I visit this site whenever I need to find a new place to live. So I do read the reviews first and then move in into an apartment. So I know how important this review can be.

I heard somewhat good reviews from my friends when I moved in into 200 Arlington Place. Here's my side of the story based on my experience here.

Good:
1) Downtown location, Couple of blocks away from theatres, shopping and library.
2) Close to Train Station
3) Two swimming pools.
4) Occasional resident get togethers/parties..
5) Complimentary breakfast during weekdays.
6) Very Small but good Fitness room.
7) No noise from neighboring apartments, except when people talking in the hallway.
8) Friendly neighbors

Bad:
1) Appliances in the apartment are very old. I am surprised that they are still working. THe fride, washer, dryer, stove, oven everything needs to be replaced.

2) The management takes too many reviews promising to fulfill most of them, which is not true. They ignore the big issues like air conditioning. They complete work like painting the hall way, changing the carpet in lobby. I don;t care how the lobby looks or if the hallway is painted, I am just concerned about the place I have rented and happy as long as it is comfortable. Everything else is next in priority.

3) Utility fee changes very frequently based on the size of the apartment you live, not based on how much you use. The increase in the utility can be due to a)increase in gas prices b)increasing or decreasing temperatures.., Expect anywhere from $50(very rarely in summer) through $200 per month.

4) None of the utilities are paid, starting from garbage through parking. Everything increases by 30-50% at the time of renewal.

5) There is also maintainance fee that you need to pay initially and also upon renewal.
This is just different ways of getting more rent. This is all kept hidden till you sign the lease.

6) Also there is Renters insurance that you need to take and it is mandatory. This is hidden until you sign the lease too.

So there are lot of hidden fees behind the basic rent. So be prepared to pay more if you are going to move in here.

WORST:
1) The building has a very very bad AIR CONDITIONING. The temperature control is not in your hands, so you have to live at the mercy of the management. The main door has lot of gap in the side and at the bottom, so very cold air and dust enters into the apartment. I called up leasing office, saying that I am feeling very cold and the temperature fell down at the beginning of fall, but they advised me to burn some coals and sit in front of it. I never expected this from them. Sometimes, the management(Janet) is so arrogant that sometimes they say that they do not know how to control the temperature. There were many days when I had to wear winter jackets and.. inside the house. If I have children I would surely not prefer living here.

2) Very loud music during weekends and week nights during summer. There is a small park next to the apartments. I guess it might be pleasure to hear the live band music sitting out in the park, but it sounds like a big noise from your living room. So summer was not great for me either.

3) Due to bad air conditioning in the apartments, their is always lot of dust in the house. We can hardly open the windows too as it is noisy outside.

4) Parking is not good for the price($50/mo). It is not safe as there are lot of breakouts and accidents that happen in the garage(owned by the city of Arlingont Heights).

I hope this review will help you make your decision. Except for the location and convenience to the train, the apartments donot have anything better than other apartments near by.

Thanks for taking time to read this review.
Good Luck!!

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