Uptown and other areas. Except for the other high rise across the street, there isn’t anything to block views. So, the views really are great.

The Monaco on the Trail apartments has a vision of how they want living to be. It’s very minimalistic and simple. For the most part, I think they succeed. But, I do think their apartments need a few changes:

• Kitchens small – Kitchens are typically smaller here than many other Uptown apartments. The Monaco likes giving more open space in the living/dining room instead. But, some people like bigger kitchens!
• Not a lot of cabinet space: Although there is a pantry in the kitchen, cabinet space is very limited.
• No walk in showers – The apartments here have the standard TUB style of shower/bath combo. You have to shower rings and a shower curtain, etc. They should have included the WALK IN SHOWER instead.

The Monaco is above average with their apartment and features. Not overwhelming, but nice!

AMENITIES

As I hinted at earlier, the amenities are very nice and intimate, but not overpowering. Each amenity seems to be very well done.

Here are some of the highlights.

• Club Monaco – unlike many places in Uptown, where I feel like they feel obliged to put in an open space with a little bit of furniture, and then call it a party area, the Club Monaco party room is different, and fun! It has actually 2 separate sections that feel more like a fun neighbor’s house, or even a library alcove…no joke. Flat screens and fun, comfortable seating make this a room to relax with some guests.
• The POOL – The Monaco has a pool that is comfortable and meant primarily for viewing the Katy Trail. The INFINITY pool seems to drop out over the Katy Trail.
• POOL DECK – The pool is elevated and not on the first floor. However, the Monaco put together a ONE OF A KIND design…they have a connected POOL DECK with an overlook of the Katy Trail, separated from the pool. This is like being in a rich uncle’s house in Cali. KUDOS for this great design, Monaco!
• Controlled Access – Hallways and elevators require an electronic key fob access to enter or exit. They are also climate controlled, for a more pleasant experience (and this also saves on utility bills).
• GYM – The gym is fun and functional. I love the attractive colors they put in here…it makes you want to work out. It is hard to explain that…but true.
• LEED CERTIFIED – YES, the Monaco is LEED CERTIFIED! This is a big deal and is hard to get. Only a handful of apartment residences are LEED certified. LEED certification…why is this a big deal? Think these 2 things:
  • Green and environmentally friendly
  • Energy efficient, with you paying lower utility bills
  • Parking Garage INCLUDED – ABSOLUTELY, parking in the garage is included, no charge.
  • VISITOR PARKING…INCLUDED – The entire first level of the parking garage underground is only for visitors.
  • Pet Run and Pet Park – You are in the right place if you have a pet. Not only is there a pet RUN on the property, but in the directly attached Katy Trail in the back, there is an off leash dog park right on the trail.

There are not many weaknesses. Here is what I mean:

• GYM needs more weights – I mentioned the gym is fun…but for some reason, there is not much as far as free weights. It’s a bit small too.
• Pool SIZE – I love the design of the pool. But, the size itself? This needs to be bigger. And, the amount of chairs that are included…needs to double. Attention Monaco on the Trail apartments!

Overall: Amenities are classy, not overpowering. They add to the experience nicely, and really are an effective extension of a simpler, casual lifestyle.

SUMMARY

The Monaco on the Trail apartments is a captivating choice for your consideration. The location gives you a good social lifestyle by being in quick walking access to many key features of Uptown, including the popular Katy Trail. Popular restaurants and night spots are also within walking distance. The residences are more simple in design, not overpowering. The Amenities are beautiful but tend to be small.