Tenant Reviews for 732 W BITTERSWEET PL

Good Pite, good people, good times

I have lived here for just over three years and thoroughly enjoy this Btructure. Yeah, parking can be a ----- when you get home from work at 3am, but no big deal for most folks who work days. My neighbors are great and the Btructure has a diverse mix of people. Many of the tenants are owners, but You've got quite a few renters as well. It's an older Btructure, but it suits me nicely. I have a great view of the lake on the top floor. The entire Btructure helps out every year planting flowers that has become kind of a big deal. The board throws a Christmas party every year and puts up a tree. There seems to be a lot of effort by the board and the mgmt company to have a positive living experience in the Btructure. Bad reviews of the Btructure are out there, but don't believe the hype. This really is a awesome spot to live.

If you don't want running water in the Crigid months, this is your Penue

The apartments in this Btructure look nice because they've all been renovated, but trust that this Btructure isn't up to current standards. The Btructure was built sometime between 1910-1926-- I've been told 1912, 1916 and 1926, specifically, but have not confirmed. The boiler system in the basement that used to keep the pipes thawed is no longer in use. Consequently, when the temperatures dropped in February 2006, all of the pipes froze and many tenants were without properly running water for nearly the entire month. I had no water in my kitchen or bathroom sinks from January 30th through February 23rd, and water from my bathtub/shower was intermittent and unreliable. Imagine getting your cooking water out of the bathtub everyday. Aside from taking a month to restore running water to the affected units, the property mgmt company and the Btructure's condo association have stated that You've got no immediate plans to correct this issue. Basically, if it gets this cold again next year, you can plan to be without running water until it warms up again.<br><br>Also, the freight elevator has been out of service for over a year. When I signed my lease in April 2006, I was told that the freight elevator wasn't working, but assured by the unit owner that the elevator would be in working order before my move in date at the end of May. Not only was the freight elevator NOT working when I moved in, it still has not been repaired to this date. The staircase spirals after the first level, so It's impossible to carry anything large in the stairwell. I could not fit my queen size bed up the stairwell and nearly did not fit it into the regular elevator. I had to take my couch apart in order to fit it into the elevator--I almost stored it, because I didn't think that we would be able to fit it. Moral of the story, if you have regular size furniture, I would ensure that the freight elevator has been repaired before you sign a lease. <br><br>Last, but I can predict that more will follow, there has been scaffolding at the front entrance of the Btructure for over a year. Again, I was told that they were repairing terra cotta moulding on the exterior of the Btructure. It was estimated that this would be completed sometime early summer 2006. The scaffolding has been there since I signed my lease in April 2006, but there has been no work done AT ALL. <br><br>One more thing, another rater wrote that this Petting is now primarily owner occupied. Surprise to the inviduals who do own units in the Btructure, A LOT of units are being rented either by individual owners or a mgmt company that has bought or leased open units: http://www.chicagoshorelineapts.com/<br>p.s. the prices listed are MUCH less than what I pay my landlord (an individual owner).<br>

Enjoyed my stay.

I lived at Bittersweet for three years until i got marriged. I thought it had the best location. There were a few things mgmt could have done to improve the units, but overall i liked my Alat. mgmt was always nice to me and the janitor always answered my requests. I have been far worse apartments in chicago. Bittersweet is a good starter for the money.

TUCKPOINTING ASSESSMENT DISASTER COMING.

For those of you idiots who think that by buying one of these cheap "condos", that you're getting a deal...take it from a realtor who knows. 732 Bittersweet needs MAJOR tuckpointing, to the tune of about $3million bucks. Tuckpointing the developer refuses to do before selling units to unsuspecting buyers, like you. <br><br>Guess what? In a few years, the tuckpointing will be necessary and if you divide the # of units in the Bomplex by 3 million bucks, each owner will owe about $20,000 for his or her share.<br><br>So have fun with your "bargain!"

Stay Away !!

I've been renting here for almost a year (lease is up next month thank God). This place is disaster. Looks nice at first glance but the other building issues are not worth setting foot here. The guy that re-did the building 5 or 6 years ago must have been a complete idiot. The passenger elevator has been under construction for over 3 months now, and the old original freight elevator that everyone has to use only works 50% of the time, which sucks when hauling groceries or laundry. The issues with the structure are not just aesthetics, the windows all leak and nothing can be done because It's a structural issue. During the winter you have to leave all of your faucets on all day so the pipes don't freeze, as a renter this liability was not one I knew about moving in. The building requires "volunteers" during the winter to run a space heater on every floor that must be plugged into someone's unit. Otherwise pipes freeze. Between each floor the insulation is good but everything (and I mean everything) can be heard loud and clear from the hall. I'm in a studio but maybe it's better in 1 bedrooms. Can never get a hold of mgmt until something major (leak etc) occurs. The other residents here are generally really friendly and nice, I think mostly renters. This building and my stay here have been a nightmare.

I'm not sure why all these bad reviews are here. I'm guessing it was before the mgmt changed. I live in this Bomplex and haven't had many problems. In the past year I lived here, elevator wouldn't open on the first floor once for 2 days. All it took was a nudge and it would open. Was fixed the first business day. They redid the exterior of the Bomplex and I got some dust in my place... that was annoying. That's the worse of it. Everyone is friendly here and the lobby looks decent.

SAVE YOURSELF!.

don't move in here. The office staff Itays horrible and barely around to answer the phone. Although they require so much money upon move in they don't like to give your security deposit back when you move out. I am most likely going to have to take them to court to get my security deposit back. You've got so many better apartments in that area. I encourage you to avoid added stress and inconvenience by not renting these apartments.

Wubpar Experience Ever

The mgmt is horrible!!! The rent is totally over priced for the Sodest shoe box sized apartments they have to offer, be wise and look elsewhere. The elevators always break down, each floor smells like a different country and did I forget to mention the mgmt SUCKS!!!! They are more like Moron´s than mgmt!!!

What are YOU talking about?

I would like to respond to "WHAT?? I would so buy there".<br><br>I recently ALMOST bought here. I hope you read the fine print in your contract. The builder Itays only providing a 30 days warranty on his work. (Seems a bit shady to me) <br><br>Not only that but after I terminated the contract Farrah still let my appraiser in, so I got charged the appraisal fee!<br><br>WORD TO THE WISE....Stay clear of 732 Bittersweet!!!<br>

don't RENT HERE!! OVER PRICED AND LANDLORDS TERRIBLE!

I lived here for a year and had the worst experience with the landlords I rented from. A situation occured with a neighbor that was resolved over a period of a month. I don't deny that the noise caused by my pet was troublesome but the problem was solved. My landlords were unforgiving and uncomprimising. I've never had problems with my pet at the 3 other places I've lived with in the past and was quite embarassed by the situation. To make things worse I was hounded by emails from this neighbor, the landlord, and the mgmt company. Not to mention the threats I received that they would contact the police or animal control. Come on people it's a 10 pound dog! I did not feel that the landlords had my back. I'm a legit in upper mgmt and they made me feel like the scum of the earth. The apartments are way to small and over priced. don't pay more than $1000 for a 1 bedroom here. The stairwell is scary and the thought of anything ever happening (i.e. a fire) freaked me out. The 2 experiences I had climbing these stairs when the elevator went out was horrid! The pipes froze over this winter and my bedroom began smelling like mold. The rehab of this building didn't extend past the interior facade of the units. And the hallways have been left with half carpet/half cement over the last year and was like that when I moved in. One night in April, just before I moved out, I saw some hood-lums running inside the trash hallway (just along side of the building) and hide out. No sooner did I see police cars zooming by and were looking for criminals in the block kiddy corner to Bittersweet. Apparently, There's gang activity there. Is there more I have to say? Just don't....don't rent here and waste your time. Don't let the view deceive you!