I'm not going to waste your time writing rants about things that are just typical with living in an apartment...thin walls, noisy neighbors, lack of parking...because no matter what apartment you live in, odds are these will always be an issue. It just goes with the territory.

I will give you an honest opinion of our stay at the Pavilion. Following is a list of the good, the bad and the ugly of the Pavilion Apartments:

The Good:
* Low bill costs - You only pay electric and water which never add up to more than $65 a month.
* Amenities - Two pools, tennis, volleyball and racquetball courts, convenience store, restaurant, UPS store, hair salon, internet room, etc. Lots of added extras.
* Location - Near several grocery stores, expressways and a forest preserve.
* Free heat/AC - We've never had issues with our unit being too hot or cold and we lived on one of the top floors. Best part is that it's free, so you can turn it up as much as you like with no worries.

The Bad:
* Airplane Noise - We knew coming in that the noise from neighboring O'hare would be a bit annoying. We underestimated how loud it got. You have to have a Tivo or DVR if you expect to watch live TV, because there will be times when you will have to pause your TV viewing and conversations until the airplane has passed. It rattles the building.
* Run-down building - Despite recent renovations to the hallways and lobbies, the building is in serious need of a renovation. It just looks old, beat up and run down.
* Snow Removal - Parking lot can get dangerous because snow removal isn't up to par. We understand it's hard to plow when cars are in the way, but it's very rare that salt is used, leaving a lot of icy spots to slip and fall on.
* Overwhelmed Maintenance Staff - The maintenance crew seems adequate, but overwhelmed.
* Car Alarm Overload - Not the Pavilion's fault, but too many people have car alarms on their vehicles and they go off at least a few times a week.


The Ugly:
* Plumbing - Plumbing issues are many here. It is very, very likely you will have something leaking in your apartment at one time or another, whether it be from the plumbing above you or the plumbing in your unit. We've had to report several incidents.
* Closet Doors - Closet doors will always come off of their tracks and need to be replaced. You need a ladder or chair to put them back on the tracks.
* Bathrooms need Overhaul - Bathrooms have government-like tiles on the floor and always look dirty.
* Universal ventilation - Because you share your heat and A/C ventilation with everyone, the odors travel from unit to unit. You will smell cigarette smoke all of the time.
* Smokers from above - You could have idiots above you who feel it is alright to chuck their still lit cigarette butts off of their balconies. These butts may land on you or anything you have on your deck and burn you. We have burns on a table and have lost two plants because of this.
* Laundry Room Inadequate - Not enough washers and dryers. You have to time out when your washing machines will end. If not, somebody will pull your clothes out of the washer and throw them on a dusty table so they can start their clothes without waiting.

In the end, it is what it is. If you work nearby or put a high-value on amenities, this is the place for you. If you prefer more peace and a more attractive building, I would look elsewhere.

User Responses
From: knightpirate	Date: 10/19/2008
Your electric and water bill never add up to more than $65 a month? Are you a Quaker? Yes, the amenities are good but not really free based on how high the rent is compared to apartments of the same size without amenities. As for the "typical in living in a apartment" I totally disagree! For starters the parking here is about average, but that's waaaaaaay better than any apartment near the lakefront. Walls here in terms of thickness are not too bad either, though really loud neighbors can be heard. And, we do have really loud people here. And, this place is also noisy because people like to do stuff like rev their engines at 3am in the morning in the parking lot or scream at the top of their lungs in the hallways and pool. It's the age group here. The Y in Y generation stands for Yell! Finally you had a lot more "bad" and "ugly" than you did "good" so your overall "yes" recommendation is a bit baffling.
From: Anonymous	Date: 10/20/2008
Yeah, our electric bill is on average $30 a month. Our water bill is around $20 a month. This is for a 2BR/2BA apartment. We put in efficient bulbs and don't have a lot running all the time. But we're hardly ultra conservative. We have electronics and a computer like everybody else. We also keep the A/C off when we're not home. No sense in cooling an empty place. It just takes some common sense. Don't leave stuff on when it's not in use and it'd be hard to break $30 a month for either bill. Water bill is prorated and predetermined, so it hardly varies from the $20 range. Of course parking is better at the Pavilion than at apartments located in the heart of the city. That's obvious. That's the same as saying Pavilion's parking is waaaay better than parking in Manhattan. Duh. You think? There are enough spots for everybody at Pavilion. The lots are well maintained. Just the ice removal is my issue. Yes, people are noisy here, but I've lived in apartments for about five years and its the luck of the draw. Every apartment complex has younger people in it. It's normal because apartments are ideal for people who are young and saving up to buy a house someday. It's hard to fault a complex for that because it's normal. It's even more likely when the complex has 1,000 apartment units that some will be loud jerks. Pavilion can't control when people rev their engines or how they communicate. So, you can't fault them for that. You hope they pick mature people, but that never happens 100% in apartment living. You just hope that you're lucky to not move in next to any of the noisy folks. I gave it a "Yes" recommendation because it, as I stated, it is what it is. There are negatives and if those negatives don't bother you, go for it. But there are positives too and if you put a premium on those positives, go for it. It's all about what you want. If you go to another apartment complex and expect nothing but peace and quiet and perfect living conditions, you're dreaming. They all suck in some way or another. So it's pick your poison. For me, I feel Pavilion offered good value that one could take in exchange for enduring the downsides. It's not better than other places, but certainly not worse. It is what it is. And it's temporary in the long run. Apartments in the area have cheaper rent, but you also pay more bills and have less ammenities, so you pay one way or another. Just the fact that you don't pay a gas bill at Pavilion helps out. If you've ever had to pay a gas bill in the last few years, you know it can be quite expensive. I rented a house before moving to Pavilion and the gas bill cost nearly $300 every month during the winter! One thing I will say is that the airplane noise is quite loud. Can you blame Pavilion for that? No. But you should factor it in your decision. I've had more issues with plane noise than with people noise during our tenure at Pavilion for nearly two years. You should also factor in the difference between living in a small complex and a gigantic complex like Pavilion. Tower living is very different from living in a two or three story building. Lots of time wasted walking to and from the parking lot, waiting for elevators and crossing paths with tons of people.

Your thoughts? Post a response to this review. Display my response: with my username anonymously Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.

   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates