Strata

This was my first time living downtown anywhere, ever, so I was pretty excited to start off with. The building itself is always clean and super luxurious. The maintenance crew and concierges are outstanding and are always super friendly and prompt. We were on one of the top floors so our view was pretty magnificent. (I can’t say about lower floors.) I loved how much balcony space there was and just how nice the overall building looks and feels. Most people in the building are really friendly and around strata there are a ton of great places to eat.
Surprisingly enough the noise from outside was almost non-​existent.
Would I spend the money to live here again? Probably not. Was it worth it while I did? Most definitely.
I just can’t justify spending that much on an apt/​pent house when I could be paying a mortgage instead!

Wow! That’s how I would describe Strata. I just viewed the 1 bedroom model apartment and Christine took plenty of time showing me around. I live in a great home in Bankers Hill and my standards are high. I’ve looked at 3 other high rises downtown and have friends who either live there or have lived there and both of them had concerns about neighbors smoking on the balconies that came into their units. And seeing the people in the lobbies and elevators of the buildings gave me a feel of being in a college dorm with unruly college kids.
I felt a very upscale classy vibe from the moment I walked in to the moment I finished touring the building. The views are priceless (and that’s a key feature I am looking for), the high ceilings and oversized doors add to the grandeur of the units.
From the moment I entered the unit and saw the floor to ceiling windows (and couldn’t hear any noise from outside even though it was rush hour just 14 stories below) to seeing the luxurious soaking tub to the high ceilings and high end appliances, Strata stood out from the other 3 highrises downtown and the prices are just slightly higher. The security of not only having the concierge that only lets visitors up to a unit if they are on the guestlist to the added plus of a resident only being able to access their own floor is an important and upscale feature that is valuable to me.
I’m on the waitlist and I look forward to when Christine calls me and lets me know that a unit with my specifications becomes available!

Hello ,
I live with my family and Cats, at Stata Building in San Diego since a year, I just renew my lease for another 14 months. The building is one of the best posh building in town. The amenities are new, the views breathtaking, and the Stuff oustanding.
I would like to mention Miss Jessica, Mr. Al Jordan, Mrs. Nicole, and the sweet Miss Kristine.
They are a super Team the Fantastic 4!!! Always, there for us, smiling, and genuinely kind.
I LOVE THESE FAB GUYS!!! They are so prepared, know what’s up, and with charming assisting and provide us the best SERVICE ²⁴⁄₇!!! Thank you. I super recommend to live at STRATA !!! STRATA ROCKS!!! XOOXXOOOXOXOXOOOOOXOXOXOX

Let me begin by saying I have lived in San Diego almost 10 years and have lived in nothing but luxury buildings. I was so excited to move downtown and be in Strata. The building itself and concierges are amazing. Very friendly and helpful.
However, my five star rating has dropped to a one star rating due to the people in the leasing office. They are so incredibly rude and condescending and handle situations unprofessionally. I have been living here for a year and have had nothing but issues with them. Paying $ 2,400 a month for a one bedroom apartment that is only 700 square feet you would think they’d treat all their residents with respect. WELL YOU ARE WRONG! Problems with being accused of not paying rent on time then realizing it was their fault but never following through or apologizing for the way it was handled to my mail being given away to the wrong people or booking of amenities being miscommunicated and kicking me out TWICE in one week. When issues arise, I have some advice to the leasing office: admit you are wrong and handle the situation instead of continuing to be combative and taking no responsibility. The level of unprofessionalism in that office is outrageous. If you would like to spend a lot of money and be treated horribly, be my guest and live here. However, like I said, if you can avoid any contact with them, the building and amenities are fantastic.
Do yourself a favor, If you want to spend the money, live in Urbana (right behind Strata). It’s an HG Fenton property (I have lived in their luxury apartments before) and they are AMAZING! Spend the money and get the respect you deserve !
Also do not live near above or below the gym. When I moved in, the leasing office told me there were no complaints regarding the gym. Bold face lie. You can hear people drop weights. I have called the concierge multiple times and have been woken up in the middle of the night.

Have you made it in San Diego? Do you want to live the downtown lifestyle in one of downtown’s few true neighborhoods? Are you tired of apartment living, and want the build-​quality and feel of a high-​end condo? Then take a look at Strata.
Pluses:
*Large apartments: my 2 bed/​2 bath is almost 1400 square feet. Large balconies.
*Top-​notch fixtures: Stainless steel kitchen with built-​in-​wall appliances, stove with range hood, tile backsplash, hardwood floors (not the laminate you’ll find elsewhere), granite counters in kitchen and bathrooms, travertine showers and bathroom/​kitchen floors, double-​paned windows (2 blocks from petco, and you can’t hear a thing during padres games with the windows closed), large tubs, 10 foot ceilings, ceiling fans, solar shades (not those cheap plastic vertical blinds you see in so many rentals), washer/​dryer in unit, webpass internet available
*Amenities: gym, pool, firepit, bbq area, conference room, theater, free starbucks coffee, bike storage, dog run. All kept beautifully clean. A downtown condo building with these amenities will cost you $ 800/​month just in HOA fees.
*Location, location, location: Yes, the Grande and Bayside may have great views, but step outside, and there’s nothing there. Strata is in the middle of the East Village: right by Petco Park, Quartyard, and the Gaslamp nightlife (but far enough away to not be bothered by it). Walk to restaurants, supermarkets, retail.
*Great service: ²⁴⁄₇ concierge/​security with a super friendly dog-​loving staff. Social events roughly every 2 weeks. Maintenance issues addressed quickly… and the only maintenance issues I’ve had in the 7 months I’ve been here have been to change a couple of light bulbs. The building is all rentals and managed by a company with properties nationwide, so you’re not renting from an absentee out-​of-​state landlord or dealing with a mom and pop management company.
*Neighbors: Classy. You won’t find 22 year-​olds here who treat their home like a dorm. You will find young urban professionals and families renting while their dream home is being built. In other words, folks who work hard and treat their home like a home.
LEED-​certified silver: Environmentally-​friendly. Do you sometimes wonder if your new downstairs neighbor is going to chainsmoke and make you choose between stinking up your place or keeping your windows closed? Not here — no smoking permitted in units, on balconies, or within 25 feet of entrances
*Rent increase: My rent increase is only 2% — right where Janet Yellen would want it.
Minuses:
*Long waits for elevators at times. There are only 3 elevators for the building, and many times on weekends, one of them will be reserved for a move-​in/​move-​out.
*The parking garage has sharp corners. Makes you super paranoid about hitting something, and many of the residents here have nice cars.
*You can’t have a grill on your balcony. Yes, there’s a shared grill on the amenity level, but it’s a pain to cart your food around the building and through the elevators. The balconies have sprinklers, so it’s not due to fire code.
The bottom line: Yes, the rent is high, but you get what you pay for. This is my home and my office — I have the space i need, the amenities I want, and the location to make working from home work. If the government didn’t incentivize home ownership through the tax code, I’d live here for many years to come.

After living here almost a year it’s unfortunate that I’m having to revise my review but their parking policy is just way too aggressive. My brand new car was towed from its parking space in our garage without warning while I was out of town. Reason given? It didn’t have a permit sticker on the window yet. Costly mistake as the reckless company (Western Towing) they use damaged my car. There’s plenty of empty spaces (25+) in our garage so this tactic appears to be solely about monetary gain.

Great place to call home in the east village. Staff (Al, Nicole, Irina, etc) all are awesome (accommodating and friendly). Location is great too.

I lived at Strata for 15 months and absolutely loved every minute of it. The apartments are maintained perfectly and the few times maintenance was called they were there within the hour. The building itself is gorgeous and my view was beautiful of downtown San Diego. I loved that I could walk to work. Restaraunts, bars, the grocery store, mall, comedy club, pretty much anything I needed or wanted to do. The pool and fitness center are in great condition and for an apartment fitness center it literally had everything I needed and more. There is underground gated parking so you know your car is always safe. You can catch a Padres game or hop on the train a few blocks over for a Chargers game no problem. It’s a 10 minute drive to the beach. They have a dog walk area lit up at night so if you’re a young woman living alone you don’t have to go out at night. My dogs were so happy there too! They always have a 24 hour concierge who makes sure no one gets in the building who isn’t supposed to and always calls and asks before sending guests who aren’t on your guest list up to see you. Nicole, who worked the front desk at the time, constantly made my day with her warm greetings and how friendly and caring she was. She even gave the dogs treats and always remembersed our names. She introduced herself my first night there welcoming me to the building. The other staff was friendly and super helpful when needed too. I frequently used the conference and computer center which is great if your job requires that kind of space or for homework/​studying. I actually moved out only because I had to but my boyfriend and I are thinking of relocating back to San Diego soon and will probably go back there if they have availability! Hopefully the same friendly staff is still there and Nicole as our dogs would love to see her again as would we!

We just moved out and into our new condo. Totally miss Strata already. We were treated like family for 3 years and hope that we’ll have the opportunity to move back at some point in the future. Nicole, Christine, Jessika, Al, Irina et al are the best. Miss you guys :(

I mean bottom line STRATA is just IT when it comes to downtown luxury living. I can’t say enough about it. I glanced at some reviews posted here and I respect everyone’s opinions. But I think you gotta realize that while perfect doesn’t exist — seriously this is damn close.
Staff is on point. They just are down to help 24 – 7. They always have a 100% positive vibe and you just know their number one priority is the residents. Never have I felt awkward in asking for their help. Many examples in could give in the year I’ve been there of the STRATA staff going way above and beyond the call. A-​plus.
Building is just plush. And quality. Always immaculate. I never EVER have sound issues… reeks of condo specs. It’s crazy how EASY life seems living there. That’s the special part of it… life is busy for all, and I guess like all of the residents in work my ass off, and it is SUCH a treat to feel like at least on the home front everything is on lock down. So comforting.
Location and sense of being plugged into the downtown scene is major bonus. They organize a ton of very cool inside resident community activities with interaction with all that is hip in East Village. You can engage or turn it off as you wish… sorta like the sun I’m socal… always there so you never have to worry that it won’t be there tomorrow lol.
I love the pool, the security, the concierge, the balconies, and the folks running the joint. Awesome.
Thank you STRATA!

My wife and I have been here for a couple of years, and love it.
The building itself is amazing. Lots of places say «built to condo standards», but The Strata truly was. I cannot stand to hear my neighbors through the walls, and here you won’t. All of the materials and fixtures are first-​rate.
The office staff (we’ve dealt primarily with Jessika and Christine) have always been very friendly and helpful, the concierge team led by Nicole is first-​rate and makes the day-​to-​day interactions a pleasure. The maintenance group (Dmitriy) is quick to respond and correct any issue.
The staff hosts frequent cool events that help you get to know them and your neighbors — the sense of community is fantastic!
The building is completely non-​smoking, even on the balconies — hard to put a price on that!
And the location in the East Village just keeps getting better and better as more businesses move in.
Yes, the rents aren’t cheap, but I believe this is truly the best apartment building in San Diego. You get what you pay for!

Living at Strata in the East Village of downtown San Diego has been an altogether amazing experience. The apartments and amenities are practically brand new and the complex is kept immaculately clean. Also, the 24 hr concierge service truly makes life a lot easier than you might think.
I’d like to give a shout out to Jessika for how easy she made it to move in and get setup, Nicole for being so friendly and her amazing social planning skills, and Irina for making me feel at home each and every time I walk through the door.
John
Strata 1206

Strata, while the bldg is beautiful has terrible customer service. I tried contacting them on two different occasions for pricing on studio apartments and was unable to talk to a «marketing associate» or was put on hold. (How professional).
My biggest issue is that I even had to contact them in the first place. On their website. They advertise a deposit price of 500 $. Which is reasonable. But they do not advertise the monthly rent. Or their leading options. If you are shopping for an apartment. You are shopping in a certain price range, maybe a place this upscale should advertise theirs. And gain just a tad bit more professional service toward applicants
For such a beautiful building. Their customer service, demeanor, and professional attitude is quite ugly.

You’ve got to love Strata, it is by far, the most luxurious apartment complex in San Diego. That being said, expect to pay for that luxury.
They too notch amenities: 24 hour concierge, dry cleaning services, fitness center, theatre, pool, and business center. The units themselves are a tad small, but very nice. Make sure that you speak with Christine when you go in there, she will take care of you.

We enjoyed living in STRATA, but be prepared to pay, pay, pay. If money is no object, than this is definitely THE place to live in downtown San Diego. The apartments are modern and very nice, the upper floors have magnificent balcony views, the lobby is spacious and gorgeous, there’s a constant concierge, the pool is a good size and workout room has a lot of equipment, the downstairs communal area impressive, the movie theater (!) a great perk that can be booked for free. We loved all that.
Unfortunately, after the building was sold, the new owners started tacking on one fee after another and it became exorbitant to stay. If you’ve got two cars, you’re automatically in for another $ 150. Then, when we moved out after two years, they kept all our security deposit, which I thought was really uncool.
So it’s a mixed bag, though the experience itself is good. Just make sure you got the cash. But I can’t really badmouth the place, I just no longer found it worth the price.

Let’s start by saying that if you’re reading a Unilocal review, you’ll know that the distribution of stars is pretty ‘bimodal’ — meaning that all the reviewers either love or hate the place/​service. If you’re just ‘meh’ about something, you generally don’t bother to write. I’m unashamedly five star /​‘love’ about Strata. I work hard to get along with people and to fit in (I don’t like conflict), and I try not to have unrealistic expectations (I don’t like disappointment). looks like some of the people who marked Strata down felt they were badly treated or got bad value. Neither has been my experience.
We’ve lived at Strata for three years as the US base in a rather complicated high travel lifestyle. The first great thing about the apartment is that it’s a perfect ‘lock and leave’ place if you need to be away for a while. The fit and finish of the apartments is superb — they are condo-​grade, with huge washer-​dryers and plenty of storage. Floors and carpets have been easy to keep clean.
We’ve had zero actual trouble, the only service calls have been to replace smoke alarm and control unit batteries, and the water filter in the big refrigerator. some people have griped about the service but I’ve got to know the team and I find them cheerful, friendly and helpful. Ditto the office staff and the concierges, most of whom are employees rather than agency. Having someone cheerful sitting at the desk who knows you when you pass by is such an important part of big-​block living. Package collection works perfectly.
I often work in the apartment during the day and the free S’bucks coffee machine down in the club room is a real boon! The social events calendar is well put together and will suit both the younger clientele and the older people like us (‘stuck up’, someone said in a review, what a cheek)
Now, living in a top-​spec place like this is never going to be cheap, and it won’t get cheaper over time. You absolutely get what you pay for here, though, and I am very pleased with everything we’ve got over three years, at the price paid. We’re moving away from SoCal and I’ll miss the building, the staff and the friends we’ve made. The management company, UDR, do such a good job that the first thing I did when I found out where we were going was to locate the UDR-​run building there!

We enjoyed the Strata building itself, Dain and the maintenance staff were great but, the building went downhill after Lisa (Mgr.) left. They take forever to answer your questions and their follow up is terrible, and sometimes rude. They nickel and dime you for everything when you leave… carpet cleaning, touch up paint etc… basically you get half back from your $ 750 deposit, and if you decide to renew your lease, they raise the rent. Also, read your contract, a 30 day «written» notice, is required to cancel your lease. I give the building 5 stars, but everything else, not so much !!!
I’m curious how long this post will stay up before they delete it, like they have all the other 2 stars !!!

I recently moved in and love the building, the people and the location. Being a rental building there is a nice mixture of folks and it adds to the atmosphere.
The building is well maintained and the common areas kept very clean.
I recently moved to San Diego and am enjoying the City, the culture and the downtown vitality. The Strata fits in nicely and I am happy with my move.

I have lived at the Strata for over a year now and can’t imagine a better place to live! Everything from the facilities to the staff are amazing! As a property manager myself, I value the level of excellence that this building has to offer! One thing that I love is how easy it is to turn in a service request — you fill out a form online and it is completed by the time I get home from work! I also love all of the amenities at the property — having a gym onsite is so convenient and we have a Starbucks coffee machine — all of the coffee, hot chocolate and tea you could want (I don’t know any other properties that offer this)! The staff is so friendly and knows you by first name. Every time I see someone I am greeted with a warm smile and hello. I would highly recommend for anyone to live here!
–Kirsten R.

Strata shouts success. From façade of the building, to the opulent lobby, to the spacious and luxurious apartments with fixtures boasting a bespoke custom feel, nothing says you’ve arrived in downtown San Diego quite like owning your own slice of Strata. Every time I bring a friend or colleague to Strata for the first time, they are awed by the grandeur of this building.
These statements simply reach the what of Strata; of greater relevance is what it is actually like to live here.
Daily living here is relatively serene for an urban environment; excellent soundproofing means you seldom have to contend with disturbances. Further management routinely accommodates reasonable requests so you are pretty much free to arrange your space as you would like it. Speaking of requests, there are some great concierges here who are friendly and helpful. Strata’s conference room, business center, lounge, kitchen, theater, exercise room, fire pit and grill, and dog walk are all excellent community amenities. Parking passes are available for guests and there is even a guest suite.
There are regular community mixers, and often times guests are welcome, which is a hallmark of hospitality. However those seeking a fortress of solitude will find it here as well, the building is extremely secure and has many entryways; thus there is great latitude in how much or little you choose to cultivate relationships with your fellow residents.
The only occupants you really cannot avoid are the members of Strata’s canine population. Besides the «non-​smoking» rule, the other requirement for living here really is «must love dogs.»
The community here is a cross between the good folks of Mayberry and the characters in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.
Missing that joie de vivre? Easy walking access to the Gaslamp District means that a good meal is never far from reach. There are great delivery options for dining in. Downtown San Diego has a happening nightlife scene, and it is nice to know that you can party responsibly because you can walk or take a short limo/​cab ride back to Strata. Located in the heart of the East Village, Strata’s urban location has fantastic access to many sources of life’s necessities and luxuries for modern living.
However if this isn’t enough to put the pep back into your step, consider this: Because there are so many homeless wandering the streets of downtown San Diego, you’d never have to walk very far when you want to do a good deed. On occasion I’ve walked back to Strata carrying, say a yummy pizza, and left it with a homeless person who was far hungrier than I.
The point is I could go on about the paint or the pool but if you’re lucky enough to reside at Strata, you’d enjoy it all the more with an equal serving of gratitude.
Strata is more than a place to live, it is the place to be in downtown San Diego.
Come discover your own personal definition of Stratisfaction.