10 West Elm Apartments

Far and away the best apartment I’ve lived in in Chicago. The rent is incredibly well-​priced for the area and quality of units that we live in. This building is located in the heart of the Gold Coast, and is within walking distance from so many restaurants, bars, grocery stores and public transportation. It also happens to be the quietest building I’ve lived in at the same time.
Neighbors are kind and respectful. Management is extremely responsible – they are the very best in the business! I would highly recommend living here.

I moved in here on June of 2006 through 2011. I was very happy with the location and the management during my tenancy four years. This building has 18 floors, has a roof deck that I never utilized, and has two elevators for normal use, 1 freight elevator.
The management company seems to be family owned with a few other employees. The management company is meticulous with repairs and upkeep of the building. Service requests were attended to either the same day or within 2 business days. They do not respond to service requests on the weekend usually, unless it is an emergency. You can call the building owner on his cell phone for emergencies.
Upon signing the lease, you will be asked to sign an additional lease rider. The terms on the rider lease is very detailed, the first one being, no coming in drunk at all hours of the night. I had no problem signing this rider because the terms listed were common sense and remedial such as: only use dish-​washing liquid in the dishwasher; only use laundry detergent in the laundry machines; where to put garbage; etc. etc. I for one have gone out late with friends, come home a little tipsy and had no problems with any reprimands. I think the management company wants to make sure their building doesn’t turn into a frat or sorority party house.
Laundry:
There are two top load washers and two dryers on each floor. The washing machine costs $ 1.25 per load, the dryers cost $ 1.25 per load. The laundry rooms are tiny and locked, so you have to use your key. If the laundry machines on your floor are in use, you may go to other floors to wash your clothes.
Move-​in:
I moved in on a Saturday morning. You must reserve your move time. You are allowed two hours to reserve. There is no move-​in fee. There is a freight elevator to utilize your move.
Air-​conditioning:
Since I lived in a studio apartment, the management company installed and uninstalled their window unit A/​C every year. They provide this for free. So it is nice not having to buy a window unit. I prefer central A/​C, but for a studio the window unit worked great. Plus the window A/​C unit is in good condition and you don’t have to lift a finger.
Utilities:
Gas and heat are included. You have to pay electric, cable, Internet.
The noise level:
On Friday nights, Saturday nights, some Sunday nights and big sports game nights, there is a lot of noise. The noise of the rowdy partiers did travel up to the 9^th floor, loud and clear. Luckily I am a sound sleeper, but for those who are noise sensitive, I would proceed with caution. The building I think has good insulation so I had no problems with any neighbor’s noises either.
The neighbors:
The neighbors are mostly working professionals with no chidren. There are some students. The other tenants were respectful. Not a friendly environment, but not cold either; we just all keep to ourselves and mind our own business.
Move-​out:
The move out experience was good and bad. I had to break my lease 4 months in advance. The building management was very helpful in finding a new tenant so I could break my lease early without any penalty. The bad was the «move-​out checklist.» I spending 4 hours cleaning up and down my whole studio apartment. They still deducted about a $ 100 from my deposit for professional cleaning services because they said I didn’t do a good enough job. This is being said to a person where many people think I am a clean freak and borderline OCD.
Overall my experience was very good. The only complaint I have was the move-​out checklist which I thought was unfair. Why should I subsidize their professional cleaning services when it is protocol to get professional cleaning prior to any new tenants? True, I am not able to look at this issue objectively.

You won’t find a better deal than this building. The landlord is probably the best landlord as far as a business prospective goes. Is he picky? Yeah, its kind of annoying at how meticulous he is, but I realized why after I moved in. He makes you get shelf liner, etc for your apartment, but I noticed my apartment looked like it had never even been lived in before the day I moved in. It was awesome, which typically isn’t how it happens in the city of chicago in a vintage building.
Here are some general Pro’s and Con’s:
PROS:
(1) you have the landlord’s cell– he takes care of the problems ASAP
(2) building is very well maintained and always clean.
(3) no shady neighbors or tenants, I dont know how he manages to pull this off, but i have yet to see Mr. Shady McShaderton living next door to me, I see all nice people, which makes a difference.
(4) Awesome unique things about apartment– high ceilings, crown molding, hwd floors throughout, vinatge sconces, etc.
(5) the price
(6) location is UNREAL– next to all resturants, shopping, nightlife, grocery, pharmacy, transportation, mich ave, etc.
(7) the FLOORPLANs have amazing closet and storage space, and unheard of amount of living space. (I still feel selfish not offering my friends a place to crash bc my living room is huge)
CONS:
(1) older washer/​dryers in the laundry rooms (theres a room on every floor though, so i guess i will stop being lazy and test out the floor thats under or above me!)
(2) noise from dumpsters in the morning. I don’t really hear too much bar noise, just bottles and trash in the morning
(3) doorman isnt 24 hours, and the one that’s there at nights is kind of a joke. He doesn’t look legit, I think i’d rather not have him there at all and put the money Morrie pays him to give residents free cable/​internet or a package rate for the bldg
(4) mgmt office isnt open on weekends, so its hard to physically talk to Morrie face to face, or even anyone in there perhaps, but I guess I haven’t had too many issues so there’s no real need…
Overall, should you look at this building? Yeah. Should you live here? Definitely. The con’s are not even a big enough deal for me to say anything to mgmt about. The noise in the city is inevitable. No place is perfect, esp if you want a prime location, and an awesome apartment, you will HAVE to give up something. :)

Pros: Great location (right by 2 grocery stores, drugstore, Red Line and the bus lines), fantastic floor plan with lots of closet space. Quick and skilled maintenance.
Cons: Noise. It’s strange, I can’t hear anything next door but I can hear everything above me. I selected an apartment far away from the Hangge Uppe but the sacrifice is no sunlight and alley noise.
For me the best part of this building is the roof deck. The roof deck has an amazing view of the Hancock Center and Oak Street Beach. Somehow few people from the building seem to know it even exists.
Overall a great value for the Goldcoast area.