If you don't have a lot of time to read my entire review here's the deal on La Aldea, it's a safe bet if you don't know the area and it has many conveniences. It IS overpriced but there are a lot of sketchy areas in Tucson and unless you can make a trip down here before you enroll (and you can afford the rent) and figure it out for yourself La Aldea is a good bet. This apartment is now only for graduate students.

I decided to take a one bedroom because I didn't want the hassle of a roommate. It's expensive, but I come from New York City where you can't even get a shoebox for 800 dollars in a good neighborhood. The staff is great and friendly and anything that needs to get fixed gets fixed fast! If you put in a repair order in the day expect someone to come knocking to fix it by afternoon. They'll even change your light bulbs.Once a semester they come to clean the carpets so it's fresh and clean.

If you live in a multiple occupancy apartment you will have a washer and dryer in your apartment. If you live in a single like me the washer and dryer is at the end of the hall. Laundry is free for both.

The building uses the campus internet so that means if you're up late at night working on a paper you can access all the library databases from your apartment hassle free.

If you have a car, you will need to get a parking permit. Parking is atrocious at the UofA but everyone has to deal with it. Fortunately the Tyndall Garage is right next door. There is also the Park Avenue Garage as well as a surface lot right next to it that is much cheaper. It's not that far.

Noise might be an issue for some more than others based on which side your apartment faces. My apartment faces the West, with beautiful views of the mountain but it also faces Euclid, a busy street. I am a light sleeper so the noise prevents me from sleeping with the windows open. There is a freight train downtown that you can hear the horn from at nights also. (During the daytime it's not that noticeable)

If you face South you'll be facing Coronado, the undergraduate dorm which is loud, especially as the undergrads are heading out to party at nights. The apartments facing east face the aforementioned Tyndall Garage, which can be quiet except when someone's car alarm goes off and they are not around to turn it off. If you're facing North you'll either hear the noise from the parking garage or Euclid Avenue.

The apartment complex is pretty safe, you cannot enter unless you have a University ID card. I have not experienced any theft or any other crime in this apartment.

If you want a party atmosphere or real social community this is not the community for you. It is a graduate apartment only with many studious students. There are social gatherings each month so you can meet other people in the complex but it's not usually a large gathering. I have met some really cool people. The hallways are real quiet though people near the stairwells might hear doors opening and closing.

So in all, yes it's overpriced, but if you want something to start with then La Aldea is a good choice. Now that I have a car and can afford to look for something further away and cheaper I will be moving. But other than the price I have no complaints.

By the way, it IS possible to break your lease if you have a good enough reason. One of my friends was able to break hers due to lack of funds.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 01/06/2009
I would say this review is accurate to the tee. I also lived in La Aldea and if I were to describe it, I would have written what this person wrote. It is indeed very indeed because you have a lot of nerdy grad students who have to get up early to go teach undergraduate classes or work in a lab. There are also a lot of international students that are not use to the party atmosphere of dorm life like per say American freshmen or sophomore. It is convenient because you are right no campus and you dont even need a car if you live at La Aldea. My only issue with the place is that it is way overpriced. Right now they are charging around $850 for a one bedroom. That's crazy for Tucson. But as the review said, if you are just getting into town and you don't know anything about Tucson then it's probably better to cough up the extra bucks than risk staying in a sketch off campus location.

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