General Questions

Where should I park my car?

You can park your car in any of the legal spots on Superior, Washtenaw, and California Streets, you may also park your car in the Aronson lot to the west of our building in the first ten spaces that are directly adjacent to Superior St. You may not park on the sidewalk or in any of the driveways, you will be towed and in some cases ticketed. Superior St. assumes no liability for your auto and you park at your own risk.

Monthly Clients

Elevator Requests

How do I get to use the freight elevator?
You need to request use of the elevator 48 hours in advance of your date and time to load in or out.  Staff will run the elevator for you during normal business hours seven days a week. If you need to load in or out of the building at an odd hour, you can use the first floor storage area to securely stage your gear.

What if I forget my elevator time?
You may be charged $20.

I need to cancel my elevator time?
Just give us a call – no problem.

Leases

Can there be more than one leaseholder?
No, one person is ultimately responsible for paying rent, and keeping track of the band’s behavior in the building.

What if the leaseholder leaves the band?
Someone else in the room needs to have the lease transferred into their name, if this doesn’t happen we can’t refund your deposit when you leave, you have no right to the room, or the goods within- it’s important to keep the paperwork up to date and make sure it is all correct.

What do we do if we kick out a bandmember?
If a member of your band has left your room you need to let us know- we can then delete his/her fob. What you need to do is ask them to return your room key, whether or not you get the key back it is good idea to change your padlock when a band member leaves, even if it’s under friendly circumstances.

If I quit my band and leave do I get my deposit back?
No, the deposit stays with the room until it has been completely vacated, therefore, you need to get your money from the folks who are keeping the room.

Our band broke up and we need to leave- what do we do?
First thing you want to do is let us know- you must give us notice under the terms of your Lease, failure to do so will result in a penalty being withheld form your deposit. You need to let us know in writing and you need to give us access to the room so that we can show it to potential new tenants.

What do I need to do if I’m planning on moving out?
You need to notify the office, in writing, within the terms of your lease, failure to do so will result in forfeit of your deposit. You also need to provide Superior Street staff with access to your room so that it can be shown and re-rented, failure to do this will also result in forfeit of your deposit.

Rent

When is rent due?
You may mail to the address above, drop it through the mail slot in the green vestibule, or hand it to a staff member, your cancelled check is your receipt. Just because the office is closed doesn’t mean you can’t pay your rent on time, so that’s not an excuse.

Where do I pay my rent?
You may mail to the address above, drop it through the mail slot in the green vestibule, or hand it to a staff member, your cancelled check is your receipt. Just because the office is closed doesn’t mean you can’t pay your rent on time, so that’s not an excuse.

Who do I make the rent check out to?
may mail to the address above, drop it through the mail slot in the green vestibule, or hand it to a staff member, your cancelled check is your receipt. Just because the office is closed doesn’t mean you can’t pay your ren

I paid my rent but my band mates have not. Why do you keep calling me?
It doesn’t matter who in the room has paid and who hasn’t, what matters is if the total bill has been paid, until the rent is paid in full, your room, and you, are considered delinquent.

Can I use my deposit for last month’s rent?
Absolutely not! You must pay your last month’s rent. Once you’ve vacated your room in good condition your deposit will be returned, if you fail to pay last month’s rent in an attempt to use your deposit you will be locked out with no further recourse.

Who gets the deposit?
When you move out of your room the leaseholder is issued the deposit return, no one else. That’s why it is important the lease information on the room is up to date.

How long does it take to process the deposit return?
About a month.

What other things can affect my deposit return?
Rooms need to be left clean, garbage thrown out, furniture MUST be removed. Occasionally it is “okay” to leave carpet or sound treatments, you will be notified of this when you do a final walk through. You must return your removable hasp leaf, keys, and your room may not be missing light fixtures, outlet plates, registers, or door hardware. Missing items will be charged against your damage deposit.

FOBs

What is a ‘fob’?
The word ‘fob’ is a reference to ‘key fob’ – which is a bangle or charm attached to your keys (as in a keychain)- here at Superior St. the term has come to represent that little grey doohickey that you swipe in front of our entrance doors to gain access- in essence its similar to a key card, just a different shape.

How do I get a fob?
When you rent a space at Superior St. you need to have a fob to enter the building, when your Leaseholder for your room signs the Lease he or she requests fobs for the users of the room. If you were never issued a fob, you can always ask for one, they are $10 and we require that the Leaseholder approve your request, generally it takes 4 business days to process your request.

Do I really need a fob?
Yes, without a fob you will be denied access to the building. If you ring the bell and you do not have a fob Superior St. staff has no way of knowing whether or not you belong here, therefore you will be asked to leave.

What if I lose my fob?
If you lose your fob you may request a new one – of course it’s another $10- if your fob breaks we will gladly replace it- if you wish to change the fob and put it in someone else’s name- we will do that for free as well, just need Leaseholder approval to make the switch.

Misc.

Can I change the locks on the door to my room?
No – if you do you will be kicked out and you will pay for the locks to be changed back- your padlock is your defense against someone having access to your room- only you have a key to your padlock, no one else.

What if I kick someone out of the band and I’m worried about security?
Let us know – we will delete that person’s fob, then you need to take a minute to purchase a new padlock. By taking both of these steps you will be able to eliminate your risk. Keep in mind that ex-girlfriends have been known to cause more damage than ex-drummers.

The electricity/ heat / doorknob/ etc. in my room is broken- who should I call?
If you are experiencing a problem with any of the mechanicals or electrical that services your room you need to report it to the office. We may need to access your room during normal business hours, so be prepared to arrange for that access.

Do I have to leave my room unlocked for repairs?
No, you have a choice, you can leave your padlock off with the door locks still locked, you may give us a key/combo for your lock, or you can be here when we need to enter your room for inspection of the problem. If you ask that we inspect a problem in your room and fail to make arrangements for access we may have to cut your lock off at your expense.

What can I expect if I report a problem?
You can expect Superior St. staff to solve the problem to the best of their ability. If a third party contractor is need to solve the problem with your room there will be a staff member assigned to remain with that contractor the entire time they are working in your room, you will be notified that the work will be done, and you will be asked to move/protect any sensitive gear. Your room will be secured when the work is complete and you will be notified.

Do I have to have a padlock?
Yes, it is your only real security, only give keys to those you are sure you trust.

Can we share our room?
Yes, you may share your room with as many people as you wish, there is still only one leaseholder, so if you are the leaseholder, make sure you know who is in your room and make sure you can trust them. We will not get involved in internal disputes between roommates.

What is a “final walk-through”?
When you give notice to leave you will need to pick a date that will be your last day in the space, at that time you will schedule a “walk through” with a Superior Street staff member so that they can view your room and ensure you have complied with all of the move out terms in the lease. Don’t forget, you need to make an elevator request to move out.

Hourly Clients

Booking

How far in advance to I need to book a room?
You can always try calling the “day of” to book a rehearsal, however, bookings are done on a “first come, first served” basis. To guarantee the date and time that is most convenient for you, call at least a week or two in advance.

What do I do if I need to cancel my rehearsal?
You must give us 48 hours notice in order to not be charged.  If you cancel within 24 hours, you will be charged for half the rehearsal time booked.  If you cancel the day of or ‘no call, no show’ we charge you for the entire rehearsal.

When is payment due?
Payment is due prior to your rehearsal, not after, if you cannot produce payment before entering the room, you will be denied access, if you manage a band and plan to send them down here- send them with a check, we will not allow them into the room. Credit terms will be issued to established clients on a case by case basis.

What if I am unhappy with my space or the sound?
You need to let staff know right away, not at the end of the rehearsal time, they are here to help and will do everything possible to get it right for you.

What if I want to run over the time that I booked?
That is left up to the discretion of the staff on duty at the time, you can always ask. You will be charged for any additional time. If however you are running over time and we have other folks booked, your request will be denied. If your band arrives late or in any other way you delay your start time in the room, you will not be guaranteed any ‘over-run’ time at the end of your rehearsal. Again it will be up to the staff and dependent upon the schedule.

Showcase

Can I have a party in the Showcase Room?
No, we are not licensed for it, strictly storage and rehearsal.

Rules

Does Superior St. take credit cards?
No, just cash and personal check with valid I.D.. But we’ve heard your pleas and we are working on it.

Why does Superior St. have a strict “no smoking policy”?
Because we are in compliance with the City of Chicago’s indoor smoking ban. Also, because it’s bad for our gear and AC system. You don’t have to like it, but it is the law.

Can we bring friends and family to our rehearsal?
Not really, we are not open to the public and generally will not allow anyone not directly related to the rehearsal into the space. This is an old building and can also be dangerous for children or the elderly, we DO NOT allow pets. We like them, we just don’t allow them.

Gear

What if I need extra gear?
Our engineers can help you determine your gear needs before your rehearsal, let them know what you need when you book the time. Many items are available for free, some will incur an additional (nominal) charge.