3900 N Lakeshore Drive Condominiums

We bought in this building a few years back and its been great so far. Here’s a run down starting with things mentioned in other reviews:
–The laundry room washers were all new when we moved in, and the laundry room is *exactly* the same as any laundry room you’d expect. There are many washers and dryers and I’ve never experienced a wait.
–There are three elevators for a building with only 25 floors; two regular and one huge service elevator. Elevators are rarely out of order, but they do require maintenance, which the building stays on top of very well. I only remember two break downs — the photo someone posted from 2011 saying that the notice was common is from the infamous blizzard of 2011 when all those cars got stranded on Lake Shore. The winds were crazy high and the entire lobby sustained damage. So, I’d say that was an extenuating circumstance. Since, the lobby was totally renovated.
–The roof was redone recently, with solid wood and gardens across the entire roof, indoor/​outdoor seating with many chaise lounges, tables and chairs, as well as built-​in seating in the gardens area, a granite cooking space with two huge grills, a burner, and a sink, as well as all the grilling tools you’ll need. The views are amazing. Its a great spot for new years, independence day, the air and water show, etc.
–The views are stunning no matter what direction you face — the only west facing views are corner units, so they almost always come with north or south facing views, so you can pretty much see the lake from every unit in the building, except maybe the ones on the west side very low to the ground. What’s best is that there are not and never will be any buildings so close as to obstruct the views, which is definitely not the case for a lot of buildings on LSD, where you tend to see a lot of buildings where your windows might look right into someone else’s.
–There’s a 24 hour doorman and for folks who want the security of a doorman without having to interact very much, there are 2 other entrances (garage, side door) to choose from.
–The onsite valet garage parking is extremely reasonable (there’s a lot of street parking available as well. I know many owners who opt for street parking or park at recreation drive sept — may.)
–The building management and maintenance is made up very dedicated people who care about the satisfaction of the owners and are immediately responsive for emergencies. There is good communication about management activities and moves are extremely well executed with very little inconvenience to existing owners; the freight elevator must be reserved in advance and building management is aware.
–There’s not a gym [yet — because there are places one could go], but there are 2 gyms very near by (FFC 2 blocks and Lakeview Athletic Club about 10 blocks away).
–Location wise, there is Starbucks a block away, Whole Foods (10 min walk), the Sheridan Red Line (10 min walk), and about a thousand express buses right outside the door to downtown, museum campus, millennium park, you name it. You’re also ONE block from recreation drive where there is free parking september to may, tennis courts, softball fields, golf course and of course the lakefront bike path/​waterfront, etc.
–There are more owners than renters because it’s a condo, not an apartment, building. Some owners aren’t fans of renters because they may not *necessarily* care as well for the space, but like any building in Chicago there are nice people and not so nice people. It’s not a building full of jerks.
–Most things you’d want to change about the building can be changed by the board, and there is a lot of room for influence by new owners with strong business skills to donate. The same group has been in charge for a very long time. We don’t [yet] elect positions specifically so much as elect new members, and the board themselves decide who will hold what position… so for example the same president has been in charge for maybe more than a decade. If someone wanted to make a difference all they’d need is a good resume, staying power and potentially the chutzpah to make a motion or two (e.g., that board roles be changed, or that bylaws be changed to elect individual positions rather than merely board membership, or that a new committed be formed to do xyz, etc).
Overall: Highly recommended building with lots of opportunity to change anything you personally don’t like.

3900 N Lakeshore Drive has been my temporary crash on the floor home on and off for the past 6 months while I figured out what I was going to do with myself. The views from the top floor are nice and the rooftop is fun to watch the lake from or Paul McCartney at Wrigley. The doormen have been really great considering I’m just crashing on my friends couch (for months). The only downside I see is having to look at all the other buildings in the area with pools.

I agree with the first review. I also rent and get a great deal from the owner and absolutely love the space, the windows and the view. Most of the doormen and garage guys are friendly and reliable. My one bedroom is a great deal for the value. Monthly parking is reasonable for the area at $ 135/​mo. However, I’ve also had similar issues with the tenants… there aren’t many that are friendly and I’ve gotten stared down by others when I attempted to make friendly conversation in the mailroom or elevators. People are quick to call the building manager if you leave your cart outside your door for more than 10 mins after bringing a haul of groceries or other things. There are, however, a few kind people. The amenities are also very basic… no gym, no convenient store, old laundry room, frequently breaking down elevators, old lobby area etc but there is a nice rooftop deck that is great for the summer air & water show, navy pier fireworks, etc. Definitely be careful if you consider buying here long-​term, but for short-​term stays it’s a great deal.

This building has amazing views and is a great value to rent a unit directly from the owners. However, most of the people that live at 3900 have lived in the building since the it was built. They are not overly friendly to new tenants. The lobby and front drive are very dated and are in great need of a renovation. The elevators are original to the building and break at least once a month. I love my apartment but I don’t love my neighbors. I have had people snap their fingers at me and ask how I could afford to live in the building.
Again, I love my apartment and the views are amazing. If you are looking to rent or buy in the building be very careful.