Peninsula / Strand Buildings? (Jacksonville: apartments, renters, HOA)

[maggiemaggamuff]

I just viewed some condos which are excellent. This site and it's respective members have been wonderful- thank you! But I am stuck again..........

My bf lives in Mandarin but works at the courthouse downtown - 10 minutes from San Marco and Riverside. I like Riverside but you are right..it's BoHo and kind of different which is fun but I also like San Marco..

I viewed The Strand and The Peninsula. The Pen wants 1750/month for a tiny unit tho..but the amenities are amazing. The other is less..but has slightly less amenities. Not being from Jax, I have never paid more than 950 per month anywhere...has anyone ever rented or lived in any of these buildings, and would you recommend it? Yes, my income is good but I am not so sure about such HIGH rent. Is it really worth it?

[projectmaximus]

IMO, not worth it. Does the Berkman offer similar amenities? How about San Marco Place, Metropolitan Lofts (right next to the Courthouse) or the Carling?

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by maggiemaggamuff

I just viewed some condos which are excellent. This site and it's respective members have been wonderful- thank you! But I am stuck again..........

My bf lives in Mandarin but works at the courthouse downtown - 10 minutes from San Marco and Riverside. I like Riverside but you are right..it's BoHo and kind of different which is fun but I also like San Marco..

I viewed The Strand and The Peninsula. The Pen wants 1750/month for a tiny unit tho..but the amenities are amazing. The other is less..but has slightly less amenities. Not being from Jax, I have never paid more than 950 per month anywhere...has anyone ever rented or lived in any of these buildings, and would you recommend it? Yes, my income is good but I am not so sure about such HIGH rent. Is it really worth it?

I lived in The Strand for 4 years and ran my pet sitting business from there and worked in all three - STrand, Peninsula and San Marco Place across the street. I've "lived in" all three sometimes doing live in for my clients. I know all the management, concierges, maintenance and residents and their "ways". I know every unit and style and view and almost every resident LOL. I moved this past Jan.

Yes the Peninsula is larger,more spacious everywhere except the pool area... has at least half owner occupancy if not more by now and some extra common rooms. It depends on what you'll use. The Peninsula has the top floor available to use for parties. The Strand offers the lobby area. The part in the back on the river where the bar is. Nothing wrong with it. It's just not as fancy and on the 39 (or 38th) th floor! I think by now you have to PAY anyway for that 39 floor room but I forget what the HOA was doing about that when I moved out.

They are essentially not that different but the Penin. IS more "luxurious". They both have 24 hour concierge service. The Strand is more geared towards renters since it's completely renters, so there are more employees around to facilitate your issues. The Peninsula has free valet. Big thing, actually the drive up to park some people hate. Others don't use it or don't want to wait for the valet or trust them.

I absolutely HATE the Penin parking garage it is really narrow and windey and you can make a wrong turn and waste alot of time in it. Seems a small thing. It's not, really if you're doing it a couple times a day - I use the valet. But he usually puts me in the front if it's under an hour. And only residents are allowed to drive into the garage for your security. (except they allowed me to when I was doing live in's for residents)

The Peninsula is decorated more upscale traditional contemporary and really pretty. Marble floors. The Strand is decorated more kinda upscale modern IKEA type I guess you'd say. Poured decorative concrete floors.

The Strand business center is not as fancy as the Penin.

The STrand gym/spa is not as fancy as the Penin.

I think the Strand pool area is better than the Penin.

The library of the Penin is nice but will you even use it? The Strand has a library area ON THE river window wall in the back.

The Strand view can be the office building on the "left" and the Peninsula on the "right depending so go see both views.

The Peninsula you want the view to the "right" the OPEN WATER view NOT the Strand view if you have a choice. The Peninsula view of the open water (except for the unfinished Berkman building hahaha) is fantastic. But you are over the tourist boats some people don't like it others do.

OTOH, some people prefer the view of the Main Street Bridge. It's not that big a deal unless it is...for some people.

With the Peninsula you are DEPENDENT ON YOUR OWNER for everything including for example, if the AC malfunctions which happens alot in summer in both. Because by now the compressors etc are cycling out and needing replacment.

It's a matter of personality. Whichever you like vibe wise AND whichever you like the other residents of. When I left in Jan, there would be more parties or younger people in The Strand but not a huge difference both are diverse with even families. The Peninsula has alot of events that the strand doesnt have like occasional wedding parties and stuff. The demographics can change alot because of relocations all the time. Renters and even owners can be a PAIN in both building randomly But both try and keep the residents doing the right thing. Like not tossing chicken bones and tennis balls off the balconies!

There are professionals in BOTH I'm just giving you funny examples. For the most part both buildings have no issues, really. Of course any building with OWNERS are going to generally be "better" than completely renters but also plenty of people don't care about that anyway.

You have to remember people are excited to move there and sometimes act a fool or just oblivious like they are living in a hotel until they get in the groove. Guests are limited like you cannot bring over 10 guests to the common areas of the Peninsula without pre arranging it because the owners, rightly so, do not want a bunch of strangers acting nuts in the GYM when they don't belong there and running all over the place without the building resident. It only takes ONE FAMILY to be annoying. Like being really nice but thinking it's perfectly FINE to bring their kid's swim TEAMS to party on the weekends monopolizing the POOL. OR GYM. Or deciding to have freaking YOGA classes in the gym of a bunch of strangers without even discussing it with the HOA. Renters, now. WHAT? Um, no. The facilities are for EVERYONE not your swim teams hahaha. So there are RULES. In both, actually.

Also, for example The Strand is a little tougher with a big dog whereas the Penin is easier with larger hallways AND the elevators are split 2 and 2 far apart versus 4 all together. This gives the Penin a big advantage in crowd control. When there's an event, like fireworks. all guests have to go to one elevator bank of 2...so residents aren't inconvenienced and can use the other bank of elevators at the other end of the lobby. The Strand's elevators are all four on top of each other. The Penin ALSO has private elevators stopping inside the units of certain apartments on the corners of the buildings. But the are for all floors not just YOU (obviously LOL) but you can step OUT into your condo. Not the hallway.

OTOH, I think The Strand has a bit more "community" feel for renters because the building does things like barbeques, monthly events off and on and the residents sometimes try to be more sociable. We've had things like even a band on the pool deck a couple times which would never happen at the Penin nor would they fit out at their pool. It really depends on who's living there and who has initiative.

The Berkman has rentals by condo owners just like The Peninsula.

I love San Marco Place across the street. It's understated in a good way. The building is quiet and not directly on water and/but the amenities are fewer. No concierge. Last I saw there were units for 1200. But they are owner owned, too, not a rental building. It is the building with the least DRAMA. The residents are pretty calm and nice and there ARE younger couples too. I don't know of a single "incident" there in 4 years except ONE THING that happened before then some person jumped off a balcony!. The ceilings are normal height and the building is built VERY "strong" you will see it walking around what I mean. The views are not as river as the other two obviously. Half the building can be a darker exposure inside versus getting a unit with Eastern or Southern or even Western exposure in the Strand/Penin. If you care.

I also know 11East and The Carling. Nothing wrong with them but they are downtown AND as a female, the Carling's parking garage is a bit potentially scary because anyone can walk in but nothing bad ever happened to me in it. At 11E the area where someone can walk in the garage entrance is smaller and it's a short walk because there are only about 8 parking spaces before the door. At the Carling they could walk into the entire garage area all 5 floors or whatever. The !1E building has a gate that prevents pedestrians up into the garage. They are less expensive for obvious reasons and no amenities except gyms.

I don't love Metro Lofts because the parking is on street in a lot down the block in a not so busy neighborhood. The lofts are nice but the ones I was in were dark - may not be all. Love the concrete floors which 11 E has, also.

PS the guest PARKING for Stran/Peninis in the Wyndam next door . You can buy it for yourself too i think it's 35 a month for a space or $5 for a day - people complain but I don't know what they expect. There is FINITE PARKING in a high rise LOL. The Peninsula DOES have extra spaces for parties though. They use them using their own judgement.

YES THEY ARE WORTH IT But some people say the "novelty" wears off. That usually means they are running low on funds LOL. People I know who wanted to cut back went over to The Carling/11East. And IF you don't EVER use the amenities you may feel that way over time. But the views can't be beat and the security.

OH and I think Publix will deliver to The STrand if they still do it. MAJOR! We started it when there was a flood years ago.

[fsu813]

The Strand
















The Peninsula

[runswithscissors]

That 4th picture is from the 1 bedroom units "K" ending in 07, one of the best views without looking at other buildings on the sides. It faces straight out in the middle of the building facing the river so you don't see any of the Penin or Office building on either side. The only 1 bedroom that has that view and it's nice. LR and BR.

If anyone is looking for a studio (one bedroom with no door 650 sq ft) quick go look at #0604 it's available now and I put a laminate floor in. It' has an enormous brick patio , one of the only ones there, on the pool level. But it faces San Marco Place not the pool/river. Unfortunately the price has gone up by 250 per month since I lived there. I think they took on new management or something. And the 6th floor is always more because it's with all the amenities.