As a first year law student I was looking for a mixture of quiet living and proximity to the University (Pitt). While the proximity is fine, the noise has not been. Trains running several blocks away sound like they're in your living room, and nearby apartments outside the building are often noisy. Noise from other apartments inside the building is minimal, however - the walls are thick plaster, and at worst you may hear the bass lines of someone's loud stereo. However, the thick plaster has its own drawbacks, such as trying to hang curtains or pictures. On the issue of curtains - prepare to hang them despite the difficulty, or get used to a lot of light in your rooms. By 8 AM my bedroom was flooded with light, making it impossible to continue sleeping without covering my head with the covers.

Parking was problematic - I was issued a city permit for a parking area two blocks away, because I "inherited" the permit given to the previous lessee. However, the permits expire in April, meaning that for a July-July lease you have to pay twice.

There are several other "little things" that make me hesitant to recommend Fairfax, given its high price. First is the laundry - with a high number of undergrads who've never done their own laundry before, the facilities may or may not be available and functioning when you need them, and they're in a noisy, dank area of the basement level. Second is the plumbing - as an old hotel, my 9th (top) floor apartment had shockingly good hot water and pressure, until the "upgrade" to the system in February. Now the water temperature is variable, with sometimes no hot or no cold water even there. The toilet sometimes requires three flushes - something which never used to happen. Third is the intercom/buzzer - you have to get a land line to use it; cell phones won't function. This is preposterous given that so few people actually want to use landlines anymore, particularly for a one-bedroom single occupant with a cell phone. Finally, there is a "pack" of kinda creepy old women that spend most of the day in the lobby, leering at passers-by. It's rather disconcerting for a student just looking to check his mail...

The office staff is great - no complaints at all. Maintenance is taken care of quickly and effectively, and the staff is knowledgeable and very helpful with issues like signing for packages, faxes, and the like. The area is very close to campus - 10 minutes' walk to the Barco Law building. It is very well lit, with a deaf crosswalk in front, and PNC bank on the side (which is also convenient on its own).

Bottom line - while living here is not traumatic, it's not worth the nearly $900/month rent, not where there is other housing available that is just as good, if not better, for much less money.

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