I toured 3 one-bedroom apartments in Portland, Maine. It made me want to give up my NYC apartment.

From a foosball table to arcade games, the room looked like a fun place for residents to hang out. Among its amenities, the building also had a gym and a designated mail area.

The apartment building boasted indoor and outdoor fitness rooms, a yoga room, grills, fire pits, and a lap pool for both leisurely swimming and exercise.

The one-bedroom apartment, which measured 719 square feet, had hardwood floors and large windows that let in ample natural light.

Pricing varies depending on a number of factors, such as when you apply, but this unit started at $2,625 a month when I viewed it in August 2024.

This apartment reminded me of a lot of luxury buildings I’ve toured over the years.

I liked the balance of clean, modern choices, such as the white walls and large square windows, softened by the wooden accents and dark countertops that gave it a bit more character.

From the outside, The Casco looked almost like a high-end hotel, due to its brick siding and modern marquee. It was also located in what I considered to be a prime location at the top of the Old Port neighborhood, which is close to the water and many of Portland’s buzziest shopping streets and restaurants.

I could walk from the building to the water in less than 15 minutes, giving it the authentic Portland feel I was craving.

The apartments were completed in 2023. The 18-story building is the tallest building without a steeple in the entire state and houses 261 units. There are only two other buildings in the state that are taller: Saint Joseph’s Church in Biddeford and Agora Grand Event Center in Lewiston, the Lewiston Sun Journal reported.

The first place I toured in the building was an equipped gym with treadmills, bikes, and other workout equipment.

In New York City, I pay about $30 a month for Blink Fitness, which I have to walk a mile to, so having a gym in my apartment building would be a major step up.

I could see views of the Old Port, the pier, and Casco Bay.

I liked how the cabinets were a simple white color, which made the space feel bigger and brighter. The kitchen came equipped with an oven, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, washer, and dryer.

While the view varies depending on the floor you live on, many apartments at The Casco supposedly had great views of the harbor and surrounding area.

The apartment was also a little bit cheaper, and I preferred the location. However, I still couldn’t get over the amenities of the first apartment building, from the pool to the outdoor courtyard and many, many coworking spaces.

I was excited to see how this more historic building would differ from the skyscraper-style buildings I previously toured.

This was just one of the unique touches I saw throughout the building. I was also told that, due to historical building preservation rules, the hospital could not be completely gut-renovated when it was turned into an apartment building.

This meant that most of the original structure and details were left behind.

Nightingale appeared to place a lot of focus on catering to remote workers, due to the many coworking spaces and the option of getting an apartment with a built-in home office.

As a remote worker myself, this was definitely appealing to me.

The deck had different seating areas and views of the West End neighborhood, which features historic buildings and quaint tree-lined streets.

The one-bedroom apartment I toured was 649 square feet and cost $2,550 a month. Unlike the other two apartments, the floors weren’t wooden and were more of a beige linoleum.

The first thing I noticed about the apartment was the 9-foot-tall ceilings.

In my current apartment, I keep all of my clothes on a standing clothing rack, so this would have been a major upgrade.

The Casco really impressed me with its cozy interiors and sweeping views of the water. I think it helped that the apartment was staged, but I still preferred the finishings and location compared to the other two buildings.

While I don’t have any plans to give up my New York City apartment, all three of these Portland apartments had me seriously considering leaving the Big Apple for the slightly slower-paced, seaside city.