Being brand new, and having such an awesome location, I really wanted to like this place when I moved in. Unfortunately my experience has...
Being brand new, and having such an awesome location, I really wanted to like this place when I moved in. Unfortunately my experience has been almost entirely negative.
Let's start with the pros:
*The location: Being able to roll out of bed and walk to class in ten minutes is pretty rad.
*Free internet and cable
*The kitchens: With stainless steel appliances and tons of cabinet & counter space, the kitchen is an awesome asset.
*Maintenance is very responsive, knowledgable, and friendly. Considering they are in charge of maintaining a seven story building filled with college students, they do an awesome job.
Now onto the cons:
*The bedrooms: my bedroom has barely enough room for the hard, nylon church camp mattress that came with the apartment, so if you want to do anything besides sleep in your bedroom, don't sign at the Nine.
*The building itself: Who the hell designed this building? This is some of the worst architecture I have ever seen, and the color scheme is just plain bad. They used the cheapest materials possible, and it's already showing. An AC pipe burst last week and the entire third floor had to be evacuated. On top of that, the elevator has broken countless times, and my roommate was recently stuck on the elevator for hours because the emergency call button was broken.
*Hidden fees: They show you pictures of the courtyard, but it's really just some fake grass and a pool & hammocks that you aren't allowed to use, punishable by a $100 fine. There are cameras in every room, hallway, elevator, and space in this building, and none are on the outside, by the doors, or anywhere else. This is because instead of using the cameras to keep the building secure from intruders, they use them cameras to give residents petty fines for small violations pointed out in the fine print of the lease. This place looks and feels like North Korea.
*Parking fees: A parking pass here is $900, and a reserved parking spot costs $1,200. This is a hidden fee that is not brought up until right before you finish signing the lease. When you make more than $2,000 per apartment, per month, your residents should be allowed to park on site for free.
Also, the gates are always broken and I have been late to work because the gate to get out would not work.
*The apartments: The walls are razor thin, along with the floors. If you live here, prepare to hear every word, footstep, breath, and movement made by any of your roommates, neighbors, or upstairs neighbors.
Conclusion: If the above points did not help make up your mind about whether or not to live at The Nine, remember that this is a building built and owned by greedy carpetbaggers from Texas whose business strategy is exploiting housing shortages by ripping off gullible college students. UofL is surrounded by amazing up-and-coming neighborhoods such as Old Louisville, Germantown, and the Highlands. There are plenty of honest and trustworthy landlords who live in Louisville that you should look to before, but if you feel you must resort to corporate student apartments, there are way better options out there.