181 Fremont and the Floor That Has Everything

When you live in San Francisco, you tend to be on the town most of the time: maybe sipping on bubbles or a dry martini at The Battery; perhaps just taking a stroll along the iconic Embarcadero. Now and again, though, everyone craves a day inside. And for anyone living in one of the luxury condos at 181 Fremont in SoMa, starting the day with a full floor of amenities that are 500 feet in the sky, will make that day perfect. What’s more, the entire floor is shared only with 181 Fremont’s original 55 owners.

Morning: workout and breakfast

On Sunday mornings, the amenities can become your mecca of entertainment and fitness options (not to mention, the best views in the city). Start the day by loosening up your muscles in the dedicated yoga room. Next, at the fitness center, do a few miles on the treadmill or pump iron with a personal trainer before treating yourself to breakfast. Sure, you could have it in your designer kitchen, featuring polished Italian Calacatta Carrara marble; but, as it’s a Sunday, we suggest you head to the conservatory. Unwind as the grand piano plays in the background, and if you need anything else, just ask the concierge.

Afternoon: culture and views

You get a grand view from most places at 181 Fremont. But perhaps its greatest asset is the wraparound terrace; from here you can soak up views that take in everything from the Financial District to the Embarcadero and farther out across the Bay. Or you could decide to devote quality time to a great novel; the amenities floor comes equipped with its own library. Sink luxuriously into a chair and allow yourself to be transported into another world. Even the simplest of pastimes is blissful at 181 Fremont.

Evening: guests, drinks, and dinner

Of course, when you own a lovely condo in the heart of SoMa, it’s only natural you’ll want to share it with your friends as evening sets in. When your guests arrive, a valet will park their cars, and they’ll be greeted by 181 Fremont’s elegant lobby, crowned with a 25-foot-high gold leaf dome. Beneath this is a curved banquette designed by Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, where they can wait before being ushered up to the bar and lounge. Fix them up with a sophisticated cocktail; then let them drink in the views as you while away the time. Would you like to host dinner in your condo? Use the ceruse-ebonized oak sliding panels to wall off the kitchen; then have a local caterer lay out a spread.

As for the other rooms, dim the lights and open the window coverings to reveal the stunning sight of SoMa as the sun sets. Your guests are sure to be wowed. You can even control each room individually–meaning that if you want to curate a cozy cards and brandy atmosphere in one part of the residence and create a bright space for indulging in music and shooting the breeze elsewhere, your every whim can be satisfied.

One caveat for all this: you may never want to leave 181 Fremont again.

Green Envy

San Francisco is known around the world as a “green” city. It consistently tops the lists of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly places to live—in publications like Travel + Leisure and Popular Science. It’s easy to see why: there’s a focus on clean energy, as exemplified by residences like the LEED-certified condos at 181 Fremont. It also has one of the best recycling programs in the US, and it consistently promotes sustainable farm-to-table dining via restaurants like Rich Table. But SF is also hued green, thanks to swaths of lush parks like sprawling Golden Gate Park, myriad gardens, and a commitment from the city to provide verdant relaxation for its citizens.

Whether you’re grabbing a post-work bottle of wine at Cask or brunching on the Bay at nearby Waterbar, there’s always a grassy respite awaiting you—although that might not always be apparent. Many neighborhoods, including the lively streets of SoMa, belie hidden gardens that are just an escalator- or elevator-ride away from your condo at 181 Fremont. Like many highly populated cities, San Francisco forces urban designers to think about using space very efficiently (often vertically). And the result may be a charming and relaxing public area like the plaza at 303 2nd Street, which is a veritable pleasure garden with alcoves, a pretty fountain, and plenty of benches that are perfect for a lunchtime break. If you like more of an industrial vibe while you relax on a patch of grass, Warm Water Cove gives you a unique place to unwind and take in some interesting architecture right on the Bay.

Enjoy the temperate climes of the Bay Area from high above the city at the soon-to-be-completed Salesforce Transit Center’s living roof-park space. City Park will be a 5.4-acre public space replete with gardens, walking trails, and a glade for lounging on a blanket and getting some sun. This park will not only be good for your spirit but good for the environment; it filters pollution. And those who live at 181 Fremont will have the added (and exclusive) convenience of direct access to the park via a skybridge from their building.

For those who want to do more than just enjoy the surrounding flora, simply roll up your sleeves and dig in at a community farm like Alemany Farm, which was way ahead of the “urban farming movement” curve. Since 1995, this former dumping ground has provided volunteers a chance to support the community via educational initiatives and healthy food.

The Recreation and Parks Commission of SF maintains and continually updates the city’s green spaces to make them look good and to make them more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Recently, the Commission reopened the Twin Peaks hiking trail after they made improvements to prevent erosion and maintain wildlife habitats, showing yet again that it is easy to be green in San Francisco—and easy to soak up the green when you live at 181 Fremont.