The Strauss on Burnside Apartments

I lived here when it was Aura Burnside (July '18 - Aug '20). I was in a 1-bedroom unit on the 6th floor.

Pros
-Location. It's at the center of the city grid with easy access to I5.
-Unit amenities. Mid-range appliances, commercial-style sink, in-unit washer/dryer (small stacked, but still), air conditoning.
-Underground parking. However, it was expensive compared to similar properties ($125-200/m during my time), and there was a waiting list since there were fewer spots than resident vehicles... .
-Great access to public transit.
-The rooftop patio was nice. However, it was only a small corner, so it regularly got crowded in the summer and could not be reserved.
-The community room on the 2nd floor was great for having friends over. But 1) there was a reservation/cleaning fee to get exclusive use (it varied from $25-200+ during my stay) and 2) the windows to the hall were NOT insulated. Expect to get noise complaints from that hallway if you're watching an exciting sporting event.
-Sound insulation in walls between units was good.
-Lots of convenient businesses within 2-3 blocks (bakery, coffee shops, bars, etc.).

Cons
-There were three management companies during my two years there.
-No fitness center, pool, hot tub, etc.
-No great parking options for guests. Free parking within 3-4 blocks was usually full until late evening, and metered started early in the morning.
-The downtown location (and some of the more aggressive clientele of the nearby Plaid Pantry) made some guests uncomfortable leaving late at night.
-Rush hour traffic on the surrounding blocks is rough.
-Door/hallway insulation is basically non-existent.
-In the spring of 2020, someone stole a bunch of bikes from the bike rooms, and management had the thieves on security footage. However, they chose not to notify residents for legal liability reasons. I noticed mine missing a month later when I planned to go for a ride. The police said several other residents reported similar experiences.
-There were ongoing issues with the elevators, the underground parking garage door, and the street door fob system the whole time I lived here.
-The parcel locker bank in the basement wasn't nearly large enough for the number of residents. Packages were commonly left on the floor there, in the mail room, and in hallways. Based on the resident portal, theft seemed somewhat common.

Overall, it's a decent place to live, but location is really the only major benefit over other properties in the same tier. Read More

Went to look at the 1 bedroom only to find they sold it someone else, and then was told, “and there is only 1 one bedroom left and it went up 300 dollars.
Oooof. You can get a place downtown cheaper at this point lol.