My point is the building isn't really competitive with other high end residences - it just gets away with charging high pricing because everything in SF high pr

My point is the building isn't really competitive with other high end residences - it just gets away with charging high pricing because everything in SF high priced. Just because a bunch of high income earners live there doesn't mean it's competitive with other offerings, just like I wouldn't consider a Ford Fusion a luxury car just because Steve Ballmer drives one. Rather than contrasting it to living standards 30 years ago, it makes more sense to contrast it with living standards today in real estate markets that aren't insane. A comparable apartment to 38 Dolores, with similar amenities is Chicago's Jeff Jack apartments[1] which has much of the similar amenities at a fraction of the price (~$1,000/mo for 1bd) - still likely targeting yuppies but in a different tier than Chicago's high end offerings. However something like a building in Chicago's Gold Coast (which has pricing of around ~3,500/mo for bd) includes features that are in 181 Fremont - pool, lounges, concierge, dry cleaning and even larger floor plans than you would typically find [2]. Alternatively you could say that a lot of apartments in SF get away with charging luxury prices for what really should be standard fan-fare apartment because demand is so high. The GP mentioned more succinctly, a lot of units in SF are cheaply constructed building that are actually rented at luxury rates. [1] https://jeffjackapartments.com/building/ https://jeffjackapartments.com/building/ [2] https://www.twowestdelaware.com/amenities-and-features/ https://www.twowestdelaware.com/amenities-and-features/