This post reviews The Grande condos as one complex in general terms. The Grande condos are comprised of two towers, North and South. Despite being exact mirror images of each other with the same floor plans and amenities, these two towers each have their own HOA management, board of directors, etc. So things like HOA financials, maintenance and ongoing issues will be different from tower to tower. Please inquire about status of each tower.
THe Grande
RATINGS & REVIEWS
LOCATION
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
The Grande condos San Diego by BOSA are located right next to Bayside on the Columbia (waterfront) District on what we define as one of the best locations in downtown San Diego real estate (together with the Marina district). It sits right on the waterfront and just 1 block away from the new $44 million public park project (which already broke ground and is expected to be completed in January 2013). The Grande San Diego condos location is perfectly setup to benefit from the many public/private redevelopment projects taking place or already completed in the Columbia District.
The Santa Fe Depot is right below The Grande San Diego and adds the convenience of having the train station right there for those that commute or use the train service to Los Angeles.
GENERAL AMENITIES
Rating: 8 out of 10
The Grande San Diego condo amenities are typical for a BOSA high rise building and as complete as it gets compared to the rest of San Diego luxury condos. You’ll find 24hr security and concierge services, a fully equipped gym, a lap pool with outdoor BBQ area, sauna & steam rooms, a community party room and a business center. The Grande is one of the few buildings among all downtown San Diego condos to offer a guest suite that residents can reserve in advance ($125 daily fee) if they have visitors coming and need extra space for them. The average HOA fee for a 2 bedroom condo is about $1,200 per month (North tower is currently around $1,200 and South Tower $1,400) which considering all the amenities you get is a pretty good “value” as compared to other luxury high rise buildings.
COMMON AREAS
Rating: 8 out of 10
The common areas at The Grande San Diego are not as extravagant or elegant as those at Pacific Gate or Savina but they are simplistic and nicely laid out. Maintenance in the common areas is very good. You will always notice members of the maintenance staff going around the building. The pool deck area offers lush landscaping and feels like a resort.
INTERIOR FINISHES + FLOOR PLANS
Rating: 8 out of 10
The finishes at The Grande condos as delivered by the developer BOSA are very good, not top of the line but definitely premium. You will notice Brazilian cherry wood flooring, GE Monogram appliances (the higher end on the GE line), granite counters and triple pane windows, being the only building in downtown that offers triple pane windows. Great quality heavy doors and fixtures.
Floor plans at The Grande San Diego are some of the nicest in the downtown Market. They include 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 2 bedroom plus den town homes, condos and penthouses ranging from 899 to 2,000 sq ft. View The Grande Floor Plans.
CONSTRUCTION QUALITY
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
The Grande Condos construction is of high quality on both the south tower and north towers. However, each tower underwent a process of litigation independently (as do most other high rise condos in downtown San Diego). The Construction Defects law in California which grants the HOA the right to sue the builder (and subcontractors) for any issues the building might incur in the first 10 years following construction completion. This is very common in California and pretty much every building goes thru it.
In the case of The Grande North, the litigation granted the received enough funds to fix issues related to window seals and plumbing among other minor items. The whole building got new plumbing and windows. Grande South experienced the same issues but the litigation process yielded different results. They only got new plumbing up to the seventh floor but also got new windows and funds to address other minor issues. It could be said that Grande North litigation yielded better results than that at Grande North. The difference can also be seen in the monthly HOA fees, Grande North dues are lower than in the South tower.
VIEWS
Rating: 9 out of 10
The Grande condominiums waterfront location offers incredible panoramic bay view on southern and western facing units however please note that south facing units on the north tower will have the views partially obstructed by the presence of the south tower. There is a Wyndham hotel West of The Grande towers that will also partially affect view Northwest facing units below the 15th floor. Also the presence of the Lane Field hotels SW of the buildings will affect the views of specific units at The Grande towers below the 22nd floor. Grande north units facing NW above the 15th floor offer the most protected views you can get in downtown San Diego.
POOL
Rating: 9 out of 10
The pool at The Grande San Diego is one of the best downtown. It’s an actual lap pool great for swimming and relaxing and it’s next to the gym, sauna and steam rooms. The pool is also surrounded by a few BBQ’s which is also a plus.
FITNESS CENTER
Rating: 7 out of 10
The gym at The Grande is very well equipped with cardio equipment, free weights and a stretching area. The maintenance staff keeps the gym very nicely maintained.
MAINTENANCE
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
The staff at The Grande keeps the building in general very well maintained.
OVERALL RATING
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Overall The Grande North & South Towers by BOSA are one of the best choices for luxury high rise living in San Diego’s waterfront. Great location, views and amenities paired with a reasonable HOA fee (considering the amenities the building offers) makes is a great choice among all other luxury condos in San Diego.
The Grande Condos
Quick Links
View more information on The Grande Condos including general info, amenities, condo features, floor plans, photos and videos as well as for sale condo listings in our page dedicated to The Grande condos San Diego.
Explore more information and reviews for similar luxury high rise buildings in our guide dedicated to San Diego luxury condos.