5222 S HARPER AVE, Chicago, IL

wish that I could post the pictures and videos of how my daughter is having to live in the apartment complex. No one should have to put up with bathroom sinks falling off the wall and kitchen sinks leaking and overflowing from water pouring out on its own!!! I advised my daughter to get a lawyer on these slum lords!!!!!

I lived in a studio on the 3rd floor at the back of the building for a year and a half when I was still a student. At the time, the Columbian had the cheapest studios in Hyde Park (building above 53rd St. Subway also had equally cheap studios, but I found those to be much crappier). I only paid $500 a month, and the next year the rent only increased 15 dollars. Julie the manager is extremely nice, and so is Sal. They were attentive to whatever needs I had (not many). It's true that they have a barking dog that may annoy the hell out of you from time to time, especially on the weekend mornings, but hey- you get what you pay for. I didn't like that my room had carpeting instead of wood either, but since it was newly installed I had no problem living with it. The fridge was new too which was also great, but the stove was really old and needed to be replaced but that didn't bother me, I wasn't trying to impress anyone with the place. I don't agree with the other reviewer about heat in the winter, it was plenty warm for me. A nice bonus of the building too is the rooftop, if you're fearless enough to walk up the somewhat suspect fire escape stairs to get to it. The view's gorgeous. Short walk up to 51st street too to get the #172 to campus. Magic Mart at the corner was great for late night booze runs. Walls are pretty thick too, and the neighbors also didn't bother me for anything, they were great people and good mix of locals and students.

The location is wonderful, but the barking dogs (including owned my Sal and Julie, the managers), the broken elevator (over a month) and the begging to turn on the heat in the winter make me NOT renew my lease.