NEMA

Update: 2/2/2013
I would recommend any new-comer to NEMA that is planning on getting a place, to get in the North Tower (Newer tower) because they fixed a lot of the problems we faced in the South Tower. Things like washer/dryer problems, electric stoves and etc. As of now, I CANNOT use my washer and dryer for anything because of its inconvenience as I described below in my previous review. It's pretty useless. So ALL my laundry needs are done in the main laundromat on the first floor. I thought of moving to the new tower but there is a $1,000 FEE and if there is any special discount during the lease signing, ($500), I would have to return it. So for me to move from South Tower to North Tower, I would have to pay $1,500 on top of the rent. With that cost I could just buy my own washer/dryer and a portable gas stove AND i could bring to my future house lol!

Bottom Line: Live in the North Tower, for your own sake LOL


NEMA deserves a 5 star rating BUT there are a few minor problems that keeps it from reaching it.

Background: I've lived here since October in a studio. NEMA has more features and options than most communities in the area. They strive to achieve everything and I LOVE living in NEMA, I would not stay anywhere else. And to be fair, they are not close to 100% completion and still have constructions going on. So I hope, they will address some of these issues that I've faced at this moment.

Pro:
Valet parking (Very convenient and I can text ahead of time to pick it up and even tell my work schedule and they will have the car ready.) AWESOME. Great staff as well.
Outdoor Pool: The heated pool is a great amenity. SF is rarely HOT, so it helps.
Outdoor backyard: The heated fireplaces and televisions.
Sky Terrace: This is an amazing feature because you have the view of majority of the CITY plus there are heater stands everywhere and plenty of lounge to sit... on top of that there is a BBQ grill (2 units for now) One of the best features!
Temp Gym: It's not the full size GYM yet but the current temp gym has top of line products and impressive selections already, looking forward to the full size gym. 24 hours OPEN. PLUS, there are free yoga class sessions and trainers available.
Hangout/Pool Room: A relaxing room with a pool table and a fireplace that can be rented out for events. There are complimentary coffee machine and breakfast in the morning.
Floor: I have a cement flooring (my unit) , which I love because it's low maintenance.
Concierge: The staff is very helpful and nice. I never have to worry about missing a delivery, (with your permission) they will allow access into your unit and have it delivered.
Phone App: There is a NEMA app, which I can use to check if I have deliveries, messages, maintenance requests, valet, and etc. Awesome app!
Community experience: There's been a NEMA party often, which brings the community together with wines/food/music and even the circus. They go all out and I love it. Thanks management/staff!
Need tools?: You can rent for free if you need any tools.
Rainy Days?: You can rent a complimentary umbrella with NEMA on it.
Need a bicycle?: You can rent a complimentary NEMA bicycle.
Options: There are too many options to list such as food deliveries, laundry serves, dry cleaning serves, dog washing/grooming stations and etc. Or go read it at "rentnema.com" LOL
***I will update as more amenities become available, when the other tower is open.
-----------------------------
Cons:
Garbage chute: Its rarely operating and I recall being able to use it 1 or 2 times since move in date. Its either non operational and trashes just pile up near the chute. And near the car garage entrance, there are bags piled up. What is the point of all the luxury and great amenities when basics things like this can't be maintained. ** UPDATE: It's getting better. I used it today! woohoo :D

Stove: *NOT all units are Gas stoves. I have a electric stove and it's killing me. It has forced me to only eat outside food because I cannot stand the wait. Don't get me wrong, I have used electric stoves before but this stove takes FOREVER to cook or even boil water.

In unit Washer/Dryer: OMG... it sucks. It barely fits that much clothes ( 6 regular size clothes?)YET, it will take up to 3 -4 hour to complete washing & drying.... Atleast they offer a on-site washer/dryer that can fit and finish in a reasonable time. The "text-when its completed" option is not available yet so I can't comment on that.

Heater: currently it's not working (been 3 days) ,and the weather has been freezing cold lately! hopefully it gets fixed soon or I will be frozen soon. *** Update: They came by to fix it but they couldn't so they gave me a portable heater for now. :) ****UPDATE: FIXED after 2 days. Thanks maintenance.
-------------------------------

Overall, a great community and staff with awesome amenities. Hope to see you at NE

Beautiful place to live in. Fantastic Staff all over the building. Every department does an amazing job, completely impressed with their professionalism and customer service.
Thank you Aiden and James for helping us to pick the perfect fitting apartment based on our needs. We are grateful to call it home and that's only thanks to you. Also thanks to Giovanny from the Leasing office and Fred from the Packaging Department for always being on top of things.

Giovanni

Latest issue: terrible ventilation has meant awful odors from my neighbor every time they cook. The smell is overwhelming late at night and in the morning. It gives me a headache and makes me nauseous no excuse for an apartment this expensive to have skimped on proper ventilation. Can't open my (one) window because it's poorly designed where it rattles in the wind and I'll hear noise from the dog area all hours of the night as selfish owner's let their dogs bark while staring at their phones before slamming the gate.

Do not move in here! Miserable

Weevil infestation in some of the apartments. Building has not been able to get rid of the bugs!

Adding another review again because I'm bowled over by their hospitality and concern. This review is especially for the mail room at NEMA SF. My work authorization card got delivered here after we had moved out. Marshall, who manages the mails, emailed me to say there's a USPS package that seems to be important. As it was! I dropped in to collect it and thanked him for his service! He handed the letter to me and said, "I understand how long the government takes to deliver these cards and I didn't want to send the letter back". He deserves a raise and more for his forethought and concern!!!

The front desk staff are lovely here. Especially the tall skinny East African guy I always forget his name but great personality. He spots me from long and opens the door immediately. Always smiling . Great face to come home to. Dogs are mostly problematic here in the building owners pay no attention to them. Laundry has been a challenge, leasing office are hard to reach consistently ignores emails and are always in meetings. Weekends are very difficult because of noisy neighbors. Place is overall Overpriced.

I had an amazing experience at NEMA apartments during my apartment hunt in San Francisco. Its location is perfect, with many good restaurants, concert halls, and offices within walking distance. The apartment is brand new, beautifully furnished, and offers an excellent view. The amenities are outstanding, with a beautiful swimming pool and a well-equipped gym that's always clean. The valet parking and doorstep delivery service are also top-notch.
Abby Bergman, the leasing agent, and Justin Bell, the leasing manager, were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. Abby was very professional and attentive to my needs, showing me multiple apartments that were tailored to my interests. Justin was a considerate manager who made the process stress-free and enjoyable. Working with them was a fantastic experience.
Overall, I am thrilled to move into this apartment next year!

Great building with awesome amenities. Front desk guys are very friendly.
The maintenance team is superb. Maintenance Manager and Maintenance Coordinator are extremely responsive, any repair/ fixing request have been addressed very quickly and professionally. The building overall is very clean and pleasant to live in.

After living at this residence for over a year now, I have experienced the worst experience during the leasing process. They have new leasing management that will ignore emails and calls. My leasing experience was far less than sub par. The building itself with amenities will be rated as a five star but If your looking for hassle-free experience please look elsewhere.

My best apartment hunting experience at NEMA. I was greeted by Michael. He was very helpful because I had a limited budget and I needed some rent concession incentives to make the student budget. Michael showed me exactly the units that would fit my budget. We closed the "deal" within a week. He helped with the "on boarding" move quickly so that my student could get settled into her bright and cheerful studio within 10 days.

I truly feel safe by leaving my student at NEMA because of the friendly and 24/7 security system. The mail and package collection service is perfect. The public community space is wonderful and clean. Most of all, the valet staff members for dropping off furniture and heavy items were very tolerant.

Thanks to Michael and NEMA.

Peter C.

Signed a lease and I'm thrown away by the customer service here. The elevators are slow and crowded. I'm having massive regrets