I live with my husband and we really like the apartment. The view is very nice and the location is very good. I highly recommend!

I love the building and location! The move in ans out process is slightly annoing as you have to schedule delivery times for any big package. Also half if the buildng sits very close to train tracks whixh can be very loud if you are not in a high floor. Not too too many Kellogg students but enough which I like. And it's pet friendly!

Great location, nothing too fancy

Good location and the amount of space you get for the money is a great value.

High ceilings, lots of light, gas range (if you care about that), indoor pool and a decent gym. Maple ave is pretty quiet although close the center and within a 15 min walk from the Jake. Apartments in the 4 floors annex are much more spacious and better planned than in the rest of the building.

Okay place to live, but the gym isn't great.

Optima Views has been a great place to live.

Nice building and friendly staff. Not great community amenities but an all around nice building.

Optima View's apartment quality, location, amenities and safety rival those of other comparable buildings in Evanston (e.g. Park Evanston, Optima Horizons, E2). When I was looking, E2 was not yet built and the reason I chose Optima Views over Park Evanston is I could get in-unit washer/dryer (a huge convenience!) at a lower rent than in PE (where it is only in units that are 1 bed + den or larger). The apartments are really nice with floor to ceiling windows and the building is very safe as the doormen remember all the residents and will stop most visitors.

However, OV does have a lot of rules. Two year contracts are mandatory, which may result in a few lost months at the beginning or end of the contract depending on when you move in / move out. Also you cannot sublet and there is a 24 hour doorman who will catch you if you sublet, so those doing summer internships elsewhere or exchange need to pay double rent. Lastly, management has many rules regarding timing of moving in / out of the building (e.g. only on weekdays btwn 9am - 5pm and you need to reserve it in advance) that they strictly adhere to.

We live on one of the lower floors that have the larger floor plans (~900 sq. ft.) in the building. There is tons of storage space (huge 9x7 walk-in closet! + two other closets + storage unit). The gym in the building is basically just a room with a few treadmills and one weight machine. I've never used the pool in the building. The whole building has a very dated feel to it. But the location is absolutely perfect. It is right in the middle of the Jake, downtown bars, E2, and 27 Live. And it is half a block from the Metra and El stations.