Review History for anonymous

Nice pool, affordable, usually well-kept, some views, but an older complex

I've lived in two different apartments at Lakewood and have been pleased with both. Lakewood is located in a very quiet part of San Francisco on Lake Merced and is very affordable compared to other parts of the city, but it's in a satellite location. There are six buildings in the complex and over 700 units. There is a large, very nice pool with a jacuzzi and a clubhouse with a small gym, separate locker rooms with showers and sauna. There are 2 tennis courts and a barbecue area with 3 or 4 gas grills. The complex is relatively old, approximately early 1970s, but parts of the complex have been renovated and rehabilitated. The construction is typical of materials used in the 1970s. There is asbestos in the ceiling texture of the units and hallways, but it is stable and harmless if un-disturbed. The parking garage is located on the first and second floors of the buildings. Each unit is assigned one parking space. There is ample street parking as well considering the size of the complex and that it's in San Francisco. Most other neighborhoods don't have as much parking, but given that Lakewood is in a satellite location, access to public transit is poor, infrequent, and somewhat inconvenient, making a car a necessity. Some of the units in the front of the buildings face Lake Merced and the higher floors have spectacular views of the lake and the San Francisco hillside. The units in the rear of the building have a garden view (lower units), some face the golf course or Skyline Boulevard (upper units). There is occasional road noise from John Muir Drive and Skyline Boulevard, but not overwhelming and not continuous. The garbage trucks that come in the mornings make more noise than vehicle traffic. There is a shooting range across the street and noise coming from it during the day on weekends. From my experience the units are clean, spartan, and economical. The carpets and vinyl floor coverings in my unit were replaced. The walls and kitchen cabinets were repainted. The fixtures, cabinets and counter tops are old, but in good working condition. It looks like the stainless steel kitchen sink and garbage disposal were replaced recently. There are laundry facilities with newer machines in the buildings, but none in the units. The hallways of the buildings were re-carpeted and re-painted. Door trim was added to each unit's doorway. The elevators were reconditioned. For the most part the cleaning and maintenance staff keep the common areas clean and everything in good working order. Occasionally, vandals break or damage lights, doors and other things in the hallways and common area. There is range of people living at Lakewood. Overall, the people are very nice, polite and usually keep to themselves. Some have been living here for years, while others are more transient. Some are students. There have been incidents where common areas were dirtied or damaged by partying students. When people move they sometimes leave their trash, discarded furniture in the hallways instead of disposing of it properly. The noise level is usually moderate with the occasional party that gets out of hand. In general, the area is safe, but there are random acts of vandalism and car thefts. It's a nice, affordable, pleasant place to live and offers good value to those on a budget.