Lakeside Tower

PROS: •Some amazing views of the lake/the surrounding areas, at a rate significantly cheaper than an actual lakefront property. If you get a unit on the eastern side of the building you’re in for a treat. My own place has three windows that face north, but even then I can see the lake pretty well. •Apartments themselves are cute in a vintage sort of way. Not ultra-spacious, but nice. Having the bedroom be a separate room is also definitely a plus. I like to decorate my places in a sort of faux-1920s style and it works really well in this space. •Close to some pretty cool Uptown spots and not too far from the L. I’m writing this in the midst of the Great COVID Upheaval of 2020 so a lot of places nearby are sadly closed, but being right down the street from bars like The Green Mill, venues like the Aragon Ballroom, and restaurants like Lao Sze Chuan (best Chinese food in town!!!) is still pretty awesome. Plus the beach is about a 5-minute walk away. •Quite secure—both the front door and the elevators require FOB entry. •The laundry isn’t as bad as another user advertised, although I get the sense the machines they have in there were pretty new when I moved in this year so things may have changed. They work well and I’ve never had to worry about all the machines being taken. Little expensive ($2 per load) but I guess that’s Chicago for you. CONS: •The elevators. Ohhhhhh boy, those elevators. I honestly don’t mind them too much—I’ve lived overseas in places with jankier elevators—but other reviewers are right that they, uh, don’t exactly function super well. The one at the southern end of the building is fast, but occasionally goes to the wrong floor; the one at the northern end is SSSSSLLLLLOOOOOWWWWW and sometimes breaks. •If you have noisy neighbors, you may be in for a somewhat unpleasant time. I’m lucky enough to have a corner unit that borders only the elevator so folks to my side aren’t an issue, but when I first moved in the people above me were a little loud. Luckily I was able to talk them into keeping it down, but if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing beware. Or invest in some noise cancelling headphones. Then again, that’s often just apartment life…if you want total peace and quiet I’d recommend a condo or a house.

This place is such a trainwreck. I only gave it an extra star because my apartment itself was quite pleasant (and a 5 minute walk to the red line is nice too); the rest of the building is just a mess. Both elevators are a major hassle, and that's IF they work. You're usually better off just taking the stairs, but at your own risk--there are ALWAYS cockroaches in the lobby and stairwell. The units themselves are nice but could use a bit of a facelift. Just be mindful of what you say because you can hear people in other units and they can definitely hear you. Also the dryers don't always dry and are usually all taken or out of order. You're better off just going to a laundromat...or moving.

My biggest complaint about this building is the elevators. The main one breaks down frequently, stops on wrong floors, stops on the second floor even when no one presses the button, and the door is practically impossible if you are carrying a lot of things. The freight elevator also stops on the second floor for no reasons and gets stuck between floors. Often neither will work when it is hot out and management never puts notices on the elevator doors on each floor when they are being repaired. The only reason I haven't moved is that I love my apartment but if I knew how awful the elevators were before renting I would not have picked this building.

This is an adorable building that desperately needs to make some major updates that would benefit all residents.