Metro at Showplace Square

To start, this is not an terrible place to live in. My main issue with the apartment itself was that the windows are so thin that you can hear everything (even people having a normal conversation) outside. For the apartment alone, I’d give 4 ½ stars.
My gripe is with the management, to the point that it’s taken me months to shake off the «ickiness» these people made me feel. It is really easy for Danielle and Christina to go back on what they say to you on the phone and in person. They will not return your emails and will pretty much force you to call or come to the office to get your issue resolved. As is good practice in business, make sure you put everything in an email and just send it to them so it’s on record. Chances are that they still will not acknowledge your email but it is a shot at keeping these two accountable. (I guess the next step would be to record all conversations, but I’ll leave that up to you.) Since the market is so tough in SF, I wouldn’t write off Showplace completely if you’re in a bind, but it would be better if you spend your money on a company that has more respect for its tenants.

by far the best and most professional rental experience I have ever had. Found one of their listening and got a call back right away to take a look at the unit, which turned out to be an amazing loft in Soma market rate priced. After a easy lease application and verification, I was approved for the unit and lease and the unit was mine.
In my past experience, in SF, it is never this easy or painless. Christina (the agent) was above and beyond with her communication and professionalism. Really really impressed with these guys. I actually just read the other reviews as I rarely leave feedback or use Unilocal anymore and was happy to read all the other positive comments as well.
Couldn’t be happier, or as they say on Ebay, A++++++

Christina at the leasing office is always professional and positive. I love working with her and when my clients in relocation are looking for a great place to live, I can feel comfortable recommending Metro at Showplace Square. In a sea of overpriced apartments and hassled (abrupt) rental agents, Metro at Showplace Square is an oasis in SF!

I’ve been living here for two years and love it. The units are large and well-​appointed and the grounds are well-​maintained. The management company is very responsive, Danielle is especially great!
The location is good but certainly not the best in SOMA. It’s walking distance to all the basics like groceries (Whole Foods, Safeway and Trader Joe’s), restaurants, dry cleaning and pharmacies but there aren’t many cool places to hangout nearby. Proximity to 101 and 280 is key — it’s only 15min to the airport.
The only problem is the number of people disregarding the prohibition on dogs. Folks, this is not the place to live if you want to have pets.

WONDERFUL JUST WONDERFUL!!! great location amazing and attentive staff I love it here I couldnt ask for a better place to live in SOMA it doesnt have all the bells and whistles the competition does but honestly it does’nt need to… My apartment is extremely spacious we have a gym on site and you are close to pretty much every convienence! Restauraunts, muni, cal trian, STARBUCKS you name it… down side its a little noisey as far as traffic is concerned but it tends to settle down after the commute, I really enjoy it here!

I enjoyed living in this complex for the most part. I do have some minor critiques, however. To give it a fair shake, I’ll start with the good:
The apartment space is beautiful here. The open floor plans make these fairly sizeable units even larger. My wife and I were able to fit a home’s worth of furniture into the area and not have it feel cluttered. We could easily have 10 – 15 people over for dinner and drinks without feeling like it was overcrowded. One problem was that since there were only windows on one side, there was a lack of airflow. On one of the few days a year the City is actually hot, or if we had a lot of people over, the heat could be stifling if we did not have fans going. Getting an inside unit with a little outdoor patio is clutch, but you’ll pay more for it.
The fixtures and built-​ins in the units are very nice. We really liked our appliances (e.g. Fridge, dishwasher, multi-​function, retractable kitchen sink faucet, deep kitchen sink with disposal) and had no problems the entire 2.5 period we lived there.
I cannot emphasize enough how nice the kitchen cabinetry was in this place. There is a double-​sided cabinet with glass doors above the granite countertop bar area of the U-​shaped, gorgeous kitchen. It allowed us to store a ton of our stuff and even display nicer pieces for parties, etc.
The bathroom was the only real downside. The sinks are shallow and the tubs small. The wife didn’t like the sliding glass shower door, but she got used to it. The key was being militant about keeping it clear from the inevitable soap scum. This is more of a design-​issue, but I wish there could be a bathroom connected to the bedrooms.
The parking situation is freaking amazing. It’s built in to the rent and management will discount rent if you don’t have a car. It’s covered, guarded and easy to get a space if you leave in the morning and come back in the evening. NO parking tickets in 2.5 years because we never had to park on the street.
Management overall was very nice and helpful. If you asked for maintenance they did a fantastic job of fixing things, sometimes even improving things (e.g. upgrading our showerhead). Management was always very diligent about getting permission to come in and fix anything. Working with Kelly for arrangements re picking up packages, rents, providing documents, etc. was always very easy, though the office hours can be a little inconsistent.
All in all, a great place to live. One can even have a child in one of these units if you’re deadset on staying in the City.
Now, here are the downsides of the place:
If you live on either of the street-​sides, you’re going to have noise. If you’re a light sleeper, you’re going to have trouble. There are small restaurants on the bottom levels with deliveries and they come EARLY, like 5:45−7am in the morning. You can also get some rabble late at night because you’re near the train tracks. You’re going to hear plenty of bum arguments and the rattle of cans/​bottles in shopping carts. We eventually became used to traffic noise but no one gets use to the occasional human misery right outside your window.
The traffic creates a surprising amount of air pollution. With Zynga and the highways nearby, there is a concrete jungle and nowhere for the particulates to go. A fine black dust accumulates on your windows and window sill. Management only cleaned our windows once in 2.5 years. Best to keep the blinds down to catch what it can, but we can’t help but feel we inhaled some of this nastiness.
Rent raises b/​c no rent control. I’ve heard stories around the complex about management raising rent to boot people, but this was on the cusp of the rent spike in 2011. For example, one tenant told me that she was being forced out of her two-​level loft b/​c the rent had gone up so much. At one point it was $ 1400 and got raised to $ 2300 on her. The space is easily worth $ 3,300 nowadays. There’s no rent control so management gets the benefit of the doubt. In our experience, we believe management treated us fairly. $ 200 each year we lived there. The raises coincided with increased rents across the board in the City. In short, rent increases suck, but Metro treated us fairly. It’s a business so we understand.
We just gave up on keeping up with the rent rat race and decided to move somewhere else. We’ll miss the space but we’re moving on to greener pastures that fit our lifestyle/​family.
Thanks for everything Metro!

I need to advise everyone that is looking at Metro and Showplace Square. The complex has just decided to start significantly increase their rates to all people living in the complex. You might be able to get a one year rate for a deal but get beat up the next year. Do not trust them. They are rolling out a 17% rate increase to the rent for 2 bedrooms (townhomes) and increasing parking costs. They will be increase rents for the entire complex at renwal of the leases. That 2 bedroom rate «increase» is $ 6,000 in one year in a down economy. That is a $ 10,000 gross increas in one year. IF you are considering this complex, I would look somewhere else unless you decide one year is all you want to do. I am posting this notice not out of anger, just to advise people what they will expect if they move into this complex.
FYI… They have a work out room… no gym. The windows are thin with significant loud noises for those living on the streets. For those who live in the lofts, most do not have windows that open in the top of the loft. Poor design, no airconditioning, and poor air flow so extremly hot dooring warm days. No amenities living in this complex worth the increase. I have lived here for 6 years and stayed because the rates were good. Now, if you want to pay a lot more after your discounted 1^st year, lose sleep over the loud noise, you might like this.
Only plus is Kelli, the property manger. She has made the stay until this point, exceptable. Not at the new rates. Good luck and chose wisely… not at metro at showplace square.

Called and made an appointment to see an apartment at 4:45. Showed up at 4:40 and the lights were out and the door was locked. Waited until after 5 and no show. Thanks a lot. If they treat potential tenants this way I I’m sure they treat their tenants even worse.

just had a pretty horrible experience with m@ss management regarding a prospective rental (so much so it’s motivated me to sign up to review on Unilocal). kelly, the property manager, was incredibly rude and disrespectful — she kept yelling and talking over me, making for an extremely unpleasant and unproductive conversation.
the situation was this — saw this place last thursday and really liked it. talked to kelly in the office and was told that i had til friday at noon to lock in a lease for $ 2050/​mo (1×1). because my apartment hunting plans were still in flux, i wasn’t able to commit by then (yes, i should have called to let them know). after lots of back and forth over the weekend, i decided i wanted to take the place and called back monday morning, offering $ 2000/​mo. the assistant whitney took down my message, but no one called me back. this should have been my first sign that something was amiss. when i called the next day, whitney told me they could do $ 2100/​mo. i really didn’t get this — nothing had changed from last week — the only reason to raise the rent at this point was to «teach me a lesson» i guess. anyways, i went ahead with it. (second sign.) then, lots of phone calls from me to them to figure out what paperwork, etc. i need to provide — whitney didn’t have a clear idea, but i couldn’t reach kelly on any of these calls (as she made really clear during our last conversation, she’s *extremely* busy). anyways, long story short, while having a frustrating conversation with whitney, kelly mysteriously shows up to yell at me. sigh. i loved the unit but the unresponsiveness and general meanness (who yells at a prospective tenant after ignoring her for two days?!) of the management team makes this a no-​go.
all this being said — if you are local and/​or have more time/​patience to coordinate with the office (be proactive, they likely will not call you back), this place definitely has some pluses:
+ great location, kind of far removed from the hustle and bustle, but close enough to caltrain, downtown, grocery stores (TJs and costco)
+ starbucks attached to the building! now with free wifi
+ good freeway access
+ units themselves are nice and spacious. W/​D in-​unit, stainless steel appliances, parking spot included in the rents quoted above
good luck! i hope it goes better for you than it did me.

These has been the best most hassle free rental experience I have had in SF.
Pros:
Apartments are big, have nice wooden floors with better than usual apartment appliances and pretty much 0 maintenance issues.
Residents are responsible and parking is very safe.
Walls are thick enough that if there is no major party, you cant hear the neighbors.
Management is pretty good… in all honesty… I have paid rent on time and have hardly any reason to even walk into the management office… I mean its been hassle free living.
Did I mention these are pretty big apartments by SF standards :) ?
Cons:
Elevator on King street side breaks down once in 2 months (no big deal IMHO)
You will have to go with DirectTV for cable… no other option.
There should be thicker windows for apartments facing the street to cut down on street noise.
Patisserie Philippe, the French pastry shop is below this apartment on Townsend side… it’s responsible for the 20 pounds I have put on in last year :(

Metro Showplace is the best place to live in SOMA if you are on a budget. They have studios starting from 1.4K, one bedrooms in the range of 1.7K to 1.9K and lofts for around 2.1K. Best part is secure underground garage parking is included in the rent and washer and dryers are inside each apartment. This the best deal for your money.
The current property managers (Kelli and Le Tausha) are also sweethearts.
There are four food places around the building and a starbucks.
Two big blocks away from Caltrain, Whole Foods (Potrero), Trader Joe’s, Bed Bath and Beyond and Nordstrom Rack.
Awesome place– check it out if you are looking for a place in SOMA.

We originally moved into a Studio and loved it as it faced the courtyard and I enjoyed having all the windows open daily as the noise was minimal. Beautiful flowers outside in the courtyard was my view and I was sheltered from all the street noise. The price was $ 1699.00 plus $ 100 for parking. PERFECT!
Well, I then transferred to a one bedroom for $ 2150 plus $ 100 parking. I was so excited to have more space. The first night we moved in we had no idea what we were in for… the noise from outside literally kept us up all night as the windows are single pained. We now had to sleep with all the windows closed on those HOT nights. Get this; over twenty garbage trucks started driving by around 4am!!! AND yes, WE WANTED TO SCREAM! We knew management couldn’t do anything so we called the garbage company and asked that they use another route… but to no avail. My biggest disappointment is obviously the windows and the constant noise outside. I can hear conversations word for word, from my room. I have had to open my window and asked people to shut up because we WERE sleeping. I have one more complaint… The person above me drives me INSANE with just his walking… I hear every step, every boom, every time he comes home drunk between midnight and 3AM!!! So, if it is not the noise outside that gets you it will definitely be the one above you as I rarely get a good nights sleep anymore.
Outside of that… I LOVE MY PLACE and I adore Management who has been more that willing to accommodate my complaints to the best of their abilities… honestly — what can they really do except move me again… So, I have adapted to the noise! I have lived here almost two years now between both apartments. My suggestions to the person who may move here… get a courtyard facing unit.

Great place to live. Very helpful and efficient management and staff. Clean, relatively spacious, well done units. A bit pricey, but compared to the market, pretty much reasonable. Also, a really unique location. Very safe (always tons of cops around) and clean. A little Potrero, a little SOMA. I love it here.

Metro @ Showplace is a great apartment complex.
All of what was said above is true. My wife and i were the first to live in our unit, so everything was brand new: granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, etc.
We have an interior unit apt sitting on the courtyard, so we have a patio to sit out on with lots and lots of sun! We used to live in an 8^th floor apt building that was on the street, so we knew we didn’t want a street-​side apartment b/​c of the noise. Sounds like we made the right decision! It is so quiet and peaceful in our apartment. .it’s hard to believe that we’re living in an apt in the city.
the parking is great. we once saw a homeless guy sleeping in the garage, and we also saw a cut bike lock and bike’s missing, but those early problems seemed to have been resolved with the placement of a security guard at night and on the weekends.
the restaurants are nice to have, although we don’t frequent too often. plus, starbucks — enough said.
lease terms seem reasonable. . we first signed a 10 month lease, and then re-​newed for 6 more months — — with no increase in rent. month to month would have cost us another $ 150/​month. seemed reasonable.
we really like Metro. . for us it’s quiet. it works for us at this time in our life.

I like living at M@SpS.
The windows suck at keeping the noise out but we are used to it now.
It helps that we are heavy sleepers –_-.zzzZZZZ
THE GOOD:
New
Clean… but it has been getting a little banged up ever since new tenants have moved in.
Stainless steel appliances
Full washer and dryer
Granite counters
Gated parking
Spacious parking spaces
Elevators
Management… understanding and helpful
Starbucks in building
Holy Grill in building
Thick walls (I can hear the cars outside but not the neighbors)
Costco near by
Trader Joes near by
CalTrain in walking distance (10 min)
It doesn’t have that musty SF smell!
THE BAD:
Windows are BAD… single pane windows without any noise blocking attributes.
Bamboo floors. looks good but this stuff is not made to withstand anything.
Noisy Townsend St.
The number 10 and 19 buses are late or missing for 20 to 30 min sometimes.
No pool… I wish: P
Can’t get Comcast cable or Comcast internet.
Directv is provided by Satel… extra $ 9/​mo fee on top of the DTV fee.
DSL via AT&T. Good but not great.
Public trash shoot is backup often.
Out of the way mailboxes.
Elevators that are not connected to all apartment sections… some apartments you have to take the elevator then the stairs.
Take-​out will never be able to come to your door to drop off the food if you live on Townsend side and/​or past a secondary security door. You will have to go meet him outside… what’s the point? LoL.
All in all, we like living here. We’ve checked out other places and we think we are at the right place and the right time.

New construction loft living in SOMA
We live in a loft and our friends are green with envy
Lots of space, 1100 sq ft to be exact
Sunniest, warmest location in SF (at least 10 – 15 warmer than pac hts)
In building parking with generously sized parking spots and height (i’ve seen one guy drive in with his bmw and a road bike on the roof)
Clean building
Nice furnishings (granite counters, maple cabinets)
Strict and proper building manager (think Flanders)
Up and coming area, not too many unsavory characters
Trader Joes walking distance