I still live in presidential towers, now under Waterton Management, and im sorry to say the complex is dying in decadence and abusive management practices. I believe some are in the edge of what could be considered illegal, specially the extreme crazy security policys and how they undermine the privacy rights of the tenants. I am arranging to move out as soon my leasing expires. What used to be a delight-to-live-in place it is becoming a daily nightmare. The new management is rude and the college dorm-style-paranoid new security policys causes extreme long lines with dozens of people waiting everyday at the front desk to get into their apartments after work -every day-. If you have guests that are not in your leasing contract, you can't get in smoothly even with him walking by your side and verbal permission from yourself to the door guard: every guest is forced to be photographed and their data input in their computer, handled like potential terrorists at any airport immigration post. This is causing tremendous delays, privacy concerns and hassles to everyone. The security guards do not care or try to speed up the long lines and some handle tenants like processing cattle and make you feel like disempowered at your own home you are paying for. Nobody knows how they really use your private data. They can track down when, who, for how long is visiting you anytime. It is a shame. I can't find any Chicagoland residential with such system unless the cook county jail or surveillanced residences for paroled convicts. Maybe a overreaction to potential liablitys because of becoming a campus dorm under the table. The main north entrance courtyard, once lively with dancing events, live music, lunch crowd surrounding the indoors terrace-bar La Margarita and restaurant L'Italo is now a ghost dead gallery of empty dull boring spaces crowned by a ridiculous overscaled bamboo fountain which cost $2 millions budget to build, killing the nice seating plaza arrangement we had before, ignoring more important repairs like the elevators neededing urgent updates and causing raising of our bills by taking out of our all-included rent contracts concepts like water and dirt disposal that always were included in rent. The last retail to die was Inteligentsia cafe place this winter. We used to have a Fedex and usps mail shop, a tanning and massage salon business, a shoe-polish stand in the lobby..all them gone. The health club is expensive and the equipment is marginal. You can pay $20 less nowadays having a 24/7 membership at Xsport Fitness with superb new equipment and better swimming pool. The new campaign promoting the PT health club with banners has failed and even current tenants search outside for better deals. Fewer people use the track and basket court deck and everything is diminishing in service and quality. Concierges dissapear every semester and a new one appears to dissapear again in time, and so on. Those old days of excellence steady concierge duty with Fred are long gone. All the long time residents and neighbors are moving out quickly, some of my best friends in the towers broke their leasing last Christmas and sued Waterton due to bed bugs infestation after finding out they were hiding the infestation condition of the units on purpose. Their skin bites worsened and created a problem within their marriage because their doctor diagnosed that their skin condition only happen due to living in dirt with bugs or having sexual practises with poor hygiene at transient places. A very nasty way to find out that the source was their apartment was infested with bed bugs to their very matress. They are suing for damages,pain and suffering. The situation It is all over the internet in the recent years, just google for Presidential Towers Bed Bugs. They could not even take their leather couch to their new place. My neighbor of many years across the hallway she moved out last month too after 10 yrs because of the constant hassle of the security police-like controls over hers and her guests privacy and the avalanche of students that are renting the aging units, trashing everything, partying hard and making noise all night through the thin walls. Her friends stopped coming to visit her in those conditions and her life suffered and became unhappy, lonely and sad here. One new tenant across my apt. smokes pot too often inside his unit and the smell comes through mine across the common vents of the kitchen. Lately starting this April, the security paranoia worsened and checkpoints are not only happening at the main entrance: Waterton and their arrogant security chief the company they have contracted is ordering security guards to monitor the people walking inside each building doorway to see if they swipe their magnetic cards or not, instead of making efforts to ease the long lines at the main desk. This level of disproportionated paranoia is only seen at federal buildings. At this pace soon we will have xray and metal scans and k9 dogs on entry. Many indian familys and chinese groups remain here the most, they seem not caring much about living cramped, obey like sheeps and wait endless lines, while they fill hallways with thick curry smell or pushing everyone to fit the few operational elevators every morning, as if they still were in tokio subway or bombay slumps. They seem not to have the concept of respecting the individual personal space. The building complex has an exclusive agreement with RCN for internet and tv cable: you are lucky if by paying 10mb you can get 3mb steady. One insider technician at RCN told me last February after dozens of repair orders that the reason behind this poor cable signal at PT is because the tiers are abused with oversold lines attached to an overcrowded old hardware equipment piece instead of having separate individual equipments per tower. I ended up cancelling my contract with RCN here. What was once a nice upscale residential complex under Habitat, now is turning into a sad mega-dorm under contract with UIC campus and some corporate hoteling brokers, with an out of proportion police-state security checkpoint forced by Waterton. Think about this when you get the tour and they show you the model unit with polished hardwood floor and stainless appliances that just a handful of tenants enjoy on tower 3. Most of us live here in the other not so shiny side of the lock. Very sad.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/14/2009
dude... i dont believe half of it. the only people who post on here are bitter about something and exagerate. i know cuz i did ut when i moved out of my last place. i just visited this place and still think im gonna move in. jus works for me
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/14/2009
Now...Who are we to trust? A well thought out and heartfelt review like this one or the rambling mumbo jumbo you can find a few reviews back about some guy deciding he wanted to get a dog? Thanks for the detailed and honest review.
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/16/2009
To the person who posted on 4/13/09: Wow you couldn't be more wrong! I have to say I have lived here a year less than you and you're sorely mistaken. So, why did you write this novel?? You must have a strong vendetta or ran out of pot to smoke, or ran out of Munchies or couldn??????t find anything on the RCN Network?? This is a great building with great security and a great health club. Now; let's pick this moron's statements apart. Privacy acts and concerns?? Ha!! Why? because they have you and your friends information?? I'm guessing that you oppose of the Patriot Act as well? If you have nothing to hide what does it matter? Also, all residents like you and I have something called a key card which we were issued, you don't have to stand in line, you can walk right by and swipe your access card. Another little thing, everyday?? I walk by there everyday and there isn't a line for everyday working people on Saturday and Sunday, could be your imagination though. Potential Terrorists?? Have you ever thought that when you and you party animal friends want to go cause trouble in other towers they could know who did it? Or when other residents that you piss off they don't go and get their friends to find you and cause trouble? (Let me guess...you're the same person who complains about the police, but when you need them you're the first to call them for help.) Ironic! Security in this building works 24/7/365 to keep all the residents safe. Try and find that at another building. You would find an asleep doorman, on his desk or wouldn't find anybody at all. It is a safety precaution that is taken place that??????s all. If you had a job or do have one, you wouldn't want 2,000 people coming up to your desk or drive through window everyday pissing and moaning at you. Security does their job and they do a great job of doing it. These are people doing their job and somewhere you got lost with reality. You can't find a Chicago land Residential building like this besides cook county jail?? So...why are you so familiar with this place? You've done a stint or two huh? Sorry where we live is too complex for you. Maybe you do prefer to be treated like the cattle that infest cook county jails. That $2 million renovation was being replaced when Habitat was still the owner, so this point is irrelevant. Know your facts! Now, to this special Olympic participant??????s comments on the health club; wow what a damn fool. $20 at an XSPORT Fitness?? Sure here's where you can go in the surrounding locations: Belmont (3212 N.) Lakeview (3240 N.) Logans Square (2310 W.) State St. (819 S.)NO WHERE NEAR THE WEST LOOP!!! Have another rip off the crack pipe. This health club is amazing, but our posting friend seems to lack knowledge, after living here for 5 years or more it??????s a free membership, which I have. Smoke yourself stupid some more you reject! Bed bugs? Yes there are rumors, but you being the high school girl are the only one that is keeping those alive. Your friends Marriages being lost?? Well, if you didn't have such sexually active friends that would go around having sex with anything that walks there wouldn't be a problem. It's plain and simple, your girly friends weren't satisfied with the male because he was too small; and the guy friends you have, their wives weren't putting out anymore. It's that easy. Quit the excuses. Let's see....neighbor of ten years moving out because of police like patrols?? Ha another great laugh, it takes maybe 3 minutes to get someone in the system and then after that all I have to do is give them my friends last name; another misconception by our pot smoking criminal friend. He claims people are trashing everything. Everything includes what?? Please be more specific. HERE'S A GREAT ONE!! Her life suffered and she became unhappy!!! Wow, it??????s ashamed that this person??????s friend has to only stay in her apartment and can only have friends there. What? She can't leave? She can't go out? She can't go to her friend??????s homes, she can??????t enjoy this great city, restaurants, bars, clubs, museums, just being outside?? but her life became unhappy because of the guest check-in policy?? Hahahaahh nice friends you have. Another weird statement in this psycho's lies. Just a disgruntled, unhappy, unemployed person who lost touch somewhere down the line. Believe me, move these ignorant people out of my building! There's no use or no room for people like this in the world. It's called being understanding, normally I am as well, but then another neighbor of mine told me about this stupid post. Hey idiot the person who smokes too much pot on your floor is you, you just imagine the smoke comes from across the hall. Arrogant Chief?? Do you really know anything? Have you looked up the definition of Chief?? I suggest you do! And this is great to have people monitor the tower entrances. I would like to know if crack heads like you and you friends have a problem with someone in a different tower and you want to come over a cause problems due to baby daddy drama, drug deals gone wrong, or anything else you and other criminals want to do. Switching topics now??????. Have you considered that other races live different than you? You can put that complaint to rest right there. I love RCN, my cable works great, the HD is amazing, and I have the highest high speed internet and I don't have any issues it works perfect, but then again I'm not trying to hack into other peoples internet because I am not cheap like our (4/13/09 poster) here. I pay for both and they work great!! So there you have it, a decent normal, working individual commenting on the safety, the health club and RCN in the building. I am a resident and I have been for awhile and I have zero complaints. I have a job, I don't care to wait in line for a maximum of 5 minutes when I have a friend, I'm not a criminal (so I say ??????better safe than sorry?????? and if you have nothing to worry about, what do you care?) I am a member of the club, which is absolutely great; staff, equipment, pool, full basketball court (which doesn??????t have graffiti or no net) everything about the place!! Its only $55 and after 5 years it??????s free!!! Our delusional poster here seems to have many issues. Don??????t listen to him/her it??????s a great place to live
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/17/2009
Dear Anonymous neighbor above, and racially hyper-sensitive dude: I wonder if you are sponsored by Waterton, RCN or both, in panic of somebody spilling the beans because maybe you relate to the business here. It is well known many of you live in the towers for quite a long time. Since you know when and how much was spent in the fountain just on time when waterton took over the property, you may be related to the staff, not mentioning and selecting carefully not to discuss about how the life of the building, the stores, restaurants, everything is dying and the student dorms system is killing the life of the complex, the prices rising and the fees that are being added as extras to the rent always were included in the leasing. Is it imaginary or is it real?? who is delusional here?? Maybe when your megalomaniac project of covering the deck tracks and extend the gym over the main lobby to give it direct access from Clinton St loading dock, things could change, but now is pretty mediocre. Maybe the fuss of bringing the Yolk restaurant or FFC will regain life back to the dead empty gallerys downstairs??? You must be living in the model units of tower 3 they keep polished for the tour show. If the health club is so nice for $55, with that equipment so cheap while for $35 you have a 24/7 superb xsport fitness at S State st. 10 minutes away in the blue line, or speaking about not being cheap, i.e. a membership with FFC at union station for $110 2 minutes walking distance, first class space with many PT long term residents as members that dont waste their time going at the bldng free health club perks, obviously you are one of the few remaining there. Ask them why if here is so cool why they dont go even free after 5 yrs. Key cards are ONLY for people on the leasing contract: Unless ALL your friends and relatives are in your leasing you HAVE to photograph and record EACH face and EACH visit of them EVERY TIME. 5 Minutes??? yeah..you are dreaming on pot. Wait 25 or 35 minutes every friday and saturday night,or by 6 pm daily, and if you have 5 guests go schedule one hour before, multiply the waiting time by each face in line plus the pizza delivery guys when they have regular shortage of security and only one guy is behind the desk clogged on the phone..the long line reach the mechanical stairs around the corner.....everybody knows about it,everybody sees it. I got the photos. Maybe your dad can monitor you at 14 yo, but your privacy as adult is gone when somebody monitors your life this way. Maybe you need to be patronized in a paranoid lock to feel safe yourself and feel patriotic by the way. Is this complex part of the Army? Do you have bazookas at home too..for security reasons! You never know. If you have access to this online page, seek the pictures attached showing the long lines at the main security desk, go and see the photos and shut, they are self explanatory. You dont know my race or my culture, and I tell you many foreigners here behave like mobs stepping over you if you do not stop them. This is America, not Bombay and we do not have to adapt to them but them to our culture. If they are running late they push inside the elevators. They better learn to wake up earlier rather than roll over their neighbors in the morning. Who is disrespecting whom here? but somebody smart thinks that demanding respect is a racial slur. About they obeying as sheeps,I suspect many of them dont have green cards yet and cant afford to create situations of conflict that would affect their status, better swallow and be quiete whatever others rule. So wrong. About the bed bugs, Mr and Mrs. Santanas moved last christmas and because of the lawsuit in place about the bugs infestation they could break the leasing and moved to lakeshore drive. They lived here for 11 years, the last 2 with numerous fumigations before the situation became out of control. And yes, Mrs Marcoviz was fed up of the police-like conditions. Your solution for hers is herself to abandon her home comfort and go outside instead of bringing her friends home in wintertime with 10 below outside to skip the problem. Brilliant. After paying for Mach10 with RCN and having average of 2-3Mb speeds, obviously something is wrong. Ask the techincians about the faulty equipment they delay in replacing because of the cost and why there is no individual one per tower yet...and we have outages like the one three weeks ago. Another 'delusional' reality. You keep 'swiping' your patriotic friend's faces to the camera, obeying and selling your bush-era privacy act thingy while the bed bugs crawl inside your walls.Im outta here and I wont care anymore. Some people love to be in jail or dip in dirt and they will swear it is the best place in the world to stay. There is a fit for everybody.
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/18/2009
Most I agree, some of the staff here have already forgot who they are, they forget that their job is to serve these residents, this is the company's fault, look at these people they hired. But you should focus on attacking the management company, not other residents. I live here and I think most chinese and Indian here are nice, you can't blame the whole group just because of one or two rude people. Also, most people here are not planning to live a long term, they will find somewhere much better, that's why nobody feels it's necessary to waste time, energy and cash to give those jerks in this company a lesson. Just go, no need to look back
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/10/2009
Thanks to everyone for the helpful comments. All reading these sites must realize that nearly ALL comments on any apartment rating/review site are going to be tenants with problems and bad experiences. BUT, one can still use that information to be more aware of possible similar problems. I lived in the 4th building for 2 months in 2008 with corporate housing and it was OK living there. But many comments reminded me of the worse aspects. I was VERY close in moving back there for the cheaper rent and cost for location. - I remember having internet issues with RCN! - The retail spaces do seam like that place is dying - THANKS for the bed bug info. Googling it made for quick verification. Sounds like they are trying. But also when I called back to cancel my 2nd appointment and asked about these concerns they tried placing blame on the previous owners and people that travel and could bring them in. - I am not very fond of or accustomed to curry and/or pot smelled hallways. - I can see how the ID issue could get annoying and time consuming. - It was also helpful reading that most other comments were in agreement, without even trying to sell their personal problems Thanks again. Not choosing to live here helps my decision.
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/14/2009
Above shows the types of people who are my neighbors... arrogant a$$ hats who are abusive or people who are intensely unhappy with living here because the situations they describe are real and happening. Security is HORIBLY long, parking is ridiculous expensive for friends to stop by, all the stores are moving out because they are ripping out the entire downstairs and taking it away from the tenants. The purpose of the building was to have an enclosed community. Now it has become a dorm with a McDonalds and a grocery store that charges 8 bucks for a pound of lean hamburger. DO NOT MOVE HERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THE GUY ABOVE MAKING MAGNANIMOUS RACIST COMMENTS
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/07/2009
i still have bed bugs after compalining more than 2 months back... management sucks... other neighbors are fine... and there are no pot smelling hallways in my tower... did i mention... management SUCKS BIG TIME....they are just out there to get your money....
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/22/2009
Yeah it's become horrible with security here..They might appoint TSA to take care of security soon. You dont have freedom to get your friends with you with out the security..Look for Left bank apts near by ..

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