Tenant Reviews for 443 W WRIGHTWOOD AVE

I think this is the only building were BJB Properties management which works here is so great. Location is awesome, park, lake, bus stops, everything is just few minutes away. Building is definitely old, but as are other buildings in Chicago. If something happens even in the middle of the night, they will send you an engineer to fix it which is awesome.

I have lived at two BJB properties and definitely love my home at 443 W Wrightwood. I have lived in this building going on four years. The building is well maintained and the staff is great! The Maintenance staff led by Hassan was always top notch and Bill at the door in the evenings always made you feel at ease even on the worst days. The new property manager Mike brought with him a new staff and picked up where one of the older managers "Mike" left off. If you want a hidden gem in the middle of lincoln park do not look any further.

I lived in a studio that was very charming and great space for 1 person. 443 Wrightwood has a huge "changing room" closet which may as well just be another room. This is where I put my vanity and dresser. And there was still space for my clothes, shoes, etc. I felt very safe here. The door man bill is very nice. Mike, a property manager, is super professional and quick to respond. For me, the location is awesome because it is right by express bus pick-ups and everything else there is to do in Chicago. Of course the kitchen is small because it is a studio, but it has all working, nice appliances. And there is still room to cook and prepare meals. I really miss my apartment here actually, and would've resigned every year. However, I got relocated for work and had to move :( Other than that, it is awesome. The rooftop is AMAZING, btw! Really made my weekend days in the summer when I could lay out, read, etc. A great place to watch the air and water show too.

I had numerous issues living in this place. The main 2 were a massive roach problem that took 6 months to finally eradicate, and the noise. You hear everything the neighbor above you is doing. It is like living in a drum so to speak. The hardwood flooring has absolutely no sound insulation. IF you live anywhere near the garbage shoot, you hear garbage falling down it. It is so loud you can't imagine. When neighbors open and shut their doors...extremely loud. The way the buildings hallways are constructed its like a resonance chamber. With that being said, the new manager has done a nice job. But theres only so much he can do. The building is nice and well maintained, but again...extremely noisy. And its not only me that thinks this...I've talked to a dozen or so tenants, and they all agree...way too noisy/loud. I am glad I no longer live there.

The overall management of the building is decent. Mike has done a good job, but there are some things that aren't easy to update because the building is so old. Certain fixtures can't be replaced (terrible full length mirrors on the back of the bathroom doors) because they are part of the original building. If someone has a party, you will definitely know about it because the walls are very thin. Parking is a nightmare. My biggest gripe is that you cannot get On Demand with your DirectTV even if you pay the $18/month for the HD-DVR. The building is apparently not wired for it. So, if you forget to record something or your DVR box breaks and needs to be replaced, you are SOL to view the programs you missed. I love On Demand so this is a major pain!

I absolutely loved living in my 1 bedroom apartment for a year here. It seems that they've eradicated the bug problem. I saw a bug once (kind of my fault considering I hadn't washed my dishes in an embarrassing amount of time), freaked, called maintenance, and they fixed the issue that day. Any problems I had with the place were fixed within 24 hours. The deal is great...never have to worry about fluctuating prices in utilities every month. I feel like the majority of the people that write reviews on here are ones that have had a negative experience. It's a shame because renters might be given misinformation by an angry minority. Alas!

I lived here for a year and it was aweful. On numerous occasions, I came home to find someone urinated on my living room and bathroom floor. It was clear that people were accessing my apartment when I was not home. Also, there were bugs everywhere. The halls stank and the carpet was dirty. Also, there were many stews in this building, pilots, etc who were wild and nasty. Some stews were great but if you want to live respectably, live somewhere else where class and cleanliness matter. There was also feces in the hallways, etc. Downtown Chicago has become such a disappointment overall. I will never live there again.

I think this is a great deal for the location. You are right next to the park--walking distance to Lincoln Park zoo and there are tons of shops and restaurants all over. I always felt they fixed things within 24 hours--if I had any issues--and I only saw one bug the entire time of being there. The doormen/women (in the day) are super friendly and the building has a beautiful and elaborate lobby. I had a beautiful view of downtown skyline, navy pier and lincoln park and I love the roof top deck in the summer time. The elevators are slow, the washer/dryers are horrible and they definitely need to put money into cleaning up the halls and for a paint job inside and out. Every building has its cons but all and all I had a wonderful experience living here. I was sad to go... but had to leave for a job transfer. Also, if you have a car--I strongly advise you buy a parking space since it is an issue in lincoln park. However, the transportation is fantastic in this neighborhood and you are super close to downtown. For anyone out of state like I was, and new to the area--pick Lincoln Park. Best neighborhood ever!

This was the first apartment I rented, so when I read some of these reviews last year, I must admit I felt a bit nervous. However, I've found that the door people are very helpful and friendly; they always buzz me in and know me personally. Granted, they do only stay in the building until 10 or 11 which does seem a bit ridiculous when it comes to security. My apartment was always warm, especially in the winter. They do not remove the window air conditioners, but mine must have been sealed pretty tight because there were moments when I was a bit hot even! In regards to the laundry room, it was a bit of a pain getting my clothes down there because it's like walking through a dungeon maze to get there, and the elevators take their sweet time. However, they worked 99% of the time, and I never had a problem getting a machine. For a studio, my closet was huge, my kitchen was small, and my main room was reasonable. When my light bulbs broke (2 in one day), the maintenance people came in while I was at work and everything was in proper order the next day by the time I came home. It was definitely livable, and all my New York friends thought it was a huge place. If I didn't want a one bedroom in a bit more of an upscale building, I'd consider renewing my lease next year. Plus, being next to Stockton and Cannon, I almost always found a parking spot...a rare occurrence in this neighborhood.

This is a great place to live!!! I just love my apartment and the management. The summers on the rooftop are the best!