The Block

I lived here for a year. The neighbors were loud and the landlord sent them letters, but they guard would not help much. The ceiling in the upstairs lobby caved in during a storm and it took them three weeks before they even began doing anything. The main supervisor is really rude too and constantly acts like one is a bother when even just simply saying hello.

I lived at the Block for 9 years and loved it! You cannot beat the location. It’s convenient to everything. My apartment was beautiful and had a spectacular view of the Capitol. Everyone working in the office was so responsive and helpful; they were like my family. I loved it!

My lease is almost up at my apartment, so I thought it would be a good time to start looking around to see if I wanted to move before I just signed a new one for another year where I am now. I know someone who lives here, so I decided to give them a call and get some information and schedule an appointment to look around.
I stopped in for my 11:30 am appointment on a Saturday morning and walked around the lobby area while someone signed their lease and got their keys. Afterwards, I was walked around to a few different apartments and got the tour of the building.
In terms of the building, I think they did a decent job of preserving the charm of the building. The exercise room is the old mens lounge, and some of the original escalators still exist in the middle of the upper level apartments. I felt they could have done a little more though, and was a little turned off when the guy walking me around said they had intended to do more, but then the historical society stepped in and stopped them from moving forward. He said they planned to do something with the auditorium but couldn’t, so it’s appliance storage for them now.
Apartments range in shapes and sizes, which is kind of cool. A little pricey, but that’s what you get for living smack dab in the middle of downtown. Not quite for me, but definately something I woudl recommend to someone looking for an urban apartment steps from the circle.

As Unilocal says, «As good as it gets!» I’ve rented all over the midwest as my career has taken me many places, and I can say without reservation that The Block is a fantastic place to live. We’ve been here over a year, and in that time, we haven’t had a problem with our unit. The building manager, front desk manager, and maintenance staff are all incredibly friendly, helpful, and professional. When our out of town guests come to visit, the first thing they notice is the unique architecture. The old Block department store was converted into apartment units and every unit is different. The ceilings are tall, natural light is phenomenal, and exposed duct work adds an awesome loft feel. If you’re looking for a place to live right in the center of downtown, this should be your new home.

Some very clever retrofitting of space. A former beloved and historic department store turned apartments? So cool. And to make sure dwellers can have bedrooms and light – high up windows built into the tall walls. Clever.
The fitness room is amazing – lots of original elements. Overall, a really cool, unique property with a location that couldn’t get much better.
I’m a fan.