Windermere House Apartments

International students shall really pay attention to this clause in your lease. The requirement that a new ComEd account be set up "no later than the beginning date" can be an impossible mission for international students. Many of us have no state-issued ID, which means we can't handle the business remotely online. Usually we have no relatives in America to provide living places before the lease beginning date for a couple of nights or weeks(considering the speed of new account setting). Most of us just go right forward to Windermere after arriving at the O'Hare and then grapple with the ComEd thing on following days. And then what will happen is, because you can't have a new account immediately, a $50 penalty inevitably appears in your next month's bill. There is a large number of international students in this apartment every year. And this clause in the lease really makes me feel like they are chosen to be penalized.

I lived at the Windermere House August 2018- July 2019. I would not recommend living here. My main issue was with the plumbing. Not only is the water shut off every couple of weeks, there was frequently SEWAGE coming up through my kitchen sink. This problem was ongoing for months and the Windermere House gave me two movie tickets in exchange for an unusable kitchen sink that had to be bleached several times a week. Like most old buildings in the area, the radiators can also be very loud.

My partner and I moved to the Windermere while attending the University of Chicago as graduate students and we both really love living here. Though on the older side, the apartment well-maintained and spacious by Hyde Park standards. Most units don't have dishwashers, but there is a washer and dryer on every floor and parking spaces are available for rental. The apartments are well insulated, so there is not a lot sounds that carries through the walls. Our only problem with the unit has been a slow drain, which was fixed withing 2 days of our maintenance request. The building also has a small gym and storage available. The building itself is lovely and atmosphere. The staff at the WIndermere is lovely. The 24 hour front staff is super friendly, and Paul the manager is very responsive and efficient. The other residents are lovely, and a combination of students, families, and long-time Hyde Parkers. In addition to the building itself, the location is FANTASTIC. It is within a mile an entry onto Lake Shore Drive, down the block from the Metra, and across the street from several bus lines that go straight downtown and to the the UChicago campus. The late night Central bus from UChicago also runs by the front door, so you have great access to campus. It is across the street from the Museum of Science and Industry, within a 10 minute walk to the Point, and it has a spacious and pretty park in front of it. The Hyde Park 55th Street Corridor runs behind the building, so you are within walking distance of several restaurants, a grocery store, a bar, and a small grocery shop that stays open 2am. We have really enjoyed living here and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to move to Hyde Park.

I am a new resident of the Windermere House. The building is really nice. My apartment has huge closets and a lot of space. It is very close to downtown, the museum, and many other activities. There are washers and dryers on each floor, which makes it very easy to drag your huge landry bag down the hall. The building also has a driveway, were I can pull up, unload my groceries in the building provided grocery carts and than go park my car! The building does have a lot of great amenities to make your life simple, including a workout area! The front desk staff is amazing! The gentleman that works overnight (the older guy, excuse I don't know his name) is always checking on me and making sure that I am safe! Also, from the day I came to look at the apartment to present day, Ms. Juaria has been the very best! Her willingness to help and answer all my questions is really a joy. I work in customer service and she is amazing! The way she treats the residents in the building, its like we are family. She is always upbeat and has a smile on her face! I am loving my stay at the Windermere! ;)

Lived here for 4 years as a medical student in a large 1br. Pros: large space Beautiful old built ins/crown molding Updated kitchens (granite, new appliances) Excellent maintenance staff- very responsive Easy street parking 1 block to the beach. Kitty corner to the 6 and 55 buses and 1 block from the 171 Card laundry on each floor- never busy Very well insulated and quiet Front door staff are very friendly and helpful Cons- 1 of 2 elevators was in disrepair for the entire 4 years I lived there Sometimes the plumbing acts up Package slips get lost/delivery can be delayed by front door staff by a day or 2 Gym is small Prices increased by more than 3% each year I lived there- long term leases (2+ years available though) Overall great place to live

The Windermere House is a beautiful, historic place to live. It's very quiet and everyone is so nice . Valerie at the Front desk is always so helpful and friendly.

Pros: -- Attentive building staff and 24-hour doorman -- Fitness center (it's pretty bare-bones, but a few treadmills and some weights go a long way) -- Right next to several bus stops to go downtown -- Demographically and racially diverse building-- it's a blend of young families, retirees, University students and University employees -- Decent value for the area and for what you get for what you pay -- Spacious apartments Cons: -- With the Red Line on the South Side being temporarily closed for repairs this fall, the commute from Hyde Park to the Loop isn't going to get any easier -- As an older building, the apartment can get a bit drafty and the elevators need constant repair -- Laundry costs $1.25 for a wash and $1.25 for a dry

The staff is really great, the units are big, but the management company Mac Properties leaves much to be desired. The worst communication that I have ever encountered in a big management company in Chicago or even New York, and unethical practices such as not capping or at least giving monthly budget ranges for gas charges that are sometimes astronomical. You are paying not just for stove/cooking gas but also for your square foot share of gas to heat and heat water for the building.

Wonderful place!! I lived here for 5 years for my entire PhD program at the Univ of Chicago and wholeheartedly recommend Windermere. Advantages: -Beautiful units with views overlooking the lake, downtown, & Jackson Park -24/7 doorman who are friendly and competent (Jarell, Cathy, & Freddie are all great) and can sign for packages -Management is great; Paul Schultz is knowledgeable, responsive to inquiries/requests, and personable with residents -Maintenance responds very promptly to facilities requests -Free wifi & coffee in the lobby -Free internet in the apts (ethernet required; wifi or increased speed are extra) -Laundry rooms on every floor (2 washers/2 dryers, $1.25 a load) -Small fitness center with treadmills, stationary bike, elliptical, & some weights for those times you want a quick workout without going outside -Parking lot next door (for a fee), but free parking available on the streets -Treasure Island, Walgreens, Office Depot, and many restaurants nearby (Italian, Thai, Japanese, Korean, & Mexican, etc) -Literally right next to public transit downtown (CTA #6, Metra Electric) with other express buses a couple blocks away (CTA #2, 10) and another bus door-to-door to/from Midway airport (CTA #55) -Pleasant 1 mile walk from the Univ of Chicago campus; 1 block away from the CTA #171 campus bus -UofC evening "Central Route" shuttle from campus stops right in front of the building -1/4 mile from the lakefront path (and 57th St beach)... perfect for running, biking, or talking a walk to the Point Downsides: -Elevators are out of service from time to time, but they will be completely renovated very soon -No running water in the apartments on 2 evenings due to water pump problems, but this was promptly fixed by the morning -Rain water leaked through my ceiling on 2 occasions following severe storms (I lived on the top floor), but facilities attended to the issue promptly -Steam heat is released to the units when the outdoor temperature reaches a certain threshold, but before it gets to that point, your hands may be cold for a couple days -Small stove/oven and no dishwasher in studio apts, but that's pretty typical Overall, the advantages far outweighed the few inconveniences that I experienced. Windermere is truly a wonderful place to live with its prime location in Hyde Park, and I couldn't have imagined living elsewhere during my time at UofC.

The Windermere is a beautiful apartment complex that I am very happy to be leasing. The staff is attentive and responsive. The move-in process is especially easy, and they accept lease payments via credit card, which means that I get frequent flier miles while paying my rent. The building is a historical landmark, so the maintainence crew ensures that any problems are immediately rectified. Furthermore, the building is safe and secure, one of the most pressing concerns for me when choosing an apartment. Finally, the building is conveniently located near multiple means of public transit, including the 171, 6, and the 55 (as well as multiple university shuttles). Overall, I am pleased with my experience and look forward to my time in the building.