Battle of the Apartment Complexes: Where Will you Stay?
Kent Westlund
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Features
In the neighbourhood surrounding the University of Michigan, many of the homes have been converted into student housing. Sometimes entire houses are rented out to groups of students; in other cases, houses are divided into a number of self-contained apartments, which are each rented-out separately.
A significant portion of Ross MBA students choose to rent one of these houses or apartments-in-a-house: With advanced planning, patience, and some careful in-person searching, an acceptable rental close to the business school can definitely be found.
Another significant slice of the MBA student population avoids the hassle of touring individual houses, by choosing to live in large, professionally run apartment complexes.
In the realm of Ann Arbor apartment complexes, many options exist. For those that own a car, a few dollars can be saved by choosing an apartment complex further away from campus: Ponds at Georgetown , Meadowbrook Village, and Lake Village are among the popular choices with MBAs.
For those looking for a place a bit closer-in to the business school, we compare three of the apartment-complex options that are most popular with MBA students. Generally, more than one-third of Ross MBA students choose to live in one of these three places:
WALKING DISTANCE TO ROSS:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : 5 Minute Walk
Nob Hill Apartments : 15-20 minute walk
Woodbury Gardens : 30+ minute walk
FIRST IMPRESSION:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Vintage 1920's
Nob Hill Apartments : 1950's New England
Woodbury Gardens : Southern Cotton Plantation
STUDENTS GET TO SCHOOL BY...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Walking
Nob Hill Apartments : Walking
Woodbury Gardens : Bus / Bicycle / Drive
HOW'S THE LOCATION?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Couldn't be better; great for 8am classes.
Nob Hill Apartments : A bit far from school; great for football days.
Woodbury Gardens : It's far from school, and everything else too.
WHO ELSE LIVES THERE...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Some Ross MBAs, a few undergrads.
Nob Hill Apartments : Other graduate students; mostly single.
Woodbury Gardens : Families, Tons of other Ross MBAs.
RESIDENTS GRIPE ABOUT...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : The water "always" being under repair.
Nob Hill Apartments : The uphill-both-ways walk to school.
Woodbury Gardens : Limited & infrequent bus service to school.
IT'S A REALLY SHORT WALK TO...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : The Business School
Nob Hill Apartments : The "Big House" (U-M football stadium)
Woodbury Gardens : An excellent grocery store & pharmacy
NIGHTLIFE NEARBY:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Popular student bars (Rick's, Charlie's)
Nob Hill Apartments : The upscale bars of Downtown Ann Arbor
Woodbury Gardens : A bowling alley?
IT'S REALLY FAR WALK FROM ...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : A proper grocery store.
Nob Hill Apartments : Any source of Groceries.
Woodbury Gardens : The Business School.
HOW DOES LAUNDRY WORK?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Shared laundry; not enough machines.
Nob Hill Apartments : Shared laundry machines; well-maintained.
Woodbury Gardens : Individual in-suite laundry machines.
NICE UNEXPECTED FEATURES:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Huh?
Nob Hill Apartments : What?
Woodbury Gardens : Dishwashers, Central Air, Small Pool & Gym.
HOW'S THE MANAGEMENT?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Many complain that they are unresponsive.
Nob Hill Apartments : Very responsive. Nice girls run the office.
Woodbury Gardens : Could be better.
PARKING?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Get on the waiting list, it's in short supply.
Nob Hill Apartments : No problem.
Woodbury Gardens : There's lots of it.
FLEXIBLE LEASE OPTIONS?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : None. 12 Month Leases only.
Nob Hill Apartments : 8 or 21 month leases; reduced summer rent.
Woodbury Gardens : 8 or 20 month leases; reduced summer rent.
IT'S BEST FOR…
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Students with no car who like to sleep-in.
Nob Hill Apartments : Those that don't mind a brisk walk to school.
Woodbury Gardens : Married MBAs. MBA Families. Dog owners.
IT'S WORST FOR…
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Folks that need parking. Penny-pinchers.
Nob Hill Apartments : Foodies that don't have a car.
Woodbury Gardens : Anyone without a car.
DEFINITELY BOOK BEFORE...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : April?
Nob Hill Apartments : July
Woodbury Gardens : August
WEBSITE
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : www.campusmgt.com
Nob Hill Apartments : www.wilsonwhitemanagement.com
Woodbury Gardens : www.woodburygardens.com
In December 2007, a comprehensive housing survey was distributed electronically to approximately 875 current full-time Ross MBA students.
385 responses were received, of which 79 were from current residents of Woodbury Gardens, 28 from Nob Hill, and 16 from Forest Plaza. This article is based on the data collected from this survey.
A significant portion of Ross MBA students choose to rent one of these houses or apartments-in-a-house: With advanced planning, patience, and some careful in-person searching, an acceptable rental close to the business school can definitely be found.
Another significant slice of the MBA student population avoids the hassle of touring individual houses, by choosing to live in large, professionally run apartment complexes.
In the realm of Ann Arbor apartment complexes, many options exist. For those that own a car, a few dollars can be saved by choosing an apartment complex further away from campus: Ponds at Georgetown , Meadowbrook Village, and Lake Village are among the popular choices with MBAs.
For those looking for a place a bit closer-in to the business school, we compare three of the apartment-complex options that are most popular with MBA students. Generally, more than one-third of Ross MBA students choose to live in one of these three places:
WALKING DISTANCE TO ROSS:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : 5 Minute Walk
Nob Hill Apartments : 15-20 minute walk
Woodbury Gardens : 30+ minute walk
FIRST IMPRESSION:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Vintage 1920's
Nob Hill Apartments : 1950's New England
Woodbury Gardens : Southern Cotton Plantation
STUDENTS GET TO SCHOOL BY...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Walking
Nob Hill Apartments : Walking
Woodbury Gardens : Bus / Bicycle / Drive
HOW'S THE LOCATION?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Couldn't be better; great for 8am classes.
Nob Hill Apartments : A bit far from school; great for football days.
Woodbury Gardens : It's far from school, and everything else too.
WHO ELSE LIVES THERE...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Some Ross MBAs, a few undergrads.
Nob Hill Apartments : Other graduate students; mostly single.
Woodbury Gardens : Families, Tons of other Ross MBAs.
RESIDENTS GRIPE ABOUT...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : The water "always" being under repair.
Nob Hill Apartments : The uphill-both-ways walk to school.
Woodbury Gardens : Limited & infrequent bus service to school.
IT'S A REALLY SHORT WALK TO...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : The Business School
Nob Hill Apartments : The "Big House" (U-M football stadium)
Woodbury Gardens : An excellent grocery store & pharmacy
NIGHTLIFE NEARBY:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Popular student bars (Rick's, Charlie's)
Nob Hill Apartments : The upscale bars of Downtown Ann Arbor
Woodbury Gardens : A bowling alley?
IT'S REALLY FAR WALK FROM ...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : A proper grocery store.
Nob Hill Apartments : Any source of Groceries.
Woodbury Gardens : The Business School.
HOW DOES LAUNDRY WORK?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Shared laundry; not enough machines.
Nob Hill Apartments : Shared laundry machines; well-maintained.
Woodbury Gardens : Individual in-suite laundry machines.
NICE UNEXPECTED FEATURES:
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Huh?
Nob Hill Apartments : What?
Woodbury Gardens : Dishwashers, Central Air, Small Pool & Gym.
HOW'S THE MANAGEMENT?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Many complain that they are unresponsive.
Nob Hill Apartments : Very responsive. Nice girls run the office.
Woodbury Gardens : Could be better.
PARKING?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Get on the waiting list, it's in short supply.
Nob Hill Apartments : No problem.
Woodbury Gardens : There's lots of it.
FLEXIBLE LEASE OPTIONS?
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : None. 12 Month Leases only.
Nob Hill Apartments : 8 or 21 month leases; reduced summer rent.
Woodbury Gardens : 8 or 20 month leases; reduced summer rent.
IT'S BEST FOR…
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Students with no car who like to sleep-in.
Nob Hill Apartments : Those that don't mind a brisk walk to school.
Woodbury Gardens : Married MBAs. MBA Families. Dog owners.
IT'S WORST FOR…
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : Folks that need parking. Penny-pinchers.
Nob Hill Apartments : Foodies that don't have a car.
Woodbury Gardens : Anyone without a car.
DEFINITELY BOOK BEFORE...
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : April?
Nob Hill Apartments : July
Woodbury Gardens : August
WEBSITE
Forest Plaza (715 S. Forest) : www.campusmgt.com
Nob Hill Apartments : www.wilsonwhitemanagement.com
Woodbury Gardens : www.woodburygardens.com
In December 2007, a comprehensive housing survey was distributed electronically to approximately 875 current full-time Ross MBA students.
385 responses were received, of which 79 were from current residents of Woodbury Gardens, 28 from Nob Hill, and 16 from Forest Plaza. This article is based on the data collected from this survey.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Christina Daniels
posted 4/09/08 @ 7:37 PM EST
I am the property manager at Woodbury Gardens and would like to express the dissatisfaction of the above article.
At Woodbury Gardens, for several years, we have attracted over 200 MBAs because of our many amenities and services that we offer. (Continued…)
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