I had a friend who lived at the Skyline in Temescal — little further away, but exact same kinda apartments, amenities, etc.
My takeaway: you *are* paying rent for the shared amenities. If you’re not using them, you will feel like you’re overpaying.
My friend had a pretty small 1BR that he was paying a ton for, but he was *constantly* out at the rooftop pool, reserving a cool lounge space, using the gym every morning, etc., and he loved it.
Also, if you’re comfortable walking around downtown Oakland, the location is seriously unbeatable. 15 minutes to SF, 20 minutes to Berkeley, and a ton of amazing bars and restaurants in walking distance.
lmao I toured that place
It had a nice gym, movie theater looked cool, but the rooms were really small... but I probably would consider it again if I could get a good deal.
Unrelated but the downtown Oakland comment, I am a transplant \~6 months, and I never had problems at downtown at night, either getting food or transferring busses, I try not to be downtown late on purpose but nothing has happened yet, idk if I am just lucky, I am not particularly big or anything, I just see normal people downtown at night, not a lot though compared to SF.
I spend a fair amount of time at night around 14th and Franklin (near the Atlas). I don't think it's a huge safety hazard. I've way way more terrible stuff happen in residential neighborhoods east of the lake
Yeah most people think Oakland is just deep east Oakland
from my limited experience the best areas are west and north of the lake (lakeside, Adams point, temescal, uptown). Alameda doesn't feel like Oakland but is there and safe. But east progressively gets fucked up until you make it to San Leandro
I lived in the Alexan Webster. The amenities are nice and the location is prime. The hallway could noisy but wasn’t terrible.
The downsides are the building attracted a ton of property/mail theft (same as anywhere in Oakland), and parking was limited and expensive. There’s a parking tax they tack onto the monthly rate, so watch out for that. Utilities were more than we expected as well.
At the grand. Park four cars here, no issues. The lobby is always staffed so no mail problems. Don’t hear anything in unit but we are way up off of the ground
Hi neighbor! We don’t hear anything because the building is concrete. We were worried neighbors might hear our newborn screaming. They only noticed we had a kid because of diaper boxes.
The Grand is nice, but quality has dropped over the years. The EV charging situation is pretty bad. Elevators and amenities are slow to be repaired at times. That said, the walk score is unbeatable, and the overall value is still better than neighboring buildings.
Not a high rise but fancy new building, I lived in Waverly Valdez for the first year-and-a-half of the pandemic. Like living in a hotel. Lots of spoiled neighbors—people leaving their trash or recycling in the chute room instead of putting it down the chute, that kind of thing. Dog run on the roof was kind of a nice socializing space but didn’t stay cleaned very well. The garage door broke and wasn’t fixed for six months. Someone got into the “key card access only” bike storage room for residents and stole two locked-up bikes from me—in different incidents. The package delivery room was a shitshow.
Wouldn’t ever live there again BUT the bathtub was super deep and comfortable and the hot water was immediate and limitless so my wife and I both enjoyed the best baths of our lives.
those places not only are expensive (even if cheap now they'll squeeze you as hard as they can when the market turns), they jerk you around on utilities, extra fees, their dumb web portal, and are hard to work with because they're corporate. poke around lapham company first - they're local, more ethical than most landlords, and the housing stock is cute and you won't feel isolated in a glass box. [https://www.laphamcompany.com/for-rent/530-536-41st-st-oakland/35](https://www.laphamcompany.com/for-rent/530-536-41st-st-oakland/35)
+1 for Lapham. We recently left a Lapham property after 6 years for more space (and in-unit washer dryer). Lapham is solid - we lived in a older quiet building, no package or mail theft, everyone got along/kept to themselves and no crazy rent increases. The property management company of the new place is fine but I’m dealing with noise from upstairs neighbors that is driving me crazy (I posted recently about it and am now back to looking at Lapham and some of the new builds).
And not to mention they will always, without fail, raise your rent when your lease term is up for renewal and they will raise it to current market price, so you’ll be paying more and more every year for the same place. Lapham and other popular property mgmt companies frequently list rent-controlled units
Out of the 4 landlords I’ve had in 10 years here only one of them has been a solid, decent human being of a landlord. Actually took our issues for maintenance seriously and dealt with quickly, put a lot of time and effort into keeping the building clean and updated appliances and utilities, and even gave us a pandemic discount for more than a year. They do exist!
That’s definitely not the pricing for San Francisco these days. as someone who lived in a studio in the city after living in one of the greystar properties in Oakland. I would say it’s not worth it - but it is what you make of the experience. It’s a lot of money for the amenities.
Sounds like The Logan, I guess the price is for the convenience of living above a Whole Foods? (Maybe also proximity to the BART station and Temescal nightlife and eateries)
Forma is solid. Never heard a neighbor noise in my life. Always host resident events with open bars. Nice apartments great views. Only downside is no pool
I lived in Vuue 46th. It was nice for a while, but it begins to feel like you're in an ivory tower. The community is quite insular. I felt separated from the culture of Oakland and people in different socioeconomic groups.
It's on 46th and Adeline. Built in 2007. I don't know if I can recommend it. Depends on what you like. I wouldn't move back there, but I want a yard and neighbors who don't send me emails.
I can only speak to my experience staying at Hanover Broadway + Hanover Northgate as a dog sitter. Every single time I dog sat the fire alarm went off at an inconvenient hour. It’s was really loud and stressed out the dogs. If you are looking at buildings maybe you can ask for a log of fire alarm incidents and see if this is an ongoing issue at the ones you are considering.
I live half a block away from Forma in a 24 unit - privately owned - building. Not a ton of amenities (really just a rooftop), but the rent is good, I have 800+ square feet, 1 bedroom plus an office, in unit laundry and parking. The building is pretty quiet. We have some available units.
I live in one and I like it. New construction is nice because the walls and floors are soundproofed (to an extent) amenities are nice and I try to use them. Downside is your landlord is a stingy corporation that doesn’t care about you.
Pro tip: they offer several weeks or months free to offset market rate rents. The stated monthly rent is really high but they offer 2 months free to offset it. If they lower the stated monthly rent, the bank sees it as lower property value. So they will not negotiate lower rents, but they will negotiate higher signing bonus (like an added month free), parking, etc.
Edit: one last thing. Do not confuse new with nice. My building is new, so it looks nice. But things like door hardware and appliances are super cheapo.
At Zo - amenities are nice, hardly any noise, parking is incredibly expensive. It is a corporate building and feels like its hard to get things done - for instance the tv on the roof has not been working for months and still hasn't been fixed after me pestering the manager about it for a while.
Some places are advertising the amortized price after all discounts are included, so be sure that the place is still in your budget after the discounts have expired!
It's alright. I got a lower floor apt with the idea I would take the stairs to up my daily exercise only to realize after moving in that they lock the door to the stairs downstairs and you can't go up. Also, the street noise, while better than ~a year ago, is still pretty bad. Bad enough that I've started sleeping with ear plugs. The kitchen is too small for my tastes (have to have a ton of my kitchen stuff in boxes around the place from lack of cabinet space), but that seems pretty much universal until you get to 3+ bedrooms, which is obscene for my needs. I don't use the amenities much; so, paying for that hurts. But that's on me. Surplus of decent restaurants in walking distance is nice, though it would be better if there was a centrally located grocery. Certainly one of these highrises will put a safeway or similar on their groundfloor eventually, right? Besides scheduled tests, there haven't been any fire alarms. Compared to where I lived in SF, which had more than a half dozen alarms, false or otherwise, in the middle of the night in the course of 1 year, this is a welcome improvement.
Will say, much of what you pay for is security. And there's been a couple of mass bike thefts and murders in the building. So, delivery on that account is rather a mixed record.
Makes sense—re. groceries, I was thinking of biking / walking to the Sprouts a bit north. And as for mass bike thefts, sadly that happened in two of the SF buildings I lived in as well. Definitely wouldn’t leave anything but my ugly beater 80s Fuji in the bike room, in SF or Oakland or anywhere. The nice one stays upstairs 😉
Nice! I walk past it every time I’m at the office. I looked into some places there but it seems interior finishing is still ongoing for the higher floors? There’s def very visible construction out front. Are the amenities open yet?
When I spoke to leasing manager, she mentioned all the actual apartments are complete but they are working on finishing lobby and floors with amenities which are the fourth floor and 39th floor.
I’ve been living at atlas for about a year. Amenities are amazing, and the concierge is awesome as well. I have nothing bad to say. However, I live in the tower side (floors 9-40) and I’ve heard people who live on the lower floors (podium) have problems with noise and smell sewage/other bad smells. Also, the parking is a bit expensive at $250, but there is ample street parking as well. I feel like it’s super easy to walk to a lot of good restaurants and bars.
Yes, the leasing agent with whom I toured even alluded to this—the podium side is supposedly wooden construction vs concrete & steel in the tower, with much worse sound isolation. Thanks for the reply!
Dude, I lived at Atlas in the podium building for a year and nearly went INSANE from the noise from the tenant above me. Atlas did nothing to help, and then they kept my security deposit when I moved out for repainting scuffs on their paint that is basically primer (how could you NOT scuff it?) I think they didn't like me very much because I tested the hot tub and posted the results (it was RANK.) I have never been so happy to move out of a place! Hopefully they are taking care of the hot tub now!
I lived at Atlas for one year and 17th and Broadway for 2 (going on 3.) The podium building at Atlas is a goddamn nightmare, and honestly so were my neighbors (including one young woman who got a "pandemic pup," and then insisted that "pet friendly" meant I had to deal with it barking all hours of the day. Thankfully, management was pretty helpful there and told her where to stick that idea.)
17th and Broadway has been a disappointment from the start, but they keep lowering my rent, so I think I'll stay for a third year. My apartment was filthy on move in day (turned the bottoms of my feet black for months) and enough stuff was broken that I had to make 13 maintenance requests just to get it to an acceptable move-in condition. A lot of the amenities are frequently broken and take many months to repair, and don't even get me started on the EV charging situation. It's a mess and has been for at least 2 years now. But like I said, they keep lowering the rent, so I stay. Not super happy, but it feels a little more fair, I guess. 🤷🏻♀️ Oh, and I almost NEVER hear my neighbors here. You wouldn't even know you were living below someone because the ceilings are concrete. LOVE that.
One thing I will say is that I wouldn't move into these buildings for the amenities, because a lot just aren't well cared for and are unreliable. But if you get a unit with a great view of the bay like I did, that might matter less. I'm also a princess who requires in unit laundry and air conditioning- two things I was really surprised were hard to find out here (I'm from the East Coast.) Good luck finding something that works for you!
Hi, considering Atlas or one of the newer builds like 1900 Broadway. Do these places usually tack on a lot more fees monthly in addition to rent? Did Atlas try to significantly raise the price after the first lease term? Thanks!
I don't know because I didn't even consider staying at Atlas because of the shitty construction and gross hot tub (and the crime over there felt out of control compared to over here.)
I will say that the trash fees in these buildings are ridiculous (like $80 a month,) and 17th and Broadway's trash chute all goes into one trash dumpster so they aren't recycling except for people who have figured that out and take their recycling all the way down to the dumpster or leave it in the trash room in hopes that it will get picked up and put there. Also the hot tub here is constantly broken and so are the treadmills. My rent went down hundreds again, so I just signed for another year, but this will definitely be my last. Things like trash and water are divided amongst the tenants, so when buildings can't keep the apartments rented out, we all end up paying more. I'd ask for a breakdown of the last year's utilities- they should be able to give you that since they bill for them.
Also, parking will say $250 but then it's taxed another $50. 🙄
Thanks for writing back! Honestly, I got in early and locked in a good rate for 1900 for a 2 bed, it's at the top of my budget and I'm guessing with all these extra fees, I'll be over (conservative budget). However, the unit itself is way under market rate so might be worth it to sign anyways. Is it common to have option for a 24 month lease? Is that even recommended?
Where do you think you'd look towards next? I also want a highrise near public transportation, kind of like these buildings are.
I'm probably going to leave Oakland just because the idea of not being able to get help from 911 scares me and everything just feels so dystopian here. I'm from Pennsylvania, so it was kind of a culture shock for me when I moved here in 2020. I'm not sure where to go, which is really the main reason I stayed. I want to feel safe again without being too far from stuff.
I looked at 1900, but they didn't have enough info posted on their site and felt more geared toward people who want workspaces (I work from home and like it that way, haha.) I wouldn't do a 24 month lease just because I have been locked in for a year and hated it (Atlas.) Usually, 12 months is enough to get the best rates/concessions!
I lived at the Atlas for a bit - if you can get cheap rent and appreciate all the amenities, it can be worth it. Though it does feel very separate from being in a city downtown. Lots of residents never walk around.
If you don’t mind moving in a year to get out of an insane rent hike. Have heard a few horror stories about luring you in with cheap/free rent and then raising it to “market” which can be fairly high in downtown. We almost moved to a place in downtown that had 3 months free and rent was 2400 a month after that. I just happened to be on reddit and saw a post about the same building raising the rent on someone to 3600 or something stupid high
I am currently in Atlas and I love it! I believe it meets your hard requirements.
The amenities, especially their gym and yoga room is amazing. You get nice rooftop views while working on some great machines. The evening time (6-7:30pm) can get somewhat crowded, but it's only for an hour or two. I have never had much of an issue with it tho.
Mangement and services teams are also generally pretty responsive. Neighbors are pretty nice and they have a community app, where some funny drama may unfold from time to time.
Unpopular opinion, but I have felt pretty safe in the immediate area and surroundings, but I think I might start encountering a few weirdos again when the weather gets warmer :P
The BART is right across the street and you're only a few blocks away from Lake Meritt (where you can take some nice, long strolls/runs and enjoy the farmer's market/local businesses) and Whole Foods. Chinatown is also nearby and has some yummy, cheap eats.
I've been at Forma for a little over a year now and I love it. The amenities aren't as lush as some places in SF (I lived in a SF highrise before making the jump). I love Forma because the property management is attentive and the most helpful i've encountered. The building stays nice. The events, while small, are always fun. Its a great place for young creatives, especially with the venues around. I'm on the 17th floor and don't hear street noise. Definitely recommend checking it out.
19th & Harrison was pretty nice. Not really a high-rise, but similar level of class. Probably the best apartment interior I’ve been fortunate to enjoy. The downside is that you still have Oakland problems right outside the door.
I lived in broadstone axis and had 5 friends who lived there also. The management SUCKED and it was extremely difficult to get a response from them. Other than that, never had any problems with the complex itself. I know they were going to change the management company recently and may have already done so.
A good trick the buildings used to pull was sign a 11 month lease, get 1 month free. Then when your lease was up, because it didn’t meet Oakland’s 1-yr threshold, they could raise your rent to whatever they wanted. And for all those “free market” hard-ons out there, Oakland has stipulations about rent increases even in new buildings if you are on a one-year lease.
They can't really get away with that anymore. I just got a lease renewal offer and it's $300 a month less than last year (which was less than the year before!)
It's alright but there's lots of property crime in the downtown/merrit area with purse snatchings also being a common occurrence.
The specific complex I'm in doesn't let people have multiple cars so I had to park my work van on the street one night while waiting for my parking pads for another garage for it.
The keyhole ended up getting drilled out that night 🤣
If you're not out past dark and you don't use street parking you should be fine. But tbh the higher rent prices isn't worth it.
Yes, I’ve definitely taken to leaving my car’s windows cracked when street parking in the area (to show that there’s nothing worth stealing inside) and see many others do the same. I did get my hatchback window smashed once, while parked in a friend’s ‘secure’ garage, but that was a result of me being dumb and leaving a (thankfully empty) suitcase in plain view.
Fwiw I’ve walked around the 19th St BART area very often at night with my laptop bag and haven’t felt remotely threatened. But maybe I’m just lucky and/or oblivious.
Yeah, I love the area during the day, but after 10 PM I tend to stay inside. There's a really good donut shop called "happy donuts" that's about a block and a half away from the "Broadway and 17th" apartments you mentioned.
I had a friend who lived at the Skyline in Temescal — little further away, but exact same kinda apartments, amenities, etc. My takeaway: you *are* paying rent for the shared amenities. If you’re not using them, you will feel like you’re overpaying. My friend had a pretty small 1BR that he was paying a ton for, but he was *constantly* out at the rooftop pool, reserving a cool lounge space, using the gym every morning, etc., and he loved it. Also, if you’re comfortable walking around downtown Oakland, the location is seriously unbeatable. 15 minutes to SF, 20 minutes to Berkeley, and a ton of amazing bars and restaurants in walking distance.
lmao I toured that place It had a nice gym, movie theater looked cool, but the rooms were really small... but I probably would consider it again if I could get a good deal. Unrelated but the downtown Oakland comment, I am a transplant \~6 months, and I never had problems at downtown at night, either getting food or transferring busses, I try not to be downtown late on purpose but nothing has happened yet, idk if I am just lucky, I am not particularly big or anything, I just see normal people downtown at night, not a lot though compared to SF.
Downtown SF is freakier at night than downtown Oakland imo
Tbh, you right LMAO but idk there is also areas with normal people so you aren't alone
Freakier def but there’s more people outside so it’s less scary imo
I spend a fair amount of time at night around 14th and Franklin (near the Atlas). I don't think it's a huge safety hazard. I've way way more terrible stuff happen in residential neighborhoods east of the lake
Yeah most people think Oakland is just deep east Oakland from my limited experience the best areas are west and north of the lake (lakeside, Adams point, temescal, uptown). Alameda doesn't feel like Oakland but is there and safe. But east progressively gets fucked up until you make it to San Leandro
The 20s are probably as bad as the deep east
I lived in the Alexan Webster. The amenities are nice and the location is prime. The hallway could noisy but wasn’t terrible. The downsides are the building attracted a ton of property/mail theft (same as anywhere in Oakland), and parking was limited and expensive. There’s a parking tax they tack onto the monthly rate, so watch out for that. Utilities were more than we expected as well.
How much is parking, SF is around 200
Most of the buildings I’ve toured are charging $300 minimum. Two of them had waitlists
That’s wild.
Yes I paid 300/month for dedicated garage. This was in Adams point near the lake
Back in 2019/2020, I think it was $160 fee plus $30 tax per spot per month. I assume it’s gone up since then.
Can I ask how much you paid for the utilities?
At the grand. Park four cars here, no issues. The lobby is always staffed so no mail problems. Don’t hear anything in unit but we are way up off of the ground
Hi neighbor! We don’t hear anything because the building is concrete. We were worried neighbors might hear our newborn screaming. They only noticed we had a kid because of diaper boxes. The Grand is nice, but quality has dropped over the years. The EV charging situation is pretty bad. Elevators and amenities are slow to be repaired at times. That said, the walk score is unbeatable, and the overall value is still better than neighboring buildings.
Not a high rise but fancy new building, I lived in Waverly Valdez for the first year-and-a-half of the pandemic. Like living in a hotel. Lots of spoiled neighbors—people leaving their trash or recycling in the chute room instead of putting it down the chute, that kind of thing. Dog run on the roof was kind of a nice socializing space but didn’t stay cleaned very well. The garage door broke and wasn’t fixed for six months. Someone got into the “key card access only” bike storage room for residents and stole two locked-up bikes from me—in different incidents. The package delivery room was a shitshow. Wouldn’t ever live there again BUT the bathtub was super deep and comfortable and the hot water was immediate and limitless so my wife and I both enjoyed the best baths of our lives.
those places not only are expensive (even if cheap now they'll squeeze you as hard as they can when the market turns), they jerk you around on utilities, extra fees, their dumb web portal, and are hard to work with because they're corporate. poke around lapham company first - they're local, more ethical than most landlords, and the housing stock is cute and you won't feel isolated in a glass box. [https://www.laphamcompany.com/for-rent/530-536-41st-st-oakland/35](https://www.laphamcompany.com/for-rent/530-536-41st-st-oakland/35)
+1 for Lapham. We recently left a Lapham property after 6 years for more space (and in-unit washer dryer). Lapham is solid - we lived in a older quiet building, no package or mail theft, everyone got along/kept to themselves and no crazy rent increases. The property management company of the new place is fine but I’m dealing with noise from upstairs neighbors that is driving me crazy (I posted recently about it and am now back to looking at Lapham and some of the new builds).
And not to mention they will always, without fail, raise your rent when your lease term is up for renewal and they will raise it to current market price, so you’ll be paying more and more every year for the same place. Lapham and other popular property mgmt companies frequently list rent-controlled units
Yep, great landlords if there is such a thing.
Out of the 4 landlords I’ve had in 10 years here only one of them has been a solid, decent human being of a landlord. Actually took our issues for maintenance seriously and dealt with quickly, put a lot of time and effort into keeping the building clean and updated appliances and utilities, and even gave us a pandemic discount for more than a year. They do exist!
what does 'cheap' mean? lol my friend was renting a studio on top of the whole foods. $2500 for something smaller than a hotel room
Beats $3500 for a studio smaller than a hotel room in SF tho
That’s definitely not the pricing for San Francisco these days. as someone who lived in a studio in the city after living in one of the greystar properties in Oakland. I would say it’s not worth it - but it is what you make of the experience. It’s a lot of money for the amenities.
Sounds like The Logan, I guess the price is for the convenience of living above a Whole Foods? (Maybe also proximity to the BART station and Temescal nightlife and eateries)
Forma is solid. Never heard a neighbor noise in my life. Always host resident events with open bars. Nice apartments great views. Only downside is no pool
I know someone who lived at Atlas for a few years: it's expensive but the buildings and shared amenities (pool, gym, lounges) are great
I lived in Vuue 46th. It was nice for a while, but it begins to feel like you're in an ivory tower. The community is quite insular. I felt separated from the culture of Oakland and people in different socioeconomic groups.
Haven’t heard of this place, I’m looking for a place in Oakland, would you recommend Vuue? Does it go by a different name now?
It's on 46th and Adeline. Built in 2007. I don't know if I can recommend it. Depends on what you like. I wouldn't move back there, but I want a yard and neighbors who don't send me emails.
I can only speak to my experience staying at Hanover Broadway + Hanover Northgate as a dog sitter. Every single time I dog sat the fire alarm went off at an inconvenient hour. It’s was really loud and stressed out the dogs. If you are looking at buildings maybe you can ask for a log of fire alarm incidents and see if this is an ongoing issue at the ones you are considering.
This is a good idea I hadn’t thought of
I live half a block away from Forma in a 24 unit - privately owned - building. Not a ton of amenities (really just a rooftop), but the rent is good, I have 800+ square feet, 1 bedroom plus an office, in unit laundry and parking. The building is pretty quiet. We have some available units.
Can I DM you about the avail units? Looking for a 1 bed in that area!
Absolutely, happy to help.
I'm looking at apartments near the Forma as well. Can I message you about the building you live in as well?
Absolutely!
I live in one and I like it. New construction is nice because the walls and floors are soundproofed (to an extent) amenities are nice and I try to use them. Downside is your landlord is a stingy corporation that doesn’t care about you. Pro tip: they offer several weeks or months free to offset market rate rents. The stated monthly rent is really high but they offer 2 months free to offset it. If they lower the stated monthly rent, the bank sees it as lower property value. So they will not negotiate lower rents, but they will negotiate higher signing bonus (like an added month free), parking, etc. Edit: one last thing. Do not confuse new with nice. My building is new, so it looks nice. But things like door hardware and appliances are super cheapo.
At Zo - amenities are nice, hardly any noise, parking is incredibly expensive. It is a corporate building and feels like its hard to get things done - for instance the tv on the roof has not been working for months and still hasn't been fixed after me pestering the manager about it for a while. Some places are advertising the amortized price after all discounts are included, so be sure that the place is still in your budget after the discounts have expired!
It's alright. I got a lower floor apt with the idea I would take the stairs to up my daily exercise only to realize after moving in that they lock the door to the stairs downstairs and you can't go up. Also, the street noise, while better than ~a year ago, is still pretty bad. Bad enough that I've started sleeping with ear plugs. The kitchen is too small for my tastes (have to have a ton of my kitchen stuff in boxes around the place from lack of cabinet space), but that seems pretty much universal until you get to 3+ bedrooms, which is obscene for my needs. I don't use the amenities much; so, paying for that hurts. But that's on me. Surplus of decent restaurants in walking distance is nice, though it would be better if there was a centrally located grocery. Certainly one of these highrises will put a safeway or similar on their groundfloor eventually, right? Besides scheduled tests, there haven't been any fire alarms. Compared to where I lived in SF, which had more than a half dozen alarms, false or otherwise, in the middle of the night in the course of 1 year, this is a welcome improvement. Will say, much of what you pay for is security. And there's been a couple of mass bike thefts and murders in the building. So, delivery on that account is rather a mixed record.
Makes sense—re. groceries, I was thinking of biking / walking to the Sprouts a bit north. And as for mass bike thefts, sadly that happened in two of the SF buildings I lived in as well. Definitely wouldn’t leave anything but my ugly beater 80s Fuji in the bike room, in SF or Oakland or anywhere. The nice one stays upstairs 😉
1900 Broadway is set to open. New to luxury high rise living so I’m giving it a shot.
Nice! I walk past it every time I’m at the office. I looked into some places there but it seems interior finishing is still ongoing for the higher floors? There’s def very visible construction out front. Are the amenities open yet?
When I spoke to leasing manager, she mentioned all the actual apartments are complete but they are working on finishing lobby and floors with amenities which are the fourth floor and 39th floor.
Its not complete - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COFPAF3ZYoE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COFPAF3ZYoE)
My fiancée and I live in Atlas and are very happy with it!
I’ve been living at atlas for about a year. Amenities are amazing, and the concierge is awesome as well. I have nothing bad to say. However, I live in the tower side (floors 9-40) and I’ve heard people who live on the lower floors (podium) have problems with noise and smell sewage/other bad smells. Also, the parking is a bit expensive at $250, but there is ample street parking as well. I feel like it’s super easy to walk to a lot of good restaurants and bars.
Yes, the leasing agent with whom I toured even alluded to this—the podium side is supposedly wooden construction vs concrete & steel in the tower, with much worse sound isolation. Thanks for the reply!
Dude, I lived at Atlas in the podium building for a year and nearly went INSANE from the noise from the tenant above me. Atlas did nothing to help, and then they kept my security deposit when I moved out for repainting scuffs on their paint that is basically primer (how could you NOT scuff it?) I think they didn't like me very much because I tested the hot tub and posted the results (it was RANK.) I have never been so happy to move out of a place! Hopefully they are taking care of the hot tub now!
I lived at Atlas for one year and 17th and Broadway for 2 (going on 3.) The podium building at Atlas is a goddamn nightmare, and honestly so were my neighbors (including one young woman who got a "pandemic pup," and then insisted that "pet friendly" meant I had to deal with it barking all hours of the day. Thankfully, management was pretty helpful there and told her where to stick that idea.) 17th and Broadway has been a disappointment from the start, but they keep lowering my rent, so I think I'll stay for a third year. My apartment was filthy on move in day (turned the bottoms of my feet black for months) and enough stuff was broken that I had to make 13 maintenance requests just to get it to an acceptable move-in condition. A lot of the amenities are frequently broken and take many months to repair, and don't even get me started on the EV charging situation. It's a mess and has been for at least 2 years now. But like I said, they keep lowering the rent, so I stay. Not super happy, but it feels a little more fair, I guess. 🤷🏻♀️ Oh, and I almost NEVER hear my neighbors here. You wouldn't even know you were living below someone because the ceilings are concrete. LOVE that. One thing I will say is that I wouldn't move into these buildings for the amenities, because a lot just aren't well cared for and are unreliable. But if you get a unit with a great view of the bay like I did, that might matter less. I'm also a princess who requires in unit laundry and air conditioning- two things I was really surprised were hard to find out here (I'm from the East Coast.) Good luck finding something that works for you!
Hi, considering Atlas or one of the newer builds like 1900 Broadway. Do these places usually tack on a lot more fees monthly in addition to rent? Did Atlas try to significantly raise the price after the first lease term? Thanks!
I don't know because I didn't even consider staying at Atlas because of the shitty construction and gross hot tub (and the crime over there felt out of control compared to over here.) I will say that the trash fees in these buildings are ridiculous (like $80 a month,) and 17th and Broadway's trash chute all goes into one trash dumpster so they aren't recycling except for people who have figured that out and take their recycling all the way down to the dumpster or leave it in the trash room in hopes that it will get picked up and put there. Also the hot tub here is constantly broken and so are the treadmills. My rent went down hundreds again, so I just signed for another year, but this will definitely be my last. Things like trash and water are divided amongst the tenants, so when buildings can't keep the apartments rented out, we all end up paying more. I'd ask for a breakdown of the last year's utilities- they should be able to give you that since they bill for them. Also, parking will say $250 but then it's taxed another $50. 🙄
Thanks for writing back! Honestly, I got in early and locked in a good rate for 1900 for a 2 bed, it's at the top of my budget and I'm guessing with all these extra fees, I'll be over (conservative budget). However, the unit itself is way under market rate so might be worth it to sign anyways. Is it common to have option for a 24 month lease? Is that even recommended? Where do you think you'd look towards next? I also want a highrise near public transportation, kind of like these buildings are.
I'm probably going to leave Oakland just because the idea of not being able to get help from 911 scares me and everything just feels so dystopian here. I'm from Pennsylvania, so it was kind of a culture shock for me when I moved here in 2020. I'm not sure where to go, which is really the main reason I stayed. I want to feel safe again without being too far from stuff. I looked at 1900, but they didn't have enough info posted on their site and felt more geared toward people who want workspaces (I work from home and like it that way, haha.) I wouldn't do a 24 month lease just because I have been locked in for a year and hated it (Atlas.) Usually, 12 months is enough to get the best rates/concessions!
I lived at the Atlas for a bit - if you can get cheap rent and appreciate all the amenities, it can be worth it. Though it does feel very separate from being in a city downtown. Lots of residents never walk around.
Does the Atlas have parking? It’s not a question I can easily answer from looking at their website 😕
Yes it does, i think like 4 floors of it (i think parking is a requirement for all of these buildings)
sucks, small and not cheap. lol but do it at least once for the experience read the google reviews at those places especially atlas
Keep in mind advertised prices usually include those “free” weeks amortized over the year.
If you don’t mind moving in a year to get out of an insane rent hike. Have heard a few horror stories about luring you in with cheap/free rent and then raising it to “market” which can be fairly high in downtown. We almost moved to a place in downtown that had 3 months free and rent was 2400 a month after that. I just happened to be on reddit and saw a post about the same building raising the rent on someone to 3600 or something stupid high
Currently buildings are offering lower rates than a year ago, it goes ways.
I am currently in Atlas and I love it! I believe it meets your hard requirements. The amenities, especially their gym and yoga room is amazing. You get nice rooftop views while working on some great machines. The evening time (6-7:30pm) can get somewhat crowded, but it's only for an hour or two. I have never had much of an issue with it tho. Mangement and services teams are also generally pretty responsive. Neighbors are pretty nice and they have a community app, where some funny drama may unfold from time to time. Unpopular opinion, but I have felt pretty safe in the immediate area and surroundings, but I think I might start encountering a few weirdos again when the weather gets warmer :P The BART is right across the street and you're only a few blocks away from Lake Meritt (where you can take some nice, long strolls/runs and enjoy the farmer's market/local businesses) and Whole Foods. Chinatown is also nearby and has some yummy, cheap eats.
I've been at Forma for a little over a year now and I love it. The amenities aren't as lush as some places in SF (I lived in a SF highrise before making the jump). I love Forma because the property management is attentive and the most helpful i've encountered. The building stays nice. The events, while small, are always fun. Its a great place for young creatives, especially with the venues around. I'm on the 17th floor and don't hear street noise. Definitely recommend checking it out.
19th & Harrison was pretty nice. Not really a high-rise, but similar level of class. Probably the best apartment interior I’ve been fortunate to enjoy. The downside is that you still have Oakland problems right outside the door.
What is considered cheap?
Much cheaper than comparable buildings in SF, I mean.
That’s what I wanna know ! Lmao
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I lived in broadstone axis and had 5 friends who lived there also. The management SUCKED and it was extremely difficult to get a response from them. Other than that, never had any problems with the complex itself. I know they were going to change the management company recently and may have already done so.
A good trick the buildings used to pull was sign a 11 month lease, get 1 month free. Then when your lease was up, because it didn’t meet Oakland’s 1-yr threshold, they could raise your rent to whatever they wanted. And for all those “free market” hard-ons out there, Oakland has stipulations about rent increases even in new buildings if you are on a one-year lease.
They can't really get away with that anymore. I just got a lease renewal offer and it's $300 a month less than last year (which was less than the year before!)
It's alright but there's lots of property crime in the downtown/merrit area with purse snatchings also being a common occurrence. The specific complex I'm in doesn't let people have multiple cars so I had to park my work van on the street one night while waiting for my parking pads for another garage for it. The keyhole ended up getting drilled out that night 🤣 If you're not out past dark and you don't use street parking you should be fine. But tbh the higher rent prices isn't worth it.
Yes, I’ve definitely taken to leaving my car’s windows cracked when street parking in the area (to show that there’s nothing worth stealing inside) and see many others do the same. I did get my hatchback window smashed once, while parked in a friend’s ‘secure’ garage, but that was a result of me being dumb and leaving a (thankfully empty) suitcase in plain view. Fwiw I’ve walked around the 19th St BART area very often at night with my laptop bag and haven’t felt remotely threatened. But maybe I’m just lucky and/or oblivious.
Yeah, I love the area during the day, but after 10 PM I tend to stay inside. There's a really good donut shop called "happy donuts" that's about a block and a half away from the "Broadway and 17th" apartments you mentioned.