I have lived here for 2 1/2 years with my buddies Blain and Dutch. We lived in building three for over a year in a 3 bedroom but Dutch recently moved back to the east coast and now, I am in a 2 bedroom in building 2. So even though he left, we liked it so much we wanted to stay.
First the 3br: The apartment is very nice and very clean. Of course this depends on how much time and effort your landlord puts into it before you move in, and also on the condition the previous family treated the place. Ours was very nice. I didn't want to live in a dump and wanted to pay no more than 800 a month. Between the three of us we each paid $767 a month, which wasn't too bad. The bedrooms have one master that has its own bathroom with two sinks and a lot of mirrors and space for stuff. It's marble throughout. The room itself is big but I don't know the dimensions. The other bedrooms are smaller but definitely liveable without any complaining. The kitchen was great...it was big with a huge amount of counter space and a deep sink for dishes. It has a dishwasher and washing machine/dryer in the unit, which is also a life saver. The living room is narrow, but deep...plenty of space for couches and big tv's and all that stuff. The kitchen floor is wooden, and the counters are marbel, too.
The two bedroom is cool, as well. It's more expensive; we pay $912 each...substantially more than the 3br, but we felt a certain level of comfort and wanted to stay in the complex. The 2br has the same amenities as the 3br but my only gripe is the kitchen space. It's a lot smaller, and the sink is not deep at all...dishes pile up quickly. But, again, there is a master br, which I have, and a second br my roommate has. My room has it's own bathroom, so yes, we each have our own bathrooms and showers. Big plus. The appliances in both condos are brand new and always work. The only other gripe in the kitchen is that when the oven is on some of the burners on the stove dont light very easily. You have to light a match and get the flame that way....some days it works some days it doesnt.
My condo is cool...we recently moved another big tv into the living room so we can play xbox live and halo 3 together on our own tv's. It's awesome. My K/D ration in Halo 3 is good. I play a lot...gamer tag is MacFromPredator.
the atmosphere in the building is easily it's biggest con. During the week, 75% of the time it's quiet. 25% it's like a frat house. This depends on location and neighbors, too, obviously. But the people across from us turn the place into a frat house with their thumping bass and screaming, ugly girlfriends hanging on their balcanies. Also, the people who live above us have lead feet. I've never heard anything like it. My sister thumps when she walks and growing up I dealt with the annoyance. It was loud. But the people above me sound like they have cinder blocks for feet. I've never heard anything like it. I'm beyond angry; it's now just honest curiosity on my part and I would love to go knock on their door and just stare at their feet or ask them to demonstrate what they do when they walk. It's so incredibly rude. Imagine waking up at 2:30am to a shaking apartment because the rude assholes above you don't have the common sense to realize people live below them. It sucks and whoever lives up here, I hate. That being said, it has nothing to do with the condos directly except for thin floors, but whatever.
The building also has a gym...I work out a lot and decided to join a real gym in spite of this fact, so that says something about the gym itself for regulars. If you're looking for a decent workout now and then and don't care about equipment condition and variety it's ok. It also has a sauna, hot tub and shower/locker area, which is ok but I never use it. There is also a game room with a big tv, pool table and kitchen that can be reserved for parties and stuff. It's cool but again, I never use it. The office in the lobby sucks. No one is there. It's impossible to pick up packages in the mail because their hours are so random. The creepy night watchman also provides some questionable entertainment value.
The area is not too too too bad....I mean, it's east downtown san diego, so it isnt nice. but is any area of downtown "nice?" No. But, there is an Albertsons about a 7 min walk from the building which is extremely convenient. There is also city boxing around the corner, the police station headquarters is directly across the street for safety and comfort. Biggest plus you can walk downtown and drink and walk home..no worries about driving. Also, Undisputed, an MMA gym opened up half a mile away. There is good easy access to the freeways very close by...coronado is also close. last but not least, there is underground parking with two spaces per unit. Overall, it's good to live here. read more