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wrote this on my blog, but would love to share this with my fellow city-data'ers! let me know what you think!
Solaire vs Aspire: Experiencing condo living in downtown orlando, florida
Now having experienced moving in and out of two of the major highrises in Downtown Orlando, I am compelled to share my encounters with the public. Doing a quick google search, not much is to be found on reviews of living in these 2 highrises, Solaire at the Plaza and Aspire Apartments (Dynetech Centre Building).
I will rank the following 1-10 (10 being ideal, 1 less than desirable, photos to be added later)
Solaire at the Plaza(155 S. Court Ave, Orlando, FL 32801, Between Church St and Pine St) -Moving In and Out, the most painful process...you are not allowed to reserve the freight elevator on Sundays, we were told this day is for emergencies only and that there is some city ordinance that you cannot move on sundays (BS!) Freight elevator reservations only can be done for Mon thru Sat in blocks of 2 hours between 8-5pm, no later! I paid rent to my landlord for a specific move in date, but since the management company had the freight elevator booked already for that day, I had to move in on a different day. Absolutely no flexibility here! During my move out, the freight elevator was broken, so not only were we not called about this inconvenience, but we were forced to use a regular elevator and transfer everything through the freight elevator, very annoying! Rank - 1
-Noise Level, it really isn't that bad. I had a city-view/pool side unit on a higher floor. Yes, I could hear latitudes DJ blaring music or wall street playing absurdly loud music that I could clearly have my own party by opening my balcony glass door. This is why you choose Solaire though right? It's pretty much the most convenient high-rise building that is near just about anything. Neighbor noise, nothing too terrible, I could occasionally hear hallway noise, but nothing that was not tolerable or unexpected. Rank - 8
-Other Solaire Tenants Like living a post-college lifestyle wishing you were still in college? This is the place to be! Frat boys in abundance! Tons of 20-30 somethings who now have enough excess cash to party it up most nights and bring the party home with them as well! If that isn't enough for you, you also have the occasional young family with children of all ages. And you also get some folks that are also in retirement just wanting convenient living and complain about noise and visitors, so make sure before choosing the unit you want to live in you do not have them as neighbors, otherwise plan to live in silence or deal with the wrath of complaints! Enjoy being trapped in an elevator with drunken folks where you never know what will happen, definitely makes living in Solaire exciting! Rank - 9
-Visitors in Solaire, The rule is 5 per tenant or else it has to be a registered party, turn in a guest list and then I believe you can have up to 12 per tenant in your unit. Each person has to be signed in OR if you are sneaky enough you can shuttle them in via the garage in your car and bypass the signing in process. Understand the reason behind the rules, keeps the building from overflowing and of course there is a max occupancy number they need to stay under. Rank - 3
-Everyday Conveniences and Perks, Definitely nice that you can be within a 5-10 minute walk of any type of restaurant around from a quick grub joint to fine dining. Walk to any night life establishment, whether it be a bar, pool/darts, movie theatre or swanky night club! The new orlando magic arena is a quick 10 minute walk! Drop your dry-cleaning off at the front desk, borrow a bellman cart to transport bigger items to your unit. Rank - 10
-Units in Solaire, I will give it to Solaire, they did do well on the design aspect of the actual units. I lived in a 1 bedroom, and I have seen quite a few of the 2 bedroom units and other layouts of 1 bedrooms. Curves in the soffets, exposed ductwork in some units, nice granite countertops, stainless appliances. I had the privilege of living in the largest 1 bedroom unit that was 862 sf, with a massive closet that was prob. 4Wx10Lx20H. None of their 1 bedrooms are fully enclosed with a door, instead they contain partial walls. In my unit it made great sense, the wall didn't split the window, and I had a complete full wall of floor to ceiling windows and provided a wide view of the city. My one gripe is the bathroom is in the bedroom, so if you had any guests, they would have to walk through your bedroom. The kitchen contained plenty of storage, the cabinets were upgraded to be taller than the average storage space and all were very deep.
The 2 bedroom units I believe are all corner units and look gorgeous, the few I have been in are all split floor plans and provide a wide view from any side of the building. The 2 bedroom layouts do have exposed duct work where my 1 bedroom did not. Rank - 9
The Staff at Solaire, For the most part the concierge staff is very approachable and willing to help with a smile, I did have issues with one person in particular that never seemed to smile, ask how I was or say much of anything or looked like they wanted to be there or help out. I am not sure how this person still works there, but they do. In the late hours, the concierge staff is no longer on duty and a security firm handles the over night staffing. They are pleasant as well and get to know the residents quite well, sometimes a little too well (ie flirting and asking very personal questions) but I guess the job can get boring except the occasional frat boy trying to bring 20 guests home with him or trying to fight with the security because he cannot bring his open container in or out of the building. Rank - 6 (average brought down by 1 bad apple)
The management at Solaire, well if you didn't get how the place is managed already based on the previous, then I might as well not even include this section! Let's just say Solaire has had 3 management companies in the past 2 years and the consensus with the tenants is that this is by far the worst of the 3. With tons of short sales and foreclosures in the building, HOA fees are not getting paid and that turns into maintenance coming in at a lower priority. Leaking ceilings, broken closet from poor installations, leaking windows are just to name a few of the issues that were not fixed in the entire time I was living there and still not fixed. Up until recently the hallways had no a/c. The elevators smell of animal urine. Rank - 4
Garage, there is a reason why they call it the nest, the twist and turns in the garage are not the easiest to zip through when in a rush, as told by the markings on the walls. Narrow steep driveways make it difficult to maneuver your car and never mind the other guests who are trying to park on the lower floors who are not tenants and just wanting to park for the theatre or the restaurants downstairs. They are new to the garage and are very slow for good reason b/c the garage is so difficult to figure out. Rank - 1
Amenities, the pool deck isn't very special, its your basic pool area and there are some nice side areas to grill at where you can reserve it with just a quick phone call. No sun after 5pm since the amenities floor is on 10 and is nestled between tall buildings. Rank -7
Aspire Apartments at the Dynetech Centre (111 E. Washington St., Orlando, FL 32801)
-Moving In and Out, By far and away the easiest process, you do have to reserve a time slot here, but since there are only 100+ units and currently at 90%+ capacity, not too many move-ins during the time of my move in. I reserved a time slot and even went over my allotted time and was not bothered at all. I also was able to use the freight elevator way into the hours of the night with just a simple phone call into the security desk! I was amazed at my phone calls at 11pm, midnight where I was pleasantly told not a problem and they would have the elevator ready for me and the gate up. Only thing I wish they had were the bellman carts that Solaire has on loan for residents, would have made things go a lot faster! Rank - 10
-Noise Level, nothing to complain about, you get the typical city noise ( I face the same direction as the unit I had in Solaire) . I have yet to see any post college graduates trying to continue their college experience into their late 30s. I will update this post if I encounter anything out of the ordinary! Rank - 10
-Other Aspire Tenants, haven't really seen many yet, as expected with 1/3 less possible tenants than Solaire (although I am sure Solaire is no where near 90% capacity as Aspire is), everyone appears to be very respectable towards security and I have yet to see again a frat boy trying to continue his college life and bring it home with him. Rank - 10
-Visitors in Aspire, you are allowed as many visitors in your unit as you would like (of course within reason and common sense), only 2 guests on the amenities deck otherwise you can rent out the clubhouse for $500 ($250 refundable) for up to 60 guests till 11pm. You do have to sign guests in at the security desk with an ID, but understandably. No issues here that are not expected! Rank - 9 (for the 2 guest limit at the amenities deck)
-Everyday Conveniences and Perks, not quite as close to some restaurants as solaire as there is only one restaurant occupied in Aspire (Tastings Wine bar) but still within a quick 5-10 minute walk there is plenty around. Lake Eola is a quick 2 minute walk and Solaire is a 4-5minute walk! Have not experienced Concierge service yet, but since this is considered an apartment and is managed by Lincoln Property Management, any maintenance is handled by them and is 24hours where emergencies are taken care of immediately and non emergencies are handled by priority level. Rank - 9
-Units in Aspire, Your typical highrise finishings are in this unit, granite countertops, stainless appliances (wish my fridge was a side by side and had a ice/water dispenser on the door). Tile and Carpet, all units have cherry wood cabinetry with stainless door pulls, cabinets are not upgraded height, but still a lot of storage space, pantry is also a good size. I would prefer a sunken sink rather than a sink that sits above the counter. Ceilings are unfinished drywall, there are doors in the 1 bedroom units. The bathroom stand up shower is a bit tiny and the white subway tile gives me that hotel feel. Bedroom closet isn't as massive as my Solaire unit, but its a decent size. There are odd structural pieces in my unit, random columns in my bedroom and balcony, but all my complaints are not deal breakers in my opinion. A small amount to spend on some furnishings to make it more homely and it will feel just like home! Rank -6
The Staff/Management at Aspire, All the staff has been pleasant to work with thus far, very patient and everyone appears to be on point with everything. No complaints everyone has met and exceeded my expectations. Rank - 10
Garage, well one would think after living in Solaire, the other highrise garages cannot be any worse. It isn't necessarily worse at Aspire, but its definitely not that much better. There is a steep incline to drive into and there is no overhead sensor to sense your card, you have to roll your window down and flash the card over the sensor, not quite as convenient as Solaire where you can press your avid on your windshield and it is detected. The exit requires a sharp turn and careful maneuvering as to not curb your wheel, but with practice you can get this down pact and you will make it close enough to flash your card to exit out. Parking is unassigned and I have not had an issue finding parking. Rank -7
Amenities, by far the nicest pool deck in all of downtown in my opinion, 29th floor amenities, including clubhouse, pool, jacuzzi, and fitness room. Clubhouse and Fitness room both over look Lake Eola and the Pool overlooks the city, gorgeous views everywhere! The entire 29th floor is amenities which is nice for residents as you are not bothering tenants on that floor. Rank - 10!
Overall with every pro and con, Aspire is definitely more desirable and both come into the same price range for similar unit sizes. Feel free to add comments to this post and I will update as I experience more at the Aspire!
Have you checked out the Paramount? I am curious as to how this place turned out on the inside. It looks the most appealing to me due to it being brand new as well as having the Publix on the ground floor.
Have you checked out the Paramount? I am curious as to how this place turned out on the inside. It looks the most appealing to me due to it being brand new as well as having the Publix on the ground floor.
why yes i have! i have a friend who lives in a 1 br unit on the 17th floor (highest floor) there and it is very nice.
the paramount is definitely nicely decorated inside from the appealing colors chosen for the hallways, dark baseboard paint, soffets are painted, very luxurious entry way and foyer, rent is a lot higher to live in these units and it max's out at 17 floors so you aren't getting too high up, there is an infinity like pool which is very nice, the jacuzzi is pretty tiny (makes you almost think why even?) their amenities are very nice...i believe they may be the only or one of the only ones with an outdoor fireplace!
definitely a nice building, if you are willing to shell out the $$$, they do offer 2 months free i believe right now as a promo...if you are looking for something that is $1400+ for a 1br...you also have the options of 101 eola, sanctuary, vue (none of which i have personally been in, but have done enough research that these are the higher end highrises)
Very informative review, thanks for posting. I always thought it would be fun to live downtown, I've been in the Solaire and it's beautiful. I didn't realize that having guests for a party would be such a big deal.
I think that Solaire as a whole with the Plaza is a great addition to our skyline, but if you go inside solaire and into the hallways and just take notice of the finishings and horrendous maintenance (carpet that desperately needs shampooing) you will soon see that its no where near THAT nice; especially after going into places like the waverly, vue, paramount and you look at what they have done with their common areas....but solaires units ARE very nice, so give n take in all aspects.
why yes i have! i have a friend who lives in a 1 br unit on the 17th floor (highest floor) there and it is very nice.
the paramount is definitely nicely decorated inside from the appealing colors chosen for the hallways, dark baseboard paint, soffets are painted, very luxurious entry way and foyer, rent is a lot higher to live in these units and it max's out at 17 floors so you aren't getting too high up, there is an infinity like pool which is very nice, the jacuzzi is pretty tiny (makes you almost think why even?) their amenities are very nice...i believe they may be the only or one of the only ones with an outdoor fireplace!
definitely a nice building, if you are willing to shell out the $$$, they do offer 2 months free i believe right now as a promo...if you are looking for something that is $1400+ for a 1br...you also have the options of 101 eola, sanctuary, vue (none of which i have personally been in, but have done enough research that these are the higher end highrises)
Yeah they are advertising $1640 for 2 bedroom/2 bath rentals at the Paramount right now. That is pretty amazing, but I guess that is the free 2 months rent right there refactored into the monthy rent. The Vue is another place we are considering, however there you would still have to walk around the lake with a bunch of groceries to get home from the Publix. I envision some requests from the local homeless which might make that trip a little less enjoyable, forcing you to get in your car, negating the whole downtown conveinence. 101 Eola, Paramount, Waverly, Sanctuary, and Thornton Park Central have the best location to me. Sanctuary is crazy expensive though. Right now I am looking at those new apartments in Maitland...super nice right on Lake Lily. Not quite the same experience as downtown though, but closer to work!
haha yea sanctuary along with star tower and the jackson...all super luxury living i suppose .. i never bothered to check them out since they are out of my price range
well one thing about the vue, you may be renting from an owner, and then you have the chance for foreclosure (but they do have a tennis court! and pet area) ... at paramount, at least you are dealing with a management company and less likely forced to move, although you could get lucky like me and get a cash for keys offer in a foreclosed unit and get about 4 months worth of free rent money
Nobody has mentioned 55 West yet. What...does nobody want to live directly over Mako's, Antigua, and I-4? Haha! Were the hell can you walk a dog around there? Great location for a hotel, strange location for a condo.
oooooo yes, i stared at the 55 west pool deck area the whole time i lived in solaire...its absolutely gorgeous its like having a park and pool all in one! and they have pet areas where you can walk your dog up there...i think they have it laid out very nice up there!
i looked into moving in there, but because of timing i could not consider it, floors 4-10 will be the first batch to be released in september and 11th floor in october and so on and so on....totally different take on their layouts as floors 4-10 are lofts and are very open airy floor plans...and lofts is just another word for studio, no walls to seperate your bedroom....
the train on the other hand i have no idea what they plan to do with that...living on the east side of lake eola im sure you hear it...so i cant imagine living right above it will do to your eardrums
from what the mgmt company told me...if you live on the 4th floor next to latitudes...u can literally walk a beam over to latitudes (although it isn't "allowed" hahah)
i did sneak up the elevator from pine street into the 55w garage and it does get a nice view and the ground floor retail shopping area does look very promising! here's hoping it fills up as well as the plaza!
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