Top Apartment buildings in Oakland, United States

I live here. It's an old building with six floors and an elevator that makes it very accessible for me as a wheelchair user. The handicap accessible parking is very small and often filled with other vehicles, however wheelchairs and scooters make it through here quite well.

I move. A lot. So, I've lived in my share of apartment buildings. 1200 Lakeshore is, by far, the best managed building I've lived in. Everyone who works here is the best. They know the residents and their pups. Mrs. Hudson misses her neighbor, Christiana and her daily ear rubs. Maintenance is fast and seamless. The management is top-notch. They have events and doughnuts for morning commuters every once in a while. The front security staff are friendly and professional and the building is super secure. Proximity to BART and living on Lake Merritt is amazing. The spaces are large and open. The residents are also fantastic. Say hi to Maya the bulldog if you move in. She loves some love.

Now, not everything is always perfect. The building is amazing, as I said, but the noise is a thing. I'm a city person so the sounds of a city aren't new to me. The units facing 1st Avenue are NOISY. If this is something that doesn't bother you, then you're golden. If you're sensitive to that, opt for a higher floor on the lakeside. It's in Oakland. There is crime. Like all cities. Don't complain about it after moving in and then blame the building management. Due diligence on your part makes life better.

Yes, I really lived here. No, I'm not paid nor friends with the management or ownership. It's just a great place.

I live in this old place. Many people may not like it but for low income and you're looking for a place to stay this is a good place.

I have had a wonderful experience living here. The building is well-maintained and has a unique charm. The management team is friendly and responsive, ensuring any maintenance needs are promptly addressed. And the best part is the views of Lake Merritt from my apartment:)

I’m from Seattle, i use to come visit my grandparents that lived here and my aunt also had an apartment there too in 90’s i loved it. The view is one of a kind

Truly the finest apartment building I have experienced. It reminds me of an elegant London hotel. It is unparalled in Oakland as it stands alone overlooking Lake Merritt and far beyond. The apartments are HUGE and every single one has a massive balcony. The thick walls and concrete floor make it soundproof. The staff are very attentive. The large, secure parking garage is part of the building itself.

A friend has lived here for several years and is very happy with the place. We had occasion to call on the property and found Felicia Howard super helpful. For us this confirmed the management is at least a part of the reason why this is a great place to live.

Lake Merritt million dollar view. Beautiful vintage building. Chandeliers throughout. Quiet, comfortable, carpeted hallways, great water pressure, nice neighbors, and building manager on site.

We toured the property as an option to our next move. The leasing manager, Jared, was very professional, kind and tried to understand our needs. He wasn't pushy and kept the conversation honest. The best leasing manager we stumbled upon on our search. If you're thinking about moving there, go check it out and decide on your own.

Goid experience. Staff were friendly. My client was nice too. The seniors looked happy

We have underground gated parking, a on site resident services, computer room that I use frequently, great neighbors, and the bus stop is right in front of the property that will take you straight to the Bart station or Eastmont Transit Center.

I have enjoyed living here for over six years. Wonderful large deck that overlooks a wooded glen, great for some quiet reading. Nice neighborhood for walking in too, and a small village up Park Boulevard where there are numerous restaurants. If one needs public transportation to downtown Oakland, Montclair District or BART, the bus stop is just a quarter block away and runs about every twenty minutes or so. Very convenient.
Jim B

I have lived here for 3 years, and I can say this is a great place to live. I. really enjoy walking around the neighborhood as part of my exercise, and enjoy the trees, and beautiful houses along the way. The building is kept very neat and clean, and we are encouraged to recycle and compost which is a plus. We are very close to nearby shops, and restaurants, and Lake Merritt.

We lived here since 2015, if you’re looking for a place to rent, this is the one THE PARK GLENVIEW APARTMENT, it’s nice and quite.

Park Glenview is quiet, secure and well-maintained. The owners continue to enhance the landscaping and common spaces. Each apartment has large greenhouse windows with great views and lots of sunlight. There is a large deck above Trestle Glen also with great views of the East Bay Hills. The location has easy access to Glenview, downtown Oakland and Hwy 580. Highly recommended.

Great place to live. As a young professional recently moving to Oakland, 1200 Lakeshore made for a beautiful transition. If you're looking an old style open space apartment and value a fantastic view, this is I think the best choice in the area. I was hesitant at first because of previous reviews reflected a poor management team. However I was greeted by positive and effective staff, it seems that they hired some new people. Jared the new property manager has been proactive in solving all my problems, and highly accommodating. The security and maintenance teams have also been eager to help in making my life here easier. I'm in a C unit and the balcony view has been stunning. Elevators wait time can be a little long sometime with new covid rules. The building is old and there is a lack of individual laundry units, gas, A/C, and screen doors. Other than that I have no complaints thus far. Worth the money.

I love living in this mid century modern building with its awesome staff and friendly residents. You get great light in the apartments, lots of closets, heat in the floor, generously sized rooms, and a big balcony. Lake Merritt is right there for walking the dog. Farmers market Saturday morning a twenty minute walk away. Arizmendi co-op for baked goods and soup. The library a ten minute walk and on Friday nights the Oakland museum has on a side street 20 food trucks and a dance party going on.

Without a doubt the most unprofessional building managers I have ever met. Jennifer the manager is rude, arrogant, and literally one of the most condescending individuals I have come across. Upon my move out date I will provide additional documentation of interactions and a formal review but from someone that has lived here for 2 years...... The area of the lake is beautiful and the apartments are spacious. But the lack of amenities and the absolutely dismal management gives it 1 star.
Update: While organizations are certainly reflected by their employees, the true measure of an organization lies in the standards and values that they demand their employees embody . The ability to talk, diaglogue, meet, and be heard by building ownership/leadershp was immensely meaningful and true and meaningful change is being had. Building ownership hears and listens to their residents and I can't say enough about them.

This is a long overdue review about my mothers experience at the Lake Merritt Hotel. My mother Mitzi Trachtenberg had the really good fortune to have lived at the LMH for nearly 3 years before needing to move on to a hire level of care.
This place is referred to as the Jewel of the Lake and it really does live up to that name on every level. The renovation that the understandably proud owner Randy Berger did to this hotel is truly spectacular. Everywhere you look this place has been beautifully curated in a manner that artfully reflects the vernacular of this 1927 period piece hotel.
My mother was able to add in beautiful wood floors to her one bedroom studio and they painted the apartment just as she requested. My mother has been a serious artist her entire life and was able to continue making art in her little apartment as the natural quality of light was phenomenal.
So while the LHM exceeded our expectations from an architectural point of view it was the staff that work there that really made the difference.
I don't know how they do it but everyone that works there is really special. Their head of maintenance Matt takes care of every detail with great ease, Bobby who drives the shuttle for the residents is the sweetest man ever, their director Diane is absolutely incredible, Ryan who is headed of activities was the gift that kept on giving, and their front desk people are so kind and attentive to my mothers needs. And then there is the Terrace Room which is a very elegant dining room and beautiful bar that the residents share with the general public. They have these waiters and waitresses that we simply feel in love with. These people were incredible, as they were so attentive to all the residents need. This is a very well curated staff of people that management has clearly and carefully selected and that is what made the LMH feel like one big happy family. Someday I could honestly see myself living there with my wife in one of those wonderful apartments overlooking the Lake Merritt. Talk about a room with a view, it feels like Paris at night. Last, I have a memorable video of my 87 year old mother Mitzi proudly declaring that she could not imagine that she would be this happy so late in her life.
It is the best kept secret in the East Bay and it was very affordable!

I have been living here for almost a year now and the bathrooms are disgusting majority of the time. I have bed bugs which I never had in my entire life until I got to the clairage. People have no consideration for other tenants. I wake up every morning and I have to spend a good while searching all six stories for one bathroom with the least amount of feces and urine so I can take shower. It's so bad that sometimes so have to shower elsewhere other than my own place because it'll be that unsanitary.

Amazing place to live. Great location, less than 10 min walk to BART. 10 min walk to downtown Oakland . 0 minutes to Lake Merritt 🏃🏻. These apartments have all the amenities you can think of an more. Not to mention friendly staff, service request are taken care of immediately. 24hr security. Amazing views of Lake Merritt, Oakland , SF, The Hills . I mean look at the pics down below :)

I enjoyed living there

I have lived here for 9 years it is a very nice building. When I first came here I said this is like a hotel the hallways are closed in no rain to get you wet.the apartments have been remodeled. There is a nice deck where you can relax in the sun shine or shade while you do your laundry. There is some very nice tenants to socialize with .I love park Glenview apartments.

Glenview apartments is a nice place for seniors it’s very quiet and clean in a good neighborhood.

Beautiful dining experience, great food overlooking the lake. The bands they book are awesome for dancers.

Meh. Not enforcing the no-smoking ban. No access to balconies or outside windows in common space. Empty common room downstairs, could be lovely with elements of the old grand hotel, but it's currently cold and uninviting.

Lovely spot for lunch.

The SRO units are small and you need to bring your own furniture, refrigerator, microwave, and other items. Smoking is allowed in the units and the only units with restrooms are the studios which are small (less than 250 sq ft). The rooms seem to be a little bit bigger than the studio but please keep in mind the studio I was shown was a corner unit. There is a communal bathroom and shower area on each floor for each sex and a laundry area in the basement with specific hours to do laundry. There is one elevator for all residents to use and guests are limited to visiting hours and overnight stay limits per month.

The criteria for renting require a credit score of at least 550 with the first months rent, deposit, and application fee only payable by money order. I had no problem with any of these things and the person that showed the unit was pleasant but the area is extremely sketchy. The building was being renovated in stages it seemed but the fact that each time I visited (which was during the day each time), there were too many things that made me feel uncomfortable like loitering, and panhandling, amongst other things.

They advertise on Craigslist constantly so I would assume despite having a year lease, people either are evicted a lot or once the lease is up they move.

This building may work for some who these things don't matter or are in a jam and need a place to stay but I couldn't get past a feeling of moving in would have been a huge mistake and safety concerns.

Went to the terrace room for weekly trivia

They don't call back in respond when you called them about the place.

Food was excellent. Service was okay. Everyone was pleasant

As of the last contact i had with this hotel, it was primarily for low income people on disability, not working, and was not an appropriate venue for students or seniors with more than disability benefits. this is not a hotel for out of towners. the conditions may have changed since i last saw it, but be warned that this may not be for you. it provides a valuable community service, but may not work for many.
update: it now provides small apartments (formerly SRO size rooms), for long term rental/leasing. new management, very responsive. still catering to lower income, designed to reduce homelessness, but could be considered by students, etc. the facility is formerly quite fabulous, traces of that remain. its part of the history of oakland.

I live here Nice to have an Apartment that goes by your Income

Banquet room had a great view.

Crazy

I currently live here now. The add on craigslist sales you a dream but the building speaks for it self. In desperation I signed my lease. Since then my experience has been getting worse and worse. There is constant loitering all day, which I can deal with. But the feces in the elevator and in hall ways is not okay. Be prepared to kill roaches constantly and have your apartment invaded by pest control monthly if they come. There are no kitchens or bathrooms in the apartments so you have to use a community bathroom. The bathrooms have 3 stalls but only one toilet works in the womens bathroom on the floor that I on there is no soap to wash your hands after you use the bathroom if you buy a soap dispenser some one steals it. The hallways are filthy especially if the janitor takes a day off, if you are not sharp be prepared to track that in your apartment. They have these radiator heaters so all your plants will dry out and dye, your nose will contanlty itch accompanied by sneezing and you will always be hot as HELL. I tried to turn my heater knob off but ended up having the largest mettle turkey pan i could find full of water. I had to dump heater water twice a day until the maintenance guy took the whole heater out and caped off the pipe. Since then my room still get hot but not as hot as when the heater was in the room. When I woke up this morning I seen a roach crawling up the wall by my bed. No matter how neat and clean I keep my apartment more and more roaches are starting to come in. I hear there are bed bugs in the building, I have not experienced them yet PLEASE GOD don't let me. Every time you have a guest they must turn their ID in no guest before 9am and they must be out by 11pm. Even though the lease says no one can spend the night more then 7 nights in a row they have a 4 time per month policy. Im very disappointed with my situation at this time. Still searching for somewhere else to move but the market is tough right now. As of today im going to buy plastic moving containers and pack up all my yarn and things so that Roaches don't move in and are visible so i can kill them. Im in constant panic mode. Every time a hair blows i leap out my skin is it a roach. Do not move here if you cant stand pest and filth. As far as staff I think everyone is cool except Wilma, She hated on the cable guy drilling a hole so that I could get internet and cable. I missed the super bowl and two weeks of online Spanish class because of her. I put a maintenance request in and they never drilled the whole. Another staff member told the cable guy it was fine he could drill the hole. When you come for a tour the apartment floors will most likely be clean. When you move in there will be another story!

this is the best apartment ever very great management respectful and clean well taken care of and great Neighbors ♡♡♡♡

I visited the ridge Hotel three years ago to see my friend Rick Barnett. Rick lived in the Menlo. These were singer properties and he is in the can. When I first walked in there with Bob Jackson Like all SROs gone to seed it was phew Jesus Wept and Oh Calcutta rolled into one. Then Cimex leuctalaurius came on the scene and the rest is history. My homey in Santa Cruz Patrick Mark Dwire who writes on Urban Issues gave me the lowdown that the new owners aren't going to lay out for the pest abatement. Too Bad. But is I was new in town and California C out (shel silverstein) then it was really rocking after La Monte ford got canned.