We lived at The 85 for over 2.5 years, and unfortunately, I would not recommend living here.

For the price, the amenities are underwhelming and poorly maintained. The grills were frequently filthy or not working, and the pool was regularly filled with unsupervised children throwing balls around and disrupting other residents trying to use the pool.

Maintenance was another recurring issue. We routinely had to contact maintenance multiple times for the same problem because the initial repair did... not actually resolve it. Our AC unit was a particularly frustrating example.

The renewal process was easily one of the biggest issues. The property offers lease terms from 6 to 18 months, but the pricing is structured in a way that heavily pushes you toward certain lease lengths. Rather than allowing residents to choose the lease term that works best for them at a reasonable rate, the pricing seems designed to steer you toward whatever term benefits the property most.

The final straw for us was seeing 5+ apartments with the exact same floor plan as ours advertised for less than what we were paying as existing residents. When we brought this to management's attention, they essentially refused to do anything about it. Paying more than new residents for the exact same apartment while being told there was nothing they could do was extremely frustrating.

It also feels like there is a disconnect between the people making these decisions and the people on-site running the property. The property is operated by a corporate company based in Milwaukee, and throughout our time there, it often seemed like the people making pricing and leasing decisions were out of touch with what is actually happening in the Madison rental market. The pricing, renewal strategy, and treatment of existing residents reflect that.

After more than two years at The 85, we were happy to move on. There are several newer communities nearby offering better amenities and, in many cases, lower rents. I would strongly recommend shopping around before signing a lease here. Read More

I have lived in my current unit for almost 2 years and love it. The location is extremely convenient, the build is new and has new modern appliances, the unit is spacious, and the management staff have been helpful and accommodating. They have been much better than some of the other management companies I have worked with in the Madison area. My only complaint (and a minor one at that) would be that the gym is too small for the number of residents that the property serves.

My dad lives in the stacked flats and I visit from time to time. The amenities are nice pool, outdoor grills, gym, etc. However, management does not care. My dad has obnoxiously loud neighbors above him and my dad has complained at least 10 times with valid complaints. Not just being a “Karen”. They offered to move my dad to an upstairs unit, but refuse to move the people who make the noise. We have an elderly dog, so stairs are a no go. Non-stop noise, screaming, and fighting all day and into... the early morning, 3-4am. Just the other day it sounded like they slammed the door so hard during an argument it fell off the hinges. During a regular day it sounds like they throw bowling balls and it will break through the floor. You know it’s bad if you have to wear noise canceling headphones all day just to tolerate being inside the flat. Decided to resort to this review to warn others of this nightmare my dad has been dealing with for months unresolved. Read More

Great location. Amazing Staff. Lots of different unit types to chose from. Apartments are new, clean, and modern. Very pleased with our move in experience