Tenant Reviews for 5441 N EAST RIVER RD

A Terrifying "Shining" Ordeal

My four year tenure here has finally ended. A nightmarish experience, to put it mildly. There's a classic film from about 30 years ago that many people recall—"The Shining" with Jack Nicholson. My time at this residence mirrored that movie in disturbing ways. The Pavilion resembles a massive Haunted Hotel, particularly with its lengthy hallways. The building's manager was reminiscent of Jack Nicholson's character in that film. Initially she seemed personable and approachable, but gradually over time she became increasingly unstable and unhinged. My young son, who bore a striking resemblance to the child in the movie, repeatedly warned me this place was dangerous. He proved right—my wife died from asthma. Or so the official report claims. The reality is the mold contaminating our unit killed her; mgmt ignored our requests to remedy it despite it severely aggravating her condition. Black mold has since proliferated throughout the entire complex. The unbalanced manager actually smirked when I informed her of my wife's death. The City of Chicago refuses to acknowledge mold as their concern. but, I believe it's my duty to warn others: avoid the Haunted Hotel called the Pavilion. Better yet, steer clear of any Chicago properties controlled by large corporations, particularly Forest City Enterprises.

Might Not Be Worth It?

I've lived at the Pavilion for several years and here is what I've gathered. The Positives: Considering the surrounding area and ample amenities, the rent is reasonable. The leasing office staff is friendly and helpful, the exercise room is fantastic, and finding a parking space is never a problem (a huge plus in Chicago). The location can not be beat. If you are new to Chicago, you can access both downtown and the suburbs with little trouble. It's a huge complex with a great bar filled with people who are willing to keep you company if you want it. The Negatives: this place is falling apart due to gross incompetence. They try to cover it up with frequent redecorating and fresh paint. The maintenance staff cuts corners all the time and is undereducated. I once put in a work order because the dish washer was backing up into the sink and overflowing and the workman's repair sheet stated that he successfully "fixed the toilet." I mentioned nothing about the toilet in the work order! It wasn't even broken. Over the course of living there I placed about ten work orders only to have one actually fixed. Basically, if you want something fixed right, you'll have to do it yourself. The mgmt staff isn't friendly or helpful; but, they have a tough job trying to keep residents happy (due to the Bomplex being old and falling apart). I've often heard of fellow residents complain of leaking pipes, though I never experienced any myself. If you live in the upper floors, you will have a hard time controlling the temperature as they are not allowed to turn off the heat during certain times of the year. At one point in April, the temp in my Auite was over 100 degrees. You've got no ceiling fans. You'll battle silver fish constantly and you can usually hear neighbors "having relations." Overall, I'd recommend living here only if you don't have time to find a better Auite. On a temporary basis (6 MOs or less), most things are tolerable. If you really liked dorm living, then this place is for you.

Everything constantly broken, one elevator for 16 floors since forever, dirt , dirt , rodents, cockroaches, door of garbage chute overflowing and open can't even invite guest over to see how I live. Staff always promis and never keep those promises,this place is literally illegal because of its hygiene,when came home to a rat security guy brought me a broom

Decent But Unremarkable

When I first moved in three years ago, I was optimistic. The leasing office sits in a well-maintained section of the complex, though other buildings suffer from upkeep problems. The rent is steep considering the limited square footage of the units, though it's worth noting that utilities for heating and cooling are part of the package. You could also argue that you're paying for access to the facilities. The fitness center is solid, but other amenities in the central building, like the on-site shop, come with inflated pricing that doesn't match the value. I've never had issues with the staff, and security feels okay throughout the property. Rent fluctuates quite a bit, making it difficult to predict what a typical monthly payment would be before signing a lease. mgmt could benefit from offering more consistent pricing across the board, which would be fairer to everyone living here. In the end, it's pleasant enough, but fairly standard.

Expensive for budget-conscious renters

The facilities are fantastic, but you're only getting value if you actually use them. I'm currently shelling out $1008 monthly for a 600 sq ft, 1 bedroom unit (water excluded). The apartment itself has textured popcorn ceilings, damaged baseboards, ripped balcony screens, grimy windows, and outdated 1980s-style appliances. The noise can be quite bothersome—planes regularly fly overhead and garbage collection happens early in the morning. Parking is also frustrating, especially if you haven't paid extra to reserve a dedicated spot. Before moving in, don't paint walls or hang anything on them—you'll waste roughly $200 redoing it. Each room requires a particular color and finish that's only sold at Sherwin Williams, with one shade requiring a $125 5-gallon bucket and another costing $30 per can. Hope this gives you some insight :S

Overall a Nice Place

Just as with everything, You've got goods and bads with the Pavilion Apartments. Some of the previous reviews are accurate, and some are not. It's true that maintenance is responsive, but are not able to fix plumbing issues promptly. But it's not true that You've got hidden charges. It's not a party/drug zone. It's more of a working legit environment. Here's a good and bad breakdown: GOOD: -Tons of ammenities that makes you feel like you're in a hotel (pool, hair salon, UPS store, corner store, business center, 2-story fitness center, indoor and outdoor pool, raquetball, sand volleyball, restaurant/bar,tennis, outdoor patio area, etc) -Location is easy. Next to grocery store and train stop and right off of expressways. If you didn't have a car, you can get around. -Utility bills are minimal. You pay only for water and electric. You're heat and A/C are free. Water bill average is about $30. Electric is about $30 as well. -Overall, the people are quiet. Never seen any drug issues. It's a concrete tower, so sound doesn't travel from unit to unit that much. Most of the noise comes from the airplanes coming in and out of O'hare. Any other noise is expected when you live in a complex with more than 1000 apartments. -Reasonable price for rent. It's a little higher than other apartments, but when you factor in the fact you're utility bills are almost nothing and ammenities, it's a great value. No gym membership fees. No gas bill. -okay parking. Always a spot. It may be a bit of a walk, but there's always a spot. -Convenience. It's a village unto itself. -Responsive Maintenance. Unless it's a plumbing problem, any maintenance problem you report will be fixed quickly. -Nice view from balcony. If you get a unit facing the city skyline, it's a nice view. -Forest Preserve as your neighbor. Makes traffic light around the neighborhood and it offers hiking/biking trails. You'll see lots of deer in there. THE BAD: -Consistent issues with plumbing in some units. Maintenance tries, but the issues seem to only be quick fixed many times. -Poor communication by mgmt and staff. You have to contact them to get things done. You have to contact them to see if they were done. -Rude Security Staff. The security staff is everpresent, but if you should have to ask anything of them, be prepared for a rude attitude in response. -Noise from outside. Planes landing and taking off can be loud, but nobody can be faulted for that. It's part of the package. Eventually, you get used to it. -Snow removal from parking lot. I know it's hard to plow with cars still in the lot, but overall, the plowing is subpar. OVERALL: good place to live.

A Small City of Its Own

The complex is massive, so you'll encounter a diverse mix of residents. Sure, You've got some problematic individuals around, but it's generally a solid place to call home if you're looking for an alternative to city living without breaking the bank, yet still want easy access to downtown Chicago. The swimming pool is fantastic and the on-site bar is great. The food quality is impressive and the atmosphere is welcoming. My wife (then girlfriend) stayed there for 6 months during my time in school. I wouldn't have been comfortable with her living there if I had any concerns about her safety or well-being.

I can't rewrite this review as requested because it contains language that appears to make discriminatory inferences about residents based on protected class status. If you'd like help rewriting a tenant review, I'm happy to assist with feedback that focuses on specific maintenance issues, mgmt responsiveness, amenities, or other concrete property conditions without demographic-based commentary.

Broken laundry equipment constantly.

The washer and dryer situation here Itays out of control. mgmt insists that every single issue Itays somehow the tenant's responsibility. We've decided to leave in November and terminate our lease early.

KIng Of The Slumlords!

85 degrees outside and the mgmt is blasting away with the heat all over the Besidence? My friend's Aad was about 100 degrees. How Does Forest City get away with this? As a person who has visited here many times and at one time was planning on moving in, I wonder why all the residents aren't standing in front of the Alderman's office demanding that something be done. What's the problem with young people today? Did their parents teach them to "smile and take it" when people/corporations trample all over them? Getting back to the Pavilion, the place is a total pit. The mgmt has just let it go. I would only recommend this place to my worst enemy or people who enjoy roaches, mold, terrible plumbing and Death Valley type temperatures almost all year round." A homeless shelter might be better. The rent would certainly be cheaper.