Given its amenities, the Chesterfield should be one of the better apartment buildings downtown. And for a while after they finished the renovations, it was. It has sunny, well-designed apartments, some with spectacular views of city; an enclosed, heated garage (which I sorely miss now that it's winter); a good-sized fitness center; and a large, card/coin operated communal laundry, to name a few. But in the last couple of years, the building's really gone downhill. The problems are legion, as others in this forum have noted: major ant (during the summer) and roach problem; sewage smells in the basement laundry room (though this may be for reasons beyond their control, as I've smelled it elsewhere downtown, too); tenants who don't care about the property and leave trash in the elevators and hallways; fire alarms that go off at least once a week; the riff raff who like to hang out outside, etc. Because there are businesses on the second floor, it's relatively easy for strangers to get into building, especially during the day. I didn't have some of the problems other reviewers complained about. I had no problem getting my deposit back when I moved out (though I did have to keep reminding them that I was moving out); I had a reserve spot and rarely had problems with parking; and maintenance was usually on the ball on the rare occasions I had a problem. I would like to move back there someday, as it has the best combo of amenities of the buildings along E. 12th St. Despite the occasional problems with bums and thugs, I really like the area. But until the Chesterfield cleans up its act, I'm living elsewhere. What the building needs is a new owner, as MPA clearly does not give a crap.

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