Jonathan Cairone discovered Downtown Allentown when he was looking for a new home that was a short commute to his job at Brown & Brown Insurance. STRATA West offered all the luxury amenities he was looking for, as well as a lively city atmosphere. Keep reading to learn why Jonathan loves living in Downtown Allentown.
Name: Jonathan Cairone
Apartment Building: Strata West
Years/Months Lived at City Center Residential: 3 years
Instagram handle: @c_air_one
Why make Downtown Allentown home? STRATA is In the middle between my work office and Philadelphia/New Jersey where I have to commute a lot.
Are you a Lehigh Valley native? If not, what brought you to the Lehigh Valley? No, I grew up in Montgomery County, PA, and went to college in California. After that, I moved to Daytona Beach, FL to work for Brown & Brown (a national insurance firm) at their headquarters. I met with the leader of the Lehigh Valley office during a presentation and he felt I could be an asset to his office, so I made the move.
How did you hear about STRATA West? Was it through a friend or online? I found it online and was the only place I toured.
What’s your favorite memory so far since you’ve moved to Downtown Allentown? Beerfest being right outside your front door. I hope that comes back after the pandemic.
Why did you choose Downtown Allentown as opposed to other residential communities in the Lehigh Valley? It was most similar to the building/lifestyle I became accustomed to in Daytona Beach. Minus the weather and beach of course.
What was the deciding factor that made you choose STRATA West as your new home? It was a combination of having an easy commute for work, building features, and the ability to park my car and walk for most things I need once I’m home.
Describe your commute to work. My commute takes 18-22 minutes on Route 22 in the morning, but 20-45 mins depending on what time I leave to come home from the office and if I don’t stop to grab a drink after a rough day.
Compared to other places you’ve lived, what makes STRATA West unique? I’ve been fortunate to live in a lot of nice places, this is just another one of those nice places.
What’s your favorite memory so far since you’ve moved to Downtown Allentown? Beerfest being right outside your front door. I hope that comes back after the pandemic.
How did you meet other people in your residential community? Was it at a resident event or happy hour? Both, I’m a very social person being in sales and the self-proclaimed “Unofficial Mayor” of City Center Residential.
How did you make your apartment, home? Bought furniture and decorations with my sister and her wife’s guidance. They are both very talented and have great taste.
How would you describe your decorating style? I’ve got no style. A lot of the clothing I wear is very neutral, black, grey, white.
What’s your favorite amenity space? The business center. Toner is not cheap and having access to a free printer helps me be very productive for work in crunch time situations. Also, the lobby has some of the best staff members in the world who help me out fairly often.
When you have a friend visit, which restaurant or retailer do you take them to? Tacos Y Tequila since it’s a client of mine and I love to support my clients. I also think the spots in the Market are awesome.
What do you want other people to know about living in Downtown Allentown? When things are thriving it’s very fun. Also, if you are a golfer like me, you are within a 30 min drive of dozens of great courses.
