The Lyric

My husband and I recently moved here, and this place is really as good as it gets. The building managers are incredibly helpful (big shout out to Sidneigh who always goes above and beyond for us! She was the manager who originally showed the apartments to us and helped us during our move-​in process, and continues to always help us whenever we have any questions). One time, I dropped my keys in the elevator shaft, and Morgan, Sidneigh, and the maintenance crew all helped me to get my keys back within an hour, without even blinking an eye or making me feel horrible about it. Another time we got a huge package while we were not home, and Valerie put it inside of our apartment to help us out. These are people that really put the tenants first.
The location is amazing, parking is very reasonable, and they are very pet friendly with a dog patch on the roof. Speaking of the roof, these are some of the greatest views in the city. The apartments are beautiful, spacious, and the kitchen is great. Also… THERE IS AC! Noise is never an issue. We are able to literally walk within blocks to get to anything – the light rail, the park, restaurants, bars, and shopping. Not to mention there is also a vet RIGHT downstairs who are just as lovely!
This is definitely a winner and I would recommend this building to anyone!

I moved here after previously living in a small building with only 3 apartments with one landlord, privately owned. I was nervous to move into a larger building because I thought it would mean less attention given to residents. Fortunately, my fear was unfounded. The staff at the Lyric are attentive, friendly, and helpful and helped us feel right at home.
Sidneigh and Morgan helped us find the perfect place for us and our cats, and followed up with us periodically to see how move in went. Along with Valerie, they all seem genuinely dedicated to making sure you feel at home and supported. Sidneigh even checked on our cats for us when we were out of town once!
Now, 3 months into our lease, we couldn’t be happier. The amenities are great, the apartment is fantastic and the staff is quick to respond to anything that crops up. Also, we’re really looking forward to using the rooftop this summer for bbqs :)

The Lyric was in general a great place to stay, but moving out was unpleasant. The maid service they provided (chose and paid for) during renewal managed to damage the blinds while cleaning, and they insisted on charging me for that during move out.
Beware a rental property that tries to screw you with $ 260 extra charges when you leave if you want your deposit back ;)

Staying at The Lyric was the highlight of my time in Seattle. As soon as my boyfriend and I got there to view the property, we knew that that was the place we would move into. Sidneigh, Valerie, Morgan, and the rest of the staff including maintenance were all amazing and super nice and helpful. The amenities in the building were the best: from the gym, to the sky lounge, to the roof deck, and the list goes on. I strongly recommend this place, especially with its super convenient location too!

I love this building and the staff. The building is well maintained and is an extremely comfortable place to live. The staff is amazing! The staff is a perfect mix of professionalism and fun. The staff is always there to help when needed. The neighbors are great, have meet some really good friends here. Proud to call the lyric home.
Also the rooftop is the best on the hill

The 2 years I lived at The Lyric was mostly fantastic. Stacy, Valerie, Sidnee, Morgan and the rest of the staff were phenomenal. Any issues I had were always promptly resolved. The apartments themselves are great, nice layouts with amenities like air conditioning and washer and dryers. If I had any complaints at all it’d be more about the tenants then the building itself or staff. It seems that more tenants are moving in that have no respect for communal spaces.

I know that nobody even watches youtube videos if they’re longer than two minutes these days, so I’m going to do my best to just cut right to the chase about the stuff you want to know and the stuff you *should* know about this building:
1. The Lyric is hands-​down the best apartment complex available in Seattle right now, especially when you consider the neighborhood it’s in and how rapidly it’s becoming more and more valuable (the new LinkLight Rail station is being built next door… literally). And if you’re looking to rent, then you likely already know that rent in this city is another thing that’s rapidly increasing, yet somehow my rent at The Lyric hasn’t gone up more than $ 20 in the 3+ years I’ve lived here. So «completely reasonable rent» + «prime neighborhood» = A unicorn of the apartment world.
2. It’s a safe, secure building with electronic entry.
3. It’s located in the *literal center* of Capitol Hill — I can literally get almost every single thing I need ON THE SAME BLOCK. Have I said «literally» enough? Because I know the difference between «literal-​literal» and «figurative/​exaggerated literal», and I’m using the word «literal» truthfully here. Downstairs in the same building, there’s a Verizon store (though there’s other carriers across the street if you don’t use Verizon), an awesome/​affordable dentist, a Bank of America, a great veterinarian, laptop repair, Solstace coffee, and quick food like Subway and Einstein Bagels. ALL DOWN STAIRS.
4. The rent is completely reasonable, especially when you compare price points anywhere else. My friend is currently paying the same amount for a bare 350 sq ft studio apartment in Wallingford as I am for a full, pet-​friendly one bedroom WITH brand new, eco-​friendly, front-​load washer and dryer, dishwasher, heaters outside the shower (who thinks of that?! It’s glorious!), AIR CONDITIONING (we may not need it often in this city — which is why no one has it — but when you DO need it, you really need it, and it’s one of the most beautiful inventions of all time), pre-​installed internet from an awesome network that hasn’t given me ONE problem in 3 years, decent closet space, and a granite-​topped mobile kitchen island. There are so many little details in this building that make it so special. Like for instance, the doors and cabinet drawers have a function so they close softly and don’t slam shut, the appliances and furnishings are all made from sturdy materials that are easy to clean, the floors are hardwood (again, easy to clean) but there’s carpet in the one room you don’t want cold feet– your bedroom-​, and the units are spacious and grown-​up-​looking.
5. It’s quiet. Even being in the center of Capitol Hill, I don’t hear anything at night.
6. Two levels of secure garage parking and a parking discount for your visiting friends and family.
7. The building is equipped with a full gym, a HUGE courtyard, professional grade barbeques on the roof with a view of the entire city and Lake Union (4^th of July and New Year’s Eve are awesome), a movie theater that’s always stocked with popcorn (seriously, the little things go a long way), rooftop sky lounge with fireplace and cable t.v., and — most importantly to me — a fenced area for dogs on the roof so that you don’t have to take your dogs outside in the middle of the night.
8. And perhaps most importantly — the nicest staff in the entire world. I’ve said this before in other reviews, but it’s worth mentioning again. Where other buildings nickel and dime their residents, the Lyric constantly upgrades the building and throws fun events for us with food and drinks and asks for our feedback about how we want to use our space. For instance, they asked us which channels we wanted to have available on the t.v.‘s in the gym, and they always ask us what kind of party we’d like to have next. They host every kind of event you can think of: Game of Thrones viewing party, yoga classes, pet spas, Seahawks game parties, Sunday brunches, happy hours, and everything else in between. A great example of putting the residents first is how they handled a group that got too rowdy on the roof one night right after they opened. They could have very easily decided that the rooftop should close at dusk which would have punished the entire building. Instead they hired security guards and had a sign-​in sheet for large group parties. Everyone was happy. When I first moved in, I was in the middle of a huge transition and I wasn’t sure I could afford it, so the apartment manager actually sat down with me for like two hours to help me look at my finances and give me honest advice instead of trying to immediately sign me or immediately turn me away.
9. I don’t know what else anyone looks for in an apartment that this place doesn’t do in spades, but I would faithfully recommend living here to my own parents or friends.
Hope to see ya around!

Location, Location, Location and great staff. Have been a resident since they opened and I’ve been proud to call this place home. Our unit is beautiful and haven’t had any service issues in 3 years. It’s also a place with a sense of community because the management team often host events of all types which allow you to meet your neighbors and maybe even new friends. Yes the roof top deck is amazing and you can enjoy it more often than you think you just have to make a point to take advantage of it. Need a new great place to call home? Check out The Lyric!

We moved into the Lyric in August 2013 (so 19 months), and the *only* reason we’re moving out is because we bought our first home. Our experience in the Lyric has been everything we expected and more.
The location is fantastic (and about to get even better with the light rail station about to open), and the amenities are mind-​blowing. We spent many nights grilling on the rooftop BBQs, warming up by the fire pits and heat lamps, and enjoying the unparalleled skyline view that stretches from Mount Rainier through Queen Anne (and everything in between!) We’ve hosted a couple of get-​togethers with friends in the multi-​purpose room and the movie room, and we even held our wedding rehearsal dinner in the Sky Lounge!
The staff is wonderful too. Stacy has been very responsive and easy to work with, and although there are a number of new faces in the leasing office since we first moved in, every leasing agent has been helpful and friendly. The minor maintenance issues we had (mostly associated with it being a new construction) have been addressed very promptly, and I’m frankly amazed at how often I see cleaning staff taking care of the common areas, hallways, etc. — it’s one of the cleanest places I’ve ever lived.
I simply cannot say enough good things about our time at the Lyric. It’s worth every penny — and then some.

I loved the lyric. Location was great, lots of good energy. And my apartment was on 10^th which it was quiet when it needed to be. Convenience was a big factor for me and it had most everything. The gym was convenient and clean and gave me no excuse not to workout. I frequented the coffee shop (Solstice) in the building 3 days a week to work, hangout with friends. QFC was only a block and half away, and I ate at Taco Chukis and Phở Cyclo once a week. The leasing office was professional, friendly, and took care of all the mail. If you like city living, this was great.

This place is amazing! The location is right in the mix of things in Capitol Hill. The units are spacious and well designed. They have everything you need at The Lyric including a gym, multi media room, sky lounge, movie theater, and a wonderful rooftop! The view is ridiculous. The staff is also very helpful whenever I have questions. This place rocks!

My wife and I recently moved from NC and have felt at home at The Lyric. We viewed over 15 properties and none compared to The Lyric. The amenities are spectacular and the staff is friendly. Stacy, Valerie, and Morgan have accommodated our every request and really made our move seamless. We love using the sky lounge and roof deck with friends. Also, the location is perfect for us. We love being able to walk to everything (restaurants, bars, grocery store, etc…) right outside our door. We are happy with our choice!
Ryan and Sarah

I very much enjoy living at the lyric! definitely the best apartment I’ve ever lived in. the apartment itself is great. with a big tub… good storage space… and laundry in the unit (which takes on a new level of meaning having moved directly from NYC!)
the building is well maintained and the staff in the office are always helpful and friendly… especially stacy the manager!
all the amenities are also very good. the sky lounge is a great place to hold a soirée… and the view from the roof is about as good as it gets.

I moved here from Arizona and the staff was incredible in helping me relocate. They answered all my numerous questions (and quickly). The building is also in a great location and it is well maintained. I love it! The view from the roof is amazing and the shops/​restaurants around are awesome. It is in between two nice parks and the pike/​pine area is only 8 minutes walk. I’m happy with my choice!

I was shopping for apartments in Capitol Hill because I intended to go to school there. This was the absolute best apartment in the area; beautiful, clean, modern, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately I was unable to move to Seattle, but if I could this would be my top choice.

Still love this apartment today as much as I did a year ago when I moved in. The staff have never ceased to be tremendously friendly and helpful and I STILL feel terribly at home when I walk in. I signed for another year without much hesitating — the rent went up, but the increase wasn’t crazy compared to what I’m hearing from other friends in cap hill.
Jill, you’re the bestest! Thanks Lyric staff for kicking turtle butt :)

I have ignored The Lyric’s repeated pandering for Unilocal reviews and waited until I moved out. (Those five star reviews in December? The Lyric was holding a contest: Unilocaling earned more entries. Talk about unethical.)
The Lyric, a new building right off Broadway and close to Pike/​Pine, held promise for me. Kim was friendly and very eager to show me around. I could almost see the dollar signs in her eyes once I saw my new home. So I stretched my budget and became the first owner of an east-​facing unit on the fourth floor, signed a lease to end in August (accounting for grad school in my future) and even got a $ 450 break on parking.
My unit was a good size. I loved the wood floors, and my heating bills were low. It did get warm in spring: even with my fan I had trouble keeping the unit below 80. The unit was usually quiet, but noise from the street (especially the garbage collection in the early morning) is VERY audible.
I could go on about the building and its prime location. I chose The Lyric for those perks! However, I’m more interested in reviewing the actual business behind the building. As long as everything was going well, everyone was friendly and interested in the residents (or faked it well). In my seven months living here, I ran into a few road bumps, and all but one were handled in a mediocre manner at best.
I reserved the loading dock for the movers on move in day, but the elevator was down for repairs. (That story is elsewhere.) That elevator was often out of service or unresponsive (in a new building?). It’s the only elevator with access to the roof deck. When I had guests with knee troubles, this was very difficult for them.
On Valentine’s Day, my father surprised me with roses. I didn’t know this until four days later, when he called to ask if I’d received them. I got no notice that I had a perishable package waiting, and I was not home during office hours that weekend. After that call, I went downstairs to pick up a box of dead roses. To echo another review, «I’m sorry» is not in the staff’s vocabulary. I eventually got a half-​hearted «We’ll make it up to you.» I don’t think I need to explain the emptiness of that statement.
The roof deck was often packed on nice days. After one such weekend, while I was checking the mail, Stacy asked me if I’d had a party of 80 who trashed the roof one night. I had not, and she said she was reviewing security footage to find out who did it (so why ask?). How accusatory and rude. The next week, the staff hired security, and I ended my habit of visiting the fire pits at night.
When I chose a grad school, I found out that I had to be in LA by July 15, six weeks before my lease ended. I told the office my news and asked if I could sublet to avoid the fees. They said that I couldn’t sublet but they’d find someone on their long wait list and I’d only be rent-​responsible until the new person arrived.
That was two months before I left. A month later, Stacy sent me an email telling me that, in lieu of the lease break fee, I’d lose the refundable portion of my deposit and I’d also have to pay the $ 450 break I’d received for leasing. That didn’t seem right, based on what I was told before, but Stacy hid behind my lease agreement and a misapplication of fair housing law (my demographics had nothing to do with this issue). «Petty» is the word that comes to mind. The other managers told me that my unit had been rented and that the new tenant would be moving in «soon» after my departure, but I was still on the hook for three weeks’ extra rent. I couldn’t sublet, so I could not avoid this fate. They weren’t taking a loss by my untimely departure (if anything, my departure was their gain). I managed to avoid the lease break fee (they at least agreed that paying two months’ rent when leaving six weeks early is ridiculous), but this doesn’t feel like the victory it should be. I did receive a partial rent refund in the mail because the new tenant moved in early, but the omission of a refund for parking (~$ 40) did not go unnoticed. Interesting that, given they were so careful to charge me a prorated rate for rent AND parking, they couldn’t demonstrate the same care when refunding me. Also, after paying a $ 75 cleaning fee (being assured twice that $ 75 would cover it all), I was charged nearly 3 times that.
Here’s the one exception: in April, I left my phone and keys in Texas and didn’t notice until it was too late. I wasn’t going to be home until 8 PM on a Saturday, but Lauren offered to stay in the office until I arrived. When I finally stumbled in, she had a key ready. She went above and beyond and that deserves mentioning.
Make no mistake: the building is gorgeous. When the light rail opens, the already great location will be even better. With the above exception, in terms of the service I’ve received here, I think «Meh. I’ve experienced better.» applies perfectly. I want to return to Seattle after school, but I wouldn’t seek out The Lyric or any Pillar property.

I am writing an update to my previous post because The Lyric was nearly obsessive in addressing my complaints. While I appreciate that they want to make my living here better, it was also extremely annoying to be pressed about comments that I saw and still see as design flaws and NOTHING to do with management (except the trash placement, which has been improved). I would like to say that I’m appreciating the neighborhood a bit more (the clothes shopping on this part of Broadway is really fantastic), and it is helping with my regret of leaving Pine/​Pike, although I still miss my beautiful apartment.
I will address each point with an update:
1. The noise of the heating unit cannot be avoided. This is a poor choice on the designers’ parts to put the heating unit in the bedroom, behind a flimsy wall cover, and choosing a loud unit.
2. The problem of our upstairs being extremely hot as compared to the downstairs is possibly resolved. The maintenence man showed us how to divert the forced air by closing off the upstairs vents. However, it hasn’t been cold since he stopped by so we it is untested. We have used the AC twice now that it is really hot outside. It works nicely, and really we don’t need it if we want to just sit downstairs, but the bedroom is pretty toasty without it.
3. Nothing can be done about the very small kitchen. I’d like to figure something out, as digging through my one cupboard of pots+mixing bowls+dishes is getting on my nerves.
4. The issue of the stinky washer is resolved. You have to put cleaning stuff in the soap dispenser once in a while and run the washer without clothes in it. I had never had a front loader before, and apparently this is the norm.
5. They stopped putting the garbage cans in front of our windows, but the Tuesday and Friday 6:30AM pickups continue. I realize The Lyric has no power over the early hours of garbage pickup, but this is a complaint I still have and think others might like to know.
6. We still don’t have anything outside on our porch for the fear that it will disappear like the ash tray.
7. The nightlights were replaced, but one is burnt out again. We do like to leave them on all the time, I think it just wears them out quickly.
All in all, this is a nice place to live. Just compared to my last place, I have a lot of issues with it. I was initially attracted by the newness of the building and the space at such a low price, but that wore off after a while. We do love the roof and the location (growing to love it anyway), and I’m sure most would absolutely love my townhouse. It is a nice place to live, and my cats LOVE the garden outside our front door. They like to meet people on the sidewalk, bully the dogs that stop to say hi, stalk pigeons through the tall grass, and nibble the grasses (I talked to the gardener and he said it isn’t poisonous to cats).

I’m soon to move out of the Lyric and had things been different, I might have reconsidered. Here’s my breakdown of the good and bad:
Good:
1) Management has tried and has been successful to get certain tenants to abide by the rules, especially with smokers and loud music playing. Noisy neighbors or those who would otherwise willingly break the rules live here. There is a clear lack of respect for your neighbors.
2) The gym is great — I cannot contest that.
3) The location is great — again, I cannot contest that. It’s in the center of it all.
4) The rooftop deck area is huge, with gas grills and beautiful views.
Bad:
1) It’s a dorm. There are clearly many of the «younger set» who are having mommy and daddy pay for this place — it’s not cheap — in fact, it’s rather expensive for what you get. The «kids» who live here don’t have anyone to answer to, so they act accordingly.
2) If you stay here, DO NOT FACE INTO THE COURTYARD — YOU WILL REGRET IT! There is a family on my side of the building with little ones who make all sorts of racket and the sounds are AMPLIFIED… You can hear lots of talking if people are on their cell phones as well, coming up from the courtyard.
3) The gate into the parking garage was fixed some time ago, but it’s far slower and I think I could bake a cake while that gate goes up. It’s just too slow. Note to Pillar: Go see the gate at the Brix condo complex 3 blocks north; the gate nearest Mercer.

I loved living at the Lyric! Sadly I’ll be moving out after my lease to move in with a boyfriend. But had to put out a great review for the folks at the Lyric! :-)
Property– Units are clean, well maintained and new. The building finished construction in November so the appliances are all new and energy efficient. Also the hard wood floors and cabinets are all top notch. The view on the rooftop deck is to kill for! You get an complete 180 of Seattle and the space needle! Absolutely amazing! Plus great BBQ, chairs to relax on and outside heaters and fireplaces. Plus the Lyric sets up fun get togethers for their residents including work out classes, HH, parties/​refreshments in the movie theater (yes, there is one in the building!) for events like March Madness, Super Bowl, etc.
Management– I cannot ask for anything better! The ladies that work there – Stacy (Property Mgr), Kim and Lauren are fabulous! They are so friendly and responsive. And whats even better is that they are great with names and they remember you and the stories you share. It feels like I am visiting old friends when I go downstairs to check my mail or hit the gym.
Maintenance — Both Bill (mgr) and Roderick have been very responsive to my maintenance requests. Plus they are super friendly and they love my dog Yogi. They also dont hesitate to smile when they see you around the property.
Location– um what can I say «location, location, location!» and Capital Hill is the place to be! There are so many great restaurants and lounges blocks away from the Lyric. You cannot ask for a better location!
I am very sad to leave the Lyric! I loved everything about it! And if you are looking for a home –you should definitely make this one it!!!