Small, slow management responses, unsafe area

Pros:
* Big windows, lots of sunlight
* A/C and heater are very effective
* Hardwood floors and granite countertops
* Modern kitchen appliances
* Lots of storage space (two closets, tons of cabinets)
* 1-minute walk to 172, 6, and Metra stops
* 5-minute walk from Whole Foods and Marshalls
* Prompt response to maintenance requests
* Friendly neighbors (mostly families, few parties)
* Inexpensive storage units in basement ($10/month)

Cons:
* Slow response times from management; sometimes better to go in-person
* The mail room is in Regents, which experiences delays (but they're installing an Amazon Locker in the Algonquin to mitigate that problem)

The building is well maintained and no major issues

Cold air comes through the windows, so the apt. doesn’t stay heated.
Management is responsive and nice, but they don’t follow through most of the time.
The first floor always smells like marijuana.
The apartment itself is nice and close to Whole Foods and the bus.

In front of Regents, so still close to a large law school population.
The gym is only located in one of the Algonquin buildings, and it's really bad.

Avoid MAC property management at all costs.

The apartment itself is very nice - good location, good appliances and generally well laid out. Unfortunately, the management (MAC Apartments) is so bad that the frustrations of dealing with them outweighs the benefits of the apartment. It took me six months to obtain full access to the building (functional key fob + name in intercom) due to MAC's incompetence and general unresponsiveness. Our building's laundry card machine has been "pending maintenance" for three months. So long as nothing ever goes wrong in the apartment (unlikely, given MAC's track record), it's a nice place, but if something goes wrong, good luck ever getting MAC to respond to it in a timely manner.

Algonquin is a really good value for a 1BR that has been renovated within the last 7 years. Mac is kind of annoying to deal with, but you only have so many options in Hyde Park, and it's been a lot better than I was anticipating at the outset. Water is included in rent, and gas (heat) is capped at $40/month, which is really nice in the winter. It's next to the Metra to get downtown, buses to UChicago and downtown, and Lake Shore Drive. It's also close to Regents, which is where a decent amount of law students live, so there's a social group right across the street. Street parking is decently easy if you're not driving somewhere every day and know how to parallel park. Definitely a good building for 1L year.

Great if you want to live near Regents but don't want to pay the Regent's price tag. Also has better appliances and higher quality hardware than Regents.