Tenant Reviews for 353 N DESPLAINES ST

I lived here for 3 years from 2013-2015. While we stayed awhile. I thought i would share some of the concerns we ran into with this building. I will say even though the negative review their was some good. The leasing reps were extremely friendly and always remembered everyones names. The maintenance guys were both super awesome. Sad they werent in our new building 1.) constant maintenance issues (remodel of the back roundabout took 6 months and they did nothing really noticeable, garage doors breaking within every 6 months, elevators constantly down and for some reason always taking long periods to get fixed, computer lab printers always broken) 2.) door staff constantly changing. While the door staff was great when you finally git to know them they were transferred out. We inquired with the staff and they said they rotate( so you cant ever get comfortable to faces 3.) directtv, you may like or not but either way you are stuck with it. You think you get a discount for being in the building. But our bill was constantly $75 with the discount and just add the normal channels and hbo( they wouldn't upgrade our box without paying the service fee of 10 bucks a month for 2 years) 4.). Price, yes everything is expensive in Chicago, but they charge an arm and leg for rent considering the issues above. Our last year there we were paying 2400 with parking, oh btw that was for a 1 bedroom. Lastly, and one of the things most annoying with our situation was that when we moved out we made sure to fix/clean everything so their wouldn't be any additional cost to us moving out. I was extremely shocked to find out they wanted us to pay over $300 for replacing the carpet because there was excessive wear and tear in the common areas...DUH. We lived there for 3 years in an 800 sq ft apartment, not a whole lot can be done. We paid 180 when moving in to have them replace the carpets as they had some "life expectancy" in them. I will say upon calling and complaining that they were nickeling and diming me after we just spent over $70k over the last 3 year that they said we could pay half. What a joke. We said we weren't paying as it was absurd and ended up getting a collection notice. I just figured if you are looking at places in the area, your best bet is make sure to look around. Your money can go a long way without the hassles of here

I have lived at Echelon at K Station since November 2014 and found the entire staff to be consistently friendly and professional. The building is well kept and maintained and offers a variety of useful amenities (workout room, business center, lounge with free coffee machine, etc). The building is located directly across the street from a Jewel-Osco and is within an easy walk to Ogilvie Transportation Center, a Pink/Green Line stop, and a Blue Line stop. The apartments are modern and up to date, include washers and dryer in unit, and are still in very good shape. Rent is not inexpensive but is reasonable when considering what's included and living in this part of Chicago. Overall, I think Echelon at K Station is very viable option for anyone considering living in Chicago's Fulton River District.

I have stayed in the "Guest Suite" at Echelon at K Station". It was very comfortable and leisurely. Also the guest attendants were helpful and friendly. Martin Barry

I have lived at K station for 4 1/2 years and have loved it. First, the entire staff (leasing, management, maintenance, front desk, etc.) are wonderful. They are always friendly and accommodating. Any requests, complaints, etc are always promptly attended to. They make living here a real community. In addition, the amenities are really great in this building especially the gym and the beautiful pool. Everything in the building (hallways, gym, lounge, floors, etc) are always well maintained and clean. The apartments have well thought out floor plans with plenty of open space, closet space, cabinets, etc. A real bonus is that the noise level is pretty much non-existent. I have never heard anyone who lives below me or next to me. Only noise is if someone is in the hallway and even that is minimal. The location is so convenient with having Jewel across the street, close to restaurant row on Randolph, park and dog/park right next door, close to public transportation, and many nearby bars/restaurants. In addition, the building is incredibly dog friendly. Not sure who loves living here more me or my dog!!

One word: GREAT! From the doormen to the office staff with 353 Desplaines, LLC; maintenance staff to the building itself, we loved it all. You cannot beat the location either! Across the street from Jewel and Chase? Essentials in my book! I would hop off the blue line and grab items for dinner on my way home. Bonus: They are actually rennovating all of the floor hallways (new carpet and fresh paint) this year, a long with installing a new circle drive.

My first 6 months at Echelon at K Station has been quite pleasant. The Leasing Office is always eager to help or make sure everyone is happy. The Front Desk Staff and Maintenance team is pleasant and quick to help out. I have not had any maintenance issues since I've moved in (June, 2013). I would recommend the upgrade package to all; this includes hardwood floors, back splash tile in the kitchen and hardware on the kitchen cabinets. Small monthly fee for these changes but could not imagine not having.

I moved here few months ago. And I do enjoy the place. The door staff is very friendly. The building management is very nice. Regarding maintenance , recently I had two light bulbs that were broken. I asked the front desk and went out for errands for few minutes. When I went back I asked when it could be fixed and they said "already done sir" wow ! It was not what I experimented in my previous building! It feels like home with on top of that nice people that are here for you. Also there is a cleaner that also manage the packages : very useful . So yes two thumbs up for echelon

I'm a couple of months into my second year lease here at Echelon and I have really enjoyed our apartment. We have a two bedroom facing south east with great views of the skyline. Our move in went really smooth (Ilana is fantastic and always so helpful), and we really enjoy the amenities. I also really like the resident events the staff plans every month or so - free drinks and food? why not! The door staff is always really friendly, proficient, and willing to help. The maintenance staff is also very friendly. Even though Ilana's main job is a leasing agent, I usually funnel all my questions about the building to her via email and she's very responsive and helpful in pointing me in the right direction. We recently had our apartment upgraded to wood floors and new carpets, which I would definitely recommend to anyone considering it. It completely opens up the place and makes it feel more like home. I would recommend doing this before you move in, but the building was willing to work with us when we did it in between our first and second year (we moved all of our furniture to the bedrooms while they worked in the family room, then back out to the family room while they replaced the bedroom carpets). Overall, would definitely recommend living here.

This is a fantastic place to call home. Viewed a beautiful 2bed 2 bath apartment with stunning downtown views. The amenities are great with a complete gym with an outdoor pool as well! The staff was great at the building I worked directly with Ilana and she did a great job making sure that everything was explained and organized down the smallest detail. Thank you for making my visit a great experience look forward to moving in shortly.

I've had a great experience with the staff at Echelon. Ilana was more than helpful and made the entire moving process a lot less stressful. The entire staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. I feel like home here!