Chicago’s best West Loop / Near West apartments – Pet-friendliness

We define Chicago’s “near west” neighborhoods to include the West Loop, Fulton River District and River West. You’ll find all of your major apartment options in these neighborhoods on our at-a-glance list of downtown apartments.

Our goal is to help you find the apartment that best fits your needs. Renters simply have so many differing priorities – and budget constraints – that singling out an overall best building would be a pointless exercise.

Our first posts in this series focused on location. We spotlighted the buildings with the best views, most convenient grocery shopping, and the best access to public transit, parks, the expressway grid, the Loop, dining and nightlife and retail shopping.

We turned our attention to aspects of the buildings themselves, starting with affordability, building amenities and boutique ambiance.

Pet-friendliness is a tough category. 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 some don’t.

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.

K2 is the standout in this category, based on its having the city’s largest dog run and its ongoing efforts to please pets and their owners.

Echelon has a large outdoor dog park adjacent to the building, stocks dog treats at the concierge station, and otherwise goes above and beyond to pamper pooches.

Chime in with a comment if you disagree with our selections.

You’ll find links to our objective, visually-rich apartment reviews of near west buildings, and links to near real-time availability checks for most of the buildings, at our downtown apartments at-a-glance list, and some tips and advice at our Guide to renting in Chicago’s near west neighborhoods.

We’ve also spotlighted the best apartments in River North, Streeterville and the South Loop.

Next topic:Apartment finishes and features.

Note: K2 and Echelon are YoChicago advertisers. Make of that what you will.

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