The air conditioner works great, which is a lifesaver in Palermo in August. There is a spacious bedroom attached to a kitchen/living area attached to a small bathroom. There is a nice terrace on the rooftop, but it was too hot for us to use it much.
First floor walkup. One key only, so coordinate with your companions. Appliances and plumbing are typical for everything I see in Italy. Very functional. A very short walk to Stazione Centrale. And the apartment well zombie-proofed with steel security doors set inside of the exterior wood doors. Davide is right next door if you need him.
The neighborhood seems totally safe to me, if somewhat apocalyptic in appearance. It is not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but it is very safe. For a big city, I thought the neighborhood was very quiet at night. In fact, once the market closes at 19:00, I found it quieter than the rest of Palermo. Totally harmless. Once you are settled, find a route that doesn't go past the dumpsters behind the Porta Sant'Agata. But nothing about the dumpsters or the fish market makes its way back to the apartment.
The Ballaro Market downstairs is totally cool. It would take months to eat at every vendor and every food stall. A massive collection of fruits, vegetables, all kinds of olives, meat, breads, snails by the kilo, fish and anything else that got caught in the net stored at what has to be wildly improper temperatures, all sold out of a collection of tool sheds, store fronts and table tops. Check out the Google Maps photos of the area and then go take your own photos. My advice on buying fish in August would be the same as my advice about crossing the street - find a local vecchia and follow her lead. And shop in the morning.
The market sprawls into a swap meet to the east and into a wonderful neighborhood of shops and restaurants to the north. I quickly found that I was cutting through the neighborhood to the north because it was more interesting than the main tourist thoroughfare, Via Maqueda, that is adjacent. Easy walk to the Teatro Massimo, the four corners intersection, the botanical gardens. The Lidl Supermarket is in easy walking distance for necessities. Davide will tell you were to find the biggest tree in Europe. It keeps dropping roots from its branches and spreading out into an ever more Rumplestiltskin-esque specimen. A wonderful stay.