This apartment is beautiful inside (more impressive when you learn the story about it) and very clean. Marcus was friendly, quick to respond, and very accommodating. You don't have control over the thermostat, but he's quick to adjust it for you from his phone. I just felt like I was bugging him because I had to ask so many times. We used the Kedzie stop on the Pink Line to get to the city each day (and uber a couple times) with no issues. Also walked to Pete's Fresh Market and Lagunitas Brewery.
I don't necessarily disagree with other reviews about the location, but I do want to list a few of the events we witnessed on this twice-daily walk and allow potential guests to draw their own conclusions.
- Group of guys drinking 40s and selling very obviously stolen tools (Ryobi mitre saw, caulking tubes, assorted wrenches) on the sidewalk.
- People passed out on the sidewalk in broad daylight.
- Two Uber drivers, unprovoked, saying something along the lines of "I've been all over Chicago and I do not like coming to this neighborhood".
- Guy slyly offering what I am assuming was cocaine to my girlfriend and me.
- Beer cans, broken glass, and heroin baggies on the walk to the train.
- What sounded like gunshots early Sunday morning (~5:00 AM) - granted, we happened to stay in Chicago during a weekend where there were 72 people shot from Fri-Sun, which is a lot even for Chicago.
I will say that the particular block this apartment is on was very clean (I think Marcus has a lot to do with that, and honestly Chicago needs more folks like him), and at no point were any of these people aggressive to us. Probably too strung out to throw a punch anyway. The apartment is very private and secure and I didn't worry while I was there. It was just the surrounding areas/walk to the train that were sketchy. If we had a car or ubered every time, probably never even would have cared. We kept walking to the train every day despite this, and it was fine. I just feel some of the other reviewers were dancing around this by saying it's an "up and coming" neighborhood.