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Draper and Kramer is a property and financial services company, building communities and serving clients for 129 years. And with a strong foundation, we have the experience, expertise, and freedom to be bold. Today, we are building, furthering, and managing the communities of tomorrow. With over a century of experience in real estate, we offer proven results backed by market insights, sound strategies and deep-rooted knowledge of the industry. We create exceptional living experiences with our thoughtful approach to operations and a unique personal touch.
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Established in 1893 by Arthur W. Draper and Adolph F. Kramer, we remain family-owned and one of the leading privately held property and financial service firms in the United States. For the past 129 years, we have created a legacy of notable projects and helped shape neighborhoods. Today, we have a national reach, expanding to cities beyond our Chicago roots.
As a vertically integrated real estate firm, we are experienced in all aspects of real estate investment management and ownership, including property operations, acquisitions, dispositions, asset management, capital structuring/restructuring, financings, development and fund management. Over the last 10 years, we have acquired or sold over $2 billion worth of assets and have partnered with some of the world's largest investors and private equity funds.As a result, we have developed trusted relationships with lenders, investors, and brokers.
Drawing on our 129 years of experience, we offer a creative, sensible, and mature management perspective that is tailored to the strengths of each property. By delivering exceptional levels of personal service and professionalism, we create great value for our investors and welcoming environments for our residents.
We have a long history of providing real estate-related counsel to a diverse group of clients, including private and institutional investors, government agencies, corporations and foundations. Having successfully developed 30+ million square feet of office, industrial, retail and residential properties nationwide over the last half century, our track record speaks for itself.
Reviews (10)
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Aj LeSage
Apr 21, 2022
Can't even call them without knowing a SPECIFIC person to ask for on their automated system. Apparently they have no receptionists or anyone who can just answer a regular phone call and assist with basic inquiries.
Deep Dive
Apr 03, 2021
Living in lake meadows apartments. These people are absolutely horrible. I have lost little faith in humanity after living here. Roaches, bed bugs, water cut offs for days, apartment found in inhabitable condition after move-in. Non responsive management. The list just goes on and on. I tried contacting them using all channels. I think I should find some attorney to handle it now
Nicole Fleischman
Nov 16, 2020
While I love my apartment and the people who live in the building, I do not appreciate the way management handles things. I had bed bugs and the building did not handle this professionally at all with a lot of miscommunication. Also, the elevators have been down frequently, causing 16 floors to only have 1 elevator during COVID-19. At one point in COVID, the elevator was down for an ENTIRE month. Also, the dog park was surrounded by poisonous plants until the winter came when they pulled out the dead plants. Also, the building stops spraying the dog park with deodorizer in the winter even when there is no snow.
Mia Mia
Jun 06, 2020
I lived in lake meadows a few months ago and this was the worst experience ever for my first apartment. Everything was so outdated and a few days into me moving in I saw roaches. They fixed the roach problem but the bigger issue I had with this company and building is they're very unprofessional. I was working Full time and A Full time Pharmacy student, I was never really home because of that reason.

One day while trying to pay my rent I noticed I was charged an Extra $500 on top of my rent, when I called and asked why they barely wanted to tell me. After hours of talking they finally told me it was because someone said they smelled marijuana. I had proof that I wasn't home the day someone made a false report and that still never mattered to lake meadows, I felt like they only cared about money.

I explained to them that it's been so many times I saw college students in the hall smoking across from my apartment in the stairwell, my apartment is directly across from the stair well it's always people smoking there and people made several reports. Even the neighbors on the left and right of my apartment said that I'm barely home and they never smelled smoke from my apartment.

I refused to pay for something I didn't do, they tried to take me to court however I decided me leaving was the best decision. I work too hard to go through this, lake meadows is full of money hungry people and it's ridiculous they take advantage of people.
Linda 'Wurst-Otto
Dec 20, 2019
We love the location and our apartment. However, since the last remodeling of the hallways took place, there is much more noise because the removal of the carpeting and the installation of the indoor-outdoor tiles has taken away the noise absorption the carpet afforded. Also, in the 1360 Lake Shore Drive building lobby, the sliding doors were installed in a manner that our poor doorpersons freeze in the winter and swelter in the summer.

It is ridiculous for them to have to sit with heavy coats and hats and scarves just to keep warm. Those doors should be replaced or reversed or perhaps install a revolving door to keep the weather out of the lobby. The amenities afforded by the building are quite nice and appreciated. The management of our building is very nice and helpful, and so are our doorpersons and workers.
Stephanie Arnold
Apr 28, 2019
Our son's lease expires August 2019 and Lake Meadows, the apartment complex where he resides, has requested verification now that we want to renew his lease. Paperwork has been submitted by my husband and son to complete this process, but notifications are still being sent out telling us that they must complete the paperwork by June 28th, 2019 although they have both done what they have been requested to do.

My husband is the co-signer on our son's lease and my husband has been unsuccessful in getting Ms. Howard, manager of Lake Meadows Apartments, to return his calls, so that this can all be resolved immediately. Our son had also personally signed a document, in person, in the management office, stating that he does want to renew the lease, and they are still leaving him notes that the lease must be renewed now.

In addition, when attempting to speak to someone in the corporate office to get some help regarding this matter, the person he was directed to speak with had a full mail box. It is difficult to comprehend that when a resident is a good tenant who has always paid their rent on time, that this is the way they are treated. I'm hoping that someone contacts my husband and son to resolve this because this is absolutely ridiculous.
Sharon Goolsby
Mar 01, 2019
I have been a tenant at Lake Park Crescent Apartments since 2016. I have had the worst experience with management that I could have never imagined. For two years I have made numerous phone calls and in person visits to the management office as well as stating in writing my frustration and disappointment with a lack of concern or acknowledgement of the numerous repairs that still to this day have not been completed even after the Compliance Manager assured me that the repairs would be completed.

This occured on the day I signed my lease for a third year as a tenant. I have taken numerous pictures and videos documenting the repairs that exist and how some of them prevent me from using my bathrooms, my stove and even my utility basin in my laundry area. The list goes on and even includes a hole in the ceiling that the management office has been promising to repair for two and a half years!

I have other issues too numerous to mention here but I am convinced that management will not do the right thing regarding this situation. Im sure I am not the only tenant experiencing the awful treatment and unprofessionalism of the members of management when I am paying my rent each month but getting NOTHING in return. I hope that no one has to experience the same.

I truly have no faith in management at this point and I am convinced that management will do nothing to make this right even though they have made numerous promises to do so.
Jonathan Lesnick
Dec 14, 2018
Had a never ending cockroach problem in my apartment. After over a dozen treatments the problem was not solved. Finally got fed up and decided to give them a 14 day letter to either fix the problem or I'd terminate the lease. The 14 days came and went, I found another cockroach in the apartment, I showed this to management but the lady just conjectured that I could have taken this before the 14 days, because iPhone's don't capture all that metadata that tell you when and where a photo was taken.

They didn't want to accept me legally exiting the lease, and came after me illegally with a debt collector after I moved out trying to recover rent they weren't owed. On two occasions they declined to allow my emotional support dog to accompany me into management office, despite ADA regulations. They also entered into my apartment with no notice. They ended up having to pay a fine because of that, and ended up retaliating by not accepting the termination of my lease because of the unsolved cockroach issue. Retaliating against a tenant just because they were called out on something illegal (coming into the apt with zero notice) is itself illegal in chicago according to Municipal Code Title 5, Chapter 12 5-12-150. Avoid these people at all costs!
Andrew Cai
Dec 13, 2018
The building staff at their 3900 N Lake Shore Dr were fantastic, very friendly and probably the best part of Draper Kramer. After moving out, it took almost two months to get my security deposit back, with absolutely terrible communication from their headquarters. Really a coin flip your experience with this management company but if you want a headache and the lovely experience of talking to a wall, give this place a go. Funny thing was I was about a day away from taking legal action against them and they finally got me my security deposit back.
Christine Ramsey
Jan 11, 2018
I had the opportunity to stay in one of Draper and Kramer apartments recently and it was like going on vacation! The views, location and staff were outstanding! As a DK employee, I am amazed to see the level of team work that goes into running just one building. The behind the scenes collaboration, camaraderie and commitment to improving the residence experience is something that really is unique.

Lots of our employees have been with the company for a very long time and have built a history of friendships that span decades. Again something really unique that you don't see a lot of today.