By
N Miller, September 01, 2017
I lived in a studio apt for all 4 years while I was attending pharmacy school at UC. Because I was a bit older as a grad student, my perspective may be a bit different. I also admit that I am a Clifton native and may be less inclined to think of my own neighborhood as unsafe.
The rent is not cheapI started out at $820 per month for the first 3 years then shot up to $860 for my last year. To keep my rent from increasing/going up significantly, I needed to renew my lease very early on. Despite this, I think University Edge is an excellent value compared with other similar places among the Coryville/Clifton area. The rent includes all amenities (cable, wifi) and utilities. The exception is that I paid for any electricity usage above $40. Note that in Ohio it is legal to resell utilities but my highest electricity overage was $16 so I do not feel that I was nickled and dimed on this front. The apartments are also all furnished so moving was relatively easy. Other great features are that everybody gets their own bathroom and both a washer/dryer and dishwasher are in each apartment. The furniture/rooms are certainly not top-shelf but I think they are very suitable for students. The proximity to the medical campus was great for me and I enjoyed being able to go the gym/sit out in the courtyard if I wanted to. With regards to safety, I actually think this one of the more secure places. Clifton is an urban neighborhood. Unfortunately, crimes happeneven violent crimes with more frequency than people not from a city may be used tothis isnt fair/fault of victims but its a fact of living here. I definitely dont think that University Edge is more likely to be the site of crime. The apartments are double lockedelectronic key to get into the breezeways on top of the physical apartment key. If living with multiple people, a bedroom key is also provided to each resident. One route of the UC shuttle also stops directly in front of the apartments. These certainly do not make the place crime-proof but I think they increase security. All my interactions with the staff and management were very pleasant and I admire the efforts to reach out to residents for social events (I just never had the time.)
I have three main criticisms for this place. First is that the parking situation is frustrating. I do think that the cost is too highjust under $500 for whole year. My main problem, however, is that there is a limited number of them but the limit appears to be much less than the actual number of spaces available. I felt rushed to purchase a parking pass because I gained access to a car halfway through my second year. I assumed I was out of luck until a new leasing year started. Second, heating is provided by electric heat pump. First two winters here were pretty brutal and heat pumps are not the best for extremely cold temperatures. My third criticism, which might be ridiculous, is that I did not feel my loyalty was ever valued. I thought I always did right by the apartment. My inspections never raised any issues, I paid my rent on time, renewed early on, filled out the surveys, and resided here for longer than most people do. It was therefore frustrating when I saw that application fees were being waived, things were being given away to contest winners but not loyal tenants, and rent was being reduced for those holding out on renewing. I get that this place needs to make a profit so I guess I cant be too upset. I was charged $150 when I moved out for cleaning. Certainly, I did not leave my apartment in brand-new condition but professional cleaning is something that I feel should be done between tenants any way so I do feel a little bit robbed in that respect. Note that there is no security deposit so this may rationalize move-out charges.
Overall, I am very glad that I lived here while getting my PharmD. It is certainly not perfect but it was everything I needed while I was a grad student and it was great for me as my first solo home. I do miss living here. Thank you.
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