Every day Presidential Towers plays host to residents in 2,346 apartments and 13,000 visitors, plus their 1,000 cars. Four restaurants, 27 retail shops, a health club and an atrium attract hundreds of people an hour to 100,000 square feet of commercial corridors.
It takes a team of 52 workers on three mop-around-the clock shifts to keep the giant West Loop apartment complex`s private and public expanses clean. Take a look at their chore list: a city block of marble tile; 1,800 hallways; four towers of back staircases; 21 elevators; dozens of parquet floors; a vast parking garage; a loading dock; four super-size laundry rooms; fountains; 3,000 light bulbs in public zones; dozens of live trees and plants; and acres of windows, doors, ceilings and walls.
The result of all this hands-on-mops, dust cloths and vacuums is that
”people are amazed at the cleanliness of the public areas,” says General Manager Janice Stewart.
She believes renters deserve a spotless welcome mat and polite, one-on-one service.
At Stewart`s Glen in suburban Willowbrook, management firm Trammel Crow gives residents ”Rate Your Maintenance” cards to measure renters`
satisfaction.
”Our maintenance staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,”
says Stewart`s Glen`s property manager, David West.
But is this the kind of service you`ll get at your new apartment home?
Will your building be as sparkling clean?
West and his maintenance supervisors suggest checking out a property for cleanliness before renting.
The entire apartment community and parking lots should be debris-free, they say. Renters should be welcomed by groomed lawns, shrubs and seasonal plantings. If there`s a pool, it should be sparkling and the clubhouse should be immaculate. Model apartments should display stylish furniture, accessories and colors.
Your prospective new apartment building may not offer the elaborate maintenance services of Presidential Towers or Stewart`s Glen, but there are ways to determine whether smaller buildings-without models and a big management company-are maintained properly.
Stanley Stec of C/S Property Management in Chicago`s south suburbs oversees the maintenance of individually owned buildings.
Stec makes some recommendations: Cruise the territory, he says. Analyze the uniformity of the apartment subdivision or the neighborhood. Check the turf-the lawns for bare spots and the parking lots for even blacktopping. Scrutinize the balconies, entry doors and pathways for clutter. Examine the windows for a harmonious impression of blinds or white drapes.
Once inside, Stec says, ”The hall rugs and tile should be clean. No stains or fingerprints on the walls. No bikes-nothing-in the hallways.”
Stec also advises a tour of the laundry room. ”The machines should be polished and in excellent condition.”
Inside an apartment prepped for a new renter, Stec outlines more inspection points. Are the walls freshly painted? Is the carpet in good condition? What about the plumbing fixtures, kitchen appliances and tile floors-are they shining? Open closet doors and see if they are painted.
Ask about the capacity of the hot water tank and whether it is a fast recovery type. If one is needed, is there a water softener? Does the thermostat go up to 80 degrees?
You might wonder: What do maintenance and service professionals look for when they rent an apartment? The following check list was compiled with the help of five pros: from Presidential Towers, Sergio Polo, director of maintenance; from Stewart`s Glen, Steve Ray, maintenance manager; Larry Heavington, cleaning supervisor; and Isaac Galvan, assistant maintenance supervisor; and Stec of C/S Management.
Exterior check points
Parking lot: Check to see that the pavement is black-topped and has no pot holes; that parking slots are clearly defined and correctly spaced; and that cement stops are upright. In winter, the parking lot, garage doors, exits and garbage dumpsters should be clear of snow.
Landscaping: The entire property should be free of litter, with no dog droppings on grass or pathways. Lawns should have no bare spots. There should be ample bushes and trees, while shrubs should be trimmed. Seasonal flowers should be planted; grass groomed; and terraces weed-free. There should be no broken cement steps or pathways. In winter, walkways and entry and exit doors should be free of snow.
Windows and balconies: There should be no broken glass or boarded windows. Window coverings should be uniform white drapes or blinds. Window glass should be clean. Storm windows and patio doors should be on track. Only outdoor furniture should be on balconies.
Outdoor amenities: The pool should have no cracks. It should have a continuous cleaning system that keeps the water clear. Wood decks should be stained, patios free of cracks and pool furniture in good condition.
General parking or individual garages: Doors should be painted and on track; the entry and interior should be lighted adequately; garage floors should be clean and free of debris; and the lock or entry system should be in good working order.
Dumpsters: Should be closed with no stacked or loose garbage.
Outside entry: Doors should be painted, weather-stripped, and well lighted and have no broken or damaged locks. There should be no no bikes, motorcycles, children`s toys or strollers in entryways or halls.
Interior check points
Entry and halls: Intercom or phone system should be static-free and clean. Look for broken or chipped tiles on floors and check to see that runners and stairway and hall carpeting are not worn or dirty. Walls and apartment doors should appear freshly painted, without spots or fingerprints. Elevators: Doors should move smoothly; tracks, floors and walls should be clean and the light bright.
Mail room: Boxes should be painted and locked, with no junk mail scattered about.
Bike and storage areas: Should be clean, organized and locked.
Garbage chutes: No stacked bags or loose garbage.
Laundry room: Machines-an adequate number for the size of the building-should be in excellent condition; floors, walls, machines and folding tables clear and clean.
Service check points
Most apartment leases refer to service and maintenance policies in a general paragraph. Leases do not usually make specific service and repair statements, so ask questions. Is a maintenance person available 24 hours a day on site or by pager? What is the emergency procedure for problems? What is the response time for normal repairs? How often does the maintenance crew clean the halls and stairs, replace burned-out light bulbs, do the landscaping, pick up the parking lot and perform other chores?
One final test: Ask the experts-the current residents who are best able to pass judgment on the service and maintenance they receive.
