<p>Does anybody know how much (of little) room is in a towers dorm? Is there space for a file cabinet, a microfridge or a TV?</p>
<p>I was in Tower A Freshman year with one other roomie...CURTIS (he's evil...but more on that later). Um...the rooms are small...seriously...after the beds, dressers, desks, and chairs...you barely have enough room for your computers and a TV. Adding a mini-fridge to that...my one friend did that with his roommate...you can do it...but you have to seriously think about the organization of the room...it's like being an interior designer.</p>
<p>Oh !@#$! And how strange is it that your closet has no door?! What were they thinking when they built those towers? Where did you end up putting your TV? I was thinking that if a file cabinet fit next to the desk, they could put the TV on that.</p>
<p>Do you have any idea what the website means when they say you may have beds 10" off the floor, 18" off the floor or bunk beds? Why doesn't Panther Central know what bedding is on what floor? I'd like to have a footlocker fit under the bed, but WHICH bed is the question.</p>
<p>Finally, after making it through the freshman year in the tiny dorm, where would be a good place to try for? My son is in the honors community this year, and may want that again next year.</p>
<p>Most of the kids in my sons dorm - he was in the Sunderland honors dorm last year, wound up moving off campus or at least into university apartments. I was glad he was in Sunderland (so was he). The rooms are so much nicer than the Towers. Only thing he didn't like about Sunderland was the hill.</p>
<p>Thanks, massmom. I suspect that many kids can't wait to move into their own apartment. The housing guy told us that all of the honors freshman housing was in the towers this year. Oh well! Hopefully, he will have a better place to live next year! My son wants to take a car to oakland...I guess I will have to see about cost of parking vs inconvenience of public transportation. What do you think?</p>
<p>Bringing a car is not the best idea. Pricing is absolutely insane and with free transportation via the city buses it's a waste of money to use anything else. As for living in the towers it's cramped but not horrible. Most kids put their tv on top of their dresser and since the closets are so huge there is plenty of room to put your fridge and microwave in there if you can't find a place to put them anywhere else, though it is possible to fit them in the room itself it just takes some creative arranging of the furniture. I suggest measuring everything and making a scaled down version of the room with little moveable pieces to find the best set up for the room. About the no doors on the closet you can go to target and buy a curtain and a tension rod to cover it if you want and the bed situation. Original the beds are 10" of the floor but they have risers so you can move them up to 18" so you have more storage underneath, or you can have traditional bunkbeds. I had a friend who bunked his beds with his roommate and ended up putting a couch in his room. It's all about how creative you want to be. The only honors community for freshmen is in tower B but like massmom said during other years he has a shot at Sutherland Hall or even one of the apartment complexes for honors students. Good Luck!</p>
<p>I don't think they need a car in Oakland. One of my S's roommates is thinking of bringing back a car from Ohio. It is tough and expensive to keep a car in a city, and they don't really need it with the bus service. He can't wait to go back. Pittsburgh beats Boston for rent. They all will have thier own bedroom in the apt., and they have two baths and a washer and dryer. I just don't want to see what the kitchen or bathrooms will look like in a few months. Two of his roommates are visiting the apt today (they know the kids who are in there this year) to measure. He can't wait to get back to school.</p>
<p>do yourself a favor and live off campus. you'll thank me later.</p>
<p>As for a car on campus. I did it my sophmore year and it cost about 700 bucks for the whole school year to house it on campus in the Trees lot up near Sutherland. I bet it costs much more now, but it is great to have if you are going to work your way through school as I did. Once you move off campus the city parking permits are 15 bucks a year (may have gone up in the past 2 years) or a parking lot permit in S. Oakland can run you about 50 bucks a month. Don't trust any apartment complex that offers 'free' parking, I got screwed over by that one year and got parked in many many times and had to call off work now and again because of it. </p>
<p>Can't give much advice on the towers situation, they have put new furniture in them since my stay 5 years ago. They are too small to bring in your own furniture though (i.e. filing cabinet). </p>
<p>Pitt alum. '04
UNC-CH grad student</p>
<p>Thanks ophiolite. My son likes the camraderie in the towers, but the rooms are very small (new furniture, carpets and vertical blinds, though). Do you have any recommendations for better dorms or apartments for next year? I should mention that he likes his honors housing situation, and I think that's currently available in Sutherland, Forbes-Craig apartments and Pennsylvania Hall.</p>
<p>Well Sutherland is ok. I lived there for my first month of my freshman year until I decided to move into the Towers to be with my freshman friends. The Sutherland suites are much roomier and so are some of the suites in the quad. The negative about Sutherland is the walk up cardiac hill or having to wait for the Pitt bus to take you up to your dorm.</p>
<p>I also lived in Lothrop for a year and if he is looking for a single, they are pretty good there, though it does get very hot and humid near the top floors in the winter time (my fiance had to have his window open in the winter due to the extreme heat on the top floor)!</p>
<p>I know a lot of people enjoy the Pitt supported apartments, Bouquet Gardens has really really nice places, but it helps if you have a group of friends set up to share with since I think that increases your odds of getting a place there. I know someone who lived in Forbes-Craig before, but I personally never got a chance to see the apartments. By the time I wanted to live there, I was a junior living off-campus and there wasn't a chance they'd let me move back on campus.</p>
<p>Off-campus wise its very difficult to find a good place that isn't run by a slum lord. I tried to get into places in Shadyside, but everyplace I called wouldn't allow undergraduates in, no matter how mature (or how many grad level classes) you take. My dad even called to see if I could get into some places, but they told him that they couldn't allow exceptions. </p>
<p>As for South Oakland, its kinda loud there, but I was able to zone it out most of the time. I had a good realtor my senior year but I can't remember their name atm, they are found at the corner of Ward St. and Blvd. of the Allies.</p>
<p>Hope this helps, I don't know anything about Pennsylvania Hall (or even where it is)! But I will say one more thing, I would really recommend living someplace near the buildings where your major is housed if at all possible.</p>
<p>Pitt alum. '04
UNC-CH grad student</p>
<p>Edit: I remember that reality company's name now..Kelly Realty...</p>
<p>How does the price of living in Bouqet Gardens compare to cost of other off campus apartments?</p>
<p>Bouquet Gardens are one of the higher priced places to live at almost $3000 per semester. The lowest priced accommodations are suites in the quad at around $1700 and many are around $2200-$2400.</p>