Spring Break
Clark St. Residence is the Place to Live in Brooklyn Heights
Homer Brand
Issue date: 9/21/05 Section: Features
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However, for about 180 University students, this was far from the case. They may have arrived nervous and expecting at least a room with a private bathroom, but what many were not expecting was a grand entrance with black and white marble floors, lined with brass and gold accents, an electronic turn-style, equally as impressive as the large brass revolving door which is accented amazingly by the large overhang and roman columns just outside of the new Education Housing Services (EHS) Clark Street residence hall, which was completed in summer 2005.
If the main entrance didn't do it for you, then it was undoubtedly the smooth ride up in the impressive elevators that made you think you were being put in a five star hotel. Those of you who frequent Maria's Tower or even the St. George Hotel know first hand how long it can take to get the elevator and how plain they are. At Clark, however, the smallest details seem to go un-ignored.
You hear a soft willowy "bing" and as the impressive doors glide effortlessly open, the warm glow of the candelabras hanging form the ceiling, deep earth tone paint on the walls and gold accented number plates simply weakens your knees.
"All I could say was Wow! This is the life," Kalifha, a freshmen, said. In fact, that sentiment was quite unanimous, no matter the year of the student; they all admitted that Clark Street is certainly a cut above the rest. The rooms and kitchens are equally as aesthetically pleasing. Each room comes with a wall mirror, standard bedroom furniture and central heating and air. The bathrooms have marble tiled floors with earthy colored ceramic tile accents and motion censored lighting. Each room also has plenty of closet space. As if that were not enough flat screen televisions with DVD players and cable, as well as telephone and ethernet service come standard in every room. Just in case you missed it, the lounge on the main floor is bright and welcoming with comfortable seating, computers and a plasma flat screen mounted to the wall.
If all that were not enough each resident receives a free membership to Eastern Athletic Club, a 75,000 sq/ft sports club with indoor pool. The kitchens are located on the 3rd 6th and 9th floors and are very large, clean and well equipped. The laundry room is fully automated and operates not on coins but electronic cards.
With all the aesthetic splendor, one must wonder what the atmosphere and community are like. RA Patrick Hall said, "Model students live here. There is an active social life among the students and it is evident that the beauty and assets of the residence hall promote the amazing atmosphere because students take pride in the luxury of Clark and pride and care melds more of a community atmosphere. EHS is excellent and the relations between Pace and EHS as a whole are great, this is truly Brooklyn's finest."
The fact that Clark is in Brooklyn Heights only magnifies the splendor of living there. "Brooklyn Heights has the quaintest streets in Brooklyn, we lucked out majorly!" junior Jessie Jordan said.
Living in Clark St. is $14,000 for a single room for 9 months and $12,000 for a double for 9 months and $9,500 for a triple. Is this price really worth it? Considering that the average one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights is about $1,500-4000 a month and a studio is not much less; one might say that it is a great price to pay. However, a less holistic look might suggest it is too much money for essentially a room and a bathroom. Consider that each double room generates about $24,000 for 9 months. That's about $1,400 dollars a month for 9 months. $1,400 a month for a room you have to share with another person leaving you a personal space of about 5x5 square feet seems to be a little much, even if the bathroom does have marble floors and countertops. Consider this, if the 180 students at Clark each pay for a double for 9 months, that would be 2,160,000 for simply 9 months. If even half that much were still received then surely the rooms should be a little bigger, or come with nicer furniture, shouldn't it? For as much as a 1 bedroom apartment with much more space and private kitchen surely the amenities are amazing. Besides the gym membership they really aren't, the cable is basic and on most channels tends to have a very annoying buzz that randomly sounds loud enough to make you want to change the channel or turn the TV off. "The cable sucks, more space is needed," Suzy Hijeck said.
Junior Jesse Jordan said, "For the social life and dorm community it is a price worth it, but other than that an apartment is the wise decision."
Some would say that for that much money it isn't worth it, but many students agree that the price is small compared to the joy you get for an incredible community, excellent RAs and to be in one of the most beautiful, quiet and friendliest places in New York City. The location is magnificent; you get the grandeur of the city with the gentle touch of nice neighbors and a beautiful neighborhood. Everything is right there.
Brooklyn Heights Residence Halls
Rates for Nine-Month Contract
Clark St. St. George Weller
Single $14,000 Single $11,120
Double $12,000 Double $8760
Triple $9500 Triple $7480
Average one-bedroom rent in Brooklyn Heights
$1500-4000 per months
Rent per-month at Clark St. residence
$1055-1555
Rent per-month at Weller residence
$830-1235