A Diamond in the Rough
From:
akuoh
Date posted:
7/21/2006
Years at this apartment:
2004
-
2006
Grandmarc is a near-luxury apartment across the street from the University of Minnesota Law School and close to the UMN Carlson School. It also sits next to four very popular bars, Grandma's restaurant, and the unsavory Riverside area. Through a mixture of ups and downs, I think the Grandmarc has the potential to be a very high-value residence for young professionals and graduate students.
THE GOOD
Front Office - There's been some instability since I moved in two years ago. But now that it's been purchased by College Park, I hope the latest batch of personnel will stay for the benefit of the future residents. The guys in the office are always friendly and helpful, especially Casey and Brian. Occasionally, the temporary help can be cluelss, but my overall experience has been extremely satisfactory. If only my current aparment, Heritage Landing, can be as helpful...
Maintenance Crew - Another bunch of very responsible people. Work orders are usually completed by the next day, from changing light bulbs to fixing dishwashers. The grounds are also kept clean to the best of their ability. But the disruptive undergraduate student population can make quite a mess, but that's an issue for the Bad section.
Amenities - Everything was included! (except parking) Electricity, local phone, internet, water, and cable. This saved time and energy on my part to search for vendors and arrange installation. I opted for the furnished apartment. I'm not saying that the furnitures was top notch or anything, they weren't. But once again, having this option saved me time and energy.
Location - If you go to the Law School or Carlson, this is a great place to live. You never have to worry about the weather, the road conditions, parking, or getting lost. Also, you can just walk back from the Corner Bar. ;) On the first floor, there are also Chipotle, Quizno's, Noodle & Co, a Kwik-e-mart, and an Aveda Salon that gives student discounts. It's also within walking distance of the Metrodome. All in all, the location is very convenient and desirable.
Space - You don't get a lot of square footage for your money, but it's a lot better than Melrose. The bathrooms are spacious with regular size tubs and the bedrooms are pretty big. You do take a hit in the dining area though.
Value - My wife and I paid $1800 for two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two parking spaces, all the amenities, and all within steps of the UMN West Bank. It's not cheap, but you just get so much with so little headaches. Now that's value-added.
Roommate Matching - One last thing: you are only responsible for your room. Like Melrose, Grandmarc rents out the rooms by themselves. There's no complicated contracts between roommates. You are responsible for your room and a share of the common living space.
THE BAD
Undergraduate Students - They are a rowdy bunch. But the worst is that the last management group decided to rent out half of the rooms to the students of the Art Institute. This dramatically increases the undergraduate population, thus increasing the amount of noise and partying. As a matter of fact, the Northeast corner of the first floor always smell like a mixture of incense and pot. I don't know if College Park will continue this practice, but beware that this is happening.
Roommates - You'll most likely have one. There are few one bedrooms in the Grandmarc and they are very expensive. You can be very specific on your roommate matching preferences to make sure to get someone who you'll like to minimize risk though.
Courtyards - Do not get a room that faces the courtyards. Smokers will gather outside and chatter all night. Once again, avoid unless you are a heavy sleeper.
Noise - In addition to the noisy crowds inside, the bar crowds outside can get noisy. So avoid facing Grandma's or The Corner bar, unless you are a heavy sleeper.
THE CONCLUSION
For my first year at the Grandmarc, I was in a four-bedroom unit facing the Law School. I had my own bathroom and slept peacefully without being disturbed by noises. For my second year, my wife and I were in a two bedroom unit that also faced the Law School and got basically the same results. I was on the fourth floor both years, but I think the third floor will be fine too. College Park is instituting several good changes, such as moving the office, game room, and workout room to the first floor. They've also increased security measures by redoing the entrance. The main reason that I recommend Grandmarc is because it provides high value for the dollar spent. My new residence, Heritage Landing, is exactly opposite. HL is prettier, but the frustration and headaches I get from all the little things that Grandmarc takes care of make HL much lower in value. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell my neighbor to turn down his music 11:30 at night, whereas I could tell security at Grandmarc to take care of it.
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