The Lofts at one Powell

While planning my relocation to San Francisco, I had the pleasure of touring the Lofts at One Powell with the property manager, Marlene, at the end of June. I viewed a large number of properties on my planning trip and this visit stands out, head and shoulders above any of the others. Marlene was the most sincerely nice person I had met and the property tour was amazing. The two units she picked out for me were perfectly suited for my taste and needs. I did not end up signing a lease with her yet but it has become a future goal. Marlene's professionalism and the quality of the property are reasons for anyone to consider moving there. My current budget did not allow for me to make the move but I will be back when things change for me. You would be remiss if you do not add this property to your viewing list if you plan to move to the Bay Area.

I so far have been very happy at the lofts at one powell. Marlene, the manager, is fantastic. The building overall has very positive energy and is a nice retreat from the bustling city.

I recently moved into this apartment and I'm really happy with it. The price is much more reasonable compared to other luxury apartments, the arched windows and layout caught my eye from the start, and I love the newly renovated appliances. I really enjoy the view, which allows me to enjoy the sunlight as well as the vibrant city view.

You may meet a few homeless people if you choose to walk toward Tenderloin (honestly it's much much better than actually living in Tenderloin), but the building itself feels secure, especially with the password-required elevator.

Most importantly, Marlene, our property manager, has been outstanding. She looked after my deliveries before I moved in, helped me get set up with curtain rods, and is always on the ball with any maintenance issues. Quick and professional replies. Super reliable!!

Marlene, property manager at the Lofts, is wonderful! She's gone above and beyond to help me whenever I need help with any problems. I'm glad to say they don't come up that often but it's great to know she's there whenever I've needed help.

I also appreciate all the "little things" she's done to help the building feel like a home. Her bagels for breakfast and other get togethers are much appreciated. I look forward to seeing what other treats she thinks of to make us feel like a special community.

Pro (not plural):
1/ CLOSENESS to Bart. And the mall, I guess (not for me, but if you like shopping at Nordstroms I'll admit it's convenient for that).

Cons (so, so many):
1/ ABSOLUTELY NO AMENITIES, you're not getting anything you'd expect from current complexes:
- no gym/workout amenities
- no social amenities (lounges, etc)
- no amenities for children (no play areas)
- no amenities for pets (no pet park, no bathing area... hope your dog likes doing their business on busy Tenderloin streets)

2/ LOUD, CONSTANT NOISE:
- drummers & skateboarders are always right outside window
- you do NOT get used to it, and it wears on you
- Bart plays loud music from speakers starting at 5am

3/ NO FRONT DESK OR ANY ON-SITE STAFF:
- packages WILL get stolen, regularly: delivery folks will leave your package on the lobby floor, and given no front desk anyone can wander in and take it
- food pick up sucks: no place to drop off stuff, and given the busy street you have to perfectly time the pickup yourself (good luck!)

4/ GROSSLY HOT units:
- almost all units face the hot, southern sun, and those big windows allow in lots of heat while only opening a few inches and letting in NO breeze
- no private balcony/patios available for most units. the only shared patio on 7th floor is small, dirty, and perpetually shaded, so you won't want to spend any time here
- no ceiling fans/any heat mitigation

5/ ELEVATORS BREAK ALL THE TIME:
- only two elevators for ALL residents & freight, w/regular bottlenecks as one elevator is taken out of service for moving, maintenance, etc
- both elevators have broken down multiple times recently, very often only one will be working at a given time (hopefully no one is moving!)

6/ EXPENSIVE ENERGY & UTILITIES:
- Setup here means higher fixed costs (which management WILL pass on to you). You will probably save over $100 on just utilities in a different location.
- high ceilings will 2x your energy/electric costs, so factor that into your rent cost.

7/ DYSTOPIAN, UGLY AREA (esp nowadays):
- the ONLY entrance is on Cyril Magnin St (NOT Powell)-- and it's a busy, dirty side street/alley
- garbage, vomit, other disgusting stuff is strewn outside the front door ALL THE TIME
- since covid all the nice "local" restaurants & places have closed down, leaving only a smattering of big, boring retail-- and given wfh increase there's no longer any value in this location noawadys

8/ DELIVERY SUCKS HERE:
- there's no accommodation for delivery drivers like modern complexes
- the (remaining) business (AT&T, Burger King) put their trash outside daily (so you'll wake up & come back home to your entire street littered with burger wrappers & AT&T shit)
- the hotels on the block (Parc 55 & Axiom) will take up any remaining space for "valet" parking (so also enjoy dodging a bunch of confused tourists to get to your front door).
- no on-site parking, garage, or any good parking options within blocks. God help you if you have a car (thankfully I don't anymore)

9/ CONSTANT CONSTRUCTION (that doesn't benefit you):
- the latest building managers hoped to convert the apartments to condos (but failed because this area sucks for a buyer)-- so you'll have to deal with constant construction/busy elevators/lots of banging, since they're not finished with the full plans

10/ EXPENSIVE, UNJUSTIFIED RENT:
- you will pay more for a comparable unit here than anywhere else. The current "studio lofts" are priced the same or more expensive than 1-bedrooms elsewhere-- Don't fall for the "loft" language!

11/ POOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT:
- this got worse here with each new owner, and the current management (Woodmont Real Estate) is the worst by FAR, providing no amenities for residents, and having a glib stick up their asses when it comes to resident concerns & satisfaction.

Despite this imbalance of pros v cons, current management believes they are entitled to the max rent increases they can legally get... But as I've outlined there's no justification for these rents with so many comparable complexes with far better amenities & services at better prices (and even if it's more expensive you'll could still end up saving money just from not having your packages stolen every week).

Do the research, stop by and see how dirty and uncared for are the building & outside area. The older, positive reviews here are valid-- I've been here for 10 years and this used to be a nice, convenient & respectable place to call home. But things have dramatically changed for the worse in the past years, and current management does NOT respect their residents here.

I absolutely CAN NOT RECOMMEND the Lofts for anyone, any more-- and lol, if you're thinking about purchasing one of these "condos", run away as fast as you can. There will be no returns here for the next 20+ years at least.

I absolutely loved this building! My apartment was stunning, with lots of space, natural light, and beautiful finishes. It's right on top of Bank of America and Sephora which was really convenient for me. There are so many great restaurants within walking distance, and a mall just across the street. However, what truly sets this place apart is its exceptional property manager, Marlene. She is so kind, positive, and competent, and her presence honestly brings warmth to the entire building. Whether you're seeking a short-term or long-term lease, I highly recommend checking this place out!

Area is dirty, counted about 10 homeless people nearby, sign for building is not maintained well and is faded. Didn't see a pool, clubhouse, spa, or playground. See for yourself

I lived in multiple different properties including "luxury living", nothing compares to my experience with Marlena as a property manager and as a human. Marlene is a dream to work with and she made the process of applying to a new apartment and all the things that comes with it as easy and smooth as ABC. By far in my 15 years of live in San Francisco she is the absolute best. She makes true effort to connect with us and makes sure everything is well with us. The property and apartment itself is breathtaking, living in this building means you are truly living in one of Market's most recognizable buildings. The unit is upgraded and very well maintained. One of the many things made me fall in love with this apartment is the absolute attention to detail in all the upgrades in the unit. If others are complaining about the noise outside of Market Street then they are looking in the wrong area, Market is the heart of San Francisco and what makes our city what it is. Property management can't control what is happening outside nor the unhoused population outside. If you are a city person The Lofts at One Powell is a place for you, if you want quiet place look in Sunset or Ingleside. I don't understand why some tenants complain about something even the City itself can't fix and they blame the property managers!

I absolutely second the last review from Chris. I have been living in this building for 9 years now, and with the new management it turned into an utter disaster. ALL CONS listed in the previous reviews are absolutely true. Residents are left to fend for themselves or met with dismissal and BS excuses. We have only one working elevator. Mind you, its semi-working because buttons do not work half the time - this afternoon it took me 11 attempts before I managed to get the elevator buttons to react and take me to my floor. The other elevator has been out of service for a year. Building entrance got severely vandalized this week - outside dial pad has been completely destroyed, key fobs arent working. Now USPS mail delivery folks arent able to come in and deliver packages and the management is saying they dont know how long it will take for Metro to get it fixed aka "not our problem". I was expecting a USPS parcel with MEDICATIONS today and I did not receive it! Its just mindblowing how neglected this building and its residents are.
I am not going to repeat everything that the previous poster said but I would definitely NOT recommend living in this building at this point. Given that current residents themselves are posting here, imagine our level of frustration. Streer clear off this place until one of us posts a positive review again.

PS: I have seen that some listings that are online for this building mention clubhouse and recreational area and that units have balconies - none of that is true.

I've been here over a year and I moved from a 2 bedroom/2 bath (8th floor) to a 1 bedroom/1bath (5th floor)
When my 1-year lease expired on the 2 bedroom, I moved to a 1 bedroom. My opinions on this apartment has not changed much; I still believe it's an amazing place to live, if you can afford it.

There's a new manager named Alisha and she is so helpful. My 5th floor unit faces Nordstrom (my previous apt faced Powell) it is a lot noisier than my previous apartment. The street performers with their found object instruments are relentless and they are quite passionate about their music. That's a big downside.

I hardly ever see my neighbors, which can be good or bad depending on how you feel about neighbors haa. Usually the floors are quite and peaceful.
People complain about the homeless people on the streets blah blah blah. Downtown SF in general smells like pee, so that's something you'll have to get used to.
Honestly if you have the money, it's worth living here. The only thing missing is a gym