Ardmore Winthrop Properties

I’ve had a Unilocal account for years but have never written any reviews because, eh, who really wants to read another cute-​coy review about what is ultimately a transient experience at a restaurant or business? Especially when the financial involvement is low, relatively speaking? A bad meal, okay it’s usually only 1% or less of my take home pay. But a bad landlord? That’s more like 30%, so I’m much more cautious about who I rent from than where I have dinner.
That said, Ardmore Winthrop Properties is WELL worth the investment of your rent money. I have rented from them all 7 years I’ve been in Chicago, and am only leaving them because I’m moving out of state at the end of summer.
Their buildings are concentrated on the 5700 block of N Winthrop, which is between the Bryn Mawr and Thorndale Red line stops, and 3 blocks west of the start of the lakefront bike path. They also have 1 building on the 5400 block of Winthrop, which is a 5 minute walk to Jewel-​Osco, 10 to Mariano’s at Foster and Sheridan, and 15 – 20 to the Whole Foods at Glenlake. Both blocks are quiet, tree-​lined, heavily residential (read: rent parking if you can afford it) and feel safe walking alone at night as a female (with the usual precautions).
I started off in a studio in the Hollywood Beach building, which had a GREAT kitchen with lots of storage and counter space, not to mention 2 full size closets. The fan over the stove actually vented outside, which was nice when overzealously browning things in the skillet. In the winter, my particular unit was always warm, around 75 degrees. And even though it was a larger building, it was quiet and neighbors said «hi» when passing in the halls. Parking under the building was secure and lit at night. Only con: not much of a view from my unit, but there is a roof top deck.
After 2 years, I moved into a 1 bedroom apartment on the 5400 block. This building is about 100 years old and the apartment has a lot of original details still, but has updated kitchen and bathroom. This unit is large for a 1 bed: the living room is 13×17 and easily accommodates a living area and office area. If I were inclined, it could also fit a small dining area; it’s a flexible space. The bedroom is smaller but I only use it as a bedroom, not combined with anything else (like an office), so it’s been a perfect size for that for me. The bathroom has 2 doors, 1 from the kitchen and 1 from the bedroom, which is nice when you have guests. They don’t have to walk through your bedroom and you get a private entrance from your bedroom. It’s the best of both worlds considering there’s only one bathroom. The kitchen is wide enough to place a dining area in there, or extra shelving for storage. This apartment actually has less counter space than my studio in HB did, and similar cabinet space. Off the back of the unit is a sun porch that has a utility closet and west facing windows that look onto the Red Line (I still enjoy watching the trains go by). Parking is in the back of the building off a well lit alley but unsecured. Lots of pros, a few cons: the Red Line is loud, even with the new/​quieter trains; no dishwasher (in any of their buildings as far as I know); limited counter space in kitchen.
The highlights of renting from the Ardmore Winthrop family: buildings are well maintained (rent is a little higher because of it, but no bugs, no leaks, regular routine maintenance including smoke detector battery replacement every 2 years); you get to know the people (Mike, Carole, Pat at the core) and they are nice, friendly, reasonable people and they care about their tenants; as someone else mentioned, you get holiday and birthday cards!; free laundry between Christmas and New Year’s!; top and front load washers; possibility of parking for visitors; package reception; quiet buildings; quick snow removal all winter long; great walkability score from all locations; a variety of floorplans.
Downsides: premium rent (you get what you pay for though); no dishwashers; locations are limited to 2 blocks in Edgewater.
All in all, it’s been wonderful to rent from this family for the last 7 years. They even helped me move into my first place when they saw it was just me and my mom unloading the truck! I mean seriously, I’ve felt very taken care of here and have and continue to recommend it highly.

Seriously, when does a Unilocal user actively go to a Property Management’s Unilocal page to leave a review? They are that organized, responsive, and generally just very nice and professional.
Honors to Carole and Mike.

If you are looking for serious property and management services, look no further than Ardmore Winthrop Properties. It started with the search for an apartment with a few luxury amenities that were proving hard to find. Bu within a week, AWP had a list of my preferred apartments and I was spoiled for choice.
Secondly, while trying to decide on the apartment I would pick, there was never any pressure to pick any type. They gave me the advantages and disadvantages of each over the other from location to maintenance and additional services. This helped me make a decision that I have not regretted ever since then.
Thirdly, even when there are maintenance issues, AWP are quick to respond in an efficient and professional manner with friendly and polite staff answering your every call and attending to the problem like yesterday. I couldn’t have asked for more in a property manager.

I have been renting from Ardmore Winthrop Properties for almost 6 years now and don’t see myself moving anytime soon. They are honestly the best management company that I have ever dealt with… and I have dealt with a few over the years. Their pet friendly vintage buildings and surrounding properties are charming and immaculately maintained. I am always up early and will see their maintenance staff walking the alley and sidewalks daily to remove trash or water in the summer and shovel/​plow snow in the winter. There is a sense of pride here that I have never seen with other management companies and it makes me happy that I live here. Whenever I call or walk into their office, it feels more like I am talking to a friend than a landlord. They have responded quickly to the few (minor) issues I have had over the years and will follow up to make sure I was satisfied with the work that was done. They are polite, honest and upfront, you can’t ask for much more. If you want a soulless management company that will treat you like a number and doesn’t care about you; rent from someone else. If you want a family owned business that treats you like a family member, rent from Ardmore Winthrop Properties.

I honestly couldn’t be happier with Ardmore Winthrop Properties.
Earlier this year, I was on a quest to find my very first place. It was a HUGE deal. After spending weeks upon weeks searching through listings on Craigslist and other websites, I came across several affordable studios in Edgewater that are inclusive of all utilities. I contacted AWP and toured a few apartments in two different buildings. Both of which were within 2 blocks of Bryn Mawr and Thorndale CTA. Andy and Brett were very patient with me, which I appreciated, because I couldn’t decide between two apartments and viewed the apartments twice. Fortunately, I did not go with the studio above the Red Line. While extremely spacious with lots of natural light (major selling points), it would have been a bad decision for such a light sleeper like myself having to deal with the sound of the train running ²⁴⁄₇ (others can, for sure). Instead, I got the most perfect top floor studio across the street.
What makes it perfect? Well, being on the top floor is one. I have a gigantic walk-​in closet too. I know some tenants even put their beds in the closets as separate sleeping area. Yes, they are that big! I almost never see my neighbors, but I hear them occasionally (no loud parties!). There’s an elevator in my building which makes it easy to move in and out and taking up and down heavy items and groceries. I call it the «Inception» elevator, because it’s old-​fashioned and when you ride it, you can see each floor go by. I think it’s cool. I get enough natural light, although definitely not as much as someone who has an apartment with southern exposure. My kitchen doesn’t have much counter space, but I bought an expandable table to give me more prep room. Did I mention that they accept packages for us and notify you when they arrive? Hallelujah! I don’t have to run home to catch my UPS deliveries! I love this feature very, very much! Oh, and ABSOLUTELY NO pests (then again, I keep my place immaculate) and weird odors. I like the fact that my building is clean, despite its old age. They even have laundry detergent, softener, and dryer sheets in the laundry room for tenants to use. They also keep the apartments very warm and comfortable in the winter time. I was quite worried about this since I would have no control over the heat. I’ve lived in apartments where they rarely turned it on and I would be freezing! Fortunately, having a cold apartment isn’t a problem here!
Anyway, I would tell you more details about my lovely apartment, but it’s the internet and I don’t want to be too, too specific. Trust me, it’s a great size for a single person. I even know neighbors who could afford larger, more expensive apartments but having all utilities included and having a great management company are reasons why they chose to rent at AWP.
Yes, the staff here are very nice and personable. This includes the maintenance technician, Mike. I haven’t had to contact AWP for many maintenance issues (which is good — you don’t want to live at a place with issues), but he is responsive. He’s very helpful and he cares about us, as whenever we cross paths he always ask me if everything’s fine in my place. Oh, and they (or a tenant) always decorate the lobby and exterior for holidays! Yes, someone even put carved pumpkins on each floor, skeleton on a lobby chair, and a bowl of candy near the entrance (with the good stuff — Twix, Three Musketeers, etc) for Halloween. For Thanksgiving, there were turkey and pilgrim decorations and for Christmas, a small tree and lots of lights. Very festive! I don’t celebrate holidays, but I really think it’s super cute and it makes me happy walking into my building.
I could go on, really. If you knew me, I like to move from place to place, but I honestly don’t think I want to give up my studio (maybe in a few years down the line when I can afford to live in the West Loop). I always find good reasons to leave, but for the price, location, and quality of my apartment and services, I will be here a while.
If you are looking for studios (they do have one and two-​bedroom apartments available), I would strongly suggest getting one here. I mean, if I were you, I would do my very best to do so. It was one of my best decisions I’ve made. Seriously!
Update (12÷28÷12): They are offering free laundry until the end of the year! How nice of them!
Update (³⁄₁₃): I renewed my lease for the first time at any apartment ever!
Update (⁵⁄₁₃): They sent me a birthday card with everyone’s signatures!
Update (⁸⁄₁₅): Still here and loving it!

I’ve been living here for over a year, and when I moved in, I really loved it. The apartments are pretty well maintained, and I think all the credit for that can go to the jack-​of-​all-​trades Mike (he seems to oversee all maintenance). Mike is wonderful.
Unfortunately, the good stops there. The rest of the management team is difficult to deal with. I’ll preface by saying I am not a problem tenant – I live alone, pay my rent on time, and don’t make noise (I don’t even have a TV). I don’t have any pets and I think I’ve called maintenance once for a faulty air conditioner.
I’ll describe two incidents to explain my frustration with the management’s unprofessionalism:
1) When lease renewal time rolled around, I expressed interest in seeing a larger apartment. I stopped by the office and said I wasn’t ready to sign the lease because I wanted to see different apartments in other buildings. I spoke with an intern (I didn’t know he was an intern), and the building manager, Carole. She let me know to wait on the renewal and that she would be contacting me to show me some units. A few weeks go by with no call, but I waited, expecting that there were move-​outs, other people deciding on their leases, etc. No. I get a VERY rude phone call from one of the reps, Andy, who yelled at me for not submitting my renewal (really – he kept cutting me off in the middle of sentences and raised his voice) and let me know that if I did not make it in by the end of the same day, they’d begin showing my apartment to prospective tenants. When I expressed that I might not be able to make it in time (it’s a crapshoot with making it home before 6:00 p.m., I work in the South Loop), he told me that was too bad, they needed it that day because it was overdue. I had to stop what I was doing at work to scan it over to them. When I tried to explain the situation, he said, «you don’t have to re-​sign here, you know, you can move elsewhere». Very nice. I complained to the office about his behavior when I submitted my renewal (and I honestly did not want to submit a renewal at this point, but it was too late for me to find a new apartment), and there was zero apology. I was irritated to the point that I told their other rep, Brett (who is a nice guy), that I did not ever want to deal with Andy regarding my apartment again. I also never heard back about seeing larger apartments.
2) They offer parking spots for an additional fee. When I was visiting my family in Florida, I ended up buying a car (unplanned) and had to drive it up to Chicago. I called early on Monday morning and spoke with Brett about parking (I knew there were spots open, because they were advertising them). I had a problem – I was doing a two-​day drive and was not sure I would make it into Chicago before the office closed the following day. Would they be able to do me the favor of leaving me the garage key/​opener so that I could park it overnight, and the following day I could come and pay them for the spot? Brett says he doesn’t see a problem with it, but that Carole would have to call me back. So I start driving, and hear nothing back on Monday. I call at the crack of dawn on Tuesday and leave a message. Hear nothing back again, and so I call around 2pm and finally speak with Carole. She says she left me a message the previous day on my cell phone (it turns out she called my work phone and left me a message there). My first question was, wouldn’t you realize I didn’t get the message, and follow up with me, when I called back asking the same question the following day? Guess not. She started off defensive about the fact that I said I hadn’t received a message (I never accused her of not leaving one, I simply said I hadn’t gotten it, so could she please let me know what she said in it?). Secondly, she said they couldn’t leave me the key because I had to sign a form and pay for the spot. I said I wasn’t sure I’d make, it, could they leave it for me? They know what apartment I am in, and I could have given her all my car information. If I don’t show up, you can tow it at my expense and inconvenience! No. Nothing doing. I said, «so if I don’t make it before 6pm, I’m stuck?» and she says, «I honestly don’t know what to say, the office closes at 6. You’ll have to park on the street or something.» I just bought the car, I don’t have any of the stickers I need to park on the street, but thanks.
I ended up making it in time, but it was absolutely a much more stressful drive (potty breaks were done like sprints). I understand I was asking for a small favor, but really? I am trying to pay you monthly for a spot. Couldn’t you have helped me out when I was in a bind?
I realize I am the lone non-​glowing review, but that’s my experience. The apartments are expensive for size, and I don’t need to be treated poorly. Brett is nice, but there’s only so much he can do, and Andy and Carole are unhelpful and rude. I won’t be renewing come summer.

I have been with Ardmore Winthrop for over two years now and couldn’t be happier with my decision. They are so attentive and make you feel like you are part of the family. They can be reached anytime of the day or night if you have a concern or problem and rental rates are more than fair for the neighborhood. All in all a fantastic place to live!

Full disclosure: I’m a real property litigation attorney. I sue landlords for a living. I also sue bad tenants. I NEVER have good things to say about landlords… or tenants, for that matter. But I have lived in one of the A-​W buildings for the past several years and have LOVED every minute of it. In fact, I’m moving within the building this year to get a new space but refuse to leave them because they are so awesome.
Prompt responses to calls, maintenance requests are a snap, friendly staff and they even love my dog. An amazing group of people running a fantastic set of properties.

I have been at Ardmore-​Winthrop for about 7 months and I absolutely love it. I love my apartment, I love the management, and I love the area.
I have felt so welcome and I always look forward to coming home at the end of the day. The management is always friendly and helpful. Whenever I have a question or concern they have always been more than helpful.
They put up decorations for various holidays throughout the year and it’s really awesome. It is things like that that really make it feel like home. I have not so far had an unpleasant experience and I have absolutely no complaints!
I love it here! What a great place to live!

Hands down, no questions asked, Ardmore-​Winthrop is one of the BEST management companies I have EVER rented from. Typically I am not one to award 5 stars on a regular basis via Unilocal,but they have earned every single star.
This company takes the time to genuinely get to know you and your individual needs then match you with the best apartment they have available. I came to them last August (2011) and from the moment I stepped into the office I felt welcome. With them you do not have a feeling of just being a client, you have a feeling of being a member of a wonderful family.
All of the Ardmore-​Winthrop buildings reflect the immense pride they take in their company as they are all neat and well kept by an outstanding staff. Maintenance requests are handled promptly and professionally given the years of knowledge and experience their maintenance staff has.
Looking for a studio? 1-​br? 2-​br? Ardmore-​Winthrop has a wide array of different floor plans to choose from that can accommodate your budget and space needs. Worried about having a personal package delivered? No problem! The office personally will receive and store your package in a safe and secure location until you are ready to pick it up.
Overall words cannot describe how happy I am with this company and I would highly recommend checking them out if you are in the market to rent a great property in the the ever fabulous Edgewater neighborhood. (Oh, and did I mention, most of their properties are just a couple blocks to the beach?)
Cheers my fellow Unilocalers!

Yeah, me again, but I’ve been living in one of their properties for almost four years, so I guess I’ve got a lot to say.
Latest moment of greatness: I ordered expensive electronics from Circuit City, via Amazon, and paid for expedited delivery to my job. Instead, a courier delivered the package to my billing address in the Ardmore Winthrop property, and LEFT THE BOX ON THE FLOOR IN AN UNSECURED LOCATION. Just left it there. Because what you do when you call someone and they aren’t home to receive their expensive new laptop is DROP IT ON THE FLOOR IN THE LOBBY AND PEACE OUT. Christ on a cracker. I happened to call the missed number back and spoke with the driver, which is the only reason I even knew it had been delivered. In a panic, I called the good folks of AW, conveniently located across the street, blurted something along the lines of «please…laptop…floor!» and it is now safely in their hands.
God bless them, I swear this is the best management company in the city. I freaking love these guys.

BEST. APARTMENT MANAGEMENT. EVER !!!
Its officially six months since I have moved into a Ardmore Winthrop apartment. I found them via Unilocal and its great review. Once I viewed a unit, I was sold, mostly because I could tell that the area was safe and the building is well kept.
Six months later, I can tell you it’s the best decision I was ever led to make. The management runs the apartment I live in with true honestly, transparently and commitment to community. Management is always communication with residents on what they are going to do (with timely notice), and they want to do, and when via signage around the building or emails. I feel comfortable calling them about anything and everything, because I have witness timely responses. I remember when I viewed the place with Andy and asked him about bedbugs, he was so honest in his response about the research I had done, the fact it did occur once (at most 1 year ago) and how they as management were dealing with it. I was so impressed that he did not try to hide this issue that many apartments were dealing with. By the way, I have never seen a bedbug or any other insect especially fruit flies, which were my fault. They spray monthly like clockwork.
Management appear to know who I am every time I interact with them. In addition, my hubby who lives in Indy is around about twice a month and they also make him feel like a valued resident. I have received a birthday and Christmas card, both with stamps even thought they could have placed this in my mailbox or under my door. They are also willing and open to receive feedback about the unit. Questions posed to them are always answered. Staff is friendly and most of them live in buildings owned by Ardmore Winthrop. My favorite person on staff is Mike, who is an angel. He had helped me bring in my bed when I trying to do so by myself. He has jumped my car when I was all alone getting ready to go to work. And when something needs to be fixed in my unit, I can count on him to have produce a solution that is quality, lasting, and timely. Rosa and Mike also keeps the place very clean. Never have I seen any inside community spaces unkempt, nor is the outside not maintained. When I see both Mike, Rosa, or other maintenance persons, they are working for the building… not talking or smoking the day away, but working. I thank them so much for that.
Everyone that comes visits me loves my space for the money. All utilities are included in my unit, which is a plus. Rent is reasonable, if not under the average for the space, locations, and A+ service from management.
I have lived in many apartments for rent before and this is the best management yet! I really enjoy living in Ardmore Winthrop properties and would have it no other way in Chicago.

I never thought I’d be in a position to write favorable reviews about an apartment management company, but here it is. I’ve been living here nearly six months now and I’ve never been so happy and comfortable in an apartment building in Chicago!
The building is charming, well-​kept and affordable. The office staff who work downstairs have been so helpful and accommodating — something of utmost importance for a woman living alone. They’re always there to sign for packages and if a package is too heavy for you to move on your own, they’ll gladly slip it into your apartment for you. Going on a trip? Leave your details with them and everything will be taken care of upon your return. Maintenance has been helpful and prompt. The cleaning staff always seem to be bustling about tidying but are never too busy to say hello.
Sometimes, it’s the small things that make it feel like home, like how they decorate the lobbies for holidays and leave candy out for Valentine’s Day and Easter. Everyone here knows my name and I’ve never felt so welcomed in an apartment building. I will be so sad to leave when the time comes. Can’t recommend them enough!

having lived in six different apartments in as many years in chicago, i can say a landlord that pays attention to his or her tenants is probably as valuable an amenity as you can have — much more so than any dishwasher or parking space or in-​unit laundry facility. AWP is honest, attentive, friendly and professional. the buildings are well-​kempt and affordable. the staff is accommodating. i would and have recommend these guys to anyone looking for a place in edgewater.

I have lived in one of the Ardmore Winthrop Properties for two years. It’s been the best apartment experience I’ve ever had. The apartment is beautiful. My roommate and I love our huge 2 bedroom so much that we often joke we’ll have to have a duel to decide who gets to keep the apartment when we no longer want to live together.
Not only does Ardmore Winthrop have beautiful apartments, but the management company is fantastic. They couldn’t be more friendly. It’s obvious they take great care and pride in their buildings. They are very responsive to tenants’ needs. Basically, they’re perfect.
I will be moving soon because I’m ready to live on my own. Ardmore Winthrop tried really hard to accommodate my needs and find me a 1 bedroom in the same building, but they just didn’t have anything opening up. Their tenants tend to stay for a long time (another indication of how wonderful the apartments and management company are!). If things don’t work out at my new place, I will definitely be coming back to Ardmore Winthrop!
I really can’t say enough wonderful things about them, and I give Ardmore Winthrop Properties my highest recommendation!

I say with a heavy heart that I am moving out of my Ardmore Winthrop apartment. It has nothing to do with the apartment or the owners, it’s simply because I’m moving to another neighborhood. Matter of fact, if Ardmore Winthrop had buildings in the neighborhood I’m moving to, they’d never be rid of me!
So I figured I’d bid adieu to this place by giving it yet another 5-​star rating and a big thank you for 3 wonderful years. Ardmore Winthrop is as prompt, attentive, and friendly as they were three years ago when I moved here. Anyone looking to rent in Edgewater would not go wrong with them!
If I ever find myself wanting to move back to the area, I already know who I’m calling.

I’ve only been renting from Ardmore Winthrop for a few months, but I can’t say enough complimentary things about this company. Everyone who works here, from the office staff to the building maintenance people, has been endlessly helpful and accommodating. They are the best rental company I’ve ever dealt with — no question.
I live in their Hollywood Beach building — probably the ugliest of Ardmore Winthrop’s properties (it was built in the 70s, whereas many of their other buildings are lovely vintage structures), but it’s very well-​maintained, and the apartment itself is great. Rent is reasonable for the neighborhood and includes all utilities except for electricity. There’s also parking in the basement for a not-​too-​high monthly fee (it’s worth it to avoid street cleaning!). They even have another garage a block over with plenty of extra spaces for out-​of-​town guests.
Other great things about Ardmore Winthrop: they are incredibly reasonable about issues which can often be problematic with other rental companies. For example, my partner and I were both unemployed when we moved in, but they didn’t make us have a co-​signer on our lease. Also, we have two cats, and we didn’t have to pay any kind of pet deposit. Overall, they are respectful and understanding and always treat their tenants like human beings.
I have to give special thanks to the building manager, Mike, who is *amazing* — when we moved in, we had a terrible time getting our moving truck out of the alley behind the building thanks to our utter lack of Chicago driving skills. So Mike actually helped us *drive our truck* back to the rental drop off place, and then had one of his maintenance guys provide a ride home. On a Sunday evening, no less. Talk about going above and beyond!
I can’t recommend Ardmore Winthrop highly enough, and I’m looking forward to continuing to rent from them for the foreseeable future.

The management is amazing, organized, and very helpful. If there is ever a problem (which is rare) they respond quickly and in a friendly manner. The maintenance crew goes above and beyond what is expected and I absolutely love this place! I highly recommend it!

I have lived in two of Ardmore Winthrop’s many properties over the past two years. I have loved both very much, and miss living there! The management is wonderful, and actually gets to know you and help you out with your questions or concerns on a timely manner. Parking in the area isn’t great for street parking, yet they do offer garage or alley parking for a extra charge. Most apartments have most the utilities included which helps a lot! The maintenance crew is always friendly and helps resolve any issues as soon as they can. You won’t go wrong renting with them!