The Daily Free Press continues its housing series for 2010-11 on-campus living today with some east campus options. Look for more guidance on where to live next year in coming days and send us your thoughts on the best choices.
When it comes to on-campus housing, Boston University students seeking convenience in both location and size need look no further than 575 Commonwealth Avenue.
A converted Howard Johnson hotel, better known as “HoJo,” 575 Comm. Ave. is located right by Kenmore Square. It once housed overflow students from regular housing, as the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Memorial Drive did last year.
School of Management sophomore Elaine Lin said the best part about the HoJo is its position on campus.
“It’s convenient because SMG is right next door, so I wake up 10 minutes before class,” she said.
However, Lin, who lives in a triple, said she dislikes the lack of space in the rooms.
“Space is really limited,” she said. “I have a lot of stuff and I’m a bit of a pack rat so it’s hard.”
Current resident and College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Kathleen Rosales said she likes HoJo, but wouldn’t choose to live there again because of the small room sizes.
“The private bathrooms are a plus,” she said. “But HoJo rooms seem more crowded compared to…other on-campus dorms, even Warren Towers.”
In addition to private bathrooms, HoJo also has air conditioning, study lounges with views of the Charles River and Fenway Park, lofted beds with desks underneath and a multipurpose and laundry room.
HoJo does not have a dining hall, but students can purchase snacks and beverages from Café 575, which is open mornings and nights on weekdays.
For people who crave a quieter environment, many students said The Towers at 140 Bay State Rd. is an ideal choice for housing.
“It’s not too loud so you can actually study in the dorm,” said CAS freshman Jennifer Kole.
“To me, Warren Towers looks like a prison and West is kind of far,” Kole continued. “But Towers is really accessible.”
Sarah Khalifa, a CAS freshman, says her favorite part of living in Towers is its location.
“It’s really close to CAS and the [George Sherman Union], which is a pro,” she said. “But I think the biggest con is definitely same-sex floors.”
Socially, Khalifa said, it’s “what you make of it.”
Students from the West and East towers can congregate in the Franklin Lounge or common rooms located on each floor.
The Towers sports a basement dining hall that some students have nicknamed “the dungeon.”
A double, triple or quad room in HoJo or Towers for 2010-11 is $7,980, the minimum housing rate.
Students who want to live in a large Bay State Road dormitory but are not fond of Towers often choose Shelton Hall.
Shelton, once a Sheraton Hotel, is a nine-floor dorm adjacent to Kenmore Square. All rooms are suite-style, with either double rooms with a shared bathroom or a double connected to a triple with a shared bathroom.
The quiet atmosphere combined with suite-style living is what students said makes Shelton their favorite over larger east-campus dorms.
“You can get a lot more work done here,” said College of General Studies freshman Danielle Medina. “If you were in Warren, there are a lot of distractions.”
Like Hojo, Shelton’s ninth-floor study lounge has a panoramic view of the Charles River. College of Engineering freshman and current Shelton resident Daniel Taylor described it as “one of the better lounges on campus.”
Taylor also said his five-person suite is bigger than the triples and doubles offered in Warren, adding he plans on staying in Shelton next year.
Shelton also has a dining hall with Late Nite service 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
A suite in Shelton is $9,100, according to the BU Housing website.
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