Wrote a review about Aspire Apts vs Solaire at the Plaza Condos

[surina777]

wrote this on my blog, but would love to share this with my fellow up'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!

[tennis32801]

Thanks for the great detailed review surina.

Having read your reviews, I believe that the Waverly has some favorable conditions going for it.

Moving In and Out - havent done this ever since the new rules similar to Solaire went into effect, but it seems inconvenient to have to go through all the hoops. And not being able to move in on Sundays blows. Score 5

Noise Level - You can not hear any music from Wall street or City Hall when the door is close, so that is awesome. Score 10.

Other tenants - With all these foreclosures going up for rent, we have a few loud and nonrespectful residents. But in general, most are owners and have a sense of pride for the building. Score 8

Visitors - You can have as many guests in your unit as you want, and up to 15 or 20 (i forgot) at pool. This rule is much more relax than the nanny system at solaire. Score 9

Convenience - This is the BEST location for a conda in downtown. You are in between Thornton restaruants and downtown nite club. And freaking park/lake is at your foot step! Lets not forget Publix Publix Publix! I rather walk several blocks to the theater than have to Publix. Score 10

Units - As you all know, the walls are not constructed soundproof like the new condos, so you sometime can hear noises if your neighbor are loud. Overall it is bearable though. And most units have been renovated due to owners, so its nice seeing a variety of different designs. I like the layout and the balcony is semi private due to the curve. It doesnt stick out like Solaire or the Vue. Score 8

Staff - they are freindly, front guards are nice but strict. Score 9

Garage - this is by far the easiest garage to get in and out. Score 10

Amenities - i think the Waverly pool area is not too big, giving it an intimate environment. Gym is outdate tho. Score 7

One more thing, I like the entrance to the Waverly. It looks classy, fountain running, background music playing. Walking in and out feels special. Face it, people paying this much want to be seen going in and out. Vue, Solaire, and Paramount entrance are too hidden.

[surina777]

great review on the waverly! i do love their lobby, very classy and gives you that "I am special" feeling! I agree Publix over Theatre, I would take any day, and wow with the rules on the pool!

Waverly units I have seen for rent are quite competitive with the other high-rise buildings and rightfully so, it does offer somethings that others do not!

[FLheat]

Moving from the Waverly to the Vue I can comment on both as well as notations of other condos I looked at before buying at the Vue.

Moving-Moving into the Vue is fairly easy to schedule--weekend moves are discouraged but can be accomodated. It is easy to load and unload to the freight elevators and the elevators are large, high and fast. Rank - 10

Moving from the Waverly was horrible, but that was partly due to previous management. The freight elevators at the Waverly are small and you need to go through 2 sets of doors and deal with low ceiling heights. Rank - 6

-Noise Level - downtown noise from wall street on Vue west side Rank 7 east side Rank 9; interior noise, very quite, air conditioning units are very quiet. Rank -10 Downtown noise at the waverly was slight in the tube and none in the wave; however, the weekly generators at the adjacent buildings were excessive. Rank 8; interior noise is loud, walls are paper thin and all bass travels. Air condition units are loud and requires you to turn on the tv whenever it comes on. Rank 4. (one of major reasons for moving)

-Visitors you are allowed as many visitors in your unit as you would like (of course within reason and common sense), only 2 guests in the fenced in pool deck. Restrictions are made for 4th of July and New Years. 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 location of the Vue not as convenient as others. Association fee includes cable, sewer, internet and natural gas. Vue Rank - 8; Waverly is the best located condo, common areas outside of lobby and pool area are sub-par. High association fees in relationship to others. Waverly Rank - 7

-Units in the Vue, Your typical highrise finishings are in this unit, granite countertops, upgraded stainless appliances, hardwood and tile floors, all units have cherry wood cabinetry with stainless door pulls, cabinets are upgraded height with islands. Ceilings are finished and either 10 or 20 feet tall with 8 foot doors. All room sizes are larger than average and well laid out for maximum square foot usage. There rooms are square with no bump outs for soffits or to hide other mechanicals. Walls are solid concrete and do not transfer noise - Vue Rank 10 Waverly units - small kitchens minimal upgrades (however most units have been remodeled). Very noisy - Waverly Rank 6.

The Staff/Management of the Vue, Always has at least one armed guard on duty with one unarmed. Security staff is wonderful and fondly loved by the residents. Management staff needs a lot of follow up. Vue Rank - 8 Waverly Rank - Unrated

The Vue Garage, the parking garage is large and spaces are above average in size. There is separate guest parking. Access by biometrics which requires stopping and placing finger on a scanner. A curve has to be navigated to reach the scanner which results in scrapped rims Vue Rank -8. The waverly garage is easy to access with remote; however some spots are tight and close to concrete posts Waverly Rank - 8.

The Vue Amenities, largest and most functional of any amenity deck in town. Largest heated pool area, tennis court and basketball court, dog run, large outside deck area with the best view of lake eola. Fitness center is the largest with state of the art equipment, yoga room and shower facilities. Large cyber cafe sports 5 large screen tv's and a media room for 12 with leather recliners and 63" plasma and a custom built billard table. Functionality Rank - 10 Appearance rank 7 (lightweight outdoor furniture, no sheltered seating, minimal landscaping); Waverly - nice unheated pool deck with ample covered seating areas, large hottub, views from pool area are into other buildings. Small indoor common area, obsolete fitness area and closed convenience store. Lobby is beautiful as well as entrance. Waverly Functionality Rank - 7 Appearance Rank 9

I am familiar with the following Condos:

Vue = Waverly = Aspire = Sanctuary = Paramount = 101 Eola = Star Tower

Here are my awards in order by each category:

Best amenities: The Vue, Aspire, Paramount, Santuary, 101 Eola, Star Tower, Waverly

Best pool area: Paramount, Santuary, 101 Eola, Vue, Waverly, Aspire, Star Tower

Best place to entertain under 50 people: Aspire, 101 Eola, Waverly

Best place to entertain over 50 people: The Vue, Parmount, Star Tower, Santuary

Best building design: Aspire, Waverly, Vue, Paramount, Santuary, 101 Eola, Star Tower

Best location: Waverly, Paramount, Aspire, Vue, Santuary, 101 Eola, Star Tower

Best living units: The Vue, Star Tower, Santuary, Paramount, Aspire, 101 Eola, Waverly

Best Lobby: Waverly, The Vue, Paramount, Aspire, Santuary, 101 Eola, Star Tower

[surina777]

great post FLheat! we are getting some great feedback...we should rename this to review a downtown highrise! haha

regarding: "Best place to entertain over 50 people: The Vue, Parmount, Star Tower, Santuary"

other than the paramount, do you know if any of those places allow non-residents to rent it out and do you know what it costs to rent out or what the stipulations are?

[jack]

I know the Vue rent units. But i do not know the details. I think Star Tower does as well. I saw a listing on their website.

[FLheat]

great post FLheat! we are getting some great feedback...we should rename this to review a downtown highrise! haha

regarding: "Best place to entertain over 50 people: The Vue, Parmount, Star Tower, Santuary"

other than the paramount, do you know if any of those places allow non-residents to rent it out and do you know what it costs to rent out or what the stipulations are?

I doubt any condo would rent out their space to anyone outside of an owner/tenant for liability issues.

I also failed to mention, Aspire gets kudos for having the best outdoor kitchen setup...a covered grill and food prep area...very well thought out.

[Hisma]

I haven't read the article yet (I'm about to read it now), I just find it pretty coincidental that we both made the transition from Solaire to Aspire. I've lived in both, and I now much prefer Aspire. The only thing that Solaire had going for it was a more efficient and helpful concierge service. Other than that, I like Aspire better in every way.

I will read the article now and get back on this one...

[surina777]

I doubt any condo would rent out their space to anyone outside of an owner/tenant for liability issues.

I also failed to mention, Aspire gets kudos for having the best outdoor kitchen setup...a covered grill and food prep area...very well thought out.

that is what i figured but you never know i feel like a lot of companies rent out aspires 29th floor for corporate events...or maybe its just the companies who are in the dynetech bldg...or they find someone they know in the bldg to vouch

and good point w/the outdoor kitchen! i am finding more n more positives as i settle into the bldg one thing i did realize would happen eventually is the unassigned parking is great b/c i like to find the best parking spot so i dont get door dings, but the down side to that is forgetting which floor you parked on last hahaha

I haven't read the article yet (I'm about to read it now), I just find it pretty coincidental that we both made the transition from Solaire to Aspire. I've lived in both, and I now much prefer Aspire. The only thing that Solaire had going for it was a more efficient and helpful concierge service. Other than that, I like Aspire better in every way.

I will read the article now and get back on this one...

would love to hear your thoughts on it! so does aspire not have any type of concierge service other than package receiving? i do know that there was dry cleaning pickup at solaire, but never had a chance to take advantage of it...none at aspire? i saw that green sign that is in the rental offices of all the "services" are those long gone and no longer offered?

[Hisma]

would love to hear your thoughts on it! so does aspire not have any type of concierge service other than package receiving? i do know that there was dry cleaning pickup at solaire, but never had a chance to take advantage of it...none at aspire? i saw that green sign that is in the rental offices of all the "services" are those long gone and no longer offered?

the security/concierge at aspire just does not seem as "helpful" as the ones at The Solaire. At The Solaire, I had the ability to call down and have them pick up my boxes when I moved in, arrange cab pickups, always had a body behind the desk when I had a question or needed help, and just generally seemed more service-oriented. At Aspire, the security regularly makes rounds so you won't always find them at the desk when you really need them, did not help with either of the services I mentioned that solaire did (even looked at me like I was crazy when I asked), and in general they just feel more like a security feature than an actual helpful service...I locked myself out of my room one time (which is easy to do if you don't close the latch on the lock), and had to wait almost 30 minutes for the concierge to get back and get me a key.

This is all probably due to the fact that you're not paying huge association fees like is necessary with The Solaire... you do get what you pay for.

I admit I've never used any of the other services concierge offers like dry cleaning, but overall I avoid utilizing the concierge all together since they don't seem to help with things I actually need.

Rules are a bit tough, I talked to some residences at the pool one day and a few of them received $75 fines for getting caught smoking on security cameras.

Despite those short-comings, I still like living there. My apartment is laid out well. I have a separate bedroom vs a half room I had at Solaire. It makes the whole place feel less open, but offers more privacy and feels less "bachelor-padish". All the cabinetry and finishes are better than the mediocre offerings at Solaire. Quality tile, upgraded carpets, all the materials used were better than what I had at Solaire.

I have a one bedroom as well, but I don't have the column going into my room. I looked at one of those units, it was a little cheaper than what I'm paying now, but the living room was way smaller (the kitchen had a long hallway that was pretty neat tho). You can't beat the view from the bedroom either way.

Just some food for thought, let me know if you have any more questions

[surina777]

that is too bad about the concierge, i thought they were quite helpful when i had to move in, always opening up that freight elevator area for me at all hours of the night...but i will have to ask them about any other services they may have and see if they look at me weird haha

i wish i had a choice of 1 br's but this was the only one available when i needed to move and i didnt have much to compare it to so i took it...

have you ever had more than the 2 alotted guest up on the amenities deck? i think that is a bit harsh...

that is too bad about the concierge, i thought they were quite helpful when i had to move in, always opening up that freight elevator area for me at all hours of the night...but i will have to ask them about any other services they may have and see if they look at me weird haha

i wish i had a choice of 1 br's but this was the only one available when i needed to move and i didnt have much to compare it to so i took it...

have you ever had more than the 2 allotted guest up on the amenities deck? i think that is a bit harsh...

[AscentVIP]

How is the Concierge?

[bic]

Holy thread revival, Batman! I don't know how I missed this thread originally but I just read through it now for the first time and found it pretty informative. I've been living in Miami for a while but have always wondered what it'd be like to live in Downtown Orlando. I feel like I'd be an (Dynetech) guy.

[prahaboheme]

^I'd be curious to know what it is like to live in South Beach -- having only lived in urban cities in the Northeast, I've always been fascinated with the idea of relocating to South Beach.

[bic]

^I'd be curious to know what it is like to live in South Beach -- having only lived in urban cities in the Northeast, I've always been fascinated with the idea of relocating to South Beach.

I'm a HUGE fan of South Beach. Right now, there's honestly no other place I'd rather live-- there's just so much to like about it. It's almost like living in a miniature Manhattan, only with palm trees, blue water, less noise, no garbage, and far better weather. The Beach manages to be urban but not overwhelmingly so. You can pretty much walk anywhere you need to go or take a $5-10 cab ride if you want to get there quickly. There's also no real reason to leave the island unless you work across the bridge. Everybody knows about the nightlife around Ocean Drive, Collins and Washington and tourists might get the impression that all of South Beach is crazy like that all of the time, but it's really not. Most residents live closer to the Bay where it's a lot quieter. There are great parks around, beautiful vistas, and tons of great food establishments....and lots of them stay open till 5am! I think Lincoln Road has blossomed into one of the best pedestrian streets I've ever experienced. Oh, and the Miami Beach microclimate is fantastic. The ocean and seabreeze helps to moderate the temperature so it doesn't get as hot or cold as Orlando and it rains less, too.

The people are very laid back and linguistically diverse-- not the place for you if hearing conversations in every other language BUT English bothers you. It's very different from the northeast in that you can sort of feel the stupidity in the air. The people don't seem as intelligent in the northeast and I think it's largely due to the fact that there aren't a lot of professionals down here. It's extremely rare to meet someone who's, say, a consultant or banker....or who graduated from an Ivy League school. This could be why there aren't any book stores on the Beach, aside from maybe Books & Books which is small and mostly carries titles related to physical fitness, travel and architecture. That's probably my biggest gripe about Miami in general but that bothers me less than if the town was too uptight and erudite (like DC).

Even though South Beach is expensive by Florida standards, rent is still way cheaper than it is in the northeast, and there are lots of great buildings to live in. I have a friend who lives in NY's Upper East Side. He pays about $1600/month to have a 400 sq. ft. 1-bedroom on the 4th floor of an old tenement-style building with no doorman, elevator or A/C. There's about 20-feet of space between his windows and the apartments across from him. His unit also has no microwave, dishwasher, a/c, and he has to send his laundry out. For the same price that he's paying, you could get a 1-bedroom apartment in South Beach in a modern high-rise on the water with a sick view, that's literally twice the size, with a gym, modern appliances, parking space, pool, washer/dryer, cable/internet included, etc. And if you leave South Beach, you can do even better.

Another great thing is that there are lots of great places that are just a short drive away if you want to try something different. I love Boston as a city and enjoyed living there (the 4 months out of the year when it wasn't cold) but I like South Beach soooooooo much more. I encourage everyone to try it.