The Belden-Stratford — Local services in Chicago

I lived here for almost 4 years in a small studio and it was the best apartment ever. I needed a 1 bdrm and needed to move to a different side of Chicago or else I probably would have never moved. The storage in my small apartment was so good. And the staff is one of the best parts of this place. Every single person who works at this building is so helpful and nice. Also, you can't beat the location. Inside and out -- it is safe and secure and there is little you have to worry about. Parking was never an issue -- they have 1-way valet or you can park your car yourself (which I did and never had an issue except during ZooLights.)

They have a holiday brunch every year which I also really looked forward to. And they often hold events on the roof or in the lobby.

The only downside is it's a little dated -- but that is part of the charm, in my opinion. Some of layouts are a little odd, but again, charm. The building switched management and ownership multiple times. Waterton was the last I experienced and maybe the worst, but still not too horrible. When I was moving out communicate lacked and when I tried to see if a one bedroom was available before I moved out, I never got a call back. None of it was on the Belden staff side (they are super quick and responsive).

I looked around many apartments in Lincoln Park and Lakeview and nothing compared. All are missing something -- parking, a rooftop, central air .. always something I can't give up that...

This is currently being renovated for apartments. Super nice places — like the 2 bedroom penthouse, which is around $11,000 a month but it’s only about 1200 ft.². For another $2000 a month you can get something for 400 more square feet and a loft added as well. This place is a great location because it’s right across from Mon Ami Gabi and the Lincoln Park zoo. The downstairs restaurant has fabulous food and drinks. If I lived here, I would be going there for dinner every night. The interior is absolutely beautiful as you can see from my pictures. The receptionist and staff are absolutely wonderful. Very professional and dress professional. You can literally rent a Tesla if you have an apartment here. The street is really quiet and no noise from the cars outside on the street.

This is great place to consider especially for a family as there is a park across the way. Very close in proximity to the lake and down the street from some incredible restaurants and entertainment.

It’s a great location for the fall and summer to walk down the street when the leaves change color. But honestly, there are probably high-end apartments nearby that would be a lot cheaper.

Public transportation is easy around here as well and it’s a very walkable area. The farmers market just down the street is one of the best in the city.

If money doesn’t matter to you, I would highly recommend this apartment building. You really can’t go wrong and the service...

I lived in other places and realized how badly this complex was managed. It used to be an old hotel turned into apartments, but my experience there was disappointing. My unit faced the inside, which made it gloomy, but it was the only option available at the time, so I had to take it. Even though the pictures look nice and classy most of the apartment felt dark and the vibe was off.

The management was often rude and told me where I could or couldn’t sit in the lobby (basically I was told to go sit in my room). They ignored complaints about staff behavior, and the maintenance service was always slow.

When I lived in Chicago, my family visited and brought my dog to cheer me up. But when the management found out, they threatened to charge me a whole month’s rent for a my dog. They were just visiting, I am not allowed to have my family visit for a few hours.

Parking was another big problem. I had to choose between a garage two blocks away, where the driver damaged my car and wouldn’t take responsibility, or street valet service, where my car was handled carelessly, causing damage to both the front and back, leading to an insurance claim for repairs. To make things worse, while I was using a rental car, my car was stolen from that same street, which meant I had to file a police report. The area was clearly unsafe and...