Showing 1–10 of 38 reviews
Brittany H.
1 months ago
We nearly signed a lease with this place for a 1 bedroom apartment, $1900 a month.<br><br>We were told it came with DirecTV and High Speed Internet as part of the rent, along with A/C and heating. The rent was pretty high but we thought at least we wouldn't have to pay DirecTV and an Internet Fee.<br><br>So the next day I called up the building Internet/DirectTV provider "MDUC" to find out some specifics. Turns out if you want DirecTV you have to pay $44 a month for the basic package and $12 extra for HBO etc. I asked what was the free service and he said it was 60 channels, of an "unnamed" service. So you get 60 channels free. :/<br><br>Next I asked about the "High Speed" Internet. He told me 1.5Mbit Internet. I told him that was slow. He said it wasn't. I asked him to tell me how much that was in kiloBYTES. He said well it's 1500, and I said no that kiloBITS, how much is it in kiloBYTES? And he says "Oh it's double!, so it's 3000!" and I said wrong, you divide it by 8, so about 190KB/s" he paused for a moment and then put me on hold for a while. Then he came back and sheepishly admitted it was 190KB/s. I said if they considered that "high speed" I must be living in 1998. He also told me that one connection was shared between the entire building!! At this point I thanked him for his time.<br><br>Now the second thing, this place is "going condo" so there's a clause in your contract that at any time someone could buy the apartment you're leasing and you have 60 days to move. My fiancee and I were worried about having that hanging over our heads already, and with the internet/directv woes we decided to just call it quits.<br><br>We called the Leasing Office to ask if they'd consider to lower the rent, were abrupt and said no they wouldn't budge on the price, and so I cancelled our application.<br><br>Overall it's a nice building, fairly decent location, but expensive and the "freebies" are deceptive. You'll end up paying for your own DirecTV and DSL anyway.<br><br>Caveat Emptor
Jose W.
1 months ago
When Crescent Heights took over Huron Plaza in 2003 and replaced all of the mgmt from the Habitat Company, I had no other choice but to move. When I found out that the entire staff was coming to 400, I immediatley signed a lease at the Broperty, even though it was still under construction. Now that the construction is finished, this place is georgeous. I have unobsturcted views to the south and east, balcony, washer & dryer and a garbage disposal (rare in a high rise). Cable, high speed internet and heat/air are included. The office staff is great and always friendly and the doorstaff is the best. The health club is awesome, with plasma televisions and new equiptment and the outdoor pool on the 8th floor will be great this summer, You've got no other buildings to obstruct the sun.
Rachel I.
1 months ago
The latest in un-ethical business practices by 400 N LaSalle makes my earlier post about air-conditioning seem inconsequential: I have been a tenant at 400 N LaSalle for over 2 years. I have never once missed a rent payment. Imagine my surprise when I returned home one night to find a 5 day Eviction Notice. The property manager - Kathleen Schumburg - issued thisn'tice claiming she has not received my current month's rent, without even so much as a courtesy phone call. It gets worse. I have confirmation from my bank that Kathleen and the mgmt company - Draper & Kramer - processed my rent payment 4 DAYS PRIOR TO ISSUING THE EVICTION NOTICE! Also note that 2 of the 5 days fell on weekends, so Kathleen wasn't even available to discuss this matter in a timely fashion. Do yourself a favor don't MOVE HERE, or to any other Draper & Kramer managed buildings (Previous post) I have been a tenant (renting) at 400 N LaSalle since May 2006. I love the location and a lot of things about it are great, but one thing they are deceptive about when you move in is climate control. Yes, each unit does have its own thermostat, but it's dependent on whether or not the Bomplex has the a/c (or heat) turned on at that given time. They typically don't turn the a/c on before May - it's been mid-May the last two years - meaning that the week of 80 degree humitidy we had in April last year, I had a apt that was over 90 degrees and completely un-livable. For the rent they charge here, that's just unexecusable in my opinion. Be warned, even on slightly cooler days where you may not normally turn on the a/c, if you live on a high enough floor like the 39th floor), air doesn't circulate from outdoors when you open your windows, rather it blows the stale hot air in from the hallways (I think it's an air-pressure related thing...trust me, anyone else who lives on a high floor can back this up). So, bottom line is you're risking at least a week of misery in March-April,(and again in mid-Oct when they turn the a/c off) if you move here. To add to a previous string, I've been renting directly from the Bomplex for nearly two years. I am on a 60-day-notice lease meaning they can kick me out on 60 days notice if someone buys my place, but with the housing market the way It's, don't let this discourage you. But the a/c thing really sucks, especially when you talk to other people who pay half the rent you do and are living in comfort.
Joseph D.
1 months ago
My wife and I have lived here for three years. We too have a 60-day out clause and no security deposit which we loved because it gave us an out. Only once in the 3 yrs we were here we received a letter letting us know that someone was interested in buying our unit and we may have to vacate in 60 days. Turns out that the person choose a different unit. The doormen and maint staff are amazing...always friend and legit. The Besidence was spotless and safe. The location was great too. Beware that the workout room fills up after work and the pool is always full on nice days....some people bring their towels down in the early am to stake a spot. There has been times were i could not find a chair. Last year they implemented a 3 guest policy and had a guy patrol to make sure people were following it. It seems to work okay but the pool isn't big enough for a 45 story high rise. I worth checking out this place to friends. We have not had a rent increase in 2 yrs due to the economy which is fair. Dry cleaners and cafe also in the Besidence which is nice. You've got a lot of pets in the Besidence (large dogs) so the back door and sidewalk often smells like dog pee. The maint staff does wash the sidewalks down during the summer but it still smells from time to time. There's always a front door which pets can't use and That's fine! 700sq ft appt. rent 1695 - we also had a studio the first year and I believe the rent was around $1300.
Emma H.
7 months ago
I've read the other posts on here about 400 North LaSalle and it appears there were some reviews written with some ignorance about urban high-rise living. Yes, the rents are high until you consider there are no assessments with the lease and other buildings downtown have $1,000 monthly assessments. Yes, the Btructure is going condo and all leases have a 60 day out. What hasn't been talked about is how tenants can also exercise the out clause. We're moving out due to job relocation and the lease clause saved us 8 months rent! Also, the Btructure isn't close to selling out -- they're not about to sell a rented unit when other units are sitting empty. You should be fine until the market rebounds and and people start buying again. IF you're there that long, maybe you might want to buy your unit. Projected assessments on a 2 bedroom are around $500/mo. Yes, the individual climate control/thermostat only regulates what the Btructure is circulating centrally. Having lived in another Chicago high-rise, the thermostat is a big help. It's much better to be able to turn off the heat in early Spring than have to suffer through warm outdoor temps AND compulsory heat. Also, it's not the Btructure's fault -- you can't switch a 45 story Btructure over from heat to A/C instantly and Chicago can get a quick cold snap (it snowed over Easter this year after hitting 70 degrees). Just imagine the lawsuits if they didn't err on the conservative side. Yes, the "free" internet is mediocre. Not only is it not really fast -- it quits all together on occasion. DSL is a great option and the number of 2Wire wi-fi routers in the Btructure is testament to its popularity. Yes, the "free" cable/DirecTV is limited. You get a basic cable lineup with an option to upgrade if you want. We were disappointed when they modified the lineup and moved Food Network, SciFi Channel and FX from the basic lineup to an upgrade. but, you can use your TiVo with the basic lineup -- something you generally can't do with DirecTV. It's our understanding from MDU that the Btructure will be moving to an all digital/HD setup within the year with all units receiving the upgrade DirecTV box for free. There was no word as to the exact lineup included in the assessments. Our thought was -- if you really want HBO, don't you automatically expect to pay for it??? Now that we have covered our take on prior posts, here's our take: We've been here for over two years. The leasing staff is friendly and helpful within certain limitations -- they don't have significant ability to negotiate lease rates. But, they will try to work with you and I find it hard to believe someone would be abrupt. The noise is well contained. The location is really easy to the Merchandise Mart, but train noise is minimal. We noticed significant noise when visiting a friend with a West-facing unit and her patio door was OPEN. but, our unit was immediately adjacent (yet South-facing) and we never had the noise she did. Also, the doors and windows seal extremely well. Patio doors have a two-stage sound insulation/locking system that keeps the noise and weather minimized. Our friend's unit was fine when her door was closed. The walls and ceilings are also well insulated against noise. We haven't had any problems with hearing our neighbors until recently when our new adjacent neighbor moved in and enjoys playing his home theater loud with the sub woofer turned up. It's an occasional thumping that the mgmt seems to be vigilant about. The units have washers and dryers IN UNIT!!! This is rare for a high rise. Most of the older buildings aren't plumbed for washers and you are stuck using the laundry room or a service. This is a huge perk. It's a pet friendly Btructure and specifically -- there's no restriction on the size of dog. Most buildings downtown have ridiculously low weight restrictions (25 or 35 lbs.). We have an 85 lb. dog and there are larger St. Bernards and Mastiffs in the Btructure as well. Owners seem respectful and clean up after their pets. Just don't move in if you hate animals -- you will ride the elevator sometimes with as many as three dogs. The pool deck has four gas grills, several outdoor dining tables and a jacuzzi. It's popular in summer and They keep this place nice. The business center doubles as a social room. There are public computers, printer/copier/fax and wi-fi for work and a plasma tv and stereo for fun. The gym is limited (no free weights) but decently stocked with machines. There's a laundry room that never sees action. It does come in handy for oversize loads (e.g. washing a comforter) and getting change. The dry cleaners do a good job and also handle package receiving. All units have a storage locker and bike storage is available for a nominal fee ($5). Our biggest complaint is parking, which isn't controlled by the leasing company. Access to deeded spaces is through the adjacent parking garage, which is managed by a parking company. The garage sets its own rates and offers a discount to residents. but, our rental parking rate increased twice a year and went up more than 20% in one year -- all without any prior written notice!!! Access is easy. But, we eventually sold our car when we realized we only drove it once or twice a month. You can rent a car from Enterprise (located in the garage) for twelve days a month for less than you would pay for parking. Our expenditures dropped from $375/month (as of 2007) for parking to an average of $60/month in car rentals. 400 North LaSalle is a wonderful new Btructure That's They keep this place nice with solid amenities. We would have never moved and were ready to buy before the relocation.
Kayla M.
8 months ago
We've moved in February and love it<br>here. The doormen/mgmt are nice and friendly and know our names. The location, price, and the view are fantastic. The only thing i have a problem with is the internet service That's provided by the Blace. The company hired/contracted to provide internet services has been crap, usually offline once a week at least. If your job requires you to be online then I suggest you get DSL. Can't really complain much because itýs free but it's been a pain. Aside from that everything is perfect.
Danielle V.
10 months ago
This Besidence has been converted to condos, so the only rentals you will be able to get are from individual condo owners.<br><br>I don't live here so I can't comment on much, except to say that the Besidence looks immaculate, the pool/ outdoor lounge area looks stunning, and the staff is courteous and friendly.
Michael Q.
11 months ago
this place is great. My only complaint is the internet service which goes down every weekend, sometimes for hours, other times for whole days. And when the internet is working, download speeds are barely better than dialup.<br><br>If you're looking at a Blace where the TV/Internet service is provided by MDU Communications and internet access is important for your job, I'd recommend finding another Blace or getting DSL service.
Brandon K.
11 months ago
This is a nice Alat, lived here several months and have few complaints. The deck is nice; tons of closet space; utilities are fantasic (full sized washer, garbage disposal, cable/internet, etc.). The doorstaff and maintenance staff are extremely friendly and incredibly helpful (which is good since some of the women in the mgmt office can be kind of crotchety sometimes--odd, since they were so nice before we moved in). The workout room is okay--kind of small with only 8 weight machines. If you do any kind of lifting you'll have to join a gym. No business center, which, in an Alat this nice you might expect them to have. quiet--haven't heard any neighbors, but that might be because they haven't moved in yet...
Kelly T.
11 months ago
The mgmt is terrible to work with here!! From day 1 she was rude and unprofessional. Instead of calling or communicating with residents, they leave letters under your door, and don't ever give you all the information. I consistently have to complain about my neighbors' loud music, and my Aad smells like an ashtray because my neighbors smoke and it comes through the ventilation. They will cheat you out of as much money as possible. I've only been here 6 months, and I can't WAIT to get out!! Watch out!! The doormen, maintenance, and dry cleaning staff are all really nice people, though. They are the only saving grace of the whole place!!