The Standard @ East Library Apartamentos

I lived at the Standard for the last year (left recently because I only planned to be in the area for a year) and had a chance to see the old management that the previous reviews mention and the new management that came in. And the commentary on the old manager was justified.

The new manager though, Linda, made immediate changes to improve the lives of residents as soon as she took the job. I noticed more cleaning, fresher hallways, better care for community tools, common areas and safety. One... of her first acts was repainting the entryway and replacing the main door with a new, more secure one and she's only been there a few months.

Basically, she's actually taking care of the property and the residents. You can tell she loves her job, working with people and keeping things orderly.

Always looks professional, keeps set times and schedules, and is willing to help you with whatever she can. The owners made the right decision hiring her.

As for the rest of my experience, the residents are nice, some are more social than others. Many seem to never pick up their packages, but on the plus side it means they're also not getting stolen. Walls were thick, at least for me, and I basically never heard my neighbors unless I was in the common hallways. Apartments are in good shape, as they should be given the age of the property. Great insulation! I had a whole wall of windows in my apartment and still only turned the heat on like twice during the winter.

In short, it's a nice place, on the rise and have a feeling it's only going to continue getting better with the new manager there. Lee mas

Even if you don’t have a pet, ask to see the pet station. The area around the pet station will give you an idea of both the type of neighbors and property management you’ll be renting with.

The thin walls and floors are perfect for letting you know what your neighbors are doing at all hours. The fixtures and finishes are of the poorest quality. Inadequate cabinetry and low-grade appliances render the kitchen frustrating for actual cookery. The current on-site manager is just the latest in a string of petty and unprofessional individuals (IMHO) who clearly view tenants as underlings rather than as valued customers. On the upside, the building is reasonably secure, and they have a... good maintenance man. But together with a shockingly inadequate response to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s no great mystery why 35 of the 99 units are vacant as of October 2020. And we’ll be joining that exodus when our current lease expires next June. Lee mas

We stayed at the Standard for 15 months -the rooms are pretty decent and building fairly new and it's a great location. The on-site staff is good especially maintenance, but the office hours are spotty. Lots of front office turn-over. The issue is the disconnect between renters/on-site staff and the management group which is typical aloof, nickel and dimers. I had a medical condition and they were supposed to put in a safety bar in the shower but gave me the run-around. We extended our lease and... then ended up buying a condo - happy to pay the rent per the lease but the parking and storage were not part of the original lease - they rolled it into the extension and forced us to pay for an empty parking spot and storage unit which again were originally optional add-ons - no flexibility, dialogue, compassion or common sense - just by-the-book invisible management company counting its pennies. They are probably all the same but wouldn't recommend The Standard at the high rents given poor management.

Another tip - if you do rent do not take a room near Vittucci's across the street - it's very loud late night in the summer! Lee mas

Location is the thing here. It's near bus routes, there decent eateries and Whole Foods in walking distance, and the library is literally right downstairs.

Fixtures, finishes, and cabinetry are low-quality given the rent. Particleboard, plastic laminates, and sheet vinyl are the rule.

If you cook, there's nowhere near enough storage for food, dishes, and cookware; extended stay hotels have more cabinet space. And the cheap dishwasher is too noisy to run while you're in the room.

The... heating/AC is extremely noisy, and low-efficiency. Between it, the cheap windows, and what seems like minimal insulation, we average $175 to heat less than ~1,100 SF in winter, and about the same to cool it in summer.

And if you had the heating/AC system and the dishwasher running at the same time ... well, the tarmac at O'Hare would be a pretty good noise equivalent.

Tenants pay for water and sewer ... another ~$25/mo on average, But they installed low-flow plumbing fixtures that take all the fun out of showering.

Acoustic insulation is poor too. Inside, you hear dogs barking, people upstairs, and talking in the hallways. Externally, you hear every passing loud vehicle and loud pedestrian -- even from a high floor. Every rainfall starts a drip-drip-drip on the window frames loud enough to wake you up. And when they come to plow snow in the library parking lot at 4am ... I dunno. Maybe I'm just a light sleeper.

There's decent outdoor deck on the second floor with seating and a gas BBQ. And there's a dim, tiny fitness room jam-packed with too many redundant machines.

There's no reserved parking outdoors; you're on your own with very limited street parking. Nor any place to park a moving or delivery truck.

Speaking of moving, there's no freight elevator and only a standard-sized door for bringing in household stuff. Expect to have your possessions beat up. Also, he rules say there's no moving allowed Friday-Sunday. But there's no manager on weekends, so people just shove their stuff through the lobby on weekends, and clog up the elevators for hours.

The underground parking, for $125 per month, is a guaranteed place to park. There's a highly kinkable hose for washing off your car, and a vacuum. But with parking revenues north of $14K per month, they could do a little pressure washing and dirt sweeping, no?

So if it's so bad, why haven't we moved? We don't know how long we'll be here, and it's a pain house-hunting and moving. So we deal with it. Lee mas