Talk about an easy commute! Paul Wages works at King Plow Arts Center and lives across the street at Gables 820 West. "I saw them building the community and it seemed like an extremely convenient place to live," he says. "It was the convenience that drew me in, but the layout of the apartment is really nice, and they've done a great job of matching the building to the area. The community fits in with the area rather than being a generic apartment building stuck on this spot."

His apartment: Wages was one of the first residents to move in and he chose a top-floor unit with a balcony overlooking the pool. "It's a one-bedroom, one-bath, and I really like having that balcony. There's just enough room out there for a small table and chairs, and it's a good place to relax. If I'd wanted a city view, I wouldn't have been able to have a balcony.

CHRISTOPHER OQUENDO/Special (ENLARGE)

Paul Wages chose a top-floor apartment with a balcony and a bird's-eye view of the pool. 'It's a good place to relax,' he says.

GETTING THERE Take I-75 to Exit 252A (Northside Drive). Turn left. Travel 2.5 miles until Northside dead-ends into Marietta Street. Turn right onto Marietta. Stay to the left as Marietta becomes West Marietta Street. Go over the bridge and down the hill. Gables 820 West is on the left.

His kitchen: "I really like to cook, and the kitchen is nice and big. There's a built-in bookcase near the kitchen perfect for my cookbooks and the granite countertops are really nice."

It's green: Gables 820 West is working on its EarthCraft Multifamily Certification, one of the first multifamily rental communities to work with the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association, and its partner, Southface Energy Institute, in the EarthCraft House program. Energy usage is a concern, so Gables installed energy-efficient appliances, including an EnergyStar-certified dishwasher. "So far my power bills have been very low. It seems to be making a difference, and that's one of the things that helped sell me on the place," Wages says.

It's new: The community is still being finished, but the amenities like the coffee bar and club lounge are in place. "I've used the fitness center," says Wages, "and it's pretty nice. I have yet to use the billiards room, but I'm planning on it."

GABLES 820 WEST

Address: 820 W. Marietta St., Atlanta

County: Fulton

Information: 404-898-8720; Gables 820 West

Year built: 2008

Rent (subject to change): One-bedroom (630-980 square feet) $1,040-$1,405; two-bedroom (1,055-1,316 square feet) $1,510-$1,615

Fees: application: $75; security: $250 deposit, $250 non-refundable administration fee; pet: $500

Pet restrictions: breed restrictions, 2-pet maximum

Managed by: Gables Residential

Number of units: 248

Amenities: Coffee bar, club lounge, billiards room, fitness center

Units for disabled: Yes

Public transit: MARTA within a 1/2 mile

Public schools: Centennial Elementary, Inman Middle, Grady High

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