Lived here for 2.5 years - Look Elsewhere
August 10, 2026 - Review from Apartments.com
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
Property Manager Responded
August 11, 2026
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and for choosing The 85 as your home for more than two years. We’re disappointed to hear that your experience did not ultimately meet your expectations.
We take concerns regarding maintenance, amenities, and the renewal experience seriously. Our onsite team works diligently to address service requests and maintain our community, and we recognize that timely, effective resolutions are an important part of the resident experience.
We also understand that lease pricing and renewal options can be a significant consideration. Rental rates and available lease terms are influenced by market conditions, availability, timing, and other factors, so pricing may vary between new and renewing residents. We recognize that those differences can be frustrating, and we appreciate you sharing your perspective.
Resident feedback is valuable to us and is shared with both our onsite and corporate teams as we continually evaluate opportunities ...
to improve. While we’re sorry The 85 was not the right fit for you moving forward, we appreciate the time you spent in our community and wish you all the best in your new home.
Sincerely,
The 85 at Maple Grove Team
Max of 2.