Pros and Cons of garden apartments (Chicago: crime, living in, price)

[newhorizon09]

Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of living in a garden apartment in Chicago?

[Lookout Kid]

Pros:
Cheaper
Fewer stairs

Cons:
Flooding
More bugs
Security
Lack of Light
Lower Ceilings (typically)
Musty Smell (dehumidifier helps)

[Drover]

The only pros I can see is 1) they're usually a good $100-150/mo cheaper than a comparable above-ground unit, and 2) they're cheap to cool in the summer. Other than that it's like living in a dungeon unless you get lucky and end up in a corner building where the "side" wall is facing the side street instead of just facing another building and you have decent-sized windows on that wall.

With few exceptions, I have found garden units to be cramped and have very awkward layouts. And I doubt the legality of many of the ones I've seen. I have seen exactly one garden unit in my time where I thought to myself, "I wouldn't mind living here."

[soulful]

Flooding is a very big concern. Even in basements that have never flooded in the past. Although the building may be sound, heavy rains sometimes make the sewers back up through floor drains on the basement level. I have seen this happen so many times in garden units. And it is a nightmare you never want to live through.

[Lookout Kid]

After some crime issues I've experienced, I wouldn't live anywhere lower than the second floor in this town. Unless I had a house, of course.

[Paxtonian]

I used to know some burglars who were quite fond of garden apartments.

[Carantini]

they smell like cement

[hank0604]

I don't mind my garden apartment at all. I actually get plenty of light, enough that I don't even have to turn on a lightbulb until dusk. It's also nicely cool.

[surlycue]

i live in a first floor old storefront unit. it is not below ground but i do second the bug issue as well as a heating and outdoor noise issue. my street is quiet but in the warmer months locals walk around late into the night and i can often hear people talking outside. last night i also had to sick my cat on the biggest millipede i've ever seen in my life.

on the flip side though, it was quite a bit easier to move into my unit then the ones above and also much less of a PITA to haul groceries in and out. i also pay the same price for my 2 bedroom as the people above me pay for their 1 bedroom so you can definitely get a great deal.

[boringmember]

It's pretty rare to find a nice garden apartment... There are some, but overall, you do get what you pay for.