Flats on Fifth in Uptown has pet baths, gas station next door
The Flats on Fifth in Uptown has the elements one expects from luxury apartments — modern living spaces, balconies, patios, high-end appliances, even a bike room and pet bathing area.
The seven-story building at 1655 Fifth Ave. in Uptown is 5 years old, built by Castlebrook Development Co. The site was a parking lot until April 2015, when construction began. The first tenants moved in a year later.
There are 74 one- and two-bedroom apartments with monthly rents ranging from $1,270 to $2,400.
Seven one-bedroom apartments are currently available for $1,270-$1,515. Two two-bedroom apartments are available. One on the corner of the building has a wraparound balcony and rents for $2,000 a month.The other’s rent is $1,550.
Location is a big part of the appeal. The Flats on Fifth is a stone’s throw from Downtown, and is close to PPG Paints Arena, Duquesne University and Mercy Hospital. Many tenants are doctors, resident physicians in training, professors and graduate students, said Helene Prince, a regional property manager for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (412-537-4759 or flatsonfifth.
And consider this unexpected amenity: Next door is a “lovely, renovated gas station,” Prince said. That’s a perk near Downtown, wheregas stations are hard to find.
The Flats on Fifth has 16 floor plans for apartments ranging in size from 661 to 1,054 square feet. It also has an unusual feature that draws tentants from all over the country — short-term leases on furnished apartments. Some tenants book one for weeks or months while a relative or friend is receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
“People recently came from Canada for medical treatment,” Prince said. “We believe we are one of the few places that will rent for just 30 days or 60 days. We provide a comfortable environment and comfortable furniture.”
She said she recently heard from a man who is awaiting an organ transplant. When a suitable organ is found, he will need to get to Pittsburgh within hours. If the Flats on Fifth has a vacancy, he will be accommodated.
Furnished and unfurnished apartments are available on a short- and long-term basis.
“We used to use furniture rental companies, but we have purchased a great deal of furniture,” Prince said.
That includes 52-inch flat-screen
televisions and special, heavy-duty dining room chairs that can handle a very large football player. Prince won’t give up the name of the big guy, nor the name of a Pittsburgh Steelers player who lived there for a while.
“We are seriously petfriendly,” she said. “We might be the only local apartment building that has a dog-washing station.”
That is especially handy when city streets and sidewalks are covered with salt in winter.
“One tenant comes in twice a day, after her dog walks, to wash her dog’s feet,” Prince said.
The room on the first floor has everything a dog needs for a bath. “We even provide the shampoo.”
Other amenities include a workout/fitness center, lounges and a conference room/business center where printing is free. If the printer jams, the management company is available 24/7 to fix it, or any other situation that comes up.
The building is all electric, with Energy Starappliances and granite counters in the bathrooms and kitchens. Each unit comes with a washer and dryer.
On-site parking in a covered garage costs $150 a month, “but we have relat i o n s h i p s with other nearby parking facilities that charge less,” Prince said.
Last month, the building was sold for $15 million to the Greek Catholic Union in Beaver County. The nonprofit fraternal benefit society is 125 years old and offers life insurance, annuities, student scholarships and support for charities, according to its website.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the Flats on Fifth, as it has many apartment complexes.
“Before COVID, we had amazing parties every two months catered by neighborhood businesses,” including Sam’s Market and Merante Brothers Italian American Market, Prince said.
“We are currently offering free rent for two months,” she said.