A Special Place to Live 1200 Lakeshore Ave., apartments overlooking Lake Merritt is an outstanding apartment complex in Oakland. We have lived here for almost 4 years and have found the apartments to be spacious and immaculately clean and secure. There is a workout room fully equipped with the latest workout machines. There is a gorgeous patio complete with top-of-the-line furniture and a wonderfully landscaped garden. I cannot say enough about the staff. They are kind, generous and willing to help in anyway. They are simply the best .David Solis, manager, and staff go out of their way to accommodate our needs. Some of the tenants in this building have been here for many many years. Currently the tenants if if they so desire can participate in some fun activities. 1200 Lakeshore deserves the highest rating. Please come and check it out. You won't be sorry! Joyce Rubenstein Addendum: the east side of the building overlooks the Oakland Hills. In addition, all of the units have large patio areas Sent from my iPhone read more

I lived at 1200 Lakeshore from 2020 to 2023, and while the apartment itself is beautiful with spacious units and great views, the overall experience was far from perfect. The neighbors were awful--racism was rampant. Once, in the laundry room, my partner was loading a dryer when a woman literally pushed her and said, "residents have priority," clearly assuming she was someone's maid. Another time in the laundry room a different woman asked her "what are your rates?" And when we said "we're your neighbors!" She didn't even apologize she just gave us that "oh you're being too sensitive" look. That kind of behavior was shocking and completely unacceptable. I also had a Mexican flag and a BLM flag on my balcony, and the property manager passive-aggressively asked me to take them down for "drone photos of the building." When I asked when this would take place so I could put the flags back up, he got nervous and mumbled something about needing the building to look "uniform." It was clear the flags weren't the kind of "uniform" he had in mind. While this isn't directly the building's fault, it absolutely must be mentioned: the area is not safe at all. In the three years I lived there, there were three murders within just a couple of blocks. No joke--check Oakland crime stats if you don't believe me. It's a very dangerous area, which only adds to the list of concerns. 1200 Lakeshore is a lovely building on the surface, but between the hostile neighbors, management's sketchy priorities, and the unsafe neighborhood, it's not the haven you'd hope for. read more

Don't let the square feet and views of the lake trick you. 1200 lakeshore is a nightmare from rude security guards that threaten you to David, who's an absolute joke and doesn't know how to run a building, to the common occurrence of people dying in front of the building. The people that sit out front make this building unlivable; they play music until 4 am, causing you not to be able to get any sleep. And Yes, you heard right, people regularly fight, get shot, and get stabbed in front of 1200 lakeshore. When those bullets go through your window, 1200 Lakeshore charges you to repair your window and won't give your full security deposit back. read more

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My parents lived here for 20 years and wanted to shout out the manager David Solis who was particularly responsive to their needs. They found him professional, dependable, and approachable! "Thanks David!!" -The Hartshorn's read more

Please do impeccable research before you decide to make this investment. It will cost you $, your health, and peace of mind. Something that looks too good to be true usually is too good to be true. The view, the tall glass walls, the shimmering lake. The staff is great, kind, and friendly. They'll help you with the paperwork, and some repairs, and give great, enticing tours. Unfortunately, this doesn't do much when it comes to actually living in the hell hole. The walls in the house itself are thinner than a single strand of hair. You can hear someone turn on the microwave, every flush, every chime of a text. Everything. It sounds like multiple roads are running through your house, and 80 obnoxiously loud motorcyclists are racing on your balcony. It is the most disgusting noise and it is ever-present. There is never a moment of silence, not at 3 am not at 8 pm. Never experienced hell like this before. Within 15 ft of this place, I have witnessed daylight robbery and assault, and a woman just hanging out by the lake was shot yesterday. I hate it here and I can't wait for my lease to end. read more

I will start with the good - the actual apartments are absolutely beautiful. Beautiful view, fantastic balcony, great closets, wonderful lay out. The security team and Brain are super nice and try to be as helpful as the can - but the situation here is bordering on unlivable. Living here has been hellish. We are woken up by amplified music from cars parked in front of the building almost every night (through ear plugs and sound machines) as well as another resident who hosts parties at least once a week all night long playing music with bumping sound systems that shake our walls (and we do not even share a wall with this apartment - I have to imagine this resident impacts more than ten other apartments throughout the building. This has been going on for over a year and nothing has changed.). Weekly, there is an individual with a full drum kit set up outside the building for 6-8 hours such that my husband and I have to wear ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones and communicate via text the entire evening on a weekly basis. The fact that the building seems to be maintaining and increasing rents in this environment is shocking. I feel that representing this place as a luxury building with these issues borders on fraudulent. Given the health issues driven from a lack of sleep (not to mention constant high decibel noise) I actually feel this place should be required to provide a warning to potential residents. So, if you happen to be entirely unimpacted by noise, you will love this place. Otherwise, look elsewhere. I am not exaggerating this point, and have lived in cities, above bars, in downtown areas for many years. I previously lived in downtown oakland with minimal issues of this kind. read more

Best tour ever!! Jared gave us a very thorough and entertaining tour of the apartments. We were greeted by a very friendly security guard in the lobby. We were welcomed to view apartments even if we didn't have a prior appointment. The apartments themselves were stunning, the bar has been set very high. read more

it was much noisier at 1200 Lakeshore 2-3 years ago, but the building management worked with the Oakland Parks and Police departments to reduce the noise from 2AM parties, Installation of speed bumps stopped sideshows and racing on Lakeshore. We feel safe in our apartment. The apartments are roomier than most in Oakland, and the 7-foot balconies on nearly every unit make them seem even larger. The building management and maintenance is terrific and problems are resolved quickly. Multiple units are being renovated and will be rented when building supplies and appliances are more available. The diversity of the tenets is a-big plus and most people are friendly in the elevators. read more

We are totally enjoying living at 1200. Our apartment is spacious, the deck wraps around the entire unit facing Lake Merritt and we enjoy gorgeous sunsets almost every night. Our corner unit provides privacy and we never experience noise our other conduct from other units in the building. The most unique and special part of living at 1200 is the dedication and effort shown by our senior door man Cecil for the People. He is a total 100% class act who works tirelessly to make sure residents and their guests are always looked after and get the best living situation available. The easy walk to Bart makes for a stress free commute and after 35 years in San Francisco, I am totally OAKLANDISH. 1200 Lakeshore is a wonderful, diverse community of supportive apartment dwellers who generally seem to share a sense of well being and gratitude for the privilege of living in a building that is dedicated to the well being of its residents and their housing needs. Thanks to Cecil and the entire 1200 Team for making life here so wonderful and special. read more

1200 Lakeshore Apartments - Apartments Near Me - Oakland, California

We were looking for temporary housing while our house in Oakland was under renovation. After calling several apartment complexes in Oakland and not getting a reply, I called 1200 Lakeshore and spoke with Johnny. He was very responsive and helpful. We were able to arrange for a tour of available units with Johnny, which were a good value, furnished and in a terrific location. They even had views of downtown and the Lake. Unlike other apartments, 1200 Lakeshore offered much better flexibility on short term lease agreements. Overall, a great experience. I'd recommend talking to Johnny if you are looking for an apartment near Lake Merritt. read more

Echoing what most earlier reviewers said, the folks at 1200 Lakeshore -- the management, maintenance staff, and security folks are all outstanding and make the lakefront building a very comfortable, welcoming home. After 3 years, I have been very impressed. Even through Covid, everything was kept clean and functioning. Even small repairs are quickly addressed. Looking out over Lake Merritt is a delight every day. The floor-to-ceiling windows and the large balcony make the apartments feel extra large. As some noted, the late-night lakeside partying can get noisy at times, but that's life in the big city and OPD have increased patrols in the area. The building is covered by rent control, if you are wondering. If you are looking for an apartment, take a look here. read more

I've live here since 1995 and David Solis is the best manager we ever had .The security is always on point I have a beautiful place over looking the lake at night it's so beautiful we have a 4 th floor terrace that beautiful and nice gym great place to live I wouldn't go any where else and we have a sauna room to just a beautiful place to live and the balcony are so large you can have a party it's so big read more

We lived in New York, Boston, Singapore, Australia, the Bay Area. 1200 Lakeshore is a beautiful, calming abode when we lived there from Dec 2019 to Dec 2020. Besides our loft in a piano factory in Boston, 1200 Lakeshore is one of the best apartment we've been in. We only left because we relocated back to New York. We had a corner unit with a wrap-around view of Lake Merritt and Oakland. Birds, geese taking off from the lake into the air, gorgeous Californian sunsets--glorious pink and purple skies--around us, and balmy breeze through the evening and night when we slept. My wife worked from home and take clients. We've never had any issues, the view wows her clients. During shelter-in-place, both of us worked from home and the apartment accommodated us easily. The previous manager Jennifer was great. The current manager David Solis is just as great and professional. He's a calm and get-things-done presence, helping to liaise between tenants during this difficult time. Since our relocation, I've unfortunately had to follow up with David on some things (nothing to do with 1200 Lakeshore nor our old apartment) and he's gone above and beyond. I seldom have to reach out to past apartment management and don't expect much after moving out--I'm very thankful and appreciative of David's assistance. The people we interact with most: Brian Weber for the building management office is one of the best. Always pleasant, always going out of his way to help, always receptive, and have time to hear any issues or rub our rescue Mango. We love Brian. Scott and his maintenance team have a difficult job with everyone living and working from home. They handle everything with a can-do spirit and a cheery smile through the protests as they boarded up the building (taken down now). The building is very well maintained and Scott's crew helped customize my wife's closet space for her work. The front desk folks are all great. Lawrence, Manny, Michael Lafaso (especially Michael, give him a raise!) --always around to help or chat. We'll miss them. The temporary issues that folks complain about are outside the building management's control. But to management's credit, they've organized Zoom meetings with the city, have lobbied for speed bumps, for the area around the lake to be cleaned up, etc. This a safe haven and beautiful home for anyone looking. read more

We are approaching our one year anniversary living here and we LOVE it here. The location is amazing. I walk to work in downtown Oakland and my wife BARTs to Berkeley. (Not now of course, because I am writing this while sheltering in place.) There are tons of great restaurants and stores and of course the farmer's market on Saturday. And the views! All of the exterior walls are glass and we have a huge balcony. It is so amazing to watch the morning light and sunset on the lake. The management has been great. Any problem we have had has been quickly attended to. They just redid the lobby, hallways, and the huge outdoor mezzanine. All of the staff is super friendly. The only downside, which is not the fault of the building, is that it can get a little noisy. That is a price you pay for living in the center of it all. I think it is totally worth it. read more

We recently moved to 1200 Lakeshore and have been here over a month. Having lived in a condo with a 24-hour concierge we are very familiar with what a successful and attentive support staff should be. In every dealing we have had with the 1200 Lakeshore staff they have performed admirably. The staff is incredibly friendly, all have quickly learned our names and responded to all our request promptly. We are very pleased. Victor G read more

We have lived at 1200 Lakeshore Avenue since 1999 and love living here. The apartments are incredibly spacious and our terrace is huge. We have great views. The apartments were built extremely sound so we don't hear any noise from our neighbors. 1200 Lakeshore is well maintained. There is a courtyard sitting area with unique plants. Any maintenance problem is handled immediately. The property manager and staff are tenant friendly and attentive to our requests. The property has security guards at the front desk. They are well trained and concerned about tenant safety. We feel safe living here. read more

I lived here for a yr and a half and let's just say i fell in love with lake merritt. spectacular views and spacious apts! just don't live in the H unit because you will face the run down economy inn. However, the walls between you and your neighbors are cement and trust me, that makes a huuuuggge difference! 1200 Lakeshore gives you a piece of serenity and privacy. (when the firetrucks and motorcycles aren't flying by) overlooking a beautiful lake, if you're into fitness, you will no doubt, be motivated to exercise by the traffic you get from active locals. there is a dinky gym that is tolerable if no one else is occupying the gym, majority of the time it's empty. the laundry room is always available to do at least 3 loads. (i only did laundry on weekdays) the elevators are fast, it's unbelievable how quick they zoom up and down 25 stories. The reason why i did not give 1200 Lakeshore 5 stars is because a) you get one parking space per unit so if your rooming with someone else you are shit outta luck. parking outside has not been safe the last half of my stay there and my car windows were broken twice. yes, TWICE! I've talk to a handful of other people who've experience the same thing. b) if you are going to move out, make sure you give them EXACTLY one month notice or they will charge you for every day that you did not give them notice for. ridiculous! c) it is a luxury apt so if you are considering, make sure you are ready to spend some $$$$. All and all, I truly enjoyed living there and would highly recommend it. read more

I would not recommend living here. I lived here for about 3 months and had to deal with plumbing issues, security issues, and harassment. I finally left after 3 months of dealing with a toilet that overflowed daily and a sink that filled up with the slush of other tenants. Not to mention loud noises from upstairs and an outdoor lot with little privacy. I got to share these thoughts with my next door neighbors who were also unhappy. This building is old, management is inexperienced and when you sign a contract you are seen as a dollar bill sign, almost never as a person with needs, wants, and thoughts. If I could do it all over again, I would go across the lake, or further up Macarthur for a well managed, renovated, and friendlier building. 2/19/14 Update: Amy - I did bring up my issues to management oh at least 20 times without a change. :) read more

Unfortunately we moved, not because of anything with the apartment, it was based on our growing family. I still stand by my previous comment. The apartments are FANTASTIC. You do not need an AC because you get so much fresh air from the balcony windows. The laundry was hardly ever crowded. Whenever I went down to wash there was washers available. The maintenance staff, they are the best! Extremely friendly and they are cleaning around the building. I never saw a paper out of place. Great management too, felt like family. If we ever decide to move back to Oakland I wouldn't look anywhere else. I truly loved my 5 1/2 years at 1200 read more

I live here. It's pretty damn sweet. Loads of space, the apartments are well laid out, the rest of the building is always clean(i'm going to let the rotting garbage stench go seeing as Waste Management is screwing the world), and the maintenance guy seems to know that something is wrong almost before you can report it. Oh, and the neighbors are great too. They're mostly all the kind that will hold the elevator door for you if they see you coming kind of friendly. read more

Man oh man...such great memories living here. This was the 1st place I actually lived after I got out of the Army. I moved in with a couple of old friends and we had dirt cheap rent compared to the other units in the building ($1200 for a 1200 sq ft 2 bd 2 bath?..sweet!) because we took over a friend's lease and we had old appliances. But who cares, it's not like we cooked a lot. The laundry room is huuuge with new (at the time) washers and dryers, the little gym was a nice touch, the view from the roof was breathtaking (great place to watch 4th of July fireworks), and the location couldn't have been any better (in the middle of everything). We lived on the 4th floor where the huge common area patio is located. It was great living on this floor because we could walk out the back door and mess around, have bbqs, chill, and do whatever. But one wknd we left our sliding door unlocked and ended up having an unexpected visitor...a bum snuck in and slept on our couch. Too bad I was in LA that wknd. I would've loved to have seen my roommates' faces. If you ever move to Oakland, live in this complex. read more

1200 Lakeshore Apartments - Apartments Near Me - Oakland, California

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Oh the memories of 1200 Lakeshore, my former hi-rise residence, where I lived with a southern gentleman and we partied like rockstars and lived among Oakland's elite. Thank god for cement walls. We luxuriated in a 15th floor 2 bedroom, 2 bath for a reasonable Bay Area price with amazing views of the Oakland hills. Although some may believe the apartments that face the lake are better, I'll play devil's advocate. I enjoyed many gorgeous sunrises, full-moons, shooting stars, alien sightings, firework shows, stunt drivers, and paper-air-plane throwing off the deck. Plus, the activity at the Economy Inn below always provided for great entertainment! The lake side of the building suffers the sunset, so if you get pleasure from the sun blaring in and baking up your non-AC unit starting at 2 o'clock, and are fond of falling asleep to duck quacking, go for it! Back to the deck... my favorite feature...could easily host a party of its own. Ceiling to floor, sliding windows open from the living room and bedrooms to the long and wide deck where my amigos and I gathered, celebrated, BBQ'd and enjoyed 4th of July and New Years Eve fireworks. Units are large with plush, white carpet, upgraded countertops, and wood flooring in kitchen and bathrooms. The laundry room is nice and big with card operated machines (no quarter run!). Best of all, you can walk right out to the lake, stroll to the farmer's market on Saturday or the shops on Lakeshore Ave. There is a sense of community among the residents and I had many a good conversation in the elevators and lobby. Life at 1200 is fabulous and possibly the best spot to reside in Oakland! p.s. 1 star down for lack of security and street cleaning- parking ticket wars. read more

I am coming up on my 5th anniversary of living at 1200 Lakeshore. It is one of the best moves I have ever made! I love the location, the apartment and the building staff. The maintenance staff are so good. I always get help when I need it and they are so good to work with. The security staff give the building it's positive culture by greeting everyone and creating relationships. When I go away---they always make a big deal of welcoming me home. I really appreciate that. The place is like living in a treehouse--the views are great and I love my terrace. I'm not moving! read more

Rent prices here are ridiculous, for what you pay here, you might as well live in SF as the prices are nearly the same. Tall building, looks dated from the outside. read more

I've lived her for over 1.5 yrs. & I am very happy with the space, the building manager, maintenance team and security team. I love my deck with the view of Lake Merritt & having a gym in the building. The security team is very friendly & respectful. I don't worry about my car or my safety in the garage or in the building. The maintenance team is so reponsive I sometimes hesitate asking for little things to be fixed because I know they will be here to fix it the same day. The building manager, David, always gets right back to me quickly and is more than happy to help. For example, when I broke my leg he & the security team brought mail & packages to my door. Yes, it is in the heart of Oakland so I am in the middle of all the beauty and pain Oakland is known for with the celebrations, parades, protests, unhoused, musicians, and late night partiers. I personally like living here and enjoy all the people watching I get to do safely from my home. If you love Oakland & walking the lake I would highly recommend living here. read more

We live here and it is hell. The noise from those that park in front of the building and blast there car stereos is unbearable. And then there is the side shows of vehicles spinning around the roundabout at all times of night. Building management is not responsive, save for young Brian, who is a prince. In the past three years we have had three different people take over leadership of the building. Asking for basic maintenance is like pulling teeth. I deeply regret moving to this building. Management just shrugs its shoulders but there is so much more they could do for their tenants. They could double-glaze the windows but they don't. They could replace the shoddy blinds...but they don't. We are looking for new accommodation. Maintenance is in a downward spiral and management and ownership are liars. A shattered tomato sauce container in the car park took six days and four requests of management to be cleaned up. Be warned-- every positive review here is dated! read more

I have been here one month, and I love this place. Management has been so very helpful, going above and beyond with recommendations for dining and other necessities. They are responsive to my concerns. My apartment - wow. The configuration is very organized, and all styles fit in, whether deco, classic or contemporary. A great kitchen, with tons of storage. Of course, there is fresh air from the huge balcony, and the view is magnificent. I feel as if I am in a welcoming neighborhood. read more

I moved into 1200 Lakeshore in November 2018 and cannot imagine a better home for me in this new chapter of my life. I am a short walk to BART (I work in San Francisco), Lake Chalet, and the Lakeshore Ave. shopping area. The sunset views of Lake Merritt from my living room are often breathtaking. In the summers I sip my morning espresso and read the NYT on my balcony as the sun lights up the San Francisco skyline. The building staff is consistently friendly, professional, and efficient, and the facilities (workout room, conference room, garage with electric car chargers, and multiple social areas) are first rate. But best of all are my neighbors; they're terrific! They are mostly working professionals like myself, of all ages; I have yet to meet a neighbor I don't like. I honestly did not imagine apartment life could be so comfortable. I'm glad I found this place! read more

If u r ok paying way over comps, for the area, a fairly violent hood, a slumlord style ownrshp, current management operating like a kingdom that chooses to use bullying and harresment toward any tenent that actually holds them accountable for what is required of any lanlord by oakland rent controll ordenace, (I have been thru 4 in the 6+ years residing here and this is by far the worst to date) illegal rent increases, intemidation tactics as well as illegal eviction attempts as a standard way of treating there very high paying tenants!! no real actually up to modern standatd functional amenities, very behind on routine maintenance (at least 20yrs), no real security at all with nightly breakins to vehicles as well as routine thefts from the garages, storage units and laundry area and other common areas reserved for residents only!! no privacy with both managers and owners under the true beleif that tenants have no rights and that they may do anything they want anytime they want with no trouble letting a tenant know this is there beleif and way of interaction, management routinely and illegally have tenants and there quests monitored as well as finding it acceptable to discuss privately legally protected tenant information with staff that have no right or need to know, other residents and perfect strangers (to them) who just come in off the street breaching a tenants privacy, saftey and security!!! If this is what you consider luxury and professionally acceptable then this would be a perfect match for you!!!! If you find any of this appauling and an unacceptable way of treatment by a landlord and there management then don't even consider this run down high turn over both tenants and management residential building as the only thing you will find ok is the views and size of most of the units. This is the worst abuse of tenants rights I have ever seen by far in the over 27 years I have been in the residential rental market both as a tenant and landlord!!!! This illegal unprofesional behavior a nice view and large space do not make it worth dealing with!! There are many other properties that are actually true luxury living as well as professionally manageged for 3k+ a month to choose from!! read more

I was fully prepared to give my previous apartment complex a more sterling review but the management change has not been for the better. Pros- location, location location - in front of the apartment is beautiful lake Merritt. Concrete walls, hardly ever hear your neighbors although you can hear them if you have your windows open Spacious Outdoor balcony is huge One of a few places that allow dogs without weight or size restrictions Nice security front desk people and maintenance staff Cons- The side behind the apartment is somewhat sketchy. 1 dedicated parking spot, outdoor parking with constant street sweeping and somewhat sketchy location means fighting for limited spots, parking several blocks away, parking tickets and possible break-ins. No air conditioning - for a luxury apartment this sucks. Vast majority of the time it stays pretty nice in Oakland but for those especially hot days you'd be wishing for some air. Noise - with your windows open you get quite a bit of street noise. Frequent ambulances and fire trucks at all hours of the night No in unit washer dryers. For this kind of money I really wish they had them. Laundry room can be messy, flooded or busy at times. $$$- they raised the rent up like crazy as soon as I moved out. They kept my entire deposit with a slew of frivolous charges, even after I had the apartment professionally cleaned and the carpets steamed. read more

If you want to live in Oakland, this is the place to be. Huge apartment, with great staff and old school amenities. Once you live here, especially if you live on the side of the building with the view of Lake Merritt you will instantly become more active and start jumping out of bed, can't help it. We priced several other buildings that were newer properties but once you step out on the balcony and see the view...game over. read more

I've been here for a year and a half and I really enjoy it. The apartments are roomy. My porch runs the entire length of the apartment with sliding doors to the outside from each adjacent room. My unit has an updated kitchen and bathroom with new light fixtures, countertop, sinks, and appliances. The apartments are each separated by a concrete wall, so interior noise is relatively low. Garage parking is included for one vehicle. The public areas are clean and well maintained with the possible exception of occasional water leaks in the garage. The maintenance guys have bent over backward to accommodate my requests, including hauling away trash after my move-in and installing a wall-mounted bracket for a flat screen TV. Contrary to a few comments in other reviews, I have found the current property manager to be upbeat and easy to deal with. In fact, the welcoming reception I got on the phone during my initial call for information was one of the reasons I stopped by in the first place. I think the building has a great vibe and sense of community. People actually smile and carry on a conversation in the lobby or in the elevators. The residents include professional singles, couples and families. There are some long-term residents, and by long-term I mean decades, so the average age does skew a bit older. Lake Merritt is right out the front door. Whole Foods is just a short car ride away. The G units face the dilapidated Economy Inn, but you also have a nice long view of the Oakland Hills with twinkling lights at night. There is a lot of noise on that side from passing trains, motorcycles, first responders, and loud car stereos. It's quieter on the lake side with a better view, but those units are hotter in the afternoon, and like most apartments in the immediate Bay Area there's no air conditioning. There are no apparent safety issues during the day around the building or outdoor walkways, but there are car break-ins on the street at night. Just remember you're in Downtown Oakland and exercise common sense. I'm updating my review after the computer pulled it from the regular reviews and relegated it to "filtered" status. It's a shame that Yelp assumes an enthusiastic review must be bogus. 1200 Lakeshore Apartments provide me with a good home and I highly recommend it, particularly as an alternative to the typical old walk-up apartments found in the Lake Merritt area. read more

overall I do recommend for someone to live here. I lived there with my younger sis for 1 1/2 years The positives: 1. you will not find a more spacious apartment around they have the most spacious balconies which wraps around your unit! 2. the view is out of this world (although i did not have the lake view i do regret not having a lake view). I recommend only getting units facing the lakes and if you are lucky you get E unit apartments which are the same prices as the non lake views but with partial lake views. 3. you get to meet all kinds of interesting people living there including athletes. 4. Dog friendly 5. it is a great location and u will fall in love with lake merritt and the neighborhood. 5. you Do not hear your neighbors because the walls are made of Concrete. 6. they have a very spacious garden that you can have a bbq or walk your dogs there on the same area as the gym (which is very small and weak , although i do like their free weights). 7. they have a Business center for you to fax or use the internet. Now for the negatives: 1. if you do not have the garage parking space your car will most likely get broken into if parked on the streets. 2. your insurance will go up due to location. 3. although there are 3 elevators, they do break down and sometimes takes forever to get down. 4. to get maintenance repairs takes longer than what they may promise. 5. they do not have a pool. 6. laundry is not in-unit and is usually occupied. 7. the 2 bedrooms have shared walls. But overall, the positives outweighs the negative, and i would say it is one of the best apartments in Oakland. you will definitely meet a friend or 2 living there :) i did!! read more

I have lived at 1200 Lakeshore for 2+ years. I just LOVE it! I wake up to the sun rising over the Oakland Hills and in my living room I can see the sun set over SF. It doesn't get better than that! I always feel safe and security--all of the building staff are warm and friendly. The huge construction project around this end of the lake is finally complete. It is gorgeous. I love walking to BART--so easy. My terrace is so big--I have a raised garden vegetable bed at one end. Lake Merritt is a sweet part of the city. read more

I've lived here for a few months now. Pros - The views are fantastic. I live on the east side (non-lake) and love it because I get the sunrise. - The balconies are so big. Very nice. And, huge bonus for city living. - Lake Merritt is beautiful. Great walking trail. - The security and maintenance staffs are very nice and helpful. - All utilities except electric, cable and Internet are included. My electric bill was only $40. And, I don't have cable. I have an antenna that pulls in at least 20 channels. - Secured parking under the building. - Very pet friendly. - Very nice residents. Cons - - Really expensive. - No washer or dryer in unit. And, you have to pay to use the community machines. Can't believe it's not included in rent since the rent is so high. - Make sure you see your potential unit. Some are more updated than others. All said, I'm enjoying my time here, but don't see it as a long-term solution because of the price. read more

Interesting mid-century rental building on Lake Merritt, lived there for a year. The pros: the units facing the lake are lovely with floor-to-ceiling windows and large decks. Heating was never an issue as both ceilings and floors are heated. Never had any noise form neighbors either as floors & ceilings are solid concrete. The building has 3 elevators and the staff at the front desk are unfailing nice, courteous and helpful as are the maintenance guys. The cons are the awful internal corridors on each floor, decorated circa 1973, the tight parking garage with only a single space per apartment, smelly gym and lack of a pool. Also beware the company that owns the place are total a**holes. They tried to change state law (!) a few years ago in order to kick out the rent controlled tenants in the building and turn it into condos. And they seem to be laboring under the misapprehension that the building is in SF as they now charge SF rents, which is why you'll usually find 4/5 vacant units there at any one time. Lastly be careful with the contract which is actually a 13 month and not a 12 month term and know that if you want to terminate early they will not be friendly or reasonable. There are MUCH better deals to be had in Oakland. Only worth it if you're interested in the architecture and don't mind paying well over-the-odds for a building that needs an entire refit and a pool. read more

I love this place! Where else in Oakland will you run into celebrities and professional athletes on a regular basis? The building is incredibly friendly, the view is absolutely amazing, the location is walking distance to the Lake Merritt BART station and the hear of downtown Oakland is a ten minute walk away. If you are looking to live in a condo or an apartment in Oakland, I haven't seen any place with a better deal. There is no pool, but the units are very spacious and have very large balconies. This is also a very secure building thanks to the staff. read more

1200 Lakeshore is an excellent place to live. The location is fantastic. Super close to BART and tons of restaurants, markets etc. super close. And you get parking included in your rate. The units themselves are very spacious and the updated ones have excellent floor plans. I lived on the 8th floor on the lake side and I believe it's honestly the best view in the building. Certainly you can see more from the higher floors, but you have to go out on to the deck and look down to see the lake. On the 8th floor, and others in that range, you see that incredible lake / skyline view from every point in the apartment. The sunsets are absolutely amazing and it's such an incredible view to wake up to every day. I certainly never grew tired of it. The building is seemingly very efficient. Our electric/gas bill was generally only like $30-40. Given the whole place is made of thick concrete, you absolutely never hear anyone below, above or next to you. And they allow pets! We have a dog and she was loved by everyone in the building. By the way, Cecil at the front desk is the absolute man. If he sees you walking up to the building, he'll grab any packages that might have been delivered for you and hold the elevator door for you with your floor already selected. He's incredibly positive and a joy to interact with. read more

Great place to live. As a young professional recently moving to Oakland, 1200 Lakeshore made for a beautiful transition. If you're looking an old style open space apartment and value a fantastic view, this is I think be best choice in the area. I was hesitant at first because previous reviews reflected a poor management team. However I was greeted by positive and effective staff, it seems that they hired some new people. Jared the new property manager has been proactive in solving all my problems, and highly accommodating. The security and maintenance teams have also been eager to help in making my life here easier. I am in a C unit and the balcony view has been stunning. Elevators wait time can be a little long sometime with new covid rules. The building is old and there is a lack of individual laundry units, A/C, and screen doors for the balcony. Other than that I have no complaints thus far. Worth the money. read more

I stayed here with a friend for a week and wow, I really wish I could afford to live here. One star off for the supposedly enormous hike in rent. It's pretty quiet (could not hear the neighbors) and the views are just stunning. They face the lake and there are floor to ceiling windows in all the rooms. It's also spacious, which I love. I would move in here in a heartbeat if they lowered the rent just a wee bit. read more