Dexter Lake Union

The condition of the apartment changes over time, so this review is only applicable to 2015. By 2016, Dexter Lake Union may well be great again.
This was a truly luxury apartment up till mid 2014. However, since the property has been transferred from Prometheus Corp to Alliance Corp, several things happened in the past year (none of these intrusions existed when it was under Prometheus):
1. They are now re-​stripping the garage every year, forcing every vehicle to either move to another floor or get towed to another floor on particular days. This year they are doing it during Thanksgiving (Nov 23^rd to Nov 27^th). Well, at least, according to a new announcement, they are not towing the cars off the property.
2. They renovated the gym. This is OK… though we had to suffer through some noises for a while. The new gym is indeed larger and cleaner. The new location of the gym is more hidden though.
3. Elevator is not working half of the time due to either repairs or moves.
4. They now charge a convenience fee for paying rent online.
5. They did a repainting of the outer walls during the hottest days, forcing everyone to close their windows during the day (9 am to 6 pm) for the duration of two months (Aug/​Sept). To be fair, they did cover the window in case someone left it open and Seattle indeed does rain a bit more in other months.
6. They are renovating the 1^st floor reception/​lounge. We had to take the stinky side ways to enter the building for the last two months (Oct/​Nov).
7. They started a valet waste service which people barely use… and added an additional charge on our rent without our consent. There is no opt out, and the hall way is often stinky now (think about people putting compost in the hall way for hours).
8. They are now swapping out the warm light with aggressively white florescent light in the hall ways. This is good for show and photographs, but definitely not good for comfort in case you live here.
9. They are currently contemplating putting incoming packages in lockers — right now they deliver them to our doors. In case the latter stops, I will deduct another star. They also claim it as a service. So if they charge us on this, I will deduct yet another star.
10. I haven’t seen Pascal and the rest of the management from earlier this year for a while now. I think they no longer work here. Dexter Lake Union typically rotates management every two years, so it is expected.
All in all, it feels like this apartment is renovating units to sell as condos and care very little about its tenants. Facebook is opening an office right next to this building, so they probably do not need to try very hard to keep the existing tenants.

Dexter LU is a fantastic place to live. Our relocation agent suggested an apartment at Dexter Lake Union. As soon as we talked with Pascal, we knew it was a the perfect match. We were looking for a short lease (6 month) that would give us enough time to find a house and allow our son finish his school year in the same school.
The apartment was clean, sunny and had gorgeous views to Lake Union. Although a bit noisy from all the construction going on outside during the day, the unity itself was very quite and we couldn’t hear the neighbors.
The management staff is AMAZING. Always kind, friendly and attentive. The same can be said for the maintenance staff, who always responded on a timely matter whenever there was a problem.
Rental of the Club house if FREE (reservation/​deposit needed) and we used it for our son’s birthday party. The garden terrace is great for BBQ or, like we did, an afternoon snack with the kids.
If you have kids attending an elementary school, John Hay Elementary is the assigned school. Not only it has received various achievement awards in the past years, it also scores a 10 on Great Schools. The school bus stop right next to the Sushi restaurant and Taco del Mar.
There is no playground nearby but you can easily walk to South Lake Union park and MOHAI. The space needle and the artist’s playground is also within a walking distance from the apartments.
We loved it there and a BIG thanks to Pascal, Ashleigh and Candice to make us feel at home.

My husband and I relocated from NYC over a year ago. I had very little time to find an apartment and was pleasantly surprised how quickly I found a great place at the Dexter.
The apartment was a clean, big corner unit with a generous size utility/​laundry room.
The management staff was very kind and was always friendly, especially to my dog ;-). The maintenance staff always responded in a timely manner to anything that needed fixing in the apartment.
There is parking which is nice considering there is no street parking for the most part. We were very lucky to call this home for a year before moving out to the «burbs».

Grounds maintained well, every apartment I viewed spotless. What makes dexter great, hence the 5 stars, is the management team. Very responsive, professional and nice.

When I began my search for apartments in Seattle is was not the easiest when trying to find your bang for your buck… however when I walked into Dexter I knew it was home. The energy and vibe was amazing and the selection of floorplans with the cost of everything is uncomparable!!! I did my research and I feel I definitely lucked out! The staff is amazing and very accomodating to all of your needs. They are very pet friendly and they always have great neighbor events that create such a quaint community sense of living. Another reason I love the Dexter apartments is that I am really amazed of the phenomenal quality of the apartments. If you ever have to get something fixed they are right on it and if you ever have a question they are so efficient to give all the information you need (no beating around the bush). I love living here and I recommend it to everyone. The location is great, staff is awesome, apartments are wonderful and the atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable. It is home and everyone is so nice everywhere you go.

My husband and I were relocated to Seattle for work just short of a year ago and we have been lucky enough to have found our home at Dexter.
The staff is fantastic! I have never lived in a place where the staff is so personable and welcoming of us and our two pups. They are very reliable and responsive to any questions or concerns. They host awesome get togethers monthly (if not more) for the residents and they are always there. From things like wine Fridays, to game nights, or BBQs, and more… it is always a fun time and a great way to meet your neighbors and get to know the staff.
The property is well kept, clean, and in the perfect location. We live in a corner unit facing Lake Union and Downtown which is awesome for working from home, as I do. The rooftop deck is great for cooking out on the nice summer days and there is a perfect view for fireworks on the 4^th of July. We are close to downtown, Fremont, Queen Anne, etc. Right in the heart at Westlake.
Apart from the city noise and buildings going up our apartment is very quiet when it comes to hearing neighbors. I can’t ever hear what is going on next door, and that makes me happy. :)
Crime happens everywhere, in and out of the city, but the staff here is quick to react and inform if such occasions do arise. I personally feel very safe here with having to use my fob to get into the building, garage, and elevators.
I would highly recommend living at Dexter and we have had a wonderful experience. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else while wanting to live in the city.

How about 10 STARS? Can I give a 10 star review?
I MUST say, my wife and I are truly sad to be leaving this wonderful living establishment. A work-​related relocation has forced my wife and I to hesitantly decide to move after only a short nine months at Dexter.
Second one, I was sold simply on my interaction with Pascal in the leasing office. He, Ashleigh and Candice are frankly phenomenal people who run this property so very well. They know every neighbor (remnant) by name, including every pet, and they always offer treats to the pups and take the time to greet everyone as they enter and exit the building. Although there was never a major issue, the entire staff including the maintenance personnel are very engaging and make sure to handle anything at a moments notice. Above all of the amenities like the rooftop social areas, the club house social gatherings and the wonderful pet friendly neighbors there are, this place is definitely the place for any person who loves the city life and wants to be close to EVERYTHING. Our experience at Dexter was frankly exceptional and enjoyable.
Thank you to a great team at Dexter Apartments and you will be missed!

Dexter is a great place to live. Period. I can understand when people have a bad experience once or twice with their living situation/​apartment complex, but taking to Unilocal in frustration is not the way to go.
Anyone who is interested in living here should come talk to the staff (who are incredible by the way) and to some neighbors ahead of time if they can. I’m sure you’ll get a great picture of what living at Dexter is like.
On pricing, you have to decide what is worth it to you. I can say something is overpriced, and others might think it’s a steal. It’s about what you value. For what the street and neighborhood is going through right now (Amazon/​Apartment BOOM) I think the place is fairly affordable. You might disagree, or have/​be presented with a different rate (based on the current market).
On the apartment and facilities, I’ve always been impressed. It’s not a brand new building, but sure is not run down by any means. Dexter holds its own against the neighboring complexes (I think much nicer than Summit, but will never be as new as Union or True North). The gym equipment is adequate, and I have never seen it broken. Is the gas sometimes out on the rooftop grill? Yeah! Just go tell the staff, and they’re on it! Rental of the roof and clubhouse is FREE, just need a reservation and deposit. There’s even a guest suite that acts as a hotel room, which is a really cool option to have in your building for visitors.
Parking is expensive, and there will always be challenges with theft anywhere you go. There have been some situations in the garage with bikes being stolen or cars being broken into. Staff’s reaction has been appropriate, and they are continually trying to keep the garage safe. Two major rules in life though: 1) Don’t leave valuables visible in your car. Just DON’T 2) Don’t leave a $ 3,000 bicycle locked up in a garage near an external exit gate. Just DON’T.
I’ve digressed, Dexter is awesome!

I recommend NO ONE living here. They sell the apartments really well, and make you believe it is a great home. It is not. The gym is barley usable as machines are always being used so you can not always go in when you want. They say the computers are for our own use. BUT THEY DO NOT WORK, at all. Constant theft is always something to worry about, bikes and cars, and I would never risk leaving your door unlocked. The staff is nothing to complain about, they are helpful and kind.

I’ve lived at the Dexter for the past 3 years and I’m surprised at some of the reviews. I never trust an angry 1 star review and there seems to be many. The facts are that some of these common problems mentioned happen everywhere, especially living in the city, hence your renter’s insurance. How management deals with these situations is far more important. I’ve never seen a management team work as hard to make sure their tenants are comfortable and safe. They are very involved with the local community and volunteer their time in community events. We are always well informed with what’s going on in the building and receive emails and text message notifications for various announcements.
This is a place to feel at home in the city. Top notch maintenance to the apartments and common areas (never took more than 24 hours to fix anything), very friendly staff and i enjoy speaking to all of them, very clean common areas, and amazing rooftop amenities.

I like the management team here a lot, apartment is nice and clean, no obnoxious neighbors! However, Dexter apartment is expensive, noisy, and my belongings keep getting stolen.
Know that Seattle is a high-​theft area and Dexter apartment is prone to thievery almost every 2 months. The apartment is beautiful, staffs are nice, maintenance repair is quick (usually within a day or two), very dog friendly. I would live here if it wasn’t due to me getting robbed twice within the past two months.
We have lived here for 7 months. While the place is nice with view of Lake Union, clean hallway, beautiful rooftop, and court yard, I would not recommend this apt. The reasons…
1. Our bicycle ($ 3000 value) and motorcycle ($ 8000 value) were stolen while parked in the secured garage which we paid $ 150 per car per month. Bicycle stolen last month and motorcycle dismantled and all accessories stolen by a thief today!
2. The garage door is broken/​malfunction 50% of the time, leaving the garage open, unsecured half of the time. Even if it is working properly, thieves are always lurking.
3. The appliances in the apartment unit is crappy. My stove is wobbly. The toilet always makes noises. The dryer doesn’t ever dry my clothes on one cycle. I always have to do 2 cycles of drying to get my clothes to dry. The bathtub had a crack in it and needed replacement. Leaks in kitchen sink, leaks in bathroom sink. All of which were fixed in an expedited manner. However, it was still an inconvenience for us.
4. You can be sure that rent will always increase every year 15−20% more upon lease renewal.
Overall, Dexter is a nice place to live. Somewhat noisy. Nice view of Lake Union, apt areas are always clean and well kept. However, for the price that we are paying we can find similar apt elsewhere. There are many, many apt complex close by that are newer with similar price and much more amenities.
Not a fan of $ 150/​mo for parking.
Overall, don’t leave your bicycle or motorcycle in the garage. Bicycles, motorcycles and cars are being stolen, broken into frequently (about every 3 months). Today 2 motorcycles were stripped off by thieves and a car window was smashed. The police officer today said he has had to stop by to do police reports about 10 times within the past 5 months. My neighbor and I are both breaking the lease bc of thievery. We are scared, feeling spooked living here. What if I get robbed while in the parking garage!!!
Be careful before signing your lease! Take caution and think real hard! And if you have bicycles keep it in your apt not in the garage. Motorcycles… don’t have one, most likely it will get stolen and stripped like mine, or get a cheap one that won’t attract thieves.

Our experience living at Dexter has been wonderful. The staff is great. Pascal, in particular, has always answered our questions and emails promptly. He is truly a lifesaver, personable, and very reliable. These are all qualities that you’d not always expect to find in a leasing office.
The view deserves a 5-​star rating of its own. We’ve been here for just over a year and seen a lot of what Seattle has to offer through our windows. Tuesday afternoons during the Summer will never be the same without the magical sailboat parades on Lake Union.
The golden lights reflecting on the homes in the opposite side of the lake as the sun goes down late in afternoon. The single and double rainbows after the typical Seattle rain. Our apartment has been the perfect escape from busy weekdays at the office.
Highly recommended!

I have lived here now for almost 3 years and I am getting ready to move out. Below is the reason why:
The staff changed over and all the great things that made this place worth it are quickly fading. The old staff was friendly and accommodating, and the new staff behaves in a more militant way, treating tenants more like college kids. We have tolerated the changes for the past year and a half or so but have reached our limit. The garage doors are constantly broken and rather than replace the system tenants need to make due with the overpriced parking ($ 150per month) for garage doors that works about 50% of the time. This results in non-​secure parking since the building needs to leave the doors open overnight. As a result tenants have had car break-​ins and bikes stolen. The building blamed the victims stating they should not have left garage door openers in their cars (which made them increased targets) or should have used better bike locks.
The rent goes up approximately 10% each year with no real reason or anything in return for it. They are price matching new buildings in the area but do not offer the same level amenities i.e. granite countertops, wooden floors, stainless steal appliances. It is also not really walkable which is not reflected in the inflated pricing. The management seems to value quick turn prophets over steady reliable tenants. It is disappointing to see a total lack of appreciation for our loyalty to the building.

My husband and I lived at Dexter for 4 years and loved it! The staff was extremely friendly and very helpful. If there was ever a maintenance problem, the maintenance staff would respond quickly and fix what needed to be fixed. The location itself is perfect! Dexter is surrounded by a growing community of new apartment buildings, coffee shops/café’s, and word in the street a grocery store in the future. You are also blocks away from Amazon which was great for my husband who walked to work every day. Close to interstate 5 and 99. Overall we loved our days at Dexter and hope you too will fill a chapter of memories here too :)

Sometimes all it takes is a sincere smile to make all the difference!
While apartment hunting, Pascal at Dexter has been extremely hospitable in showing the available vacancies and discussing all the amenities offered in details. One can observe the friendly relationships that Pascal has with the building’s tennants. He even went out of his way and stayed after closing to process the rental application. This level courtesy has made Dexter standout when taking my relocation decision.

I’m Canadian and moved to Seattle for work last year. I was placed at Dexter for temp housing and lived in a (too big for me) two bedroom apartment for a month. It was bright and beautiful. Couldn’t believe the view I had of Lake Union.
Even though I arrived at 6pm that Sunday right before they were supposed to leave for the day — Caverii; one of the staff members helped me carry a few pieces of my luggage with me to my suite. I felt immediately at home. After a month I moved out into another apartment in Belltown. Unfortunately, the second week of living in my new apartment someone broke into my home. I had no choice but to move out. Being in-​between homes I didn’t know what to do. It was stressful starting a new job and having to now look for another place to live. I decided to try Dexter again. I talked to Candice the property manager on my lunch break. She was very empathetic and patient. We spent the entire hour touring all the different layouts.
It’s been almost a year living here and I really love it. The people are great. I remember having small issues like accidentally clogging the kitchen sink. My fault, but all I had to do was submit a ticket through the intranet and one of supers would be up the very next day to fix it. They would also leave a note to let you know they did! :D I had a 40 inch TV delievered through Amazon and Pascal, one of the staff members also was nice enough to call me at work and ask if he could help place the TV in my unit since it was valuable. SO NICE!
The tenants get together on Fridays for «Wine Fridays» — bring a bottle of wine and a few friends to hang out on the rooftop. I’ve also held a few get-​togethers for friends on the rooftop and in the clubhouse and both are great for hosting. It was super easy to book the amenities through the building’s intranet. I would highly recommend Dexter to anyone moving to Seattle. The staff here will make you feel right at home :)

Moved in April 2012 and out July 2013. The place was wonderful at the beginning. Close to downtown where I work, gorgeous lake view, superior location to see July 4 fireworks, great rooftop grill.
However, the apartment has went on a dramatic down hill turn with the arrival of new management personnel. It seems that one person of the new management likes to associate with everything with money that he wants to charge. e.g. if you wander around the rooftop with friends after the July 4 firework, he’ll threaten with $ 5000 dollar charge on your account. Thinking about that I did a thorough clean up of the apartment at move out and then still have to pay the management after moving out for some non-​sense item on my account.
Good luck getting your deposit back.
Update: here’s some follow up on getting my deposit. The way that they property calculates tenant’s paint job goes like this:
1) they assume that we are staying for 30 months.
2) say that you are actually staying for n months,
3) you are going to pay for the 30 — n months of prorated paint job.
This is 100% non-​sense since, if you are staying here for a few months then you are gonna be responsible for the rest 20+ months of paint. They did not include this info in any part of the rent agreement.
the property managers are getting away with the whole non-​sense since most tenants in the place are super busy (think of the major internet company situated in seattle downtown). hope you see this post and go anywhere else.

The staff here is super nice. Very welcoming and helpful. They all pets (huge plus) and lot of street parking for when friends visit. Its in a great neighborhood. Near lots of bus lines and easy to get to down town from.

Nobody is perfect but Dexter definitely goes out of their way to strive for excellence.
I’ve lived there a few months now and any problems I have run into have been promptly resolved.
The building is a little older, the appliances and flooring aren’t modern, but hey for the price you pay to live here, it’s totally worth it.
The area is quiet and clean.
The apartments aren’t noisy party places.
The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and professional. They have definitely made my relocation from another state an easy one.
If you want to pay more for a smaller place that is in a noisy dirty neighborhood, then you should live on capital hill.
If you want clean, quiet, spacious, professionals… you should live at Dexter Lake Union.

This will be the first of at least two. I just signed a lease here and the office staff have been amazing. We looked at almost every property on Dexter and these guys were the most responsive. They were genuinely excited to have us and we can’t wait to move in.