2550 University

I have lived in this apartment complex for 2 years– I have been the first and only resident in my apartment (along with roommates). I am now moving out of state after completing a grad degree at UW.
The apartments themselves are extremely high-​end, especially for this area. The bus stop is about 50 feet away and they come about every 5 – 10 minutes during peak hours. It is a 10 – 14 minute commute to campus. This place was a no-​brainer for me personally because it offered the perfect blend of convenience, quality of living, and proximity to campus as well as to the Lakeshore Trail and Picnic Point area.
The staff has always been extremely helpful. There were some issues when we first moved in, but they responded very quickly to all my requests. The bottom line is that they are all people and they treat you like a person as well… a refreshing change of pace from the slumlords I have dealt with in the past in this city.
It is also shocking that they allow dogs in such a new complex, but they do. I have a hyperactive Boxer and live on the second floor so I thought that may be an issue, but it really hasn’t been. The proximity to Lake Mendota and great trails make up for the fact that we have no backyard for him.
On the negative side, I would say parking is a bit steep ($ 160), but that is because there are no other options in the area. Also, I was hoping that the commercial spaces on the first floor would fill up with coffee and bagel shops, but that hasn’t been the case. However, businesses are now popping up so new tenants will get to experience that.
Overall, I would highly recommend. Especially for grad and medical students (probably too far from campus for most undergrads) as well as young families.

I lived in 2550 during the first year it was in business.
I waited a while to write a review because I was pretty miffed by the time we moved out on account of all the apartment showings. They sent out renewals about two months after we moved in (like others have mentioned in their reviews) and we decided the price hike wasn’t worth it. They ended up showing our apartment about 15 times. It was incredibly frustrating from January to about April, when our unit was finally rented out for the following year.
It wasn’t all bad, though. Since moving, I’ve come to appreciate how soundproofed the apartments are at 2550. I never heard my neighbors — and since our apartment faced Campus Drive — the windows and doors were equipped to block the sound as well.
It’s convenient for those who work at UW hospital — and it is right on the bus line. I liked having the outdoor grills, and the mailroom was more secure there than it is in my new building. It’s also great that they allow pets.
But like others mentioned, it’s pretty expensive considering the location and the fact that half the apartments face one of the busiest roads in Madison — in the end all the policies about trash/​bikes/​showings just didn’t add up to the «luxury» living I felt like I was paying for.
A final note — they told me to get the carpets cleaned upon moving out. The person I had scheduled to come never showed up, so I had to tell the office they would just have to do it and bill me for it. It ended up costing $ 35 for the office to handle it — whereas the guy I had coming was charging $ 100, one of the cheaper quotes I found. Leaving the carpets dirty ended up being the cheaper option!

The apartment building has conveniently made it so if you try to apply for a street parking permit under your address of «2550 University Ave» the City of Madison isn’t «allowed» to issue you a permit. So– if you plan on having a car you’ll have to spend $ 150+ for parking each month in the building’s underground parking– this is on top of the already pricey monthly rent. The building is quiet, unless your apartment is located near the trash disposal/​elevator area. The exercise room is very nice!
My apartment was literally shown over 40 times between March and May, and they don’t give you a specific time for the showings they say, «between 1 and 5 we will be showing your apartment.»
Here’s the worst part about this place: My apartment was cleaned by my mom’s cleaning company before we moved out. We had left the place pretty clean as it was, but just to be on the safe side, we had a few of her employees come by for the last sweep through. Well, I received my security deposit back with a $ 130 deduction for cleaning (what exactly was cleaned was unspecified…), $ 70 for paint/​labor and $ 80 for replacing floor planks that were scratched. The paint and floor should have been considered normal wear and tear as the scratches I assume they’re referring to were actually present before I moved in. I say this because I worked as an apartment manager for 2 years and my uncle owns apartments in Madison– the newest having been built 2010, so he is more than familiar with these things. I’m working on getting more detail on the cleaning that was done but so far I haven’t had luck in hearing back from them… If you want to be nickled and dimed — this place is for you! Otherwise– stay away!!!

So far so good…
The people living here are a mix between undergrads and early career professionals in the medical field.
Apartment is nice and all new beautiful appliances. Spacious! Clean building!
The one tiny critique is that the mail area is where the deliveries are made and it’s not a very secure area. Wish they would keep them in the office or something.