James location is FANTASTIC. Aside from issues with noise in the building, it was a great spot. The old Chicago apartment amenities were really cool to live in for a few days. The old kitchen was really interesting, as was the original bathroom tile that was very unique. If you’re into mid-century architecture or just appreciate it, you’ll enjoy that aspect. They’ve updated the loft fairly well, but I’d certainly say the photos are a little bit misleading in terms of how clean and refreshed it really is.
It’s super close to the Belmont L station. No more than a 4 minute walk at most to hop on the red or brown lines for direct shots anywhere downtown and along the path.
Proximity to Target literally across the street is very convenient for any drinks, snacks, personal items, etc that you may need.
We ended up checking out a few places to eat within a block or two, and all were fantastic. Furious Spoon was great for a midnight arrival meal of ramen. Ann Sathers was a fantastic Swedish style breakfast/brunch. Belmont Army Vintique was a cool vintage store worth checking out. Bummed that Hollywood Mirror had closed permanently within days of being there.
The only real complaint was that the sound in the building in the middle of the night was unbearable a Friday and Saturday nights. Yelling in the hallways, stomping in halls by other tenants. People screaming from the alley from a party in the building. We kept our noise down, but that was not the case for others in the area and building. We actually considered grabbing a hotel Saturday night because it was nonstop from 1-3:30am and the spot did not keep a lot of noise out anyways.
If you’re looking for a quiet spot and noise at night really affects your sleep, the area may be a bit too boisterous for you on weekends. Overall, it was a good spot for 3 nights, but left something to be desired.