I lived at SSOL for one year, and would give it mixed reviews.

First the negative:
The biggest gripe of all was the recurring fire alarms. In the year that I lived there, they went off no less than 25 times--each a false alarm. The alarms were painfully loud, and, due to system malfunction, would sometimes go off for hours. The absolute worst incident occured on a Saturday morning, when the alarm went off just before 6 a.m., and didn't silence for nearly three hours!

To it's credit, management addressed the issue (seemed to have something to do with faulty wiring) to a large degree and the frequency of the alarms eventually ebbed, to the point where it wasn't a big issue by the time I left.

Another big problem: in attempts to keep the gargantuan building leased, they have apparently loosened their standards for renters. My next-door neighbors were the 21-year old fraternity crowd, complete with parties that didn't start until 3 a.m.! It took multiple complaints before management responded.

The facitities (halls, workout room, pool) are generally nice, but were often not clean. They allow any and all size of dogs, and it's very common to see animal waste throughout the halls (always nice when you're showing the place to your friends!).

Now what's right with SSOL:

Try and find more space for the money. Rents (with discounts) are often less than $1 per sq ft--a rare find among lofts. The additional 5 X 5 storage is very nice, even though there were repeated attempts to break in (don't keep anything valuable in there).

If you are an art lover, there is simply no better place. The galleries, shows, and resident artists displaying their work make this the foremost community for artists in Dallas (as far as I know), and makes for a great scene.

The neighborhood, though, is still a bit iffy. With the relocation of the Dallas Police Headquarters and the new Gilley's, there is much greater visability and security in the area (not to mention SSOL's 24-hour patrolmen, who are very curteous and helpful). However, there are still many vagrants and homeless overflowing from downtown. Not a place to go jogging at night, though you can jog around the 1/4 mile rooftop perimetter anytime. Good thing is, traffic and parking are not an issue for this area.

Despite the noise problems between the alarms and my neighbors, I take a very positive experience from SSOL. And if I met my neighbors first, I would actually consider moving back. This is a very unique community, with tons of character. But ask if they've got the alarms fixed first!

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