Weeks after moving into their much-hyped apartments, some residents at the University Village at Sweethome are questioning how sweet their accommodations really are.
The brand new apartment complex, which houses 827 residents across from North Campus on Sweet Home Road, has failed to live up to the expectations of many residents who say it is due to a lack of preparation. The property was turned over to American Campus Communities on Aug. 20, only five days before students began moving in.
"I was so excited to move in. It looks like a resort and I love living here, but it wasn't all that I expected," said Jessie Torres, a sophomore physical therapy major.
The disappointments are also not confined to the apartments themselves. According to Patrick Brennan, a sophomore undecided major, the parking regulations at Sweethome cost him his car.
"I woke up only to see my car missing. I didn't even get a warning and I had to have a friend drive me to Niagara Falls where I had to pay to get my car," said Brennan after his car had been towed for parking in a handicapped spot over night.
Torres, like many other residents, said the apartments are satisfactory at first, but the rooms aren't as big as advertised and some areas have begun to fall apart.
"I thought it would be a lot bigger," said Torres. "Don't get me wrong, I love it here, but on the first day, my closet doorknob fell off. I super-glued it back on. How ghetto is that?" he said.
Other residents have complained of broken locks and scratched floors, among other blemishes.
Two of the big selling points are also a reason for complaint: the swimming pool has been closed and the tanning beds are not up and running as promised.
According to Sara Garcia, general manager at the University Village at Sweethome, the swimming pool was closed due to overuse and she hopes to clarify some of the concerns.
"The pool is used and loved by our residents, but because of its heavy use, it needs to be closed so that it can be maintained with the proper chemicals," said Garcia.
Sweethome also has its share of happy customers.
Cara Cohen, a sophomore health and human services major, said the accommodations exceeded her expectations because the luxury of having an individual bathroom was new to her.
"I thought it was beautiful and bigger than I expected," she said, "I love having my own bathroom. I don't even have one at home."
She does feel, however, that the University Village at Sweethome neglects to realize that students need reliable transportation to get to classes on time. Some students say the shuttles are not on time and it is an inconvenience that there are no shuttles on the weekends.
"Sometimes I wait 20 or 30 minutes for the shuttle to come. Many times, there is only one shuttle, and it is frustrating. There are no shuttles on weekends, either. Did they forget that we have to leave?" said Cohen.
In response to the unreliability of the shuttle system, Cohen has decided to start a petition for more shuttles.
According to Garcia, the shuttles are scheduled to arrive every 12 minutes and she is currently working on a more reliable system to accommodate the needs of the residents.
Putting the setbacks aside, the University Village at Sweethome is working on some additions and events for the residents.
"We just ordered an old fashioned popcorn maker for our movie theatre, and yesterday we had a date auction to benefit Hurricane Katrina," said Garcia.
Garcia also said that in October, current residents would have to decide if they intend to stay in their apartments because the open spots will then be offered to new applicants. There is no waiting list for students who are interested in living at Sweethome and anyone is eligible to apply.
Garcia said housing such a large number of residents can be difficult, but she hopes to help them get accommodated and correct any of the problems they have run into.
Despite a few minor glitches, Garcia feels the apartments have proven worthy of all the hype.
"It exceeded my expectations," Garcia said.
