The Lauren

WARNING: Do NOT move here. The elevators are constantly breaking down. I've lived here for 16 months and they've broken down at least 6 to 10 times while here. They're regularly out of service for weeks. The longest period was maybe 2 months with only 1 elevator working for 26 floors!

Surely one of the most unaffordable buildings in Vancouver. We recently went to view all of the available one bedroom suites in the Lauren (there were 6, which I found to be a lot and I can see why) and found the whole thing a bit ridiculous. First of all, their adverts are very "tactical" in that they provide you with no square footage details of any suites anywhere on their adverts or their website. We even asked their building manager and they still don't tell you, you have to go and see it for yourself, so we went. They also provide no photos of the one bedroom units anywhere, their adverts/website only show their spacious two or three bedroom suites. I found the whole experience a bit like "smoke and mirrors". My only description is that most of the suites are a glorified studio. They range from 500 sq ft to 550 sq ft (someone asked in person and they had to tell our group, begrudgingly) for, at the time of writing, anything from $1,850 to $2,250. This puts the cost at around $4 per square foot, well above the average for the area of $2 to $3 (almost double the rent than similar, less modern units). Let's not forget, The Lauren was approved in uproar in the Westend as it's not in line with the local community, but they provided guarantees it would be affordable. Really? On what grounds is this affordable, even by Vancouver's standards? You couldn't move in their one bedroom suites. If you like your living room to be in the kitchen with a couple of feet between your sofa and the stove, no possibility of any dining space whatsoever, a microscopic bedroom that fits nothing but a bed and a "flex" room with no windows that's only good for storage then go ahead and rent here, but you'll be throwing your money away as you can rent far bigger, far cheaper units all over downtown and especially in the Westend. Not only that, the Lauren has basically zero amenities. No gym, no pool, no sauna, no theatre, no meeting room. Nothing. Parking is an additional $100 but when we went there was no parking available as it was all taken. So, your high rent certainly isn't covering a wide array of amenities either. I can see why this place has such a high turnover rate. The only positive I came out with was some of the views were stunning from the higher floors, namely because the building is easily the highest in the area and you can see all over the North Shore mountains and English Bay. If you prefer a nice view over actual living space, you might not mind it here. The building itself is also very picturesque. I hate these new buildings to be honest, they're all the same. They cram as many tiny units as they can into their building rather than giving people a decent amount of space to live in. Good luck finding any one bedroom with 600-700 sq ft in a new building these days, the norm seems to be in the 500 range, which in my opinion is unlivable. I'm happy to pay a premium for more sq ft but there was no option of that in The Lauren. Normally I wouldn't dream of reviewing a rental building, but I found this whole experience so deceptive and outrageous that I had to. Hopefully someone thinking of looking at the Lauren finds this useful as I wouldn't have gone to view their suites had I know how unbelievably small they are.

Beautiful unit located right in the heart of West Downtown 2 minute walk to busy streets like Davie, Denman and Robson. The units are nice and modern and the occupants have all been very friendly so far. The building manager is slow however as we had an issue with our water and took 2 weeks to be resolved.. 8/10

We have lived at The Lauren for almost 2 years and we have loved it. Location is amazing, views from the top floors are great. The managers are very helpful. Would recommend to anybody looking for a place in the West End/ Downtown area.

Do not even consider renting on top 2 floors if you want to sleep at night. The elevator motors are placed right next to the suites as a cost saving measure. The noise they produce is hard to notice at first, but you will immediately hear it at your first night. If you think you're used to street noise - this one is different, it's much harder to get used to. I tell this with 100% certainty, because it's a problem for multiple neighbors I've talked to. To get a good preview, listen carefully when you're inside the elevator, and imagine what it would be like to have about half of the same noise in your bedroom. Other than that, note that smallest suites are about 400 sq ft (including an useless "den" which is only good for storage space), and what they advertise as "1 bedroom" is really a studio. The suites are pretty nice though. I have seen easily hundreds of bathrooms, this one is among the best. Overall this building is nice, but definitely not what I expected at this price point.

I lived here for 4 years. The building managers are highly responsive and extremely friendly. There’s an amazing community of people/neighbours. Great amenities and the best rooftop in the city. Highly recommend it.

My partner and I lived at The Lauren for over three years and have nothing but great things to say about this building and how it is run. The units are smaller but efficient, current and clean. They are meant for those who want the urban lifestyle and don't want to live in clutter and excess. Any issues ranging from a burnt out lightbulb to a creaky door get addressed in a timely manor. Building managers are onsite and are available to assist whenever necessary. They are always professional, friendly and aspire to make this building a home for all of their residents. The amenities are substantial. Rooftop patio with Fridge, BBQ and of course amazing 365 view. Lot of seating. They even have herbs in planters for residents to enjoy. There is an amenity room that can be used free of charge that opens up to an outdoor seating area with additional BBQ. Their gym is currently being renovated and extended. There is sufficient bike storage and there has never been an issue with theft. They recently installed a dog wash station in the parkade for those who have pets that need a rinse after a walk. In addition to all of the amenities, The Lauren is part of the Westbank portfolio. As residents, we've been privy to special offerings through Westbank. Most recently, there was an offer to have ingredients delivered to our door and a ZOOM session presented by Giovane to cook alongside an accredited Chef. Very cool. The residents in the building range from small families, young professionals and senior citizens (one or two who will walk your dog ;) Many have lived in the building from the beginning. There is a true sense of community. And finally, location, location, location. You are a couple blocks away, smack dab in the middle of Robson Street, Denman Street, Davie Street and Burrard Street. It doesn't get much better than that. Definitely a place to consider making your home if you're looking.

I just moved in a week ago and so far I have had an amazing experience, both with the Westbank Living team and the unit itself. The team has been incredibly forthcoming and helpful through the process which was not easy, since I was moving in directly from abroad in the middle of a pandemic. And the unit is probably the most beautiful place I've ever lived in. The view is gorgeous, there is a lot of space, the sound and thermal insulations are very good, and the building itself is modern and pretty well thought. The amenities on top of that are just the icing on the cake. I was anxious about moving directly in a place I had never seen in my own eyes, but I don't regret it a bit, especially with the help of Waleska, Sephia and Evgeniya.