I too saw poor online reviews of Ryan Tower before moving in, but chose to give the building the benefit of the doubt. Needless to say, I deeply, deeply regret the decision. Even if I could stay at Ryan Tower for a year for free, I'm not sure that I would. I want to document our experience so that it may help you in your decision-making. Our problem started from the beginning due to management's overpromising / misrepresentation. The apartment we got was in extremely poor conditions -- in sharp contrast to the photos/videos we received from management via email. We had to delay our move-in by almost a month while they worked to get another unit ready. We scrambled to find temporary housing solutions and storage space for our furniture . After moving in, the building has persisting plumbing issues. The toilet in our guest room constantly leaked waste water. It was disgusting. The maintenance crew came no less than 4 times and the issue was never resolved. We also had a leak from the ceiling that was never fixed -- after a few hours of heavy rain, water started leaking through the walls and from the ceiling of the bedroom. The maintenance team came to seal the ceiling with tapes, promising to return to fix the issue. They never did, and we had to remove the tapes ourselves after the rain stopped. Other reviews mentioned construction noise, which is also our experience. Any time there's construction on the same or adjacent floors, the noise makes it difficult to take work calls at home. The nightmare did not end after we moved out. We installed some paintings on the wall, and I suggested to management that we'd pay for a handyman to patch up the holes and get a professional cleaner to do the move-out cleaning. They assured me that it's cheaper to deduct the charges from our security deposits. Busy with our move, I returned the key to let Ryan Tower handle the cleaning. One month later, I got a call from a debt collection agency notifying me that we owe Ryan Tower money and our credit scores will be impacted. We received NO communication -- via email or mail -- from Ryan Tower. In fact, I was expecting my residual deposits to be returned to me, not to be charged an additional amount that become "uncollectible debt" that will drastically reduce our credit scores. Needlessly to say, this will set our home ownership plan back by years in an already difficult market in the Bay Area. Why did we put up with Ryan Tower for a year despite the terrible experience along the way? Honestly, I think we were just too naively trusting. We thought each problem was the last problem we'd face, and they were isolated events. But they are connected and point to the same root causes -- an old building with persisting issues that can't be fixed (without a complete redo), a management team focused on selling (window-dressing) rather than helping, and a transactional / zero-sum mentality. We said hi to the building manager and facility team every time we saw them. Being nice & considerate tenants who always paid a few days early earned us no brownie points. In fact, it didn't prevent Ryan Tower from inflicting serious harms on us. Thanks for reading. I hope my feedback will at least help some avoid making the same mistakes I did. And if you want to take a leap of faith to live in Ryan Tower, I wish you good luck . read more

I'll start with this -- management and the team here are great people and do a great job at making sure all of us tenants are satisfied. This review is strictly for the ownership group of Ryan Tower. The water is constantly being shut off, for often times most of the day, roughly every other week for "maintenance". I understand the building is old, but every other week is quite ridiculous. For how much this place charges for rent, the owners could easily do PERMANENT repairs instead of slapping a bandaid on it and causing constant inconveniences for its tenants on a weekly basis. You cannot classify yourself as "luxury apartments" with a rotting water system. Ownership, do the right thing and take care of this place. Oh and with the the remodeling of apartments -- if the noise (which is extremely loud making it impossible to work from home) affects any of the neighboring tenants, do the right thing and offer a discount on that months rent. We had construction going on for weeks and you can't even hear each other talk yet alone work. Again, the team working here is fantastic. read more

Just moved here for two months and I'm absolutely in love with the community :) Interior & Location - The entire building is modern and clean. Some key features: Amazon hub, basement parking garage, indoor gym, common rooftop patio. The building is central to Downtown San Mateo, walking distance to hundreds of restaurants, and 2-3 min drive to Safeway & the Freeways. 10 min drive to Costco. Service - Jamie and Greg are amazing at assisting everyone. Always timely response on issues, and friendly. The community is family friendly, pets friendly, and noise minimum. The community usually has gatherings (not during COVID -19), so I can't wait to attend those. Overall, best living experience ever for me. read more

See all

I've been a tenant at Ryan Tower for seven months and honestly feel like I've lucked out as far as apartment-style housing and location go. Here's the breakdown (LOTS to cover) RENT COST Note: Lease started November 2018 (seven months in now) Original rent: $2275 Studio - 450 sq ft Bathroom with a tub/shower Two small closets Kitchen with fridge, oven/stove, sink, dishwasher The kitchen and bathroom are separated by a very short hall from the main area Mail area in the main lobby and Amazon Hub lockers downstairs, accessible by a text code (for any packages, not just through Amazon). This is a very old building that is constantly being renovated, but the new management has done a great job at updating the look and feel of the lobby and new apartments. PETS Freeloader--I mean cat rent: $50 Dog rent is $75, but unlike so many other places for rent in the Bay Area, they are VERY pet friendly and don't place weight limits on pets--shout out to all the big, beautiful good boy's in my building. ELECTRICITY This varies month-to-month as the electricity costs are taken from the average of your entire floor's usage. Can be kind of annoying when you're gone most of the day like me, and your costs jump. FIFTH FLOOR-ONE of you must be sleeping in a tanning bed?? PARKING $75-150 Depends on whether you want an assigned space in their uncovered lot, covered lot, or below in the garage. Have neither, but compared to the half- or quarter-mile I had to walk at night from the rare parking spaces I would find in the city, I'm beyond content to walk the single block home from neighborhood parking. Very safe neighborhood! The only creepers I've come across in the dark are a rogue herd of deer (very close to wooded areas) who were as freaked out as I was. METER MAIDS PLEASE DISREGARD THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE SECRET MESSAGE FOR NON-METER MAID EYES ONLY Another note, after more than half a year, I find that cars only get ticketed on the main road (3rd Ave, once a day, around noon). After an extreme bout of 4-day illness during which I was not able to move my car every 2 hours (as is posted), I walked down to my car to find not a single ticket. I thought the illness had killed me and I had entered Bay-Area-free-parking heaven. Side streets going West past the building are pretty much "unlimited" parking. Sorry if I've exposed everyone in the neighborhood, don't @ me. TRASH VALET That's right, I said it. Trash VALET. Honestly, I didn't even know this kind of absolute LUXURY existed. Basically, you leave your trash and recycling just outside your door, and some perfect angel comes in around 8:30 to remove it from your life. This service (added-on to rent every month, always under $20) is available every single day except certain holidays and is a true godsend. GYM Not gonna lie, only used this once, but always clean, weight and cardio stations, large TV, and beautiful top-floor view. ROOFTOP Great views of downtown, accessible with building key, rentable for parties. ---------- MANAGEMENT I cannot stress enough how professional and neighborly management has been here. Not only are they patient and totally open to discussing any concerns I've had, but they've also gone above and beyond to do things that aren't even in the arena of landlord-ly concern. Shout-out to Carlos for helping me move a GIANT wardrobe and desk with practically 0 incentive lol. Here's an official I.O.U. What a guy. The few times I've needed repairs (usually because of my own doing), response time through text and their website has been very prompt. They also throw events every month for tenants. Most recently was a grilled cheese event, and a BBQ. Free donuts every Friday morning too! It's the little things that count. :-) NEIGHBORS Maybe its the awesome sound-proofing, but I've never heard anyone else from inside my space. Everyone's very nice. Not too many families-more dogs than kids for sure. ---------- TRANSPORTATION Don't have too much experience with bus lines in this area, but a morning rush-hour Caltrain to the SF (4th Ave) took me about 40 mins (limited, 2-stop train) This access alone will get you to a Bart station and a bunch of MUNI lines right outside the station. Depending on traffic 40-60 mins to SF and Palo Alto. Santa Cruz - 80-90 mins ---------- ATTRACTIONS One block from downtown San Mateo 5 minute drive to Hillsdale Shopping Center 5-10 minute drive to a similar dining/shopping experience in Burlingame -Across the street from the San Mateo Library (beautiful location with three floors, an outside patio area, and Three Bees cafe) -Great for walking, either in the neighborhood or the large park which has a Japanese garden and tennis courts -Lots of great dining options--particularly Japanese (izakaya, lots of ramen), Italian, Thai, Mediterranean, Chinese. Also great for casual grab-and-go places, like Japanese bentos from grocery stores, cafes, 4 boba places all within a couple blocks of each other. read more

See all

The views are amazing, the location cannot be beat and proximity to public services are all very close. However, after FOUR failed attempts to have something as simple as a leaky sink drain fix I am BEYOND disappointed with the response of the management and their ability to meet the basic health and safety needs of their customers. Currently, there are many other complexes in the area that offer better amenities and services to match the benefits of Ryan Tower. I share this experience as a warning and utter frustration read more

I'm a current tenant. I'm trying to leave as soon as possible. The staff here are really helpful and do their best. Management on the other hand has no regard whatsoever for tenants. Basic information: - Expensive. - Have lost quite a few packages here. - They raised my rent by more than 10% after only 6 months (yes, I had a 6 month lease). Expect your rent to go up as much as they can possibly get away with when you're up for renewal. No, they have no desire to negotiate with you, and yes, I did try. - Utilities are expensive and billed to you by their management company with no reports from actual utility providers. Especially garbage and water are unreasonably expensive. I've lived around this area for a long time and never paid this much. - If you're considering living here after I leave, my unit is #1106. Keep reading to find out why you should absolutely not move in :) - It's really hot and the units have basically zero airflow. I have to: open all the windows (see more info below), turn on multiple fans, and keep the door to my apartment open to cool off. Still doesn't get below 80 degrees (F) at night on a hot day. No building AC obviously :) and the window type doesn't work with typical portable AC units. - Despite there being very hot days, management STILL runs the building-wide heaters at night. I asked them to turn it off and apparently "they can't". The individual controls in each apartment don't do anything, you still get heat. Since I moved in 6 months ago: - Constant construction outside with no end date. - Constant water shutoffs with little to no notice. Sometimes all day. - I don't park in the garage but I get the announcements. Constantly closed off for various construction issues. - Installed new external building fan just above my unit. Constant rattling and noise all day and night. - My unit is near the elevator, so I get constant elevator noise, day and night. Didn't account for that one during my tour.. - Really old pipes in the walls of the building make a surprising amount of noise. I get woken up in the middle of the night daily by heater pipes or water pipes. Forget napping in the afternoon :) - Windows are covered in spider webs and dead insects. Working from home, I watch about 7 insects get eaten per day up close. Windows don't have screens so if I want fresh air, gotta let in a lot of bugs. Yesterday it was a couple wasps. Consequently, my partner and I are covered in bug bites, more so now that it's summer. - On the window issue, have been waiting more than 4 months for them to clean the windows. Still no official ETA since they "don't have a vendor". Windows were sparkling clean for my tour before I moved in :) - I'm right next to the roof and there's a hose with an attachment on the roof. I offered to clean my own windows by spraying them down. Management says, no, you can't clean your own windows, that would be "dangerous". Since last month: - Early morning demolition every day next door (shares a wall with my bedroom). They emailed us to say "congratulations, we're improving the building!" Jamie left. I'm not surprised by the bad reviews about her. But Helen, who is new, is even worse :) Helen and Greg, if you're reading this, I'm not giving 30 day notice yet, but you bet I'm looking for other apartments! Oh, and, letting everyone I meet know what a joy it is to live here. read more

Ryan Tower by FPI Management - My lovely window covered in webs and dead insects - Apartments Near Me - San Mateo, California

This review is for Maria. Maria is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She is always willing to help. I really appreciate how she maintains the building very clean and neat. One of the main reasons I love living at Ryan Tower is how clean it is. The elevator always smells good as well. You can tell she really takes her time on her work . Her dedication is appreciated! Thank you so much Maria you are the best. read more

BEST KEPT SECRET IN SAN MATEO! Ryan Towers is a quiet, beautiful building in a very safe and lovely area. It is on a quiet street but just a short walk into downtown. I always found it surreal watching the deer walking down the middle of the street at 1:00 am with the traffic lights as the backdrop. It was awesome! Parking is relatively easy to find on 3rd or for an extra, reasonable fee, you can park in the building lot or garage. My son has lived here for 11 months and we were both sad for him to leave but his job is in SF and he needed to relocate. The community in the building is wonderfully diverse and so friendly and engaging. There are a lot of pets in the building yet all areas smell incredibly fresh. My son was so comfortable there that sometimes he would leave his door unlocked when he left for work if he knew I was stopping by because the building is so secure and most of the tenants are familiar with each other. Cesar Campa manages Ryan Tower and he is an absolute GEM! He always responded very quickly to any questions, requests or needs. He is completely professional yet warm and sincere. We found him to always be available, even after hours, and more than willing to go above and beyond to assist in whatever you needed EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T ASK!! Cesar sets the bar high as a building manager and I find this to be a rare thing. The studio my son resided in had been remodeled and had everything he needed. There are very large windows in the units that really open up the space. It is rather difficult to find studio apartments on higher floors but you will find them at Ryan Tower and the views are breathtaking. There is also laundry on every floor, a small gym with the basics and a beautiful and well maintained rooftop with seating, tables, a grill and a gorgeous view. If I ever move from Scottsdale, AZ, I am heading directly to Ryan Tower to rent a unit! No joke. Visit Ryan Tower and see for yourself. You won't regret it! read more

I would not recommend Ryan Tower. We lived here for less than 2 months while moving into a house. The walls were thin and we could hear the neighbors playing video games. When we moved in, the paint was scuffed, plugs didn't work, etc. We were subsequently charged for repainting the apartment and a heavy cleaning fee despite being in the apartment for minimal time. If you decide to move here, understand the condition upon move in and take photos of every wall, appliance, door, etc such that they won't charge you upon move out. read more

great location. thats it. Jamie, the manager, just wants to be right and doesn't realize you are a customer paying 10's of thousands of dollars. Ryan Tower lacks a fundamental understanding of "customer first". No access to gym in a year. Rooftop limited. Can take days/weeks/months to fix core items that you are paying for (dishwasher, fridge, blinds). Lobby can be messy - with face masks and garbage. Doors are often propped open all night or just not working - NOT A SECURE BUILDING. Jamie and Management says its due to "wind". Last two days the electric door to the garage was just open all night - so your car may not be safe either. Riccardo and Maria are amazing tyring to help and fix anything they can. HOT BOX, you cannot adjust your heat and on hot days in summer and spring they don't turn off the building heat and it can be unbearable. Cooler OUTside on the hottest days ...do NOT live here. Rents are so low right now...you'll find a better place. This location only cares about money/being right and rules and not the safety and care of their customers. I'm out. Any notes by Jamie were not meant for Jamie but for the awesome management of Cesar. Kind words were only for him and that timeframe. read more

I in the 3 years that I lived at Ryan Tower (not TowerS, by the way) the building had 6 different managers. Each stayed an average of 6 months and were replaced with no notice given to the tenants. I would find out there was a new manager only when I would walk into the office to drop off the rent. The upper floors do provide beautiful views, and almost all of the people that I encountered there over the 3 years were very friendly. That's pretty much covers the plus side. When I moved in, the manager instructed me to drop off my moving pods on the front lawn because there was no access to the parking area as they were resurfacing it. She said the work would continue for a few more weeks after I moved in at the end of June 2015. It actually continued for 4 more months which meant that I and dozens of other residents had to park where we could find a space on the street. A few months after they finished the resurfacing work, they had to RE-DO it because the contractor they hired failed to properly seal the pavement. When I arrived ready to move in with the movers, the manager failed to show up to give me the keys. I had to track down the facilities person to let me in. When I entered my apartment I could tell they had done a lousy job of re-painting the place by the fact that they had touched up the living room walls with glossy paint instead of prevailing flat paint because they were either too lazy or incompetent to do the job properly. The bathroom was entirely original, dating back probably to the 1940s, with multiple cracks in the tile, a tub stopper that didn't work, and some antiquated vent in the ceiling that was caked with decades-old dirt and grime. The rule there must dictate that only one coat of paint is to be used on all walls and doors, and the paint must be the cheapest one available as it was always pealing off the doors. The biggest surprise on move-in day though was opening the closets in the bedroom and being hit by the pungent, unmistakeable, and disgusting smell of years of cat pee. Apparently, the prior tenant let their cat(s) use the closet floors as their litter box. I got the facilities guy, who in turn got the woman who sweeps and mops the building. They bleached and repainted the closet floors and put in new carpet the next day which made it tolerable. It's a very old building and the walls must have no insulation as I could hear my next-door-neighbor snoring every night, the guy playing bongos every morning 2 floors above me at 6am, and the screaming baby on the opposite side of my place who apparently must have somehow rented the apartment by itself since not once did anyone check to see what it was crying about, even after two hours. The boiler system broke down twice in 3 years and there was no way to control the temperature in the apartment aside from opening a rusty old vent in the bedroom or living room. As a result, it baked in the afternoons and was very cold in the mornings, year round. They also had the gall to split all of the utility fees evenly among all of the residents. The meant that I was subsidizing my upstairs neighbor who took 45-minute showers every day. When I moved in, my monthly utility bill was about $75/month. When I moved out it was $250. You also must pay for parking. The underground parking was $100/month. Uncovered parking was $50 - $75 months, depending on if you parked in a partially covered area or were completely exposed. The most recent manager took it upon himself to create a dog-washing area in the covered garage. This took up two parking spaces. Funny thing, in the last two years since he converted those spaces, the ONLY person I ever saw use the dog-washing area was that manager, and I'm sure he wasn't paying $200 a month extra for the privilege of hosing down his dog. About 2 years ago they replaced all of the windows with double-paned windows. The installers managed to permanently scratch and mark up my window sills in the process not once, but twice, because my brand new double-pane picture window cracked from the heat one week after they installed it. They also did not install screens on the windows that opened it was a matter of having either fresh air or an insect B&B if you dared to open a window. They are also constantly shutting off all water in the building whenever they have to replace another ancient, broken pipe that burst somewhere in the building. And they are very fond of 30-minute fire drills, complete with a very loud recorded message instructing everyone to leave the building that repeats every two minutes for the duration. They did update the lobby and brought it into the 21st century. The manager told me that they are remodeling all of the apartments whenever someone moves out. I know this is true because in my 3 years there, they were remodeling the unit above mine EVERY DAY. I assume it must resemble the Taj Mahal by now. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

I strongly DO NOT recommend. After our 1yr lease switched to month-to-month, Ryan Tower notified us of a 45% (approx. $1200/mo) rent increase. We negotiated them down to a 10% increase, only to receive a notice for an additional 40% rent increase the following month. Needless to say, we moved out. It has been over two months since we moved out and we still have not received our full security deposit. The itemized list we received for the security deposit did not match our financial records and contained an inflated utilities charge. Ryan Tower's willingness to force out good tenants for increased profit reflects how it regards its residents. In addition, it's inability to return our security deposit reflects management's incompetence and may indicate that their actions are in bad faith. Again, I strongly do not recommend. read more

I've lived here for 4 years and love it. I love watching the sunset from the roof deck. The location is perfect-just off of downtown, near 101, 92 and 280, CalTrain. The building staff are always professional; property is clean and quiet. read more

Ryan Tower by FPI Management - Sunset from Ryan Tower Roof Deck - Apartments Near Me - San Mateo, California

Avoid this place as if it was CONDEMNED... The company that manages it, (R.W. Zukin in Menlo Park, I believe?) also managed the building that I was in right down the street called "The Monterey"... BEAUTIFUL old building that's being TOTALLY neglected and under-maintained... All this while they consistently raise your rent every year, just because they can... That is, at least when the economy sucks and everybody's moving out of the homes they couldn't afford in the FIRST place... I really don't have much sympathy for these fools as THEY are the reason us Renter's who were RESONSIBLE and didn't spend beyond our means, that's why WE are having to pay so much damn rent to live in this area in the first place... Do NOT support these people at The Ryan Tower or The Monterey... I was told when I asked, "Why are you raising my rent when the windows in my bathroom won't open and my radiator in the guest bedroom has leaked and ruined the floor TWICE in one year?!" Their reply? "If you don't iike it, move out... I could rent that apartment to 10 other people in less than a week!" Nice... I wasn't even going to click on the stars to rate them, but let me tell you... If I could give them a NEGATIVE rating, I definitely would! Vote with your wallet, Yelpers... Vote with your wallet!!! read more

You guys be aware of this management company. They increase at least 15%(I saw 20%more case.) I paid 400 dollars more than the previous year. They charged garbage, water, eletronicity, it could be more than $200 other than rent fee. And the more problem is at when you leave the apartment. They normally ask you $800 for the deposit. Don't think you will get the amount of money when you leave. They will charge about $600 at least. We used the apartment super clean, so that was minimal. They charged for floor cleaning After charging cleaning service ($270). And one more thing to tell, They fired the old manager since she fought for tenant to prevent increase things. And new manger is 100% on ower's side. She doesn't have any generous no matter what you are doing good with her. She just follow their policy and grabbing money from tenant every single penny. read more

Nice place but lacking some amenities compared to other apartments. Staff is very friendly. Great customer service. Great rexeceprionist read more

My compliment: - Amazing, breath taking views from the 9th floor facing west. Very nice and bright. My complaints: - This is a 1940's style home, very small closets, very small kitchen for 1 bedroom. - The management started charging for every single utilities including parking fees. - Beware, don't even waste your time cleaning the place before you leave. I was charged full price for cleaning and a separate charge for floors, after I cleaned the place like move in condition. I even did a final walk-through worksheet with the onsite manager and received a cleaned report. read more

These people are highly unprofessional. I signed a lease and cancelled after 5 days because I had to relocate. They did not honor the contract that said that I will only be liable for a "Daily rent against the deposit". They did not refund me the remaining portion of the deposit and The management was super rude and asked me to go to court! I would not recommend leasing here. I'd give a 0 star if I could! read more

You have been warned, the absolute worst management. 7 months into lease, just getting things fixed. Great apartment, but the incompetence of caesar and his team is astonishing. To top it off not being managed, you will face retaliation for calling out these shortcomings. I never lived in a place where the people who work there, will take you stuff out of a washer, to put theirs in. I made a post deleted to be a bigger person, but after I deleted ( after receiving a combative message from Caesar), I had personal property ( gardening pots) taking form the Patio from cleaning staff. Asked for their return, no response. AT THE END OF THE DAY: your money can be spent on the many other apartments in the area. Will not renew, and may even break lease, with filing a claim. Look through these reviews FPI MANAGEMENT, clearly there is a problem. So repairs where made..after having to do everything We shouldn't have to do. Sad part is they left the door unlocked, for however long it took us to get home. We are missing a power strip, still misplanters, and they managed to knock door wall decor on the way out. This is really "luxury" at its best OMG THIS PLACE IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST read more

I have lived here for almost 6yrs and let me tell you....I Love It. It has it all beautiful views, safe parks, and a lively downtown area.The area is perfect 25mins away from SF. The apt is 5mins from the Caltrain, the 101, and HWY 92 along with being only 10 minuets from Milbrae Bart. The apt manager, Cesar, is kind, smart, and a cut above the rest. It is constantly improving with a spectacular roof terrace with gas grill and even a cute little doggy station to give your fur baby a bath. read more

We moved into Monterey Gardens (right next door to Ryan Tower) about a month ago. We stumbled across the property when we were house hunting and lucky for us, they had a perfect apartment for us. We saw a couple in Ryan Tower and were impressed, but decided on a little larger apartment in the neighboring property also owned by Ryan Tower management). The management is great to work with, they respond promptly and are helpful. The units are spacious, dog friendly, and also have extra storage units available for rent and covered parking. Signing lease agreements and moving in was super easy. read more

I've been living in Ryan Tower for about 9 months now and, coming from someone who moves often and has lived in a lot of rental properties, I can say this is a place that has surprised me in a positive way. In the past few months, the building has undergone major improvements. - Brand new huge double pane windows - New hallway carpeting and lighting - New design to the entry area and office - and there are plans for a new workout space, upgrades to the rooftop deck (another huge bonus to this place) and possibly bike storage. As far as apartments go the noise is minimal, the tenants are wonderfully friendly, and the team that keeps the place running are wonderful. Since Brendan took over as property manager it's a completely different Ryan Tower. Both he and Ricardo really care about the tenants. They're always available and go out of their ways to make living here a great experience. read more

Old, worn down building and units, built in the 50s with very little updating. The views, especially from the higher floors, are spectacular. Everything else was just so-so. We lived there for over a year. The management was fine but not terribly proactive. It changed a couple of months before we left, but the service level stayed about the same. One huge pro is that it is a dog friendly building and there were lots of friendly dog owners. The lawn in front is an easy dog walking area, as well as the block. The unit itself was very worn down. Parquet floors that were well past their time and buckling in places. The kitchen is TINY with only two upper cabinets and one lower. Everything worked, just very old and low quality. Same goes for the bathrooms that are clearly original. We had two bathrooms and the shower stall in one was so small that you couldn't turn around when in it. The owner proposed several changes while we were there, but none actually happened. These included replacing all the windows, which was sorely needed; improving the entry way - not sure why this was a priority; and adding a 'business center' - totally unnecessary. We were warned by building staff that despite how clean we left out apartment, we would be charged for cleaning and painting. Which we were to the tune of $715. We were in a time crunch when looking for apartments, with two pets, and this was the only place available. If you have more than two days to find an apartment, I strongly suggest you look elsewhere. Plenty of nicer looking buildings on 4th and 5th Street on the same block. read more

What apartment renting should be. My husband and our little pupper have lived in Ryan Tower for the past 3 years after moving from the east coast. Location: You simply can't beat the location! Ryan Tower is located a block from downtown San Mateo, with Burlingame and Hillsdale less than 10 minutes drive away, San Mateo is packed full of restaurants from brunch to pizza, amazing japanese food to delightful desserts, and every bubble tea shop you can think of. On the other side of Ryan Tower (away from downtown) is the quiet neighborhood of Hillsborough, which is great for walking your dog, and checking out beautiful old California style homes. Community: More than just neighbors. One of the few dog friendly buildings in San Mateo, Ryan Tower's residents are friendly, and easy going. Over the last 3 years, we've gone from just friendly hellos in the hallways, to long engaged conversations during one of the building's many social events (Halloween, Thanksgiving, July 4th etc). Neighbors hail from long time residents, to recently relocated from other states. This means that there's a ton of diversity, which is lovely. Apartment units: Clean and simple, with a great view Our apartment was a front facing unit, with a great view over the San Mateo roofs. With few other tall buildings in the area, our nearly floor to ceiling window offered daily sunrise and sunset views. Management: Not just a business The management crew here at Ryan Towers are all genuine, kind, and are literally your neighbors. I've seen the building manager check in on the more senior residents (especially during smoke/cooking alarms), and really show that they care. Despite the property being owned by a corporation, it really doesn't feel like it when you interact with the on-the-ground crew. I once dropped my keys down the elevator shaft, and instead of charging me an arm and a leg, they helped me get back into my apartment, and retrieved my keys w/o any hassle. read more

I've lived at ryan tower for many years. I loved living in this community. The events are fun and the staff is always willing to help out. I love that I can walk to down town in a few minutes, take the Caltrain to the city. read more

We toured with management and she was really professional and fantastic. We saw units in both communities The Monterey and Ryan Towers. Both units were super clean and had some really great modern touches even though the building is 1937 and 1950. There is a lot of horrible communities in the area that are the same price and brand new apartments will cost you about 500.00 more. This is a fantastic area, too. Feels like Bel-Air or Beverly Hills. I read other reviews and they seem to be people that do not understand a strong housing market. Rent, sadly, goes up in beautiful places. read more

I have been living at Ryan towers for 2 years. I love the location, this is a truly amazing and convenient place in the bay are to live also is safe and beautiful. the building itself is comfortable and have nice features to it but what I love the most is the people who lives here. I have excellent neighbors and the management team are like family. Cesar, Ricardo, Maria, Jorge and Carlos are always willing to help and do things right. Overall I would recommend this place and location of San Mateo to live. read more

I've been living here for over a year. There are a lot of great things about Ryan Tower. 1. Located right in the heart of San Mateo downtown. San Mateo downtown is up and coming. It has almost everything you would want. Restaurants, bars, movie theater, coffee shops, multiple gyms including 24 hours and Equinox and Soulcycle, biking trail, grocery shopping, banks. 2. Close to San Francisco airport ~10 mins drive 3. Safe and quiet area of San Mateo 4. Tech community with a bunch of startups and co-sharing offices including Hero City and Spaces. 5. Close to San Mateo DMV ~10 mins drive 6. ~5 mins walk from Central Park - live music during summer and great place for a family picnic 7. ~5 mins drive from highway 101 and US 92. 8. Yoga center is a 5 min walk 9. School of rock for music folks is a 5 min walk. Coming to the apartment itself, I have had nothing but a great experience so far. The neighbors are friendly. The office management is helpful and prompt. I have dealt with a few office managers over the past year and they have all been helpful with any maintenance and questions.Cesar and Ricardo have been great in particular. The apartment has a separate bike parking free of charge to park your bikes. It has a tiny but 24 hour accessible gym on the top floor and a bbq grill on the newly renovated roof top which is also accessible to residents anytime. The apartment hosts a neighbors social once in a while. The apartments itself are great and spacious. The only thing I was a bit disappointed about was the parking fees. But the city of San Mateo gives our 2 free parking passes to the residents of San Mateo free of charge. You can park your vehicle on the street in front of the apartment without any worry. Overall I have had no complaints about the apartment. I would recommend Ryan Tower to anyone. read more

I've been living here for about a year and so far I like it. I agree with some of the other reviews that the building is old, but this place is pet-friendly, a short walk from downtown, and has amazing people managing it. Although the units are old they are clean and spacious and in good, livable, and working condition. I haven't had any issues with anything not working properly. Cesar and the staff are super friendly, attentive, and responsive. Haven't had too many problems, but when there is one, Cesar takes care of them quickly. Cesar and the staff really do treat you like family. The staff here is what makes living here such a positive experience. I like that it's really quiet here - no issues with loud neighbors or upstair neighbors. There's quiet hours and people are generally respectful of that. There's a lot of units in this building but it doesn't feel dense. That was important to me when choosing a place to live. Overall, I've had a positive experience living here. Cesar and the staff are wonderful and no issues with my apartment that weren't resolved quickly. read more

We lived at Ryan Tower for two years and it was a wonderful experience beginning to end! The management was responsive, always there to assist and answer any questions and concerns! The area is wonderful and the building is clean and well kept. Their customer service is exceptional and we would have stayed here longer if it wasn't for an out of state move. The building itself is beautiful and the unit we had was spacious and charming! We were very well taken care of and would recommend renting from here to anyone! Jamie and Greg were absolutely wonderful property managers! read more

Quiet, central to everything, respectful neighbors, easy access to all the expressways and SFO, responsive and cheerful staff, I'm heading into my third year at Ryan Tower. Great place to live! read more

Apartments are very well kept and the staff is super helpful and accommodating. They made the moving in process so pain-free and easy. It's been an absolute pleasure to live here! read more

I enjoy living at Ryan Tower because I can walk to work and the downtown area. The convenience, for me, can't be beat. It's well kept and the management and staff are very helpful and friendly. Neighbors are nice too. It's a little on the expensive side, but I have the most amazing view from my apartment, including SF, if the air quality is right. read more

I love living at Ryan Tower! The hallways, lobby, elevators, grounds, garbage area, and parking lots are always super clean which makes it feel like I'm living in a hotel. The views are amazing, there is ample parking, and the kitchen bar is great. read more

well, my friend lives there with her 2 dogs, so i thought i would give them a call since we need a place for a few months until we find a house. a lady said 2bd/2ba is $1800 for month to month, so i thought 'perfect!' then i said we have a small dog. she said they stopped accepting pets a year ago. we have been looking around and $1800 for 2/2, month to month is cheap, so i got excited for a second! i know there are quite a few little dogs live there including my friend's dogs, so it would have been fun for my dog. oh, well. read more

I have lived at Ryan Tower for3 years and highly recommend this property if you are looking for city living with a strong sense of community! Kudos to Cesar who is dedicated to making every day a positive one for the tenants. He greets everyone, and is genuinely interested in your life. The building is always upgrading and evolving with the times. We have app run washers n dryers, valet trash pickup, onsite vending store, and an Amazon locker. Cesar creates wonderful community parties that brings tenants and local businesses together. To top it off, there is an offsite gym and a rooftop deck with views of downtown SF, the East Bay and the Peninsula. You can barbecue or just sit and relax. I recommend you visit for yourself! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent living at Ryan Tower. Cesar and the property's management were always very friendly and responsive to any questions or concerns. The building has been beautifully redone and updated and is well maintained. The rooftop area is a nice feature that the building has as well. Definitely recommend living here! read more

We knew after getting a tour from Cesar that this place was home. From the friendly team that works here to the delightful residents and they are super dog friendly so it was a done deal. I appreciate that they care about making their residents happy and that their response time is so quick for anything. The building smells amazing, the outside areas are clean and the elevators/lobby/hallways are spotless. Also the building has great views, there is no down side of living in this beautiful place. read more

If you are looking for a safe, clean and friendly place to rent than this is the place. The staff that works here is amazing.... the manager Cesar is awesome he knows what he is talking about it and always takes care of his residents. You can tell they have high standards because the building is always clean and well kept even the amazing roof top deck. Shout out to Ricardo and Maria the maintenance/cleaning crew they are always so quick to help with anything going on in the building. Also Maria carries dog treats for the dogs when she sees them in the building and I just feel like they always are going the extra mile in making sure everyone loves where we live. Dont really ever want to move. read more

I recently moved from Florida to the Bay area, so, needless to say, finding a large enough place for two people was a daunting task...until I toured Ryan Tower. This building features some unexpected perks like: valet trash, dog washing station, bicycle storage, breathtaking-views rooftop lounge & barbecue area, rooftop gym, laundry machines on EACH floor, and great complimentary coffee. Also, it's very important to note that we are presented with great managing skills from our main man behind the front desk: Cesar. He oversees all of the day-to-day operations and has a very keen eye to detail, which he never misses. Also, just by sitting in the lobby area, you can observe a great sense of community from everyone that passes by, from staff to residents. Now, moving to the basics of the apartment, by renting a 2x1 unit, I was surprised by how much I was able to fit in it, specially coming from a large house. The apartment has a lot of light coming from the windows (a total of 6 windows in my unit), which is way more than the average anywhere else. As a result, each room/space has its own source of natural light, which makes this place absolutely pleasant to live at. The parquet flooring insulates the high variation of temperature, typical of San Mateo, on top of being pleasant to the sight and sensitive feet. One interesting aspect about Ryan Tower is that, despite being built in the 50s, it boasts double-paned windows and remodeled bathrooms, among other attributes. In sum, living at Ryan Tower feels like the privilege of stepping into the best of San Mateo's historic architecture. read more