This is the best building to live in relation to the Jacobs Center, in my opinion. If you hustle you can make it door to door in 7 min. It's a condo building with central management and you rent individual units from owners - my landlord has generally been good and hands off. The management is a pain in the ass sometimes with elevator reservations, threats to fine you for minor things like not breaking boxes down in the trash room.

Rent includes access to a small gym on the 5th floor and an indoor poor & hot tub. 3 elevators in building, free basic cable, usually includes at least one parking spot. Lots of Kellogg students in the building. A little expensive compared to some other options in Evanston but worth the extra price in my opinion

The building is very new and all the apartments I've visited, including mine, are great. Spacious, great bathroom and get a lot of sunlight. And it's a 7-10min walk to Kellogg. The only thing is that it is a condo so it's harder to negotiate different units within the building.

Great place to live. Since it's condos the individual landlord can make a huge difference. The building management is pretty terrible and the elderly tenants like to do things like throw out shoes left in the hall, tell on people for not breaking down boxes in the recycling, etc. It's great but you should be aware of those facts before moving in.

Optima Horizons has a terrific community of Kellogg students. It's in a fantastic location, both close to downtown Evanston and the Jacobs Center. The building is nice, the door staff is very friendly and the individual units are generally very nice with modern finishings and appliances though differ a bit as they're individually owned). The downside is that the property management can be unnecessarily strict and difficult at times, but the pain there is mostly reserved for move in/move out.

Very Positive Experience!

I have enjoyed my time at Optima Horizons so far.

The pros: gorgeous view of Lake Michigan, washer/dryer in unit, parking & utilities (except internet) was included in monthly rent, packages/mail are easy to retrieve from the front desk, entrance is manned for most of the day, and it's a short 7 minute walk to Kellogg.

The cons: the building management can be very difficult to work with (moving any items larger than a box must be coordinated beforehand and require a fee to "reserve the elevator" and it was a pain to schedule a time block to move-in), amenities will vary based on the unit and to what extent the owner upgraded options - our unit had somewhat dated appliances/features, and some owners require a 2-year lease which can be limiting if you plan to study abroad and for summer internships.

Convenient location and a lot of Kellogg students live in the building however management can be nitpicky about rules.

Apartment is clean, on the newer side and well maintained. Floor to ceiling windows allow lots of light. Convenient to NW campus and downtown Evanston. Gym is small but has enough for simple workouts and the pool is nice, if underutilized. Some conflict between older and younger residents, but if you're not too loud it's generally not a problem. Condo association has increasingly restrictive rules, so definitely read the fine print before deciding if the building is for you.

The building is close to campus and town. We have two parking spots, floor to ceiling windows, and ample space for three people. Overall, I would recommend the apartment to another student. The rent is on the higher end for single units in the building, but having roommates makes it very cost effective.

Great location for Kellogg students. Lake view on penthouse floor. Hardwood floors. Includes parking in heated space.