HÖME BITTERSWEET HÖME…read more Life in an Oak Park highrise is an expensive and occasionally infuriating affair, but it comes with the territory. I originally signed a lease with OPP way back in December 2013 for a 1-bedroom. The monthly rent (which began in the low $1,400's) rocketed up to the mid $1,800's in 2016. At that point I relocated to a lower floor in a studio unit (paid something like $1,300/month) where I lived until June 2018. The front office personnel have turned over a couple times, and the folks that run it now are a nice bunch (though not as cool as the group when I moved in 5 years ago). Thania C and Erin B have been professional and helpful when I've bugged them with various questions. Of course there have been some hiccups along the way, including a point when their automated payment system went tits-up. Being out of town when this happened, I got a few scary letters threatening eviction "if not paid in full with a cashier's check or money order within 48 hours", so that was lots of fun to come back home to. Initially they held monthly events for residents, but that gradually decreased to an almost seasonal basis. I will say that their summer barbecue held on the 7th floor roofdeck was awesome. Tons of catered food and plenty of booze made for a lovely sendoff. Unfortunately, there were numerous instances when I was left scratching my head. Times when the building's plumbing was shut down, times when the central air malfunctioned for days at a time, and times when the heating/hot water went kaputt. Over 5 years, this happened a lot. A. LOT. Perhaps the strangest single WTF moment came from a burst water main sometime in 2016. I returned home at around 1am to discover that the lobby ceiling was literally dripping. It was straight up raining indoors.....I thought I was trippin' on some bad peyote. * TL;DR * Despite the pervasive issues with water stoppages and the untimely lapses with their auto-payment system, I found the overall living experience okay. Oak Park Place isn't an old building, but the utilities have been iffy. Considering the relatively outrageous amount tenants pay for rent, those problems should NOT happen, and if they do, it should be infrequent. The $400 transfer fee to relocate within the building was kinda bogus, too. Aside from that, however, it's hard to beat the convenience of having Trader Joe's downstairs. That's a big plus in my book and one of the main reasons why I chose to keep renewing my lease. After a difficult period, it seems like the front office has settled in nicely. With prices virtually identical to Vantage and The Emerson, I wouldn't necessarily say that this is your best choice in the area (especially when the latter has a freakin' rooftop pool). It's a place to keep in mind, for sure, so consider Oak Park Place as a viable option for apartments.

Nothing but positive points regarding my experience living here. Everything was smooth, easy,…read morehelpful, functional. Of course they were some maintenance issues here and there but they were fixed promptly. The leasing staff is very amiable and responsive to whatever your needs are. Going to miss this place so much! Would highly recommend living here, especially if you want to be close to the city but don't want to pay abominable rent. City is straight down the highway about 20mins without traffic.

Size mattters and in an area of 650 sq ft 1 bedroom units 860 sq ft units is spacious. Most newer…read moreproperities have 9 foot ceiling heights while River West Lofts has 12 foot ceiling heights with large windows with panoramic views of downtown Chicago, and has a great outdoor deck area. Great Location.

*I did not live here*…read more I've personally experienced on three separate occasions violations of the Americans with Disabilities act. The security guard at the front has prevented entry of a service animal and the management office was very condescending requiring "paperwork" of disability. It's illegal to require paperwork or even ask what someone's disability is. They literally blocked the door with their bodies preventing access to the building and raised their voices while others were in the area. The man from the management office suggested to "take him to court" for his actions and later offered to "come into his office to discuss it further." What a JOKE. https://www.legalshield.com/blog/faqs-about-ada-and-service-dog-laws

Wow apparently I am living in a completely different building!…read moreI have nothing positive to say about this building at all. It is mostly a mixture of lowlife renters and a few of a hardworking people that lost all their investment when the units were auctioned off by the developer for next to nothing. Management has switched hands numerous times and unfortunately they were all pretty unreliable and useless. There have been no rules for the past two and a half years except for what whoever was in charge felt like enforcing at the moment. The parking lot looks awful and needs to be resealed and striped, the carpets are pet-urine stained, the ceilings leak in a number of units, the walls are paper thin, the freight trains are extremely loud, the parking spaces are too small, and the hallways smell of either smoke or cheap air freshner. Worst of all...nobody has respect for anyone else in the building. Good luck trying to find someone to hold a door, return a cart, or say "hello." People also leave the workout room shirtless and have stolen weights in the past. I am extremelely disappointed in the building, the people in it, and the neighborhood. The park is filthy, filled with trash, and dangerous. The constant partying in the park during the summer months leaves no parking in front of the building. I have seen men urinating on trees from my balcony window! I wish I could move but I can't. There is no resale value because the building has been run down to the ground and units auctioned off for a fraction of original prices. I am actually embarassed to say I live here. Buyer beware (if there even are any!)

I agree with you 100% Jennifer. Habitat developed a building, hired a horrible building manager,…read morethey put little effort in to sell units and just screwed over all the people who purchased prior to the auction. I understand the real estate market is slow but other builders put more effort to sell their current properties rather than give them away and create a bad name for themselves. Now that 20% of the building has been auctioned off, us the owners have to suffer. Try refinancing to take advantage of all-time low rates .......if you bought before the auction you will find out your unit is only worth 50% or less of what you paid. The values plummeted this low as a result of Habitat auctioning off 34 units, not because of the market conditions. Purchasing a home is the biggest investment of your life and nothing like getting kicked in the balls by Habitat auctioning off units for under $85,000. Sure anyone would give this place 5 stars if they bought it at the auction. You can't touch a modern property for under $85,000 with granite, stainless steal appliances, wood floors, etc.

I have lived in this building for two years, and it has been a nightmare. While my landlord has…read morebeen reasonable, the building itself is awful. There have been multiple mailbox and car break-ins, and the noise from the neighbors on the third floor is unbearable. The pervasive smell of weed from other units makes living here unpleasant. The association imposes ridiculous and excessive fees purely to enrich themselves. They charge a $300-$400 move-out fee for so-called "monitoring" services, but all they do is hang old moving curtains in the elevator. Additionally, they demand a $300 refundable fee for potential damages, further padding their pockets. During my time here, I have seen numerous move-ins and move-outs, and I have never seen the association actually assist with any of them. Living here has been a terrible experience, and I strongly advise against renting or buying in this building. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.

I rented for three years and loved living here.But on short notice was advised I had to buy or…read more move. This was very distressing as I didn't have enough time to really consider trying to buy and the price offered is not worth it for the area. Would have stayed if I didn't have to buy. Residents who had longer to decide and negotiate were more advantageous in making a decision. We were notified in late April of the takeover and my lease was up in September. While I was searching for an apartment, prospective buyers were constantly viewing my loft even on my move date. I could not stay longer as they were not going to renew my lease. I was a very good tenant, paid rent on time and was not given any extra consideration. Tenants who renewed their leases in April had the entire year to decide. Buy or forced to leave. Could not use your own lender.

DO NOT MOVE IN ANY OF THESE RESIDENCES!…read more They will act all nice and make many promises upon move in, but once you live there you and have signed a lease - you are treated terribly. The management is unprofessional and disorganized, as is evident in their constant turnover. The current manager, Sam Oshana, made vague statements regarding amenities when I signed my lease. When those have proven to be false and I inquired about further clarification and assistance, he has been extremely rude and volatile. He refused to give me the contact info of his boss and the website conveniently does not provide that info. So months later, I finally spoke to his boss, Robin - who laughed at me, told me I was a liar, and said that there was no one else I could speak to. Now I am seeking legal action to break this lease.

I'm sad to read about the previous review given to this property…read more I have been here for over two years now, and love it, and would not go anywhere else. The management and maintenance staff is incredible. They are completely respectful of your space and fix problems immediately. They are friendly and caring and do what they can to their abilities for the residents. I have never had a problem parking. I park on the street and may have to circle the block a few times, maybe once or twice a month. They have also worked out a deal with the lot located immediately behind the building, which has better rates than anywhere in the area. The apartments are well maintained. The building was once a box factory, so while most layouts are the same, the fixtures unit to unit and flooring may vary, but they are all in great condition. I live in the smallest unit, which has no ceiling fans or lighting fixtures in the rooms, but those I can purchase for cheap at the local Target. The pricing is a little high, but nothing compared to the area. The newer surrounding residences may have more amenities in their buildings, which usually equates to a small gym and roof deck. The buildings are usually filled with typical new construction problems or have lacking management. And as for the park across the street, it is not an official dog park. It is an abandoned lot that no one will build on. Several problems under the surface that would cause too much money to even warrant opening the ground. I wouldn't worry about it disappearing anytime soon. And as for the comment on city noise, you live three blocks from the Sears Tower. You live downtown, you get downtown noise. But the most I ever hear comes off the Metra tracks behind the building, and it's nothing. And I have never seen a bus parked outside the building. Not in the two years I have been living here. I am getting ready to start my third year, and I wouldn't plan on leaving anytime soon. Love it, love it, love it.

Worst experience I've had renting an apartment. The apartments are old and not worth the price. The…read moreparking lot in separate and you have to walk in the open to get there. The covered parking lot leaks. $175 for parking was a joke! The new management is horrible and rude. The gym was closed for more than 4 months and no compensation was given. There are much better apartments in Oak park for that price.

Lori was amazing, helped me and my girlfriend find her dream place. Her attitude was awesome and…read morevery bright in a very stressful time for us. Very excited for my gf to live here and see Lori again when I visit!

Wrote review 13 years ago and want to add this to initial review. I wished I could make this up.I…read morewent through hell living here., till a few owners got city state and federal people eyes on this mess .Don't want anyone else to experience what I went through. Was First time home buying and experience felt horrific, traumatizing Building in poor shape and should not have been approved for condo in 1999. People please be careful when buying Hoa ,putting your money with people you don't know!. You could find yourself in situation like mine;unsafe community,losing a lot of money and eventually your property!..Experienced problems early on with illicit smoke, car vandalism ,frequent water damage to my bathroom /unit about 4 months after moving in . Hoa refused to enter unit causing problem until I threatened to call 911. I used insurance and money out of my pocket to repair unit ,car damage.I was Laughed at, talked over and dismissed when I went to board meetings to complain about smoke property damage. When I informed them they will hear from attorney they called police tried to lie said I threatened.them! (Sic).. I wonder what they are hiding to be this lowdown and nasty??. Very large nasty disrespectful group of people living here:was never welcomed here,told didn't want me there always nasty comments, slander from group of owners. Approached ,targeted by "homeowners gang" saying didn't like me will petition me out.Never did anything to provoke attacks.I Building Poorly maintained,managed ;frequent turnover of property management companies,$500,000 .00 suddenly missing from Hoa bank account,kickback allegations,aforeclosures, delinquent assessments payments,7 years of special assessments;aloofness , frequent transient of residents,lack of neighbor community.( whew). Speaking with owners group reps who are shocked about my experiences;addressing ways to stop other owners from going through mess I had to experience.

I owned a studio here as an investment property for 20 years. The property management staff and…read moremaintenance staff were always helpful,polite and responsive. The current maintenance team is very friendly, polite and professional. The common areas have always been nicely updated and maintained. And then came TBG (The Building Group Mgmt), they are the worse. 1)They came up with a brilliant idea to charge all the grandfathered investor/owners a $500 annual fee to pay for postage and phone calls. These are low priced condos ranging from $60K-$165K. I have not even heard of half million dollar propertie owners being charged this amount and this does not include the move-in&out fee. 2)They scheduled the board meeting regarding this in between the association firing one managemnet and hiring them, therefore hardly any of the owners were aware that this meeting was taking place. 3) After they signed a parking agreement unbeknownst to me, with my tenant they put the charges on my account when he failed to pay them they tried to hold me financially responsible. The charges were finally removed after several calls and emails, 4) I made a mistake when setting up my automated HOA payments and was short $14, they let three months pass without a courteous phone call or mailed letter to inform me because as I was told, "it;s not our job". I then received a legal notice demanding possession or full payment including $75 for each month that I was $14 short and the legal fees. A $14 shortage turned into over a $1,200. 5) I emailed the board and TBG four times asking them to consider crediting me these charges, I received a one sentence response from the board president and nothing more after that. Approximately 10 people were recipients on those emails and no other replies or acknowledgement. I have served on the board where I resided and nothing like this would ever have happened there, I just sold my unit and happy not to ever have to deal with these people again.

I cannot believe some of the reviews on here. I have been living here for 2 years now. NO BUGS,…read moreMaintenance responds quickly, the office personal (ladies and maintenance guys are absolutely amazingly nice and very respectful). Maybe I am lucky but besides normal apartment living - I feel so blessed. My building is clean, does not smell, they clean once a week and do regular checkups in apartments for bugs, and smoke detectors. I am 65 years old and have my share of living in apartments for the last 40 years, here in DuPage and cook county. I will absolutely back this complex 100%. This is the best place I have ever lived in an apartment complex. CLEAN, BUG FREE AND RODENT FREE, and MOST IMPORTANTLY I FEEL SAFE AND SECURE HERE! Every time I have had a maintenance issue they have responded quickly and in a timely manner.... The ladies in the office and maintenance are very pleasant and professional. Don't believe everything you read or hear and come check it out yourself!!!

Great place to live. I put in a maintenance ticket, it was done with in 15 minutes. Thanksread more