<p>Hey there...haven't been around for a while...my son is finishing up his first year at UM, and unfortunately he is in a bit of a housing pickle for next year, and I was looking for guidance/advice. He is pledging SAE, and his first option was to live in the house next year...however, it sounds like there wete only a handful of slots available for sophomores, and - as of right now - it does not look like he is getting in there (I view this as a mixed blessing, but that is probably the subject for another thread!). Because he was SO focused on getting into the house, he missed the deadline for registering for the housing lottery...although he really does not want to be in the dorms next year anyway (although he is up for University Village his junior year). So, I am helping him look at other options...</p>
<p>He is putting Red Road Commons out there...but, looking at the Yelp reviews, the place looks like a rattrap. Actually, it looks downright scary to me. Can anyone with knowledge or experience with this place calm my parental anxiety about my son sharing an apartment there? What other housing option could my son look into that would make sense? Any experiences or ideas would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>My D had a lot of friends that lived at Gables Ponce apartments last year. It is a brand new complex (one year old), and is very close to UM. I have no personal experience with them, but it is close and new. I haven’t checked out reviews. Good luck!</p>
<p>bebop - my son has is currently a junior and is finishing up his second year living at Red Road. I haven’t read any of the Yelp reviews, but i certainly wouldn’t call it a rattrap. It’s a nice complex. Now, since it’s filled with a lot of students, I’m sure there are some messy apartments, and I have personally seen some stains in the staircases that are the result of over served college students. I would say that the apartments start out in nice condition, and the way they end up is up to your son. It’s a typical college apartment complex… </p>
<p>VHFather - sorry for the rattrap comment…saw some of the pictures that accompanied the reviews on Yelp - looked vey frat-like to me…my biggest concern, to be honest, is security…I read stories of students getting robbed and picked on around the complex (kinda like the Willie Sutton comment about frequenting banks because that was where the money was)…has your sense been that the complex is relatively safe?</p>
<p>Also, because the apartments are unfurnished, any suggestions about furnishing options?</p>
<p>No need to apologize - I don’t really have any personal a attachment to the place. Regarding safety, my take is that is comparable to the area. I wouldn’t want to go further South of the complex. They just refinished the hallways in the B building, and it’s much nicer.<br>
As far as furniture, we spent $400 on a L-shaped sofa that lasted 2 years, and comparable amounts on a dining
Room table and bedroom. There are many stores a couple of miles from campus where you can buy this type of furniture.</p>
<p>Toured Ponce Gables. Very nice. Brand new. Good location. Security. Son and friends looking for house, which is hard to find. They may wind up at Ponce. Son’s best friend has an uncle who lives close to the U. He was concerned about security at Red Road Commons.</p>