Tenant Reviews for 2933 N Sheridan Rd

I moved into my apartment about 6 months ago. I have lived in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview area for several years and this is by far my favorite apartment. The apartment is newly renovated and the location is ideal. I have had a few minor maintenance problems that have been resolved. A nice change that has occured since I moved in, is that the management office is now in the building. Everyone has been very helpful with questions I have had.

So many of the reviews for this place are obviously composed by the same disgruntled individual who experienced a change in management and an inconvenient building renovation. That's fine, since everyone is entitled to an opinion, but making 3-4 different negative reviews is going a bit overboard. Allow me to share an unbiased impression of 2933 three months into residence here. First, the initial impression when entering one of these units is largely positive. You have big windows with a decent view of the Lakeview area, a new kitchen with stainless steel appliances, shiny hardwood floors, and an open living room/kitchen design that allows full customization of the apartment. Also for one person, there is more than enough room. However, if you are shopping for an apartment and have options I suggest looking at every available unit to compare. Make sure you look around carefully and inspect the areas around the windows, check the ceilings for signs of water damage/cracks, etc. Don't be afraid to run the tub/shower and flush the toilet while you're at it, because chances are you will move into the apartment in the exact condition you viewed it. The management at 2933 is all about cutting corners, so if you seem satisfied with the unit and sign a contract, they will likely not clean it out or fix the small things before you move in unless you specifically ask them to, so be watchful and meticulous. Like the title of the review says, some people may have a bad experience with their apartment in that building while others can spend years there without a glitch. So please be careful and choose the right unit. This includes listening in the hallway for noise coming from other apartments. While the walls have a certain level of sound insulation, if you live next to consistently loud neighbors you will definitely hear them so take that into consideration. As for smoke, I have not had a single issue with smoke from my unit going to the hallway or other units and vice versa. The building itself is nothing special. The lobby is non-existant but I never understood why people care about the lobby. You have an apartment, shouldn't you be spending time there instead of the lobby? Anyway, there is a second floor deck that was recently built (illegally actually, Group Fox provides the court papers if you sign a contract stating this lol). It seems like it could be useful in the summer. On the same floor is the laundry area and the gym, which is small but useful. The laundry area is ok, but like any frequently used coin-op laundry facility, the machines will be weaker than normal so bring plenty of change. The area is great, lots of stores and bars within walking distance and running trails as well as the beach are just a block away. This leads to difficult parking situations if you're not using the building garage, which I have not utilized just yet. I may try it out and see if it is as bad as a couple of these reviews say. However, after a few minutes cruising the blocks you'll find something eventually. If you plan on walking or using the CTA then this won't be much of an issue. Now the real issue with this place is the management. One thing most of the reviews here have in common is how poor the quality of service is from Group Fox. The building manager (Lori) seems quite absent-minded and if you want something accomplished you will need to hound her via email and phone to get a response. They seem very pre-occupied with renovations and ways to improve the residence on the surface to get more money, and are very slow to take any positive action. As long as you don't need anything from Group Fox, you'll be fine. In conclusion, the location and the interior of the apartment is very nice but are the other issues worth committing a year of your life to? Well like I said, it depends on the individual experience. A problem-free apartment is a wonderful thing for anyone, but with Group Fox at the controls it's even nicer since you won't need to deal with them or the maintenance guy (thats right, one guy). The gym provides a convenient way to let off some stress, and the majority of the tenants are younger individuals who for the most part seem friendly, yet keep to themselves and their own groups. Be smart when looking at the units and make the decision for yourself.

It smells so bad, migrane bad in the apartment. Fox management is redoing some apartments in the building and they don't give you any notice of work to be done on your floor. Next thing you know it smells so bad in your apartment that you literally have to leave in order to breath fresh air. It's not healthy! Considering how much these apartments cost, I shouldn't be forced to leave my house because the apartment building is going through upgrades. I cant' wait to move.

I've read the reviews that say that the upgrades have improved this building and justify higher rent prices. That's like saying a dingy motel that sticks air-fresheners in each room and puts up a fancy sign can justify charging the same as the ritz-- it's still just a dingy motel. The upgrades are purely a facade. The flooring looks nice in the summer, but was improperly installed and shrinks with winter temperatures, leaving several inch-wide gaps in your floor (not fun to walk on and the gaps collect everything you sweep/mop). The cabinet doors have been replaced, but they're still the same tiny cabinets on the inside, complete with wobbly shelves. Prospective tenants should LOOK UP when inspecting a unit-- see all of those smooth areas on the ceiling?? Those are spackle patches of where the ceiling used to leak. I, wrongly, assumed this meant that the leak AND the ceiling was repaired, but much to my dismay, shortly after moving in, leaks sprung from the exact spots that had been previously repaired. When I called Jimmy, who only arrives after receiving 3 calls at a minimum, he demanded that I pay him $40 in cash for making him inspect my ceiling after 6pm. Can anyone define extortion for me? Shortly after arriving, he told me I had a leak and should contact someone to have it repaired. I'm guessing it was the water dripping from the crack in the ceiling that tipped him off, but he was entirely un-helpful. This is just one example of the temporary, cheap, fixes Group Fox employs to get tenants to rent the place before the underlying problems emerge. For almost a month, the front door card-swipe did not work, which wouldn't be a huge issue if Group Fox was willing to issue enough outside-keys for each roommate. My roommate and I had to begin coordinating who was going to return home first so one could let the other into the building. Jimmy knows about as much about construction as your average middle-aged man, which is fine for small tasks (like plunging a toilet), but when confronted with the serious lack of septic flow he's at a complete loss, and will blame the tenant rather than the improperly retro-fitted building. The various abspestos containing materials throughout the building are a complete HEALTH HAZARD. In fact, I was encouraged to hang shelves and pictures throughout my apartment by Arnell when signing my lease, but when doing so created an abspestos dust storm that is sure to mutate my cells. I regret ever signing legal documentation guaranteeing Group Fox an outrageous profit for 12 months, and will never do so again-- YOU DO NOT GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

I had a place at 2933 Sheridan the past year. I will mention some of the positives, then share my experience (and drawing upon the experience of several other residents as well). The short of it is this: stay as far away as you can. The building management (Group Fox) will screw you. DO NOT trust anything they say, especially ------------, unless you have it in writing. The upsides: the large windows, kitchen counters, etc. These are obvious if you visit. -----, guy who lives there and fixes things, is also OK. The downsides (from minor down to TERRIFYING): The laundry machines sometimes don't work, sometimes don't take your money, and sometimes flood. It's like a lottery - but not a fun one. And I can often set my clothes in warm water after using the machines (with no detergent) and wring the detergent from them; people use way too much. Group Fox uses some sort of cheap lacquer on the floors. It began peeling away immediately after we moved in. It continues to peel in any area with any amount of foot traffic, even since I quit wearing shoes in the apartment. The walls are thin. I hear all kinds of conversations in neighbors' apartments, even though my bedroom shares no wall (the rest of the apartment does). If someone smokes - and people smoke inside - that comes into our apartment as well. If you're not a smoker, don't move here. But the BIGGEST downside is management. The woman who worked the office when we moved in left or was fired. The current woman is incompetent. She has lied to us repeatedly, to the point where I cannot trust what she says unless it is written. I thought I was the only one with this problem, but then other residents have told me that they had the same issue. After I began having problems, people came up to me and mentioned that she had done this to them as well (my roommate had apparently talked to others in the building). I know of at least four other residents - in different units - who were also lied to. And in each case, the individual paid substantially more than they were supposed to; none of them has so far written a review here as far as I can tell. ---- is especially incompetent about parking issues. We had a spot we could not use while there - Group Fox employees and others would block our cars in so that we could not get out. Group Fox refused to do anything about it; they were in fact directing people to park where it would block other cars in (completely block them in). Last month I met a guy who was down in the garage on his birthday rather than celebrating because ---- had sold him a spot that was already taken. He was blocking us in (and nicely moved so that we could get out), and he was afraid that he might get towed or the neighbors would get upset because they could not get out. So, instead of going to the party his friends were throwing him, he was sitting in the parking garage. I dealt with a variety of Group Fox employees; the only one who seemed somewhat reasonable (though I never met him) was Paul Gioia. One employee, ----, came over and began shouting obscenities at me when I was told by the office girl that he was just coming over to give me information (he gave me no information at all). I've never been treated that way before by anyone in any professional context, ever. I hadn't raised my voice or done anything to him; we had never even met. I've lived in a variety of buildings over the years. Most were OK or even good. My last building was great as far as management went - and I paid a lot less to live there. But the management at 2933 is the most unprofessional, rude, and dishonest group of individuals I have ever encountered. NEVER deal with them except in writing. Once you're in the doors, Group Fox wants to squeeze every cent it can out of you, and some of the management employees will lie to you in order to do so. They're clever about it, too: after repeated inquiries I still could not ascertain who the manager was. Not until I threatened litigation could I get any sort of answers, and I still do not know who is in charge there. I am so grateful that I am in a new place. I wish I had never moved to 2933; I would have gladly stayed in my old place. No location is worth that much hassle. Avoid it if you have any alternatives whatsoever.

hi i looked at the 2933 sherridan appartments and liked the updates and the big windows which let tons of natural light. I have the option to choose between the 6th or the 10th floor. My initial choice was the 10th floor appartment, but haven't desided yet. Any insights on the building are highly appriciated?! cheaper parking around?! Thanks!

Great Value!! Clean, full of light, great area, people are nice, the gym is well kept - best I've seen in my search over about 20 locations.

I am thinking about renting here; the apartments look nice, although the doors are kind of cheap. Hallways and elevators were OK. However, I am wondering how much noise there is between apartments? Do you hear your neighbors? How about the people above you? The wood floors were a bit creaky. Are the people in the building loud or considerate? Any insight is appreciated!!

I found these reviews the day before i was set to sign my lease (in 2007) and was so worried that it might be a terrible place to live, but as i was now running out of time to find a place i signed and hoped for the best. honestly this place isn't bad at all. Actually i am usually talking about it to my friends and family and saying how nice it is. it might be a little on the expensive side, but i think that the building is really shaping up into something nice. the new gym is pretty cool, not huge but a nice option especially in the winter. I think that all buildings like this will have issues, maybe i am easy to please, but honestly this is a nice place to live. I would recommend it.

AND that gym is crap. All old stuff Group Fox got for free. Two of the three bikes are broken. They took away our storage lockers and the trash cans on each floor. They made these lame cosmetic changes and raised the rent 50 percent. The apartments are cold in the winter and you cannot turn up the heat. The water pressure varies from apt to apt. Mine was horrible. I had to shower at my gym every day. You have to be a dummy to stay there. I'm paying 945 a few blocks away and I have 4 storage lockers and a sundeck that has sun all day long and a pool and a sauna....