Boston University students waited eagerly inside a partially constructed room in Student Village Phase II on Wednesday, unsure of what to expect on the first-ever open tour of the newly constructed towers of the West Campus high-rise.
‘We’re going to have a rec room with a bunch of Wiis, supposedly, and a nice little deck area, which will be nice to just lay out when there is nice weather,’ College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Jennierose Rizzo said.’
During the first half hour, about 200 people toured StuVi 2, BU Housing Director Marc Robillard said, and students continued to file in at a steady pace for the next two and a half hours. The 15-minute tours showed groups of about 25 students both a typical eight-person suite in the south tower and a four-person apartment in the north tower. The second round of tours will take place Thursday.
‘Students seem pretty happy with what they see,’ Robillard said. ‘They’re concerned because they don’t know about the room selection process, if they’re going to get in, but they’re excited.’
Each apartment and suite is arranged around a partially furnished common room. Features of the new towers include 24-hour front door security, a bicycle storage room, central air conditioning and a multi-purpose room, according to a tour flyer. Many rooms offer clear views of downtown Boston or Nickerson Field.
College of Communication freshman Ariana Recoraro said she enjoyed the tour and wants to live there next year. However, she was somewhat disappointed by the length of the tour and how the rooms were only partially furnished.
‘The tour was kind of quick, but you got the point,’ Recoraro said.
Although the cost of living in StuVi 2 is more expensive then most on-campus housing, many students said the price tag was not a concern.
‘It’s so worth it,’ COM freshman Andrea Aldana said. ‘It’s a much nicer living arrangement, and it’s new.’
Rizzo said she agreed.
‘I think the newness of it, after living in Danielsen [Hall], which is an older building, makes it worth the money,’ Rizzo, who plans on living in StuVi 2 next year, said.
Although the towers do not have their own dining hall, and the apartment-style living spaces have only one bathroom for four people, as opposed to two in StuVi, there are new features exclusive to StuVi 2, Robillard said.
He said a new feature differentiating StuVi 2 from the original StuVi is the ‘dormitory component,’ an eight-person suite with a required dining plan.
‘It’s designed for students going from their freshman year to their sophomore year to keep large groups of students together, but still provide single room opportunities,’ Robillard said.
Construction on StuVi 2 is scheduled to be finished in May, and students will start moving in this fall.
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