We live at 420 surf. During our previous time here, we had two large rats, 5 small mice and the bathroom would be continued filled with gnats. constant problems with theft in the mailroom and vince is the most unpleasant person to work with. the Maintenace and cleaning staff is wonderful. the management itself is terrible and they dont fix the rodent issues, they patch up the problem which the rats have chewed threw three times now. DO NOT RENT FROM BJB in lakeview specifically 420 or 426 surf. read more

I love BJB properties! Lived here as a student and it was wonderful. Super fast maintenance and wonderful employees willing to assist you at anytime. read more

There are many agents out there good and bad, but Alex Perez at BJB Properties is one of the best I've worked with in all of my professional time! I was stunned at how easy they made the process of moving into a new apartment, from all the way across the country! It speaks to the professionalism and quality of care that exists behind the brand. Thank you Alex, and thank you BJB! read more

I have been living in this building for almost a year and are a really satisfied tenant. The location is great, it is close to almost everything you want i.e. nature, the park, the beach, restaurants, stores, groceries etc. What I also like about the building is the laundry room and gym in the basement, the amazing rooftop, the apartment itself and also the lovely and helpful staff. If you experience any problems e.g. a noisy fridge or a broken stove they will fix it the same day - that's really amazing! The only bad things about the apartment are that it is pretty old ventilation and the heat/cold system is not working super well + It is a 15 min walk to the closest subway station (Diversey). I would really recommend this building to anyone! read more

I am finishing my second full year living in a 1-bedroom corner unit in the 443 building with my wife and two cats, and we have just signed a lease for our third year. We are quite happy with our unit and the management company. PROS: 1) MAINTENANCE: The maintenance in 443 is excellent. If I tell the desk that I need a repair as I leave for work, the repair has always been made by the time I got home, even if the repair required replastering an area or replacing a part. The management also regrouted tiles in our bathroom and refinished our bathtub, which was very nice. Once a main water pipe burst and the problem was fixed quickly and professionally by the sub-contracted plumber (on a Sunday afternoon). The management company is large and has the resources to fix problems. I have had no problems with appliances, and I have always had good water pressure despite being on the 13th floor. 2) MANAGEMENT: The building manager Mike Hochhauser is very friendly and professional, and he clearly cares about how happy his tenants are and how well kept the building is. The doorman Bill recognizes all the tenants and is very friendly and professional. He is very good about buzzing tenants in so they don't have to struggle to open the door while holding groceries, etc. 3) LOCATION: The building is in a superb location. Express buses to the Mag Mile are a 3-minute walk from the building's front door, the lakefront trail is a 10-minute walk away with great views of the skyline from Diversey Harbor, North Pond and Lincoln Park proper are also within 10-minute walks from the door. From my unit on the top floor of 443 I can see Wrigley Field, and out the bedroom window I have a broad lake view. 4) TRANSPORTATION: You do not need a car to live here (is better not to have one here, too). Retail shopping and 3 grocery stores and 2 pharmacies are within 8-10-minute walks of the unit. Shopping on Broadway in Lakeview neighborhood is an easy walk, and downtown is 20 minutes away. It took me 25 mintues door-to-door to get to a job by CTA bus I had on East Wacker Drive (by the Trump Tower), and it now takes me 30 minutes door-to-door to get to my work just west of the Loop by CTA bus. I also worked at DePaul, which is a 20-minute walk from the building. 5) PUBLIC AREAS: The lobby is very well kept and appealing. The hallways are clean (I believe they vacuum them once a week). The ROOF is great, with views of downtown, the lake, and the cityscape to the north and west. The laundry room has 8 washers and 8 dryers. The area is kept clean, and whenever the machines break, they seem to get fixed within a few days of breaking. 6) QUIET: The walls are thick firewalls through which no sound seems to penetrate. I have never had issues with hearing other people's music from my unit. I can tell the walls between units are good because if I go out in the hallway I can hear my neighbor blasting music but I cannot hear when inside my unit. CONS: 1) NO RECYCLING ON SITE: To recycle you have to carry your recycling down to one of the bins on the Lakefront Trail or to the larger recycling dumpsters at the nature museum. I carry more than half of all my trash in my arms down the street. 2) SPACE: For two adults and two large cats, the space is limited, which is the only thing that might make us eventually move to another place. However, the space-per-square-foot is comparable to other high-rise apartment buildings in Lincoln Park and Lake View (I just researched this extensively again before signing for a 3rd year). It is nearly impossible to get a lot of space in Chicago's best neighborhood, and 443 is on-par with the competition here. There are larger apartments for equal or less money in LP/Lakeview, but those are often on lower floors with few windows and no view. (My unit has windows on 3 sides with a cross-breeze). There are some small storage cubbies in the basement that can be used for free that are probably about 2'x2'x3'. If you want more space for your dollar you will have to move farther out regardless. 3) ELEVATORS: The elevators are a bit slow. It takes about 20 seconds to ride from the bottom to the top if no other stops are made. One of the two elevators is often decommissioned for use by people moving in or out, which on some occasions can lead to waits of 2-3 minutes on the elevator. 4) PARKING: This is a non-issue for me personally as I do not own a car, but it has been difficult to accommodate out-of-town visitors on a few occasions. It can be impossible to find any street parking at times, and keeping a car in the neighborhood for a few days is also difficult. CONCLUSION: Overall, I believe this building is a very good fit for a person desiring a lake view apartment in a high rise managed by a quality management company. The only disadvantages (space, parking) are results of the neighborhood itself which are probably best remedied by not trying to live so close in (try Ravenswo read more

If I could give this Property Management company 0 stars, that would be generous. Dealing with the management team was one of the worst experiences I've had. It all started with a hole in the ceiling from something leaking, led to a larger hole in the ceiling, a mess left for me to clean up, ruined personal items NOT from the building but from the maintenance, picture evidence and proof sent to the property manager, her denying any of it happened, and then it happens a second time! This time maintenance men being ordered into my apartment with out me knowing, to fix a 'cosmetic issue,' the property manager saw no issue in sending people into the apartment that I quickly learned I was being WAY over-charged for. Also, a second time I provided photos of the mess that was left in the apartment; including dust all over, proof that they had been standing on my best, drywall everywhere, proof my toilet had been used, toilet paper everywhere, and a broken ceiling fan. Property Manager, Nicole, refused to acknowledge. Just kept emailing me to make sure I paid my rent on time. The entire time through both incidents I asked to speak with upper management, because my property manager refused to give me anyone else's contact information.I even ended up asking the leasing office for a contact, only to be told that the Property Manger is required to report all of this to upper management and give my information, which was NEVER done. Now comes move out day, Where you sign papers that you should be out by 10:00AM, after trying to return my keys to property managers, they were not there. After the nightmare of a moving day where BJB does not allow you to reserve elevator time, and seeing as everyone is trying to get out of there, it is quite busy, you always have a strict be out by 10 or we charge you for all of these fees. I asked the maintenance men, who they put so much trust in before, so why not now? a few questions regarding keys and the last items in my apartment and they gave me a nice answer and I was on my way. Only to receive a very rude call 3 hours later saying that I should not be asking maintenance men questions and should have gone to management. Quite the confusing process. They also advertise a 24 hour doorman, a rooftop, a luxurious exercise room , and more amenities that they absolutely do not have/do not keep clean/combine with their other buildings. I will never live with a BJB property again nor will I recommend them. read more

At first I thought this was going to be a great place to live... Wishful thinking ... you certainly get what you pay for in Lincoln Park Within the first few weeks of moving in, my roommate and I noticed burst of scolding hot water coming out of the shower head every few minutes. We brought this to managements' attention several times and finally (after pretended they knew nothing about the issue) they said it was a plumbing problem that could not be fixed. The result- scolding hot burst of water every few minutes every day for a whole YEAR! Although management was timely with our requests to fix things, but they were always temporary (ie. rust in the tub was painted over, the dishwasher would run on heavy but not normal, Our toilet would flush properly a few days at a time, etc) Apart from the issues in our actual apartment, a few months ago someone threw up all over the elevator, it has yet to be cleaned up ... SICK! Oh yeah and the elevator are usually broken anyway so I guess this doesn't matter that much. In case you are a biker and they are trying to sell you on the bike storage in the basement... think again ! The bike storage is in the creeeppy wet area behind the freight elevator in the basement ... I would not venture over to that area if you paid me! The thing that really sold us on this building was that 451 had access to the 443 roof top deck, that turned out not to be true either. We were never given a key to the main door so unless we stood there for someone to come out (not exactly tight security in this place) we couldn't get it. Feel free to contact me if you are considering moving into this building and I would be happy to provide more reasons why you should KEEP LOOKING!! read more

Thanks for the response.. but how can I get in touch with you when I was never contacted? You didn't leave any contact information. And I never received an email, a phone call, a text... anything. Once again. Nothing. You'd think a company hearing such a horrible review would want to hear more. Lmao. read more

1) My itsy-bitsy studio was way overpriced. - 1 star 2) The oven was broken all year, and as an avid cook, I was disappointed every time the management did not make an effort to send someone over to fix it. - 1 star 3) The elevators were SLOW. SLOW. S-L-O-W. - 1 star 4) The roof deck was spectacular. Big, clean, with two awesome views (the lake and the skyline). - 5 stars 5) The doorman named Manuel was the nicest guy ever. - 5 stars I'll be generous and give it 3 stars. read more

What seems to be pretty obvious by scrolling through the reviews on this page is that the 443-451 Wrightwood has greatly improved over the past few years. In my case, I have had nothing but a positive experience since moving in in June 2013. I live in a 1 BR/1 BA. Some of the highlights: 1) Management/Staff- Mike who runs management on the property is GREAT. He is very responsive to anything and everything. For example, we had an internet outage in the building and I was having trouble re-installing the wifi. I emailed him after hours (around 8:30pm), and he responded within 30 minutes. It's very reassuring to know that you can contact the people who are in charge of the building easily and without hassles. Equally as nice and helpful is Bill the doorman. Just an all-around awesome guy with a great attitude that is always willing to help. I want to hug him! Lastly, maintenance requests are addressed pretty darn quickly. 2) Wifi/TV is included in rent - enough said. 3) There is a large roof deck that is nice to hang out on during the warmer months. Read a book, lay out, bring your lunch up, etc. 4) I haven't seen any bugs, other than 1 stray ant in the bathroom. I'm on a higher floor which might help, but whatever cockroach problem seems to have been eradicated. I read the reviews on this page prior to moving in and was nervous. Luckily, that hasn't been an issue at all. 5) Water pressure in the bathroom is good. Sometimes the water temperature can fluctuate a bit while you're in the shower, but it's nothing drastic. 6) Laundry room is clean overall and never too crowded. 7) Location- Very important! I love being right by the lake and the park, which is great for jogging and staying active in general. We're also very close to a major bus stop at Wrightwood and Stockton which is great for commuting to work. Lastly, there are tons and tons of food and bar options to choose from. My only "complaints" are that the building might be a bit overpriced and you have to circle a bit to find parking. It would also be great to have some more fitness equipment in the basement such as some free weights. Hope this helps!! read more

Honest review: Before you consider moving into this building or the 443 building, read this. I know it is long but it is worth reading if you are seriously considering moving in. I have documented pictures of everything I wrote about. I moved to Chicago a little over a year ago and was so excited when my roommate and I found this place. The location is amazing, outside of the building is well kept and the lobby is really pretty and gives off the impression that the rest of the building is this nice/in that good of shape. The other great sells were that there was free cable and internet included. The manager also told me they were finalzing instalation of Comcast for the whole building and it would be done by the time I moved in.. They also said the whole apartment was being "refurbished" and there would be new paint, floors, etc. when I moved in. Here is the reality: Within the first week of moving into my apartment I had to call for numerous maintenance requests. Our shower was not working properly, there was water leaking out of one of the electrical outlets in the hallway, and neither of our sinks/bath would drain. They were quick about fixing things but it was only a quick fix. They would just do temporary fixes that cost barely anything instead of investing to make sure the probelm did not occur again. Our cable and internet were out half of the time I lived in the building (without warning or a definite date they would be running again). Once it was out for over a week. I moved out after 1 year and the comcast that was promised upon move in was never installed. We had multiple issues with plumming. We had to have them fix the pipes/drains every couple of weeks because they wouldn't drain and our kitchen flooded because the pipes from our sink were draining into the dishwasher. This happened late one night so my roomate and I called the "24 hour emergency line" and were told "sorry not until some time tomorrow" The dishwasher never worked the whole time we lived there. One morning I woke up to the sound of rain and realized our roof was literally raining in our bathroom. The pipes above us burst and every time the man above us showered dirty shower water would just start flowing from the ceiling onto our floor and down our walls. When they finally came to fix it, they used OUR bath towels to wipe up the mess and then threw them on my BED. They just painted over the water damage and didnt clean up afterwards leaving our hall, walls, rooms and bathroom a disaster. The staff, especially the building manager Andrea, is extremely rude and unprofessional. The "24 hour" door man is never at his desk which is frustrating when you want to pick up your mail. Someone threw up all over one of the tiny elevators and it wasnt cleaned for weeks. Half the time one of the elevators didn't even work. Overall, I agree it does sound like an amazing deal with great perks for a great price... but I would NOT recommend for anyone to live in this building and I would personally NEVER live in another BJB apartment in Chicago again. I know it sounds like maybe it was just a series of unfortunate events, but I knew multiple who lived in the building as well and NONE of them resigned their leases. The water/pipe issue is throughout the whole building and one of the girls my roommate and I knew had her whole entire ceiling collapse exposing the floor of the apartment above her. Her whole apartment was water damaged and her things were ruined. Take these into consideration before convincing yourself the great location and "free" perks are worth it. read more

What a delight! BJB Properties' Katrina, Linh and Mike were extremely welcoming and helpful. Katrina, with her infectious smile and graciousness, made the application process stress-free. That same day, she called me to assure me that the paperwork for the newly renovated apartment went through. The building is absolutely stunning with its Art Deco design, very much a favorite of mine. My move-out was a nightmare but as soon as I arrived at 443, that feeling quickly disappeared. I love my large studio apartment on a higher floor with a lovely view of the city and Chicago's colorful sunsets. One word comes to mind at 443: Serendipity. Thank you to the outstanding staff and management for giving me a fresh new start in a one-of-a-kind building in beautiful Lincoln Park. UPDATE: Three weeks later. See above. All that and more. I appreciate the texts sent to let me know when I have a package in the receiving room. The laundry room is clean and well-maintained with plenty of washers and dryers. I cannot say enough about BJB Properties' staff. I want to scream from the building's rooftop how much my cat KC and I love living here. In 46 years living in this area, this is by far the best: Perfection. Thank you! read more

I lived at 451 W Wrightwood for one year. The building is in a great location - very close to restaurants, shopping, nightlife, etc. The units themselves are very small and can often feel cramped. There are a lot of young people in the building, so be prepared for a lot of noise on the weekends (thin walls, noisy lobby/elevators) in addition to empty alcohol bottles and/or trash being left in the lobby and at the front entrance of the building. The building can often feel like a college dorm instead of an apartment complex in Lincoln Park. The front door doesn't always lock properly, so there is a risk of non-residents being able to enter the building. The management team was wonderful. They were always prompt in their responses, professional and always willing to help solve any maintenance issues that came up in the building or in my unit. I had an old gas range, and the pilot light in the oven would often go out, resulting in the smell of gas waking me up at all hours of the night. This forced me to leave my apartment or deal with the smell of gas until someone could come out to fix it in the morning. (The "emergency" night maintenance crew did not come out once at night to re-light the pilot light.) It took 2 months of this happening about every 2 weeks until I was given a new range. FYI: There are silverfish in the building, but as it is so old, it is to be expected. I did not see a roach or any other critter during my stay. The main complaint I had concerns the showings of my apartment to prospective renters. After returning to my unit, I noticed the lights were left on, and a shelf fell. Someone used plastic glasses to prop the shelf back up instead of letting me or maintenance know or fixing it properly. My wine glasses were put away broken after the shelf fell, and other peoples' personal items were put in my trash can. These occurances made me feel like my apartment was being used inappropriately during those showings. I started moving my things out early because I didn't feel like my personal belongings were safe anymore. Overall, I would recommend this building to those who are just moving to the city and looking for a "starter" apartment in the Lincoln Park area. read more

I first found this property upon walking to the lake and fell in love with the exterior of the 443-451 Wrightwood buildings. I contacted the property for tours and was promptly shown apartments that fit within my budget. I took roughly a week to sign and the on-site realtor was accommodating and helpful. I read (old) reviews on Yelp mentioning poor property management, however, there was a turn over in management prior to my stay at 443-451 and I experienced none of those issues. With that said, there are two main things worth mentioning about the property and my 2-year stay there. 1) I have lived and rented in the LP/Lakeview area for 5 years and I have experienced both small and large management companies. I would consider BJB a large management company. The first time I put a work order in, I was expecting the turn around to be a few days (though at some of my previous properties, work orders could take weeks). I went back to my unit and the repair crew was at my door. This level of quick service continued throughout my stay and was beyond well managed. The staff was always pleasant and any questions I had were addressed quickly. The property manager is on-site (a huge plus if you have questions or concerns) at 443 Wrightwood, and 443-451 are connected buildings. The common areas were always kept clean, and I never had an issue with packages being stolen or random people wandering throughout the building. WiFi and premium cable were included in my rent, which was a bonus. The end of my stay at the property happened during the Covid-19 outbreak. The staff cleaned the hallways and common areas every day during the outbreak, and management was quick to make decisions to make the buildings as safe as possible (provided wipes in the laundry rooms, closed the workout and common spaces). 2) It is apparent some people writing reviews of this property are not accustomed to living in older buildings. I like the historic charm of older buildings and I am used to living in them, however, they are not for everyone. I did live in an updated unit (granite countertops, stainless steel appliances) however some of the units I toured were more dated (but still clean and well maintained). Older buildings come with their own set of issues (radiator heat, poor ventilation, window AC units, creaky flooring) however, the maintenance crew was always available and willing to fix what they could. Make sure an old building is right for you before renting! read more

This place used to be great until Mike the previous property manager was moved to another property. The past year with Nichole, the new property manager has been awful. She hides, can never talk a call or talk to you in person, will sit in the office with the door open for the world to see either being too chatty with staff or on her cell phone. The rooftop on Sundays doesn't open till NOON because she doesn't schedule a staff member till then to open it. Also have been trying to schedule my move out and was told I could not start my move til noon on the LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH because there will not be a staff member here to lock the freight elevator. To me this shows poor management on her end she needs to take control of the building and make sure renters needs are met. The elevators are constantly broken (I live on the 14th floor), no one came to take the seasonal covers off our AC unit this year like was done in past years, and hot water is non existent in the winter. I was so told I could move out on the 28th of this month, have prorated rent, and new renters would be given the option to move in early. So I signed a new lease believing this, spoke to another employee of BJB and was basically laughed at and told that was incorrect. Perhaps all employees should be on the same page with important policies because now I have to pay almost a full week of double rent and BJB wont lift a finger to help despite me being a tenant for 2 years. Also, during these 2 years I have asked for a new AC unit (never got it), my microwave broke and I was given a used one that still had someone else's filth in and on it I was responsible for cleaning it (yeah thats why I pay $1,475 a month for), and new baseboards were installed underneath my kitchen cabinets and instead of being cut to the appropriate length were broken and therefore has JAGGED EDGES .. Again thats what I pay a premium for in rent.. Do yourself a favor stay away from this building and these crooks all they care about is the $$$$ read more

I am just wrapping up my year long lease at 451 Wrightwood. There are pros and cons to this building but overall it was a pleasant place to live. The lobby is beautiful and the roof deck of the sister building was great. I also really enjoyed the events BJB hosted including roof yoga, taco nights and free succulents. The building is old but if you appreciate that going in, you won't have many surprises. I lived alone and that would probably be the ideal situation as it is easy to blow a fuse with visitors. The pipes are loud, the fridge/freezer is small and in my unit in particular the A/C unit and the nearest radiator were about 15 ft from the bedroom. There was some water damage that made the ceiling crumble a bit onto my furniture as well. I lived on the top floor though so it was toasty in the winter and very quiet. Management is great with very timely responses (Mike) and made all the small issues manageable. For work orders I placed in the morning, they were usually done that day before I got home form work. I recommend getting a refillable laundry card when you move in as sometimes the machines did not pick up credit cards (bad reception?) and it made for a frustrating laundry experience. You truly cannot beat the neighborhood with the lake and the park. I was able to function very well without a car with great grocery stores within walking distance. I also highly recommend Cafe Vienna-- get the cheese pockets. If you do have a car and do not want to street park, the garage near Clark and Deming is a good option although of course pricey. Overall, I enjoyed the apartment but am looking forward to moving somewhere a little more updated. read more

The front desk person working the Emergancy management office with BJB was extremely. I have never had such horrible customer service before when I am calling as my power is out and I have a dog and needed know know if the dog should be crated as she can come off aggressive and I want the engineer to know she couldn't get out of the crate but he again hung up on me. I called again to share the information so the engineer wouldn't be alarmed. Before answering my questions he hung up on my 3 different times claiming he had more import calls and as I also pay rent and I feel as though I am just as important as any other renter with BJb. And as this was due to internet which was effecting me job as per cordel in the management office. I have had horrible experiences with this property in general and they are terrible with handling customer issues with the building. Mold. Noise complaints at 2am. Never will rent from bjb again. read more

I liked my apartment, but the experience here really depends on the quality of your neighbors. LITERALLY! My neighbor to the right is on the phone LOUDLY each night talking about her friends in jail and her mamma's good cookin'.. the neighbor in front of me enjoys having porn-sounding sex each night on the weekends for hours. Since the walls are PAPER THIN, I hear every little thing. The management? I have had my money stolen by the laundry several times.. and they don't seem to care. Never once have they asked to refund me, or even given other residents the courtesy to place a sign on the machine stating it was out of order. End of the lease? They will show your apartment anytime from morning until 8pm... and this lasts until your apartment is rented. I have had new renters come in during dinner and check out my refrigerator! Then, after renting, they sent someone in to wake me up so they could take measurements! Seriously!! They are all the same apartment.. you didn't know the measurements??!!!! ABSURD. Moving out??? I asked to store a small u-haul box in one parking space for 8 hours OVERNIGHT!! I was told that they just could not spare the space. An outright lie since no one in the office works overnight! I was told to just hang out and hope a parking spot opens in the front of the building on the day of my move. For as much as they want residents to move quickly, you'd think they'd help ease this process... nope! Also... you may live here, and the entire staff knows your name... but they still won't bother to buzz the front door. I have stood there with groceries falling in the snow and rain, and the staff just stares at me through the window. They sure do say hello when I come in! Quite the jerk move. The best part of this building is the roof top deck... but since we only get "outside" weather for three months in Chicago.. it's not enough to have to put up with the rest. read more

I have been living at 451 w wrightwood for a month now. BJB properties and the staff provide excellent communication to their residents and were fantastic in move in and getting set up in the chicago area. Mike is a fantastic manager, very kind and helpful. read more

I've lived in 451 for almost a year in a studio. I even live with my boyfriend and there seems to be enough space for the both of us to live comfortably. (Yes I know that sounds crazy.) What seems to help is that we both work a lot and we have a huge closet! The building manager Mike has always been wonderful at helping with anything! We send an email and he responds within an hour or so with a solution that gets fulfilled quickly. You really can't beat that! Especially when there are so many apartments in two buildings! There was one time where I swore I saw a cockroach but we were also gone from the apartment for over a week, had left bread in the bag out .... But they had a man in to spray the next day and he was saying how since it was raining the bugs were coming in through the pipes and it shouldn't be a problem after he sprayed. And he was right!!! I think that some people forget we are living in a big city and there are things like bugs etc out there. This place is nowhere near crawling with any kind of insect and to those people having issues - call right away and the problem will be solved!!! We never hear our neighbors and the most important thing is that the neighborhood is safe! Yes the elevators could be faster but hey you people road up the elevators when looking at apartments!!! You know how they run. If you want something like that then move to another building and pay double! Your choice ;) Thank you Mike and staff!!! read more

I had a very good experience at 451 Wrightwood. The location is incredible. It is close to the lake, food, and great bars. They always keep the building clean and are always on top of any maintenance issues. Mike the building manager is great and always helps out when you need something. The one downside, which is pretty consistent to any Lincoln Park apartment, is the parking. Other than the parking the building is in a great spot and close to all the action. read more

I lived at 443 W. Wrightwood for three years and absolutely loved it. The location is close to public transit, bars, restaurants, and right on the park. My fiancé and I shared a 1 bedroom and there was plenty of space for the two of us. Mike, our property manager, was awesome. Stuff was fixed immediately if something broke. It was quiet and we rarely saw or heard anyone. I can't say enough great things about living here! read more

I have lived at two BJB properties and definitely love my home at 443 W Wrightwood. I have lived in this building going on four years. The building is well maintained and the staff is great! The Maintenance staff led by Hassan was always top notch and Bill at the door in the evenings always made you feel at ease even on the worst days. The new property manager Mike brought with him a new staff and picked up where one of the older managers "Mike" left off. If you want a hidden gem in the middle of lincoln park do not look any further. read more

Yikes--So sorry to hear about the troubles. I know we each have our own experience, so I can only give mine: For 3 years, I lived in a Studio in the 451 building. (Hmmm...I also had some issues with rust around the tub drain and for a while, it just got painted over. lol) However, they finally did recast the entire tub for me and believe it or not, that rust still poked through some. But the rest of the tub stayed pristine. Rust is a bugger! Anywhoos...that was minor compared to the good things that DID happen while I was a tenant: -One morning before I left for work, I reported that my oven door was stuck. When I came home that evening, they had already installed a whole new stove since they could not fix the door. -Can't remember how long I had been there (1 1/2 years maybe?) when we all got upgraded, air-conditioning units. -Yeah, sometimes inconsiderate folks would be careless in the elevators (spills... some trash (jeekers...let's pick up after ourselves people). Thankfully no worse while I was there), but it was quickly cleaned up. -Management/Maintenance were always quick to respond to requests. -But here's what pleasantly surprised me the most: Last year, when I had to relocate with my job, Mike in the front office, and his leasing team bent over backwards to help me find a subletter for my unit. Mind you, I did my best to keep it "model ready", but they made it a point to show it as much as possible. They always stuck to the hours I gave them, and if there was a last-minute request to see it, they would call me on my cell and ask permission first. My place was sublet just before I moved, and I didn't have to worry about breaking my lease. Mike (mgr), Monica (leasing agent), Bill (doorman at night)--they are all good peeps! (I wish I could remember the agent who was so helpful with showing my unit--she was kind and helpful as well) I'm sorry other people had such difficult times. Maybe Wrightwood was just going through a rough patch for a bit? And yes, it's a great location for restaurants, dining, grocery shopping (Trader Joe's: YAAY!! Market Place: Meh) and has easy access to a bunch of bus lines if you're a commuter. Two blocks, either direction: To the 36 and 22 on Clark; or on Stockton, the 151, 156 local buses, and the 134, 143 express buses M-F. Hope the other apt dwellers found what they needed. By the time I lived there, Wrightwood was a good fit and the staff did a great job keeping me happy. Happy Home hunting! read more

This is my second year living with BJB Properties. The first year I lived at 1939 N Lincoln and loved it. Great location, friendly staff and cozy apartment. I recently moved into another BJB Property - a studio at 451 Wrightwood. While I loved the layout and unit itself (large studio), I personally needed more space (lots of furniture, etc!). That said, within less than 24 hours...Mike, Natalie and Katie transferred me into an amazing 1bd at 451 Wrightwood. A M A Z I N G! Great office staff and they always respond to maintenance requests in a timely manner, if any. Thanks Mike, Natalie, Katie and Juan (and whoever else I'm forgetting!) I highly recommend BJB Properties and 451 Wrightwood for those of you looking for a studio or 1bd! read more

I lived in 451 W Wrightwood for one year when I first moved to Chicago and loved it! bJB is an amazing property group and I would recommend them to anyone! I only wish I could have lived here longer! Their properties are beautiful and they are so hospitable to their residents and guests. Huge shoutout to Mike, Natalie, Bill, Julio and Juan at 451! You all rock and made Chicago feel like a true home! read more

I have lived in the 451 building for 3 years and can't speak enough about the wonderful experience I have had, or how much I have enjoyed living here. I feel safe, the building is clean, updated and very well maintained. Mike H., the building manager, is fantastic and has really improved things over the last couple of years. He and his team respond immediately via email or phone, they are reliable, quick to get a work order in and always follow through. They are incredibly warm and friendly and always helpful. There is constant and consistent communication with the tenants, whether it's through memos or email, of any building updates or news. I have not had any issues with my apt (except when my dishwasher wasn't running properly...Mike had it replaced within 2 days, no questions asked). Packages are delivered next door and their system is great, in that they are readily available to you and you don't have to worry about them being left out. Work out area and laundry room have been renovated and look great. The building is quiet and i have never had issues with loud noises coming from my neighbors. You can't beat the neighborhood-there is so much to do, and their is a FABULOUS rooftop nextdoor, that residents in 451 have access to. Thank you to Mike and the BJB team, for all you do and making 451 feel like home! read more

I only lived in the building (451) for 3 months, but I am surprised to see so many negative reviews on here since I never had any issues during my stay. I moved in on a 3 month sublease and chose not to continue my lease because of plans to move in with my boyfriend. The only complaint that I have is the parking situation. If you have a car and have to use it everyday then be sure to take that into consideration. I didn't get home until after 7pm and could never find a place to park nearby... even worse on weekends. This comes with the territory though... being to close to Clark and Diversey there is a TON of stuff nearby... shops, restaurants, bars... several bus stops a very short walk away. I am a runner/biker and LOVED being so close to the lakefront trail. On days when I couldn't workout outside I enjoyed using the fitness center in the basement of the building. They installed satellite TV just before I moved in and it was great being able to watch TV while getting in some longer runs on the treadmill. I did have a couple of issues after moving in but the maintenance crew took care of them right away. The drain was clogged in the bathtub and kitchen sink and the dishwasher had standing water and food clogging it up. I called down to the office and they sent someone to fix it that very same day before I even got home from work. The staff was very friendly and helpful. After looking at MANY apartments in the city and suburbs I found this to be a pretty good deal. read more

I had a really great experience living here. I worked in the loop and if I used the bus tracker I was able to walk out my door 5 min before the bus came, really nice in the winter. The units in this building are vintage, but the updated paint, kitchens (Dishwashers!!!!) new windows, cool moldings and awesome arched doorways made the place very fun to live. I work out a lot and Ballys Fitness is a great value and very close, not to mention running/walking on the lakeshore trail. When i first moved in the grocery store (Fresh Market) was so-so, but now that the new Trader Joe's on Diversey opened up it has been amazing. Right after I moved in a Chipotle/Jimmy John's/Counter Burger all popped up. It's been great living here and the studios are pretty large, and the kitchens are in a separate room which makes the place feel much bigger. Really like the way the walk in closets separate the bathrooms as well. If you work downtown, like to work out and hang out at the beach and want a really great remodeled vintage place this is the building for you. Laundry is reasonably priced compared to all the other large property managers, awesome laundry room, awesome roof deck. downsides: have to let the shower run for a few to even out temp Upsides: Property Manager Mike and leasing team are really nice and super helpful. Would Rent Again! read more

I would like to say that I am really shocked by several of the reviews being so negative. After reading many of these reviews, I came to a conclusion: the only people speaking negatively are very young. We all know many young people (not all) are not the cleanest and will leave food and everything else lie around. Guess what; you will attract insects in doing so. I am a parent of a tenant at 443; she has lived there for 11 years without any serious issues at all. Our daughter's only issue, as with anyone paying rent in a major city, is the yearly rent increases. I also feel the rent for a studio apartment of this size is very high; however, if you want the big city life it will always be a lot more expensive, as is the cost of living. I took it upon myself today to contact BJB Properties to speak with them about possibly being able to move our daughter to a larger unit. I contacted Mike the building manager, and he truly went out of his way to assist us. He is very pleasant and professional, and I feel he truly cares about each tenant. I would refer Mike to anyone looking for assistance. Mike had some ideas for us, and he may even lose a great tenant. He just wanted to help. We wound up speaking to several other managers at other properties owned by BJB, Brian at Lakeview, Denise at Diversey and Leon from Rogers Park. What a GREAT group of people and managers! None of them had to speak with us, and they didn't have hardly any vacancies. Yet, they still took a great deal of time with us, and all seemed to truly care about the company they represent and the tenants at each property whether it is their specific property or not. As most of us know, people are always eager to rant out a bad experience. However, few take the time to compliment about great service. read more

I had to choose an apartment before I made the move to Chicago, and everyone at BJB was extremely helpful with finding the perfect apartment for me. I lived in 451 W Wrightwood in a 1 bedroom apartment and it was great for the price. The laundry room and workout room are perfect as well. The staff responds to requests immediately, and whenever I needed something fixed, they stopped by that day. Everyone is extremely friendly and made me feel at home! read more

I moved in about a month ago and it has been a wonderful experience so far! The leasing crew here go well out of their way to help with anything. I don't know how I would have survived without the help of Katie, Natalie and Nick! If I need some maintenance addressed its taken care of immediately, any questions they have the answers, they even helped me carry some of my oversized packages to my apartment! Not to mention, for a large, older building, its also incredibly clean. There are cleaning crews in multiple times a week keeping things tidy. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about those three individuals and this building! read more

this is the worst company in all of chicago, and probably the entire world. i lived at 443 w wrightwood and the minute i moved in my studio on the first floor was infested with roaches. the building was not well maintained, thus roaches made a nest in the first floor's garbage shoot. they spread everywhere. in the pipes, in the walls..... the entire first floor is infested with roaches. it is absolutely disgusting and the management is even worse. andrea, the manager of the building, was very unhelpful, extremely rude and unprofessional. managers are supposed to help their tenants with any problem. little did i know, andrea was the mother of all the roaches. andrea would not let me out of my lease. she gave me absolutely no options, and said that i had to live with it. i'm almost prety sure she is also racist. they were bringing exterminators everyday to fix the problem only to look good, however even after 20 days of me living there, the roaches still existed everywhere. they were pretty much living in my walls and still wander the hallways till this day. i put an add on craigs list about my apt because i could not tolerate the roaches any longer. i finally found someone to sublet my place. keep in mind that i had already paid for the first months rent the first day i moved in, although i only stayed there for half of the first month. also keep in mind that, i did not sleep there every night because i was too afraid... so i would stay with a friend and come back to the apartment everyday and see more roaches. so technically i never really lived there. i took pictures of every roach i saw and have over 100 photos. when i found someone to take my apartment (god be with him) the property "manager" andrea said that they are doing me a favor by letting me move out and is not refunding me one penny. they are dirty thieves, the corporate office was also behind all of it. i also heard from reliable sources that BJB is the worst company in general. They have roach problems in most of their buildings and i've read that people hear mice in their walls. sorry for such a long post...just letting my frustration out. they are terrible. everyone else who have good things to say about them....it wont last. and the only reason i gave them one star is because yelp wouldnt let me post without marking one. ps: monica works with bjb. she is their realtor.... she is actually a very nice woman and wanted to help me.... however andrea has authority over her so if she helped me in any way she would have lost her job. monica, you need to get the hell away from andrea and work for a respected company because your better then that and andrea is not worth a minute of your time. read more

Great apartment, awesome rooftop, great staff with timely maintenance, and thumbs up for Mike!

I've had nothing but good experiences with 443 W. Wrightwood. Any problems with my apartment were resolved quickly, the staff has always been helpful, and my apartment is great. I have no complaints about this place. The location is great and the rooftop deck is gorgeous. read more

I can't say that I have any complaints at all-living in the 451 building has been great! All of the staff is really nice; they genuinely care about the tenants' living experience and the condition of the buildings (which I have found is often hard to come by in the city!!) Not to mention... I love the building location. read more

I've lived in 443 for 3 years now and will probably be resigning for a 4th. I'm doing this review because no one seems to have anything good to say and only want to rant about bad experiences. The building is old but the units have been updated. I live in a studio on the 11th floor. I love that cable /internet /heat /gas are all included in the rent price. I love that I can pay my rent online and then all I have is usually a $20 electric bill on top of my that. Parking is a pain, but we're in downtown Chicago, what do you expect? The building is right next to the park and so I just park in there if I can't find anything on the street. It's nice they have a gym with a couple treadmills and elipticals. Saves me from having to get a gym membership. You can use 451's gym too and that has more weights. The rooftop is amazing. My closet is huge. The maintenance staff is very friendly and always come within a day to fix anything. The manager Mike has by far made several improvements in his short time of being there. The old manager Andrea was horrible, never did anything. She was very frustrating. The location is perfect! I would totally recommend this building to people. read more

Lived at 451 for the last 7 + years. I had to break my lease early Mike/Matt/Monica the three M's if you will. really busted their tails to make it work for me. I think it was a 10day turnaround for them to get it done. Everytime I had maintenance issues with my apartment they responded that day/night or first thing in the morning (kudo's to that). My experience was great and I would have no problem recommending that place to anyone read more

I've had a great experience with bjb properties. I've lived here for 4 months and it's a beautiful well maintained building. I recently had a little bit of a glitch with their third party rent payment system but the guys at the management office and at corporate helped me with top notch service and class. I would recommend them to anyone moving to Chicago. read more