The Paramount

I would give it the one star because the concierge and maintenance team have been nothing but smiley and helpful, also the leasing team was quick with the paper work and there was no delay to my immediate move in. I’ve only lived here for 6 months and in the course of living here, I was mostly away a lot more than expected. First off, I would say that the side walls under the window pane is easily stained even when you’re just sitting on it with your jeans. I had a one bedroom, so I had two sides which I’ve set on multiple times to enjoy the scenic view.
Alright, here comes the least enjoyable part for me. I called multiple times this morning to the leasing office about getting charged the pro rate $ 660 and it should not have been charged, but no one picked up. So, I decided to send an email and immediately after 10 minutes I got a response. They mentioned they made a mistake and said they would return it in a form of check for $ 609.50. For a moment, I thought the amount was right, but looking back at the amount, where did the $ 50.50 went? This wasn’t just it, they then started to put up a ledger saying I had to pay cleaning fees $ 100, carpet cleaning $ 60, and $ 400 paint job. First off, I’ve cleaned the apartment myself and also got professionals to get it cleaned up before I handed over my keys, so why am I paying for cleaning fees again? Second, the paint is just another wear and tear issue which should not be charged at all. It is extremely dubious how they actually make up such large sums of money. I am still fighting this case on my own while I am back in Singapore and living in a different timezone. If it wasn’t for the outrageous charges, I would have given this condo a four star. An update will come as soon as this issue has been resolved.

I have lived at the Paramount for 3 years and have had a mixed bag of experiences ranging from 5 star (first two years) down to 2 star (2015). The Paramount is a decent building but not a luxury building or a luxury experience. Over the past 18 months, Related Management has taken on a penny wise, pound poor approach and in the process lost the customer service orientation that once made them exceptional.
For example, Related recently partnered with MasterCard and hand delivered solicitations to residents for a Citibank credit card with a $ 450 annual fee; informing residents that they would no longer accept Visa or Amex (which many residents use for reward points, one of the benefits of living in a full service building). The elevators now contain adverts for MasterCard, which is completely egregious.
THE GOOD
The staff! Connie, Tanya and Deborah are wonderful and went way above and beyond to help me with a cross country move, having never set foot in the Paramount or SF before; they helped me pick the perfect apartment for my requirements.
The social scene! If you are new to the city, this is such a great place to land. Over the years, I have met some of my best friends in the building: intelligent, interesting, fun, we always have a group getting together.
The views! Some of the most incredible views in the world are from this building.
The Doormen! We went through a period last year where a lot of the long term doorman left due to changes and we had untrained temp staff unfamiliar with security protocols; however, since then Related was able to get the situation back under control and bring some of the excellent staff back on. John, Steve, Mike, Hyro, Mike Jr. and Jerry make coming home a wonderful experience, they are warm, kind and exceptionally diligent.
Dog friendly to the max! If you are a dog lover, the Paramount is for you, so many beautiful dogs in the building and management is very dog friendly. Great park nearby for walking.
THE BAD
Windows are single paned so you will hear everything outside, no matter what floor you are on (hello 3 am trash truck and even voices from the street). This also causes apartments to be drafty and cold year round, even when it is warm outside.
We no longer have Zipcar or any other car share in the building, which other luxury buildings offer.
Related markets the building as environmentally friendly, when in reality, the appliance in the apartments are beyond dilapidated resulting in excessive energy bills/​consumption. My washing machine ripped my clothes apartment and my refrigerator died along with all the food I just purchased from Wholefoods. I pay $ 100 plus PG&E monthly for a studio.
Many apartments are set aside for low income residents and there were several people on my floor who belonged in a supportive setting, not a residential setting. At the rates I am paying, I don’t expect to experience that type of an environment.
Year over year rent increases can be steep, but personally I found the increases for the most part rational to market comps yrs 1&2, but in the past year the management just got super greedy, priced above market (comped to brand new buildings, not 15 year old bldgs) causing many long term residents to move on to nicer, newer buildings. This had a negative impact on the overall community environment.

Decent enough place, with the negatives of being right downtown — sketch neighborhood one block towards the water and all. Yes, a bunch of dogs who pee right outside, bark inside all day.
They try to get anyone who rents there around January to go for an 18 month lease, because summertime is when they can jack up the rent to the max, so you probably don’t want to make that mistake: staying on the January renewal cycle will get you the best deal both here or anywhere else you might move at renewal time.
The toilets clog all the time, but they fix them soon enough. Nothing in the apartments is really top tier luxury except the price, and there’s no counter top space in the bathrooms, literally none. Kitchens have nice appliances, but B-​grade cabinets. Smells can waft in from other apartments. Views can be very good.
The place is very well run, with top notch employees, but it’s a business and they want to extract the maximum $ from their tenants. Expect to pay and pay. Rent increases can be as breathtaking as the views. The gym and meeting facilities run $ 500 extra per year and are very good, the remaining common areas are quite dated, though well maintained.
People are either top tier professionals paying top dollar, or low income people who are there because the city required them to set aside about 20 percent of the apartments for very low income (i.e. unemployed) tenants. The difference is noticeable.
All in all, A-​OK, with some issues.

Edit: After moving out, have to lower my rating for the Paramount. They tried to keep my security deposit for «cleaning fees» and because they «had to replace the carpet and paint the walls» which had nothing more than normal wear and tear. When I complained, they agreed to return most of the deposit.
But it didn’t end there. They didn’t send me the check. It took threatening to report them to the city housing authorities to get them to send the check. It took 6 weeks!
I still think the front desk staff are great, but the leasing office people are shifty, and it seems to come from the corporate level.
Another downside to this building is that it has a mandatory amount of «Affordable» housing in it, which meant we had one neighbor with a 1 bedroom and a half dozen people living in the apartment, blaring the TV and pot smoke coming under their door all day (could only hear/​smell in the hall, luckily) and watching drugged up people get arrested in the elevator. Nothing spoils any luxury feel of the building more than that.
I also found it shady that the building rents out furnished corporate apartments for more than double the rent price (the 1br next door to us was rented for $ 7000/​mo in 2012.) This takes housing off the market and might be illegal hotelization.

If you want to live in a building full of dot com wealthy people who are entitled and full of themselves — welcome! The rent is ridiculous and is only going way up for a place where, from my experience, is noisy as all hell from inconsiderate neighbors (you might get lucky like a couple of my friends have and live on a floor where you don’t experience this but I did not). The amenities went away after a few months of living here only to be replaced by loud construction (they are renovating)…so now, I don’t have the amenities I’ve paid for and originally moved here for but now am woken up on the weekends at 8am because they want to get it done by August 1^st (when I move out). The Yerba Buena took over the alley by the building blocking it off causing more traffic leaving the parking garage and also renting it for parties on occasion which are typically very loud. It’s also become home for the homeless. I don’t feel safe walking my dog at night anymore after being followed by a couple men from there. The only thing good about this place are the really nice front desk guys — Nathan, Steve and JR.
PS, the air circulation is bad or something — our floor (and my apartment) always smells like fried fish (which is what one of my neighbors loves to cook about 3 – 4 days out of the week!).

Ah, the Paramount. You’ve definitely been good to me these past 20 months but alas, it’s time to move on… to Hong Kong. As much as I enjoyed living here, I’d probably still be moving on even if I wasn’t relocating. This really has less to do with the excellent staff and building, but more to do with my desire to live in a ‘real’ neighborhood vs. the concrete jungle… a ‘hood with grass, trees, and parks (that actually welcome dogs!).
The great:
+ Washer and dryer in every unit!
+ Gorgeous city and Bay Bridge views, though unfortunately construction is now partially obstructing the previously full view of the bridge.
+ Full-​service ²⁴⁄₇ concierge desk
+ Fantastic location if you work in SoMa
+ Gym (though it isn’t free), valet parking, dry-​cleaning service, pool (it gets warm enough to actually use in sunny SoMa), and rooftop area with South Beach-​style cabanas and grills are just a few of the amenities on the premises.
+ Easy and efficient leasing, move-​in, and move-​out process. Related Companies are true professionals, and once I chose the Paramount, I squared everything away online and via email within 24 hours. Terminating my lease early due to my move was also a breeze — no major penalties as they were able to re-​lease my apartment within just a few days.
+ NO deposit if you set up ACH!
+ The residents. I’ve made so many lovely friends that I know I’ll keep in touch with for life! Having a dog definitely helps if you’re looking to make new friends — since you’ll often see owners and their adorable pups hanging out in the lobby.
The not-​so-​great:
— Some units haven’t been renovated and aren’t in line with other properties in the area renting for the same price. My kitchen had ugly white tile that was impossible to keep clean, and the parquet hardwood flooring is an outdated look.
— The blinds are the basic variety, and are somewhat difficult to pull up and down
— Though the building is pet-​friendly, there isn’t any green space within several blocks that legitimately allows dogs. There’s been talk of adding a dog run on the Paramount roof, but the current renovation plan makes no mention of creating this space.
— After a leisure area was added by the city on neighboring Annie Street, there’s been much more undesirable ‘activity’ in that block between Mission and Jessie. Be careful where you step, it’s become quite an unsightly stretch.
— Moving in as a new resident is quite spendy! Due to a combination of the strong local economy and high rental demand coupled with low supply, my unit was re-​rented for over $ 600 more (a month) than I was previously paying. Ouch!
— So many packages means that the concierges spend a lot of their time dealing with boxes instead of being able to do what they do best: build relationships with residents and make the Paramount feel like home instead of just another high-​rise apartment building.
Still, the Paramount is so much more than a pretty face; it’s also an epic social adventure. Besides the awesome friends I made, I’d say the truly excellent concierge staff is what prompted me to re-​sign my lease at the one-​year mark. They’re caring individuals who go above and beyond to make your experience worth the $$$$ you’ll be shelling out to live here. Thank you, Nathan, Edgar, John, Hiro and Steve: you’re priceless individuals.

By far the best place I’ve ever lived. Staff and amenities are the best I’ve ever experienced. Everyone is generally friendly and polite. I usually move every year but do not see myself leaving anytime soon.

A 12 point review of the Paramount:
1. Price — Luxury isn’t cheap. This is a full service building. The rent is comparable with other high rise buildings in SOMA. For example, studios in the Paramount started at 2795 (2013 prices) whereas they started at 2900 in Carmel Rincon. San Francisco has one of the highest rental rates in the country with an influx of well paid tech workers and low rental inventory in a recovering economy.
2. Leasing process — I had the best possible leasing experience. I was originally going to live at Carmel Rincon but they treated me like a poor con artist and kept me in suspense while their legal team looked over my rental application. Say what? I met with Connie who showed me a one bedroom and was sensitive to my situation, Navy wife with my rent being paid by the Navy once I signed a lease. Unlike other buildings which wanted my first born child, she was compassionate and I signed the lease immediately. After I signed the lease, I received numerous emails to assist me with setting up my power with PGE, cable with Astound, and to reserve the freight elevator. I got my keys on move in day as promised from the concierge and did a walk through with maintenance.
3. Moving in — I reserved the freight elevator (3 hour time blocks) which locks out to the lower rear lobby and the loading dock. The freight elevator also locks out to your floor so no one else can use it except you. Once you get your keys, maintenance does a walk-​through with you and generally they fix the small things that they notice right away. You also get a pretty awesome canvas bag and are provided with a map and other local information.
4. Building — The building is immaculately maintained. The common areas are always clean and there is a very experienced facility manager on staff that I actually lives in the building.
5. Residents– I never really met/​made friends with residents in the building, you always see them coming and going in the elevator, but it is a big building with a lot of units. This building does have a by law mandatory low income unit quota so there are a few residents that are disabled or on public assistance that live in the building.
6. Gym — Unfortunately, you have to pay for the gym. It was like $ 200/​year. It is clean, well lit and has several treadmills, elliptical, bikes and several weight machines, a few free weights and a yoga studio room. So convenient! In comparison, there is a fantastic gym a block away in the Four Seasons, but its $ 180/​month! Crunch Fitness one block over is $ 60/​month.
7. Parking — There is a parking garage downstairs that connects to the lower lobby which is really convenient. The parking is valet so they park your car for you. To get your car out, just call the automated line, type in your ticket number 10 to 30 minutes in advance, and your car will be waiting for you downstairs in the garage. The guys down there also very, very nice. Also there are hotel luggage carts in the lower lobby which are really useful if you have a lot of stuff that you need to get out of the car and up to your apartment like a large load of groceries. It’s $ 350 a month which is a little high for the area. Carmel Rincon was $ 300 just as a comparison.
8. Amenities — Business center, dry cleaner on site, pool — I know I am missing some.
9. Concierge — The 24 hour concierge is invaluable. They’ll accept/​sign for packages and a screen in the lobby shows that you have a package. They’ll also help you hail a cab, they screen visitors, help coordinate w/​maintenance, give you dog poop bags, make restaurant recommendations, give directions, carry your 70 pound luggage to the BART station — You name it, they are there to help.
10. Units — I lived in 2 different units in the building, a one bedroom and a studio. Depending on the apartment, it could have wood floors or carpet, awesome views or average views but all of the units have washer/​dryers which was HUGE for me. My studio had beautiful views of the Bay Bridge, the Transamerica Tower, the cityscape, and on clear days, City Hall. No balconies though, which is a bummer.
11. Neighborhood — Immediately downstairs is Pete’s coffee, an Italian deli, and a great little restaurant called the Grove (always packed). There’s an awesome bar (Novela) a few doors down and a Starbucks, Jamba Juice on the block and two chipotles within easy walking distance. Target is your closest grocery store (2 blocks away) The Whole Foods is also an easy walk away at 4^th & Folsom. Someone asked me how could downtown feel like a livable neighborhood, but really you have everything you need within a mile or less walk — anything. BART, Ace Hardware, Post Office, LensCrafters, the Mall, Union Square…
12. Pets — They don’t charge a monthly pet rent, just a pet security deposit. There are lots of dogs in the building, you see them coming and going in the lobby with owners, so if you don’t like dogs don’t live here.

This is my second year living here (in a 20^th floor) and I’m totally in love with this place.
PROS:
— Staff is nice and helpful all the time.
— The location is awesome. Touching Market street, Financial District and Yerba Buena gardens, you have whatever you can need: Theatre Movies, groceries, gardens, lots of different and very good eateries and restaurants and pubs… Shops around the corner, — At the same building, in the car park, you also have a zip-​car and they offer a great discount if you are living in the building.
— In addition to this, you also have room to park your bike in the garage. Really, it’s the most convenient place I’ve ever lived.
— The facilities are pretty good too and everything is top notch: giant BBQ, salted warm swimming pool, very nice lounge space with everything you can need, Yoga space that I use to stretch and a fully renovated gym with awesome views.
— The roof top is also amazing. I thing they have one of the most beautiful views of the city from North to South and you can have a relaxing time there, inside or outside the tents (All of them have comfortable furniture, heater just in case you want warm it up and curtains for privacy).
–Our studio is perfect: wall to wall windows with amazing views to the financial district, hardwood floors and tiles in the kitchen and bathroom, spacious walk-​in-​closed, soundproof walls and doubled panned windows that keeps the space very quiet, w/​d in unit and flat top counter range that I loved so much! You also get green and ecological features in the apartment/​building that helps you to download the amount of your bills.
— Something that helped me to decide this was the perfect home was knowing that this building is retrofitted, so in case of an earthquake you are safer here than in other buildings.
— You don’t have to be at home waiting for your shopping or whatever. They offer a good service and they either keep your stuff at concierge’s or they deliver it directly at your home if you prefer.
— Maintenance is also good. We only needed them once because a small can opener fell into the trash sink disposal and in less than 12 hours they came and solved it.
In addition to that, fire alarms and other kind of security procedures are done quite often so you don’t have to worry at all for checking it at your own place. If for some reason you are out of town and they have to do something, they come into the apartment and they leave you a notification with detailed information they were doing there.
CONS:
— Ventilation is not as good as expected but as someone said here, you can open the window and get rid of the odor almost immediately.
–As someone said also here, it’s quite annoying that the entrance of the apartment very often stinks because people let their pets to pee right next to the door. And even I see, very often, how management tries hard to get the whole sidewalk washed leaving it cleaned and with an odor fresh smell.
The problem, though, will remain unless the management get a postable parc for pets in the building or ask to City Hall for one in the street, very close to it. Personally we don’t have pets but I understand that there aren’t facilities for pets near around and it’s something to be into account, either for the management or the City hall.

So all in all, and for what I’ve seen around the city and the prices that residences are asking for rentals, the price that you pay for this place is worth it. I totally recommend it.

I moved from New York to San Francisco a month ago. I wanted to write a review during the leasing process because Connie and Tanya were so helpful (long distance moves are very stressful and challenging to coordinate) but I waited until I had a full month of living here under my belt. The final verdict? It’s awesome! The level of service from the concierge (Nathan is usually on duty when I call but they all seem lovely) and the resident specialist (shout out to Nick) made my transition from the east coast seamless. I’m «beyond busy» as my family and friends say so I honestly can’t imagine how I would have pulled off this big move without the great staff at The Paramount. The apartment itself was in great shape upon my arrival and I haven’t had a single problem thus far. Stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, tall windows, in-​unit washer/​dryer, dish washer, a nice little heater vent for those cold nights, etc. The apartments are great. They’re not never-​been-​lived-​in new but they are very nice. The rooftop lounge (with heated cabanas) is beautiful with gorgeous views in every direction. There’s a gym with a lap pool. The trash room on each floor helps residents easily compost and recycle. There’s an onsite garage. There’s a friendly face in the lobby ²⁴⁄₇. Truly, living here has exceeded my expectations. Yes, it’s expensive. It’s a luxury building in a hot rental market. You won’t find anything comparible to The Paramount in this area.

I loved living at the Paramount! The pool was amazing, and the rooftop is one of the best I have seen in SF.
My unit was on the 36^th floor and had spectacular views of yerba buena gardens and the st. regis residences (my old home).
The floor was hard wood and beautiful, the bathrooms were nice, but the shower could have used updating. I loved the vast windows.
Ventilation in the unit wasn’t all that great, but was easily fixed if the windows were opened.
Nathan at the concierge is so awesome and helpful!

The building is nice however be prepared for a $ 300 — 400 rent increase every year! There is no rent control.

I was introduced to this place as part of corporate housing. I hadn’t found a permanent place yet so decided to extend by calling the management agent listed in front. The person offered me the same apartment for a $ 1,000 less. When the corporate housing agent got wind of it, I immediately got an email from the original agent saying he made a mistake and that the room was not available, even though it was. There are a number of management/​corporate housing companies that rent apartments (furnished or unfurnished) in the building, and they do not price equitably. The clientele seemed to range in income brackets as I couldn’t imagine that many were paying the $ 6,600 for a 1 bedroom apartment — further supporting the significant ranges in prices for the apartments. Staff were friendly but the hallways constantly smelled like the trashroom. Parking is extra.

Besides the great location and building amenities, what makes this place great are the people who work here. Everyone is so friendly and helpful!
Special thanks to Tanya and Connie for making our transition from the East Coast smooth…

It seems like The Paramount has a paid Unilocal account and was able to filter out the review my boyfriend posted this morning. Considering I lived there as well I am just going to copy and paste the review using my account. Below details our horrible experience with Tanya and building management.
I’m not one to give out bad reviews easily — but felt I needed to get this out there. I’ve lived in several places in the city (and many other cities), and usually am able to find the best in every building, but really had a negative experience with the Paramount and was left with bad taste in my mouth.
The building itself isn’t bad — the apartments are spacious, they have in-​unit washer and dryer, and amazing views. The rooftop is nice, and the concierge service is great. Maintenance staff takes care of issues right away and are always friendly. The gym is excellent (you can easily bargain for them to waive the $ 250/​year gym fee), and the pool is nice, even though it’s always too cold to use it.
Why the one star? The leasing office.
Tanya at the leasing offices provided me with false information (read: lied). I was told that Yerba Buena Gardens is a dog friendly park — only to find out dogs aren’t allowed at the park. I was directly promised that there are no low-​income residents on my floor, and later found out this was false. I support low-​income housing regulations in San Francisco, but feel it is my right to be notified of living situations if I ask directly. Why lie after we specifically asked if there was any on our floor?
After signing the lease and paying the security deposit, we were forgotten about. I sent Tanya several messages the weeks before moving in asking for information (setting up cable, electricity, who to check in with, etc) and was just passed around. I never really got answers to any of my questions, and wasn’t able to have everything set up prior to moving in. Tanya verbally promised me I would be able to move in on a Friday, and was later told I couldn’t move in until that Sunday (making the move out from my other apartment very difficult). When I did move in, my apartment wasn’t ready — the cleaning crew left their supplies behind, and the fridge, oven, dishwasher, and microwave that we were promised were not installed.
I was later promised to be moved to a different apartment (again, by Tanya), but was only offered apartments that were substantially smaller and more expensive than mine. Tanya also promised me apartment cleanings until they are able to place me in a new apartment, but I was only comped one cleaning in 5 months.
It got so bad I had to break my lease early, but was not penalized for this considering all the false information I was provided at the time of signing. The leasing staff doesn’t know how to deal with conflict, and the second a customer is unhappy they simply forward your inquiry to corporate offices.
My unit was on the 20^th floor on the corner of 3^rd and Mission, and firetrucks would regularly pass under our window at all hours. I doubt they windows are dual pane. There are always hundreds of people outside, including lots of homeless people hanging out right outside the building. The location is convenient for downtown access, but was just too «downtown» for us.
To sweeten the deal, the Paramount continued to charge my credit card rent after I moved out. Not a big deal in their opinion, just a mistake, but my account was overdrawn because of this.
I don’t mind paying a premium for an apartment, but want to be treated with respect and transparency. It’s unfortunate that I had a bad experience in a building with so much potential.

Welcome to the Sky Bar.
43 floors of spectacular panoramic views of the city. You’ve never seen San Francisco quite like this.
Sure the building comes at a price, but you get what you pay for.
Building comes with full amenities, including:
–24 hour doormen (no more waiting for your packages)
–In unit washer and dryers (no more waiting for a washer)
— sitting ledges line all the windows, so you can sip your morning coffee & enjoy the view
–Spacious gym
–Outdoor pool
–Business center
–Meeting room space with conference table, wifi, printer, and external flat screen monitor (save money on hotel room rentals)
–Common area lounge full with free wifi, flat screen TVs, BBQ, and a bar (perfect if you work from home, or wanted to host a party)
–Rooftop deck and cabana’s separated by smoking and non-​smoking sections
–Concierge services also available
If you have a car, they offer monthly parking and have zip cars available downstairs in the lower lobby. Car wash & detailing is also available.
They even have cleaning services, laundry valet, dry cleaning, alterations, & shoe repair in the building. Just swing by the lower level and ask for Daisy.
Walking distance to the Metreon, Union Square, MOMA, and a short walk to the Ferry Building.
Perfect place for people who don’t have time. Why would you ever leave this place?
Cheers!

I am staying at the paramount as part of a relocation package. Overall it is ok. The building is nice enough. Maintenance is fast, which is good because you will call them a lot. The toilets here get clogged just from normal use. The apartments are really nothing special. The kitchen has granite. Ooh. Its from the 80s and has no back splash. I was not impressed. The range smokes. You basically cannot use your oven above 300 temp otherwise the smoke detector constantly goes off.
Everything seems very low end. Cheap appliances, fixtures, etc.
The windows do not open all the way. I guess it’s for safety but it makes for very poor ventilation. I would love to fill the huge window sill with plants but we will only be here for 2 more months.
The bathroom just comes off as very cheap. Small tub. No cabinets. There is a washer/​dryer but it is the lowest of low end. Hot water sucks. 5 minutes max of luke warm water and then freezing cold. If this were a hotel bathroom it might be a Ramada Inn.
The area is pretty convenient. There are a lot of chain stores. Supermarkets are kind of far but lucky for me, I love to walk and have nothing to do all day. Trader Joe’s is about a 30 minute walk as is Safeway. Way to many aggressive homeless. The businesses allow them to panhandle which is not cool. They don’t respond to the hand signal for go away, so I just pretend they are not there. It can be pretty hard pretending a dirty crack head is not in front of me but I am usually drunk, so.
My apartment is furnished with things poor people might choose. Generic pictures of trees. Glass jars filled with rocks. The table had place mats. It feels like some white trash people got a credit line at Rentacenter. I had fun putting all that crap in the closet and also saying this is how poor people live. That has become my catch phrase for the Paramount. I love the Yerba Buena garden. Beautiful space, perfect weather, and really close to my apartment.
For almost 8 grand a month I would expect a lot more but this isn’t NY.

I stayed at the Paramount on a short-​term basis as a corporate apartment (through Oakwood). I had a one bedroom on the 30^th floor and while it was pretty nice, and fairly spacious I wouldn’t call the apartments luxurious (although the atrium, concierge, mail area all are).
HIGH LIFE:
– Location: Close to BART and Muni, and with the A.G. Ferrari deli downstairs, Walgreens down the block, and Whole Foods about 4 blocks away, the location was great.
– Atrium: Nicely decorated with a helpful concierge, and video screen in the mail area showing if you have a package.
– Gym: The on-​site gym was good for those of you who are well intentioned but (like me) too lazy to go to the gym if it is outside your own building. It’s got modern equipment with TVs screens on the elipticals, but if you are a hard core lifter you’ll want to go elsewhere.
– Maintenance: I had a problem with my toilet when I first showed up, and a service guy was up in a jiffy.
– Laundry: Having a stacked washer and dryer in the bathroom was great. No need to run down the hall or downstairs to do your laundry.
LOW RENT:
– Tenants: I’m all for low income housing, but when you are spending thousands of dollars a month on rent, it is a major bummer to get crammed into an elevator with a bunch of dirty people. Just saying.
– Ventilation: I was never bothered by the smell of other people’s cooking, but trying to ventilate my own kitchen was tough since the fan over the stove did precious little. More importantly, I could smell the very strong scent of weed pouring through the vents on occasion. I don’t have a problem with those who smoke herb but I really don’t need that when I’m trying to work in my apartment.
– Pets: Steer clear if you don’t like pets as seemingly every other person who lives here has a tiny little dog. I never heard any dogs, but did see them on a daily basis.
– Noise: While hallway noise was minimal, being near the recycling room made it so that I heard trash going down the chute all too often.

Damn, son. The view from the 45^th floor «Sky Club» at the Paramount is my most recent, yet most astonishing find in quite some time!

The best, central location in the City, fantastic staff, valet parking, in house dry cleaning, spacious flats, awesome views, very good security, housekeeping service, and a full service concierge make The Paramount a great option for dwelling stress free.
I wake up in the morning and take the elevator down to the in house gym in my Underoos; I come back up and clean up without having to drive or walk to a gym that is overcrowded with hordes of people talking, rather, trying to impress one another instead of actually working out. Can someone tell me why some people work out in the mornings with full make up freshly applied?
Mitigate street noise, sirens, and the such by picking a unit above the 30^th floor. Corner units are scarce but be patient for one facing the beautiful skyline and bay.
Search for the red lights above the 30^th floor — it’s my acknowledgment signal to the Mayor of Gotham… rather San Francisco when he uses my the Bat signal.
There it [Bat signal] goes again… this base jumping bit to get to my super hero car is getting harder on my knees every year.