477 WEST DEMING PLACE, Chicago, IL

Where to begin. We first looked at this apartment in May of 2017, it was the cheapest of the options that we looked at, not the best condition, but by far the best neighborhood. After a simple application process we were approved. Right away they asked for first months rent. It took me a couple days to gather this being right out of college I don't generally have that much extra cash on hand. The landlord hassled us for the money. Great start right? Not too long after we moved in we requested our name on the mail slot and the outside buzzer. Never happened. Not too long after that there were cockroaches! It felt like problem after problem. In addition to all these never ending problems the back of the building gets absolutely no sunlight. Don't be fooled by a middle of the day viewing. So a year passes - we agree to resign within the building but moving to a different unit maybe things will be better. The apartment never gets cleaned because the people before us moved out on the 1st and we had to be out of our current place that still had not been leased. There was water damage on the wall in the living space, the counter tops were destroyed as in they had no backing. We asked for them to be fixed and a different pattern was super glued on - is that a solution? Nope, but when we looked at the place the landlord promised new counter tops. We never got that in writing so go figure it was never done. In addition to that the water pressure was awful. It took almost 4 months for a new shower head to be put on. Also had asked for our name to be put on the mailbox and door buzzer in the new apartment, never happened. The bottom buzzer box actually broke so we were never able to use it. Fast forward to the end of the lease and our place is getting shown to future tenants. The backdoor gets left unlocked. Yup you read that right, all three locks as well - not just one ALL THREE. We are not given 24 hours noticed, most of the time same day and once the landlord even asked if I could show the apartment because I was home and people walked by. NOPE. We never missed a rent check, were never loud tenants, just asked for the simple things. I would never recommend for anyone to live here, not a friend, family member or one day my children. In addition There's no 'roof patio' each unit has a back door that leads to a small patio - the only floor that can really benefit is the third floor because the first and second floor are blocked by the floor above- remember no sunlight as well. The heat in the winter as well, be ready for a sauna or nothing. The knob on 2 of the vents in our apartment were/are broke. Asked multiple times for them to be fixed, nothing. Also, be careful of the gap between the tub and sink in the bathroom. Had an item fall down there once - ended up pulling out 7 contact cases, 5 tooth brushes, toothpaste and some other questionable items. The maintenance man, in addition isn'thing of that. He doesn't speak English therefor everything that needs to be done if you are in the unit's got to be translated on his phone. He smokes and the smell traces throughout the apartment after he leaves and doesn't take off his shoes, tracking mud and out right filth throughout the place. When we finally got a new shower head installed he wore his boots all over our bath mat, leaving clear outlined black footprints. DISGUSTING. Yelena the landlord, seems nice, at first. Then something goes wrong and she is unresponsive. unprofessional, generally only getting back to you when she needs something. The cherry on top. The apartment was never professionally cleaned by the landlord between tenants, so as a part of my nightly routine, I clean my feet with soap and warm water before getting into bed! Just delightful!

I have lived in this location for almost 5 years now and possibly a 6th. I have a 1BD 1BA on the second floor, and have been satisfied for the duration of my time at 477. mgmt of the location has steadily improved since the Bomplex was acquired by Deming Place Associates a few years back. There was a problem with roaches a few years ago but this was eradicated by extermination and additional concrete pouring/restructuring in the basement. They've also renovated the common areas, removing dated, old carpet, and refurbishing the stairwell to it's original hardwood. One could not ask for a better location. location-wise, it's minutes from everything in Lincoln Park, DePaul, nightlife, trains, and the beach is less than a mile away. Right at the end of the block is Lincoln Park and lake events such as Air Show, etc. are a breeze due to being able to walk there with no parking hassle in minutes. I have had several repairs done on the unit in a timely manner including a new sink faucet that was leaky. The rent has steadily increased over time, but has not severely outpaced accounting for inflation or general expected increases. Overall I this has been a awesome spot for me to spend my late 20's while saving for a home, and I worth checking out this listing to anyone. this place is full of diversity; people from everywhere, single, married, families, young professionals, etc.

I stayed at this apartment for a year in 2016-17 and loved it. The owner and staff were super-attentive to any maintenance issues and the place is in a location's amazing - right next to Lincoln Park, a mile from Wrigley, and a short bus or train to downtown and with grocery stores, shops, and restaurants all within walking distance. I would highly recommend for anyone looking to experience Chicago without all the crowded & loud hustle and bustle that can come with city living.

UGH! This has been my first place in Chicago and I'm SO pumped to be getting out in a month. Last summer we had a MASSIVE cockroach infestation that took forever to resolve. I was basically pestering the landlord constantly about when the pest control guy would show up. I came really close to filing a complaint with the city about it. Overall, just a really poorly constructed building. My unit happened to be one of the worst because it was boxed in by thick concrete walls from the adjacent medical clinic next door. That meant zero natural light and zero cell reception. You literally couldn't tell what time it was without a clock on you... it got kind of depressing being stuck in darkness all the time. Plus, there's no air conditioning, which wouldn't be so terrible if our windows opened onto the street. But since our windows face concrete walls, we got absolutely no ventilation. The summer months were completely unbearable. We couldn't even cool off in winter because those radiators were constantly blasting. Even when we turned them down, warmth from something downstairs kept coming up through our floor. I've had multiple soaps and creams that actually melted right out of their containers because the floor got so hot. The landlord advertized hardwood flooring, but it was actually fake tile made to look like hardwood (I missed this detail since I was relocating from out of state), and a "terrace" which was basically just a shadowy fire escape. The laundry area only has 2 washers for the whole building. One stopped working months back, and she hasn't replaced it. I've stopped worrying about it since I'm leaving soon. The building rented out a lower, street-facing unit to a fitness studio. They do a lot of heavy lifting and dropping. Regularly, we hear massive "crashes" from them throwing heavy barbells down. The whole building trembles and stuff has fallen off my shelves because of it. The landlord Yelena, who might just be the Russian-speaking liaison (honestly not sure), is incredibly dismissive and doesn't reply. When I was Apace hunting in this neighborhood last month, I made absolutely certain to steer clear of any listings she had. I was paying $775 monthly, which was a reasonable price for this location. So if you're in a bind, maybe it could work out. But honestly, I'd suggest looking for a better option elsewhere in the neighborhood.