Earlier posts in our series on the best Streeterville apartments focused on location. We spotlighted the buildings with the best views and most convenient access to grocery shopping, bars and restaurants, retail shops, public transportation, parks and beaches and the expressway grid, and the shortest walk to the Loop.
We then switched from location to the buildings themselves, focusing on affordability, building amenities and boutique ambiance.
When we visited the topic of pet-friendly buildings in River North and the South Loop, we took a pass on selecting a winner in the category.
Every rental building imposes a variety of limits on dogs based on their number, size and breed. Simply accepting dogs isn’t enough to make a building “pet-friendly.” Dogs may not be allowed on every floor of a building, and substantial pet fees / rent charges are common. Some buildings have private dog runs on-site, and most don’t.
A major reason for our reluctance to single out pet-friendly buildings is that many dog owners have a very different perception of whether a building is pet-friendly after they’ve lived in it for a while. Hostile neighbors, poorly maintained pet areas and the individual experiences of an owner’s pet(s) can turn a “pet-friendly” building into one you want to leave.
Taking all of that into consideration, one Streeterville building appears to be making an unusual effort to be pet-friendly. 500 Lake Shore Drive has Dog City Chicago, an on-site facility that offers residents cat sitting, dog walking, grooming, training, overnight care and veterinary services. The building also sits directly across the street from a park that has fountains and a dog-friendly area.
Chime in with a comment if you disagree with our approach on this topic, or want to nominate a winner.
You’ll find links to our objective, visually-rich apartment reviews of Streeterville buildings, and links to near real-time availability checks for most of the buildings, at our Near North at-a-glance list, and some tips and advice at our Guide to renting in Streeterville.
Next topic: Apartment finishes.