5550 S Dorchester - Chicago, Illinois

Kyler K.

The onsight staff are great.

However public ammenities that need replaced with new products (like our treadmills which have been broken for 7 months and cannot turn on) are ignored.

The management company has not responded to any emails on the subject nor addressed the issue despite numerous communications.

Whats the point of paying for a "premium" apartments with ammenities if those ammenities are broke (with no recourse) for literally the entire contract term?

Brian C.

Worst apartment ever. Unsafe, dirty, and overpriced. The building is poorly maintained. Management is unresponsive, and any repairs take weeks, if not months, to get addressed. Do not live here.

Ji-Eon K.

I feel compelled to share my honest thoughts about my previous apartment to help future tenants make informed decisions. Overall, I would rate this apartment one star due to several ongoing issues.

Security:
One of the most concerning aspects of our time in this apartment was the security situation. We experienced package theft multiple times, but unfortunately, the management never notified us of this recurring issue. To make matters worse, after the thief took down our security camera, it took them a staggering six months to reinstall it. Despite my persistent inquiries, the management's responses were consistently rude, and they never investigated the issue using the recorded videos.

Laundry:
Laundry became a never-ending saga during our stay here. The credit card payment system for the laundry machines malfunctioned for about a year, rendering them unusable. To compound the problem, nobody seemed to know how to obtain a charging card because the management office in the lobby was always empty. This left us with a major inconvenience and a laundry room that was essentially out of service.

Neighbor Noise:
For over three months, we endured incessant noise from our neighbors, and unfortunately, the management did not handle the situation properly. We sought an early lease termination without fees due to the unbearable noise, but they insisted on a hefty $5000 fee, making it nearly impossible for us to escape the situation.

Pest:
Despite the high-rise appearance of the building, the reality was quite different. We encountered roaches and centipedes regularly, and the management's solution was limited to a monthly checkup. Immediate pest control should have been the standard response, but it was never initiated.

Management Availability:
The management's availability was consistently disappointing. According to their homepage, their office hours were 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, but they rarely adhered to this schedule. Even before and after a management transition, when they did show up, they often left the office earlier than the posted time. Prior to the transition, one of the officers brought her loud child to work, creating a disruptive environment, and my emails went unanswered.

Despite these awful management experiences, I must commend the maintenance team for their dedication and hard work. In particular, Moses and Robert went above and beyond their roles. They not only addressed maintenance issues promptly but also took it upon themselves to show prospective tenants around the apartment on behalf of the management. Their assistance was invaluable during my stay, and I couldn't have endured two years in this apartment without them. They are undoubtedly the best part of this otherwise disappointing living situation.

Jie Z.

I strongly advise NOT choosing this property due to several significant issues:

1. Poor Management Response: The management team's responsiveness is inadequate, often ignoring emails and showing a lack of respect.
2. Insecure Package Room: Despite a 'luxury' lock room for packages, it's shared and not secure. I've lost five packages in three months, and the management disclaims responsibility.
3. Unfulfilled Promises: The promised reimbursement of my application fee as part of my second month's rent was delayed and required persistent follow-ups. I will never have it since I decided to move out early. Ironically, this is one of the reason I want to move out.
4. Charges for Unavailable Apartment: I was charged rent for days the apartment wasn't ready (Per the agreement). I noticed them of my late arrival, but I still paid the rent. I am not supposed to pay for the time the unit is not ready....
5. Pest Issues: Despite minimal cooking and food storage, I encountered pest problems.
6. Early Move-Out Penalties: I'm willing to pay the fee for moving out early, as per the agreement, but the management's failure to fulfill their promises remains unaddressed. In other words, when they made mistakes, they didn’t lose anything but as a tenant you will have a penalty. Think about it when you sign the lease.
7. Better Alternatives Available: In this university area, there are many more reliable and better-maintained properties.
8. Misleading Unit Size: The actual size of the unit was smaller than advertised, which I failed to verify before moving in. That’s my problem I should have double checked with them. You might want to double check if you want to move in and cannot visit the property in person.
9. Inadequate Laundry Facilities: For a 14-story building, having only 6 laundry machines is highly insufficient.

A POSITIVE note is the helpfulness of the building staff, who are considerate and efficient. However, considering the multitude of issues I've faced, I urge potential tenants to carefully reconsider before committing to this property.

Decision to Buy Out: Despite the unpleasant experiences encountered, I have decided to proceed with the buyout option and will bear the associated costs.

Credit Issue: The property management initially granted a credit of 1.5 months after repeated requests. However, this credit was retracted as soon as I confirmed my intention to buy out. I didn't get reimbursement for the days that the unit is not ready. This leads to several critical observations:

Broken Promise: The property management failed to honor their commitment to provide the credit.
Tenant Dissatisfaction: This action has significantly frustrated the tenant, compelling them to opt for moving out and incur the penalty for early termination.
Unequal Consequences: Despite the tenant agreeing to pay for early termination, primarily due to unprofessional management practices, the retraction of the promised credit results in no apparent loss or accountability on the part of the property management.
These points highlight the need for a more equitable and professional approach in managing tenant relations and property agreements.

Andrew K.

Charged me $2000 extra rent for the last month. Said they would resolve the issue, but has not been resolved for ten months. People in office continue to avoid my phone calls. This place is a scam.

Terrible apartment in general as well.

Nina R.

2024 Update: This is my very last year here. This place is awful no one is ever in the office, it's so nasty now not due to maintenance but the people they have allowed to move in. Wheni moved in I had an extensive background and credit check. The laundry room have went up to ridiculous amount the nerve of this disgusting place since they never work and the load machine doesn't either. They have stopped over $3000 worth of merchandise ans they don't care. Run....

2020 Newest update: So there is a new manager name Rachel she is the most rudest, ignorant, condescending, manager I've ever encountered in my life!!! She is nasty to everyone, she has an air that stinks up the Willis tower. Omg she does not listen to resolve only to respond while she is constantly interrupting you. Lamar has really went from worse to awful. I have not renewed my lease and will be moving in a few months. The talk of building is alot residents plan to move because they no longer know how to treat anyone. Get that lady out of the office and bring Amina back or someone like her.

*They replaced Amia which was the worst the could have ever did to replace her with the new manager. She is extremely rude, cold non responsive her children lounges all over the lobby and the up keep of the building and outside has since went down since she came on board. Amia would have nevered!! The grass looks dead even in the winter months Faye and and the rest of the team made it look beautiful. Oh this year we didnt even get a tree.

S L.

I put in an application for a studio many weeks ago. Their site is bugged and I cannot access the leasing portal. I sent them multiple emails asking for an update, and even called them multiple times but they seem to be avoiding my calls. It also seems the studio is no longer available. It seems as if they just took the hefty application fee and are now avoiding me without ever having even considered my application. Perhaps the unit was taken to begin with and they left it listed anyway as an application fee scam.

Steve

Do you want to live where water or heating issues happen on the regular? 5550 S Dorchester is the place to be! Never have I lived in a building that experiences water issues on such a constant basis. The building is not very old, which points to a possibility of an extremely low and cheap care given to the building. Perhaps the residents should collectively demand that the residents should get compensated a few hundred dollars for every time there is no hot water or no water at all. Then I suspect the management would internalize the cost of consistent water problems and actually make sure they don't happen on the regular.

Edit: The laundry machines were broken for weeks earlier this year. Avoid this building like the bubonic plague.