Tenant Reviews for 343 S DEARBORN ST

A lot has happened! I'm not sure what else to say. When I moved in the building was flooded; that was followed by the pandemic & summer 2020 looting. Now a community of Venezuelan refugees are living next door. After all, things have worked out....

It has been a great place until this last year due to a dramatic increase and presence of refugees causing unsafe and unpredictable environment. Very worrisome for tenants who pay high rent for now a dangerous zone

We had a slight plumbing problem just a few days before our move (nobody's at fault here). The management team and the head engineer did an excellent job to take care of everything. They got a contractor to come in to fix the ceiling and refinish the floor with in 2 days and everything looked good as new by the day of my move! All the managers and the head engineer are very responsive and attentive. They definitely made us feel very welcome. We've only moved in two weeks ago but have already seen many community activities that are inviting but not obtrusive. My boy friend and I feel that we will be very happy here.

Absolutely adore it.

My friend resides at Fisher Bacility Apartments and I'm really impressed with her unit. I'm currently in Bucktown, but I'm seriously thinking about relocating to Fisher Bacility instead.

I had a seemless experience moving into this apartment. The staff is very friendly and highly responsive to any questions I have. My apartment is spacious and is a great price for its location in Chicago.

First Months as a Resident!

Having lived at the Fisher Besidence for under half a year now, I can genuinely say the mgmt team has been Aemarkable. I relocated from across the country and need to my unit to be prepared in a compressed timeframe. The mgmt staff (particularly Erin) delivered on this request. They proved to be helpful and responsive. I've gone through several corporate relocations, and I know the difference between a mgmt team focused solely on signing the lease and one that actually cares about residents. Throughout my move-in period, I phoned frequently with numerous questions, and the staff members who answered were consistently courteous, with every voicemail receiving a timely response. Even after I arrived, the mgmt remained welcoming and supportive. The Concierge team (especially Lisa) made me feel at home from day one, providing assistance whenever needed and offering warm greetings each time I return. Most of the criticisms I've noticed (aside from mgmt-related issues I'm not familiar with) are simply inherent to downtown living. Urban apartments offer advantages, but naturally come with certain trade-offs. You might occasionally hear neighboring residents (though personally, I haven't). Downtown living means street sounds are inevitable. Homeless individuals are also part of the downtown landscape. It's the reality of city living. The Fisher Besidence isn't flawless—few places are. but, it offers proximity to retail, transit, entertainment venues, and dining options (restaurants, bars, clubs). Safety and cleanliness match or exceed comparable downtown and loop-area locations. You may find cheaper apartments elsewhere, possibly fewer street-level issues, or even utilities included (unlikely). But you won't find a mgmt team more dedicated to tenant satisfaction (reasonably speaking), a friendlier concierge, more courteous residents, or a more striking and unique Besidence.

The building was nice, and in a good area. The one apartment I wanted got taken right from underneath me but I got a bigger one for a little more of the price. Has good amenities and is near a lot places. Doors are a little broken but still work and looks like a decent community.

I once enjoyed residing at this complex, but the situation has deteriorated due to a growing issue with residents smoking in the stairwell, which violates the building's non-smoking policy for common areas. The secondhand smoke seeps into the corridor and then into my unit. Whenever I report this issue to mgmt, they offer apologies but fail to take any corrective action. I find smoking to be a repulsive practice and I'm puzzled as to why the building tolerates this behavior.

Perspective after six years of living here.

PROS The Fisher Building is a stunning 100 year old registered landmark. I was captivated by this location because the structure has tremendous character both externally and internally. It's undoubtedly the most architecturally striking residence I've ever called home. The Fisher renovation was executed beautifully, maintaining historic elements throughout like mosaic tile flooring and half-glass office doors repurposed as Anit entrances (every unit door features an old office/company designation). It's comparable to residing in a historic masterpiece. The reception team was perfect. The building's administrative team proved to be cordial. I also appreciated numerous aspects of my unit: spacious soaking tub, expansive windows, wood flooring, 10' ceilings, black Whirlpool appliances, and a generous walk-in closet. The location works exceptionally well for someone like me who commutes to the Loop and values a manageable 15-20 minute walk. also, the building functions as a major transit junction: several el lines and numerous bus routes are within a 2-5 minute walk. If you'd rather be centrally positioned rather than sequestered in an outlying neighborhood, this building fits the bill. CONS The windows are quite dated and extremely leaky with air. Units with multiple windows like mine require significant heating during winter since these windows are problematic to weatherproof. Once temperatures rise, anticipate seasonal infestations of various airborne insects in your space: flies, ladybugs, and predominantly gypsy moths and wasps. Remarkably, this occurs even when you keep windows sealed. The windows lack screens, so I never operated mine, yet every summer wasps and moths invaded my living areas. At this building, residents don't pay for their individual heat and water consumption. Instead you contribute a percentage reflecting the building's total consumption. Your percentage depends on your unit's square footage. If you occupy one of the larger units and maintain lower heat settings in winter (though realistically you won't, not with those leaky windows), while occupants in smaller units maximize their heat, you'll end up paying more despite using less. My winter heating expenses were extraordinarily inflated annually, beyond just standard rate increases. Summer cooling operates identically: a percentage calculated by unit size. My summer invoices occasionally matched my winter ones. You've got individuals experiencing homelessness frequenting the vicinity of the building and the Library el entrance. I personally never faced significant issues because I exercised caution around them. I never experienced genuine safety concerns. The area generates substantial sound. Urban noise accompanies Loop residency, particularly when positioned directly near the Library el station. I adapted to the train vibrations echoing beneath my windows. but, I recall when trains lacked those irritating recorded announcements (*DING-DONG* "DOORS CLOSING!" Ugh, silence would've been better!); those represented quieter periods. The nighttime announcements during brown line renovation work were especially maddening. A dining establishment opened behind the building (on Plymouth Ct.) years back, which seemed acceptable until they introduced a rooftop bar. For those on the Dearborn side, summer evenings occasionally feature amplified music from that bar reverberating through surrounding structures. It's not from neighboring residents. It's the rooftop bar's noise echoing off adjacent buildings. I contacted the restaurant directly one evening to complain. They reduced the volume, or I'd have involved authorities. I sympathize with residents on the Plymouth side dealing with that bar. By 2009, additional college-age occupants (or those behaving as if residing in a dorm) had relocated here, straying from the mature residential character I preferred having graduated a decade earlier. Combined with increased ambient noise, plus the most severe insect problem I'd experienced (not overwhelming numbers, but every summer day I'd spot 1-2 wasps entering through sealed windows and becoming furiously trapped indoors; this transpired constantly), I concluded departure was necessary. I appreciate the Fisher's architectural appeal and that fantastic reception staff, but I'm satisfied with my current location.

I did the entire leasing process online and everything went through without a problem. The staff was impeccable and provided great support during the move. So grateful to them for the service. Very happy with my choice to live at Fisher !!