Be prepared, this is long, but helpful. I, along with many other tenants have lived here since the day the building opened and like everything in Downtown LA, PE Lofts had it's growing pains, we've seen many management changes, had a few dodgy neighbors and occasional out of control parties. The building recently changed management and I've seen a marked difference in the building. The occasional out of control party still occurs, but we live in Downtown, so the clientelle are artists and eccentrics without traditional jobs. So, if you're an accountant trying to be "cool", a middle aged divorcee in the throes of a midlife crisis or are just expecting a suburb-type quiet setting then this is not the place for you. I've lived in a few Downtown Lofts in major cities and they are always a little wacky and kinetic, THAT is the reason to move Downtown. Be ready to deal with that or move to the Valley. To simplify your viewing experience, I'll make a little pros/ cons lists:

PROS:

-The building was born gorgeous and has been SPOTLESS lately. There used to be dog "accidents" all over the place (which I think is more of a negative about a few careless people with pets than the management) but I was told that they added an extra cleaning staff member, so maybe he/she is on poop patrol.
-The new management seems to really care and seems to want to meet you in the middle. The office service has improved and the maintenance service was always excellent. I've had a few neighbors tell me that they got rental discounts if they ever got bad service, like having something broken for more than a week or even for the jacuzzi being broken for too long. The new management is like the Norstroms of Apartment Buildings.
-The neighbors are fantastic and interesting(most of them)and if you're in an artistic field, you can do alot of networking and collaborating. I'm a makeup artist and I've gotten some of my best jobs through people I've met in the building.
-The ameneties are VERY nice if you decide to use them. During the summers the rooftop is packed, which might seem like a CON, but it's kind of quintesential LA to see a bunch of beautiful men and women lazing around a pool. In the winter if it's not raining, I can sit alone at the rooftop fireplaces with a glass of wine and get all introspective.

CONS:

-Like I mentioned in my preabmle, if you're not young and sort of hip, you won't like it here.
-The neighborhood although abouy 60% cleaner looking and less unsafe feeling, still has those single occupancy "hotels" dotted in between the lofts, so there's still a fair share of homeless and crack heads running about. I am a single and rather small female and have walked places alone often during the day and with friends until late hours of the night and never had any type of altercation, save some panhandling and catcalls. But I hear that the panhandling is getting more agressive and some people (mostly males) have nearly had physical altercations with the homeless population. (I personally think it's all about how you deal with it, treat the people with a modicum of respect and they'll treat you in kind, but make your own decision on that)
-The dog run is crap though. I think in an attempt to make it less stinky by putting real grass (which in theory seems like it would work)it's been made much much worse and now within a week of changing the grass has dead, overwatered mud instead of grass.

That is my long winded opinion of Pacific Electric Lofts. I would definitely recommend the place and a wonderful and interesting experience.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/02/2008
You're very right. There are certainly parts of downtown where the atmosphere is a little more peaceful, but I've also noticed that they cost nearly twice the price and have less character. Besides that, wacky/ kinetic and peaceful/ mature are not necessarily opposites and can indeed go hand in hand. I'm not saying that tenant's shouldn't be forced to be respectful of others. Quiet hours should be observed and large parties should be controlled and kept to a modicum. The new manager at PE has been quick with letters to my unnecessarily noisy neighbors and the problem ceased, so I think that a general peacefulness is the norm at PE Lofts. Like I said, it has improved from before and I think a lot of the constant partiers have been kicked out for being so. I also think that part of the building's charm is the occasional (and it IS occasional contrary to some other comments about constant parties) fun/ diverse event thrown by the building. My point was only that I think it's unrealistic to expect ABSOLUTE quiet and if you are someone who needs or simply wants PERFECT peace and quiet all the time, you'll best find it in the suburbs or the Downtown buildings with much, much higher prices. My OPINION (which is what this site is all about) is that PE is thankfully mellowing into a mature, peaceful place without losing it's wacky and kinetic energy.
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/02/2008
"..always a little wacky and kinetic, THAT is the reason to move Downtown." That's an infantile statement because you're putting a whole geographic region in one box. I've lived in cities all over the world and when a building advertises itself as luxurious and sophisticated, that's what you get. There is no reason to give up PEACE and MATURITY in your own home environment when living downtown. Unfortunately, that's what people like you expect everyone should be okay with, or "move to the Valley." One must simply move to any other building downtown, where respectful adults live.
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/20/2008
YES! Move to the Valley! I have lived in several downtown areas, most recently Houston. When I moved to LA, I moved to the Valley. BIG MISTAKE! I hated it. I think some people confuse downtown for Suburbia. Its not! There are some shady neighbors, and pushy homeless people, but thats in every downtown. Maturity has nothing to do with it. People put things on management that are beyond their control. The homeless people fighting outside, even the sirens in the middle of the night gets people complaining. As for the parties, the building has events in the ballroom which I dig because I don't have to leave. I can walk to several spots and we are getting a couple of spots in our building. If you are a clock puncher and want "peace and quiet" don't move downtown at all!
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/22/2008
blah, blah blah, move to valley? Up yours, you sanctamonious jerk. What makes you think anyone wants to move to the valley? The valley ?? We love downtown and embrace the diversity. It has been the loud parties that go on until 4:00 am that make it a dump, oh, and -------s like you. I think you must be in management.
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/08/2008
How late do you suppose parties should end? Right when it starts or right before you go to sleep? That's very inconsiderate of you. Seeing as, people also pay good money to rent out the ballroom and entitle to have there party as late as 4 AM. You talk about embracing diversity, but you can't deal with people having parties until 4AM. Geesh!! Don't you have a more significant issues to discuss? Better yet, take your complaints to the management or get out of the building ASAP for your own being! I believe your mistaken embrace to bitter. Anywhere you live or planning on living, you will run into the same mindless problems. So i suggest either you deal with it or do something about it! But really though, your concern is insignificant. Why dont you complain about the dirty windows too! At least everyone will thanked you for that. lol
From: scarredbypelofts	Date: 06/24/2008
Well living with a little party noise is an understatement. Try living with parties starting at 2:00 am constantly on weekday nights right after they get home from their bar jobs and I basically remember seeing over 20 people when I knocked on the door asked politely as they slammed the door in my face and turned the music higher. Living by a little speakeasy was basically torture for a year. The worst was waking up to hallways that just reeked of smoke from the 20 somethings next door. When I moved all that second hand smoke turned my drapes were yell Now maybe it would of been okay if it was just a week ends. I may not be as hip or as hard of a partier than these guys. But I do believe in living in urban environments. This building is not that bad if you live on the right floors were there is some very moderate lifestyles. I admit it is nice to unwind for a party every once in a while. But if your are unfortunate to live by someone with such extreme lifestyles that there lives have to HURT, AND CAUSE HARM to people why should the hip justification work? And the management won't help either. The Paris Hilton party generation is just getting a little old for me anyways. People move dowtown for other reasons. The pursuit of a more pedestrian oriented, life. A responsibility to reduce your carbon footprint. To get away from the suburbs. I am not against noise dowtown their will always be noise. But who the hell ever thought it was okay to be inconsiderate to others even if you don't understand them. Any one can party. Just because you think you are hip does that make it alright to actually constantly be hurtful to people

Your thoughts? Post a response to this review. Display my response: with my username anonymously Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.

   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates