Tenant Reviews for 941 W CARMEN AVE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. -------, the terrible building manager, will harass you at any given cost. Unless there is actually a problem (like the TONS of mold that exists in my unit, which I've been told is just "from water hitting the boards from a leak!" That....that means it's mold). They will throw wild accusations at you when you attempt to report a problem with another tenant. Actually let's go from the beginning: Before moving in, I signed my lease a month in advance. Gave them my rent and move in fees. Call a week before move in to get my keys, they told me that what they had on file was not valid and I needed to sign a lease before anything could happen. But they already deposited my money. And this was three weeks in the making. Why didn't I receive a call? They were conveniently only available on the day I had already set for move in. The situation was taken care of, after I had to call them multiple times. They eventually sent the maintenance guy (----) in. I wake up the day after moving in to a cockroach squirming all over my stuff. To be fair, they came in the next day. At this time, I was dealing with ------- instead of -------. She was helpful. I miss her. (------- left in March 2015 after almost being run over by another tenant for temporarily parking in his spot). The ground floor is swarming with large cockroaches. They sometimes crawl into the elevator or washing machines. There is an advertised workout room, which is actually just a breeding ground for mold and dirt. If you have old workout equipment that no longer works, they'll probably take it. March 2015, I get notified that there is a leak in my unit that someone will be coming to repair. I get home that day to a gigantic hole in my wall and floor. Again: there are cockroaches and mold in this building. I don't need to welcome them into my home. This process lasted over FOUR DAYS. I was given zero notice that it would be dragged out this long, I had to send them multiple emails before they told me that so and so would be here this day and the other would be here that day. Still being told I'm wrong about the VISIBLE MOLD ISSUE. April 2015: new neighbor begins knocking on my door at 10:30pm, yelling obscenities and accusing me of abusing my dog. LOL, NO. My dog is the most spoiled, loved, well taken care of rescue dog I've ever known. Email ------- and ---- (-------'s awful replacement). No response. Neighbor falsely calls Anti Cruelty Society on me. Notify building managers again. They responded with an accusatory and insulting response at 1am the next day. This response includes telling me that "multiple people have complained about the treatment of my dog." Except I had never heard of this. And again, I assure you my dog is the LAST dog you need to worry about (I come with tons of references from pet service professionals, as well as a phone filled with him, & a Facebook of stories about my dog). I have two more weeks left in this awful place. I'm counting down the minutes. AVOID AVOID AVOID. YOU WILL BE SORRY. The one star is for the location. It's by the lake and a gigantic park.

Disappointed in all of the following... Safety: strangers in and out at all hours Cleanliness: Mice and roaches, trash room overflows and smells into common areas. Maintenance: Things are slow to get fixed and then fixed poorly Overall feel: Run down, needs updating. Laundry room and "gym" are in terrible shape and need a major overhaul. Management: Unapproachable, absent, not very inviting or cordial, so focused on her other jobs that she does not fulfill her duties within the building.

I leased an apartment with Parc Paris last summer from July, 2011 through September, 2011, and absolutely loved it! Beautiful wood floors, high ceilings and nearly floor to ceiling windows. So much light! It was also surprisingly quiet and private. Close to a great grocery, three blocks from the El and beach - 10 minutes to downtown. I'd stay here again in a heartbeat! Thanks, Parc Paris! Lesley Lee Phoenix, Arizona

I don't know what it is about other people, disliking this place, but I'm not one of them. After living here a year,(still a tenant) I'm content, I've spoken to other tenants that have lived in this building for some time now (Over 5 years). Comparing Parc Paris to the other buildings like it (Vintage), within the same price range, Parc Paris is superior to those. It has it's mishaps, which I'll list down below, but again, for 600 bucks, what are you expecting to get? Other Places I've lived? Lakeview, East-Rogers Park, University Village/Little Italy. I'm a Human Resources Professional & Graphic Design Student Things I like? My bathroom is Huge; So is my closet; wood floors; location is great, near the 151(24hr), 147, 146, 136, 135, 134 & Between Argyle & Berwyn Red Line stop; I'm allowed pets for a fee, I don't have one, but the option IS there for dogs, cats are free; Parking, Which is right next door; People are rather friendly, there's a yearly social thing; Well secured, cameras everywhere on the ground floor; and it's Margate Park, rather safe, (even the bums don't cross Sheridan road); Laundry (a bit out-dated, but $1 to wash, and .75c isn't too bad); 2 Elevators for the lazies; Heat is included, so is cooking gas water; maintenance is ok; Debra (Landlady) is pleasant, Debra didn't renew the lease of a former tenant bc I may, or may not have complained about the dog smell in the hall... she also cracked down on lazy owners not cleaning up after their pets inside the building Dogs pee in the Park, not the Parc I think was her campaign slogan lol); there's a grab table in the laundry room for anyone wanting to get rid of things; Garbage room/Bike Room; the area has a Dominicks, Jewel-Osco, Walgreens, CVS, and 4 blocks from a shopping/eating district, and several blocks south of Wing Hoe (Great Chinese) & Tedino's (Italian) Things I find funny? Classical Music playing in the foyer; the French theme; the different themes that pop up for the major holidays; the so-called "Gym"; Things that annoy me? I saw critters, two, in fact in my apt, large water bugs (There's a difference between a roach and a water bug, they're distant cousins I think)(the building is old though, pre-WWI so, expected, but contained); Spontaneous area blackouts (every 3-6 months); The UPS people are kind of bad for this area (but there's someone you can go talk to in the building to ensure it that your things are delivered, I think Debra once saw my package, and placed near my apt door for me); the heat is building wide and not really controllable (even if you turn the knob on the radiator); it'll never be too hot, so invest in a blanket, some slippers and a robe; The dog barking can get out of hand sometimes (but I did have a tenant apologize about his dog's barking, even though his dog wasnt the one with the barking issue); the "gym" is a joke... (tho, I was the only person using it for sometime, so that was nice, but not really worth calling a gym, more so remnants of a once great gym pre-90's); the Center washer in the laundry room goes out a lot, horrible if your clothes are the ones in it when it decides to soak; hot in the summers if you don't have an air conditioner (I may be the only one without one, there's a fee); Bums on Argyle are scary (one walked behind me for the longest period of time on my way home, late at night, when I said no, i didn't have any money); The Maintenance man doesn't really communicate all that well, he was told to fix my stove, but didn't fix it, did put a battery in Smoke detector however (the one with the annoying beep); Fridge is a bit crappy; So is the kitchen, (New cabinets)(but i'm more happy i got a walk in closet with original built-in shelves)... I really wish I could think of more bad things so my review could be more balanced. There are probably other things I can't think of... Happy Renting!

------------- ---------------- are rude and care more about animals than people or the run down building in Uptown. Elevators are so unpredictable that a tv reporter did an expose on them. Hired maintenance crew (painter/plumber) have NO CLUE as to how to do either. Run away from Parc Paris To Anonymous Date: 05/17/2011 Wait, you lived here in 2002-2004 and you are now posting something about this building Thanks for being hidden. Like that's to be truseted. I just now came across Apartment review site: if I had seen or known about this then, ----------- wouldn't have been called nor ---- had nearly assulated me Grow a pair and say who you are

They cut holes into my bathroom and living space while I'm at work. They don't call to let me or my roommate know about it. They don't finish the job in one day. And they don't call to let you know they didn't finish the job today. I'm pretty afraid of the roaches that live in the wall. Luckily we move out in a week, but they couldnt wait until we left to do that? I don't recommend this place at all.

My job relocated me to Chicago 4 years ago and I really moved with in a week...The Management took all information to make my sight unseen move great...It's a clean vintage building with charm and warmth...Only a block from 2 of the best public transportation to the heart of Chicago...You can Take the Red Line train every few Minutes or the express bus down beautiful Lake Shore Drive to The Magnificent Mile ( Michigan Ave )and a brand new, still under construction Super Grocery Store a block away as well...Fast food and Mexican, Asia markets and restaurants all minutes from the door... And if you have a canine family member...This is the most dog friendly atmosphere anywhere...the neighbor is great...2 dog parks a block away, one is on the way to the lake...oh yea that's only 2 blocks away...a enclosed dog run in the big park ( the one on the way to the lake )and we even have a doggie beach within a short hike... I believe that if Chicago is where you need to be...Parc Paris is the home for you...I met some very nice people as I moved in and a good number of them are still here...it is a very quiet, secure building and a great home...

I currently live at this location and I disagree with any negative comments on the place. The manager is nice, and so are all of my neighbors. If there has been a time where I needed help (even the small things) the maintenance has been there within the hour. If I wasn't moving I would have stayed and renewed my lease and stayed in my vintage charm apartment. It has been wonderful being so close to the beach, and the dog park. I have a large dog and it was a challenge for me to find such a pet friendly community. I would recommend this for anyone to call home.

I lived in this building for four years the first time, then went away to school -- I was almost as reluctant to leave this building as I was to leave the city as a whole! When I graduated all I wanted to do was to come back home, to Uptown and to my old building! Very glad to be back. The place has a real soul. Yes, it isn't a shiny gut-rehab loft; instead of ripping out all the things that make the place beautiful and replacing them with cheap ugly modern c$#$p, the manager and her staff put forth the effort to keep as many of the original things in place as possible and as well maintained as they can. (Although my new apartment does have a brand-new beautiful kitchen -- you can't expect a stove or kitchen tiling to last forever! But my antique hardwood floor is still original and beautifully refinished.) The rent on studios has only gone up $100 in ten years, so don't expect your rent to suddenly skyrocket. The people who have a bug problem should probably clean their cupboards; I only get beetles if I forget and leave the screen up. All buildings in Chicago have bugs -- if you encourage them that's your own fault, and if you move you're just going to get them again. As for the neighborhood, hey, it's Uptown; it's beautiful and a little rough. If you can't deal with a city that acts like a city, there's no law saying you can't go live in Lincoln Park. Enjoy your creepy suburbanitish track lighting!

I'm surprised to hear that others are displeased w/this building. It's neat and clean, and the neighbors are friendly. As for people pan-handling in the neighborhood, well, yes, sometimes that happens on Sheridan or near the El. Please - it's the city. I like living here, it's close to restaurants, transportation, the Lake, and the rent is affordable. I love to see people taking their dogs for walks, people smile and say hello...I think it's a nice place to live.