Apartment Review for 14 West Elm - Chicago, IL

I lived at 14 west elm for 4 years, in a studio apartment overlooking Rush/State street triangle area. Positives: 1.Location - it is situated in a great area, I really liked my studio - got plenty of light and had great view. The best units are the studios 01, 02 units - the bigger units in the building get a view of the alleys! 2.Building staff (Sam, office manager) & doorman (Mike) - Sam the manager, is a good guy and will do his best to keep you happy. However, he does not have a lot of power, the owners just don't care and run the place on bare minimums. So unless upper management/corporate changes, the office managers can't really do much for you. Negatives: 1. Old building - in 4 years I lived there there was absolutely no improvements, and there was a great need for them in the common areas and actual apartment units. Elevators (only 2) are always breaking, on weekends it is impossible to get in the elevator because they are mostly used by people moving in/out. 3. Rent price - yes it is gold coast and the rent was not too bad but every year they would try to raise it. Yes sure you can raise rent, but not if you have made 0 improvements in 4 years! 4. Accounting/collection people - SUCK! Rent was due by 5th every month. One month I was out of the country and paid on the 6th instead of the 5th. $30 late fee - you would assume that after 4 years of living there, paying rent on time, they would waive the charges - NOPE. This TAMMY lady had the audacity to call me at work and try to collect the $30, when I asked to please waive the charges considering my record, she said no and threatened to send the account to collection (for $30). Results: lease was up in 2 months and I moved out, they offered me a free month rent etc to renew - NO THANKS, I was treated like trash over $30, when in 4 years living there I have spend over $40k in rent. Great job Tammy, keep your $30, I'm sure they are better than keeping a tenant, getting another, $12,000 for the year in your empty building! I stayed 4 years because of the location, didn't want to move and because I'm not a high maintenance type. I did have other friends in the neighborhood who lived in worst buildings. In retrospect I would have probably paid an extra $50 - $100/mo for a better building.