The doormen are great, it’s a pretty building, location is great, price is good. downside : management isn’t great. built 40 years ago and things are falling apart. our floor is literally coming out of the floorboards ! owner owned, so if you get a nasty owner, you’re stuck. also no dogs or cats allowed which is a bummer. but i think for the price location and proximity to the downtown area it’s pretty good

The Dorchester has its pros and cons. On the positive side, the building is clean, has 24/7 security and is quiet. Most of the residents are senior citizens so if you prefer to live in a place without many parties or noise, the Dorchester is good for that. Cons: the building is a co-op and has strict rules. One involves not being able to Airbnb the apartment. This makes it inconvenient to rent out the place when on break or over the summer. The building is not pet friendly at all. You will be fined $2,000 for ANY infraction, including just bringing a dog into the lobby. The apartments are cold and the heating system does not work well enough to heat a studio apartment properly. Additionally, the heater is extremely loud and distracting so I keep the central heat off and at times use a floor heater, which barely circulates heat well. My apartment faces the park so I get a little but of natural sunlight during the day. However, the apartment does not have sufficient overhead lighting, so you have to have a lot of lamps on at night. The security guards are kind and helpful, but the Dorchester building manager is a pain. He is rude and very unfriendly. Allan Domb, the owner of my studio, is decent. They respond pretty quickly to maintenance issues, but I have heard other students complain about their customer service. The building has a gym in the basement, but the gym is small and some of the machines are old. The building does not have a common space like other buildings around Rittenhouse. Having a common space is helpful when studying or hosting events for Wharton students. Also, you have to pay for additional services like the gym, parking and the rooftop pool. Lastly, the fire alarm goes off way to often! It has gotten to the point that residents don't even leave when an alarm goes off, which is dangerous. If looking for a similarly priced property with more amenities, try the Rittenhouse Claridge, on the other side of Rittenhouse Park. They may not be listed on VeryApt.

Great location, amazing views p, spacious for a studio but far from campus

Apartment does not have great amenities, but is great if you wants to extract great value. Doorman building with luxurious finishes. Rent includes utilities including cable.

The place promises the world but delivers not much of it (false advertisement to say the least). For example:
- a rooftop pool - costs extra ~$300 & open only 3 months
- freight elevators - cost you extra $350 to move in
- an old miniature gym in the dungeon (below basement with no windows) - cost you extra $30 / month
- bike storage - cost you extra $30

The management team is not accessible. There is no online system to make payments. The front desk is rude to guests. The backdoor closes at 6.30pm and you cannot walk your bike through the front. Fees right and left whenever they get a chance.

The place is so old that we three major water damage last year. I think the water never dried fully so the hallways smell bad and not sure how healthy it is actually. No A/C control in the rooms - so it is up to them to turn on the A/C or the heater and when.

The only thing going for this place is the location. I am guessing with the current management team and state of the building, they wouldn't be able to get one tenant if it was a bit outside the center city. There are other really good options in the center city with similar location benefits and much better quality building and qualified management team. I would stay away.

Great apartment and staff but old building where things are constantly breaking down; gym is in poor condition and should be replaced

Each apartment is very different since this is condo type living. You interact directly with your landlord but the maintenance is run by the actual building. The staff is very nice and accomodating and the decorations during the holidays are beautifully done. This location is close to everything (Rittenhouse park is right in front of the building) while being just slightly away (0.5 blocks ha!) from the walnut-chestnut 17-21st Wharton bubble. Hosting a party for many people? The building allows you to borrow tables and chairs and won't charge a fee unless you keep it overnight. Each resident also gets a 5'x5' storage unit included as part of their rent.

There's quite a few wharton students who live here and it's a great community (Riverwest community is the BEST out of all of them but the building itself is not so great). The building is very well maintained but it's annoying that the gym costs an extra $15/month (if you want it). The gym itself is kind of small with free weights and treadmills so good for topping up but not for any serious workouts. There's also a gorgeous rooftop pool in the summer that's an additional amount...for a Penn student this isn't necessary since we can just use Pottruck. There is no washer and dryer in each apartment but a communal one in the basement - this has never been a problem for me.

Really love being right in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. The apartment is very quiet - which is kind of nice after a long day of school

Some great value units, but depends on who you rent from b/c condo owned and each owner has performed varying amounts of updating

Seamless move in, spacious and secure (entry with elevator fob only) laundry room in basement, very kind doormen and receptionists, clean apartment, prompt servicemen when problems in apartment are reported. Excellent location and reasonable price.