Location, beauty plusses on Bay State

This is the seventh in a series of articles exploring next year’s housing options for Boston University students.

Location, location, location – that’s what it’s all about for students living in the Bay State and Commonwealth Avenue apartments, they say.

The Comm. Ave. apartments are across the street from Marsh Plaza and a short walk from most of BU’s academic buildings.

The Bay State brownstones house close to 1,000 students in apartment style, dormitory style and specialty housing units, according to Office of Residence Live area director Meg White. The apartment style residences include a private common room, kitchen and bathroom for students living in each individual apartment.

Dormitory style and specialty housing residences provide large triple, double and single rooms and, depending on specific residence, laundry rooms and kitchens for available for use by all students in the unit. Though the residences require students to share bathrooms with those on the floor, they usually only share with less than 10 students, far fewer than those in large dormitory style residences.

Commonwealth Avenue apartments provide similar accommodations. Apartments include a private common room, kitchen and bathroom as well as one to two bedrooms, allowing for two or three students in each unit.

‘Bay State is in the most optimal location,’ said Mary Tchamkina, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and Bay State Road resident.

‘Living here I can leave five minutes before class and still make it on time [to class],’ Tchamkina said.

Jessica Levine a junior in the College of Communication said she was ‘very lucky’ to get housing in Bay State Road.

‘It’s so convenient,’ Levine said. ‘You can cook here, go to eat at Towers or Warren, which are both close, or even eat at one of the restaurants in Kenmore Square or on Commonwealth [Avenue].’

‘Bay State [Road] is by far the best place to live,’ Levine said.

Leslie Stierman, a freshman in the University Professors Program, said she loves living on Bay State Road.

‘Location is ideal,’ Stierman said. ‘We’re close to Towers dining hall and to all my classes. Plus it’s a small dorm to everyone knows everyone we’re very close.’

Stierman did point out, however, that there is a big difference between renovated and non-renovated buildings.

Stierman, who recently injured her knee, said her largest problem with the building is the lack of elevators in her building.

‘[I] live on the forth floor this made move in very difficult,’ Stierman said. ‘Now, just going to my room is a challenge.’

Stierman also pointed out that there are additional challenges for underclassmen living on Bay State Road.

‘Most of the people who live here are upperclassmen,’ Stierman said. ‘It makes it harder to make friends then those who live in large dorms.’

The age of the buildings themselves can sometimes be a problem too, Levine said.

‘The building is really old,’ Levine said. ‘All the rooms are connected by doors and the walls are really thin.’

‘Students planning on living here have to keep in mind that these are turn-of-the-century apartments,’ Levine said later.

But Erica Johnson a freshman in the College of Communication said though Bay State Road has its problems, she ‘[hasn’t] seen any apartments that impressed [her] more.’

Johnson did warn perspective future residences that, ‘the toilets plug frequently, and mice are a problem.’ She also said since there isn’t a RA living on the floor, so dealing with problems is up to the residents.

Students living in the Commonwealth Avenue apartments express similar feelings about their residences.

Though Emma Haynes, a senior in the College of Communication, said mice are a problem for her too, she said ‘not having security makes up for it.’

The buildings are also usually quiet, Haynes said.

‘We don’t see other people much, everyone keeps to themselves,’ she said.

Adrieene Pereira, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she loves living in the Commonwealth Avenue apartments because they are so close to most BU academic facilities.

‘I forgot a paper for class in the CAS building, so I told my professor I was going to the bathroom but instead ran back here to get it,’ Pereira said. ‘The location is great, I can get up five minutes before class.’

Theresia Becher, a senior in the College of Engineering said she likes living in the Commonwealth apartments because of the amenities – specifically, her room’s kitchens. However, Becher said the apartments are not the right place to live for someone seeking a lot of interaction and floor events.

‘We don’t have any of that,’ Becher said.

But Pereira said it is tough to get into the plush Commonwealth Avenue accommodations because of demand for the apartments.

‘Students should try to get in if they want to live here, but they shouldn’t plan on it,’ Pereira said.