Overall: I personally have had a very good experience here - my unit is renovated (these are done on a unit by unit basis according to owner); laundry works fine; doormen and women are fine. Haven't had major problems, but management was fine when we chatted before I moved in. Location is excellent. Lots of other grad students here.

Things to improve: The business center on the first floor could use some upgrades and regular cleaning; the gym could use some more weight machines.

Can't be helped: Currently there's a bunch of construction going on nearby on 21st St so it can be difficult to fall asleep if you're sensitive to noise.

Apartment has had on and off roach infestations that management claims no one else is experiencing when everyone reports them (this is likely a liability thing), they do send an exterminator but there is never any follow-up. The baseboard heat can also not be controlled on a per unit basis so airconditioning or open windows are needed for the winter. Building management is extremely relaxed with visitors.

Riverwest isn't as new as some of the other buildings around Center City but I love my studio. It's been renovated recently and has a nice fridge and stove. For being a studio, it's actually quite roomy and well laid out. You also can't beat having all utilities (except internet) included in rent. On top of that, the building is FioS compatible! The biggest negative is that the heat is controlled centrally -- that means my unit is always hot and I'm routinely running the A/C, even in December.

Riverwest is in an amazing location and the rent is very reasonable for where it is and the fact it has a doorman to receive packages. I wouldn't be able to afford a 1BR otherwise. However, the building is definitely old and the heat / AC can be very noisy.

Great location, and rent includes all utilities which makes it significantly cheaper than other one bedrooms around Rittenhouse.

Downsides:
- occasional visits from cockroaches
- occasional fire alarm in middle of the night
- thin walls
- apartment gets hot during winter as there is only central heating
- very clanky pipes during winter

People who live here have no ifs and buts about where they live. It's comfortable living for a lowish price. The building is old but everyone who works here is incredibly nice and it feels more like a family than a building complex. A lot of like-minded Wharton students (looking for cheap places without much fanciness) live here and have held multiple parties with no noise complaints. It's definitely not 2116 but then we don't pay $2300 for a studio :-)

I've had a lot of problems with Riverwest this last year, particularly if you are renting from owner Anthony Seravalli (I would advise against it). Anthony often ignores emails and calls and does not come through on promises to fix things.

The temperature control at Riverwest is wonky. This year, the heat came on extremely late in the year, in November, and when it is on- it is unbearably hot (have to use AC in December). Furthermore, I have seen cockroaches on many occasions in the hallways and elevators.

I am a first-year Wharton MBA student. I spent 3 months looking for a place to live. I used VeryApt and had a 'short-list' of 34 different properties. I then began to streamline them based on cost, reviews, proximity to school and Center City, quality of management etc.

I ultimately ended up with RiverWest and it's been one of my best decisions since coming to Wharton. My apartment was freshly renovated before I moved it. The realtor (LeeAnn Chen of Berkshire Hathaway) was super helpful. Rent was all-inclusive of utilities. The landlord is very responsive and all requests were handled within 24 hours, most-times even between 2-3 hours.

I understand the plight and uncertainty that surrounds getting housing but trust me, you will not regret choosing RW. Yes, there are fancier apartments like 2116 Chestnut (right across the street) but then they end up paying up to $6000 extra (I calculated) for a similar sized apartment. RW is also close to transportation options. The Philly buses stop right in front of the building and the trolley is less than a block away.

Now, I'll try to be balanced. There are downsides to RiverWest. The laundry room is downstairs and costs $1.50 per wash and $1.50 per load for the dryer as well. This, although inexpensive, can be inconvenient. Next, the building's heating system is kind of old and as such, you might hear some noise during the winter months.

Still, this is overall one of the best places you can live - especially if you're on a budget. I heard this same comment from Wharton alumni who graduated before me and from my colleagues who are living in more expensive places. I'll be staying here in my second year as well.

Although the location is great, the building is old, has a problem with cockroaches and suffers from thin walls. Strongly recommend avoiding this place; pay the extra $200-$400/month to live somewhere newer.

- Different people own the units so the quality of the units can vary widely.
- It has the best location: very close to the trolley station and bus stop; nearby Trader Joe's, Target and CVS; close to a lot of good restaurants in the Rittenhouse area.
- It's really cheap considering rent includes most utilities.
- Since it's an old building, there are some old building issues. For instance, the fire alarm acts up (not too often), and the heat is automatically activated at certain temperatures so it gets cold before reaching that point.
- Overall: best location, old but decent building, good bargain (i.e., cheap)