Housing Guide 2023

Stouffer Hall re-opens its doors following $35 million renovation

Stouffer Hall will once again be a first-year dorm for the 2024-2025 academic year

JESSICA WU Staff Writer

Following the completion of a year-long renovation project over the summer, Stouffer Hall reopened its doors to residents this fall.

Beginning in May 2022 and ending in August 2023, Stouffer Hall underwent a $35.35 million makeover, including the complete renovation of the residential floors, installation of single-use restrooms, new mechanical and electrical systems, and increased accessibility. Stouffer Hall is currently housing only first-year students due to renovations in the Quad.

In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Director of Residential Services Patrick Killilee said that student rooms were redone and community spaces, such as study rooms, seminar rooms, and lounges, were expanded to meet modern College House needs. New windows were installed to offer better sound and weather insulation, and a central lobby area and guard station were added to the entrance along Woodland Walk.

“The renovation retains some of the original 1970s design with exposed concrete and combines that with more modern aesthetics to warm the space with wood, fabrics, and color,” Killilee said.

To improve the accessibility of the dorm and make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, an elevator was added that runs from the ground level of the building to the patio level, and a lift was added between the first and second floors.

To meet grade changes along the length of the building, the stairs were replaced with a series of ramps to improve accessibility throughout.

Additional work to the exterior will help seal the building from rain and other weather conditions.

Director of Design and Construction Christopher Kern said that the University is looking to request approval to make improvements to the patio.

Stouffer College House was originally constructed in 1972 and consists of two residence hall floors sitting above ground floor retail shops, the Platt Performing Arts House, and administrative office spaces.

While Mayer Hall, which was not renovated, continues to be a four-year building, Stouffer Hall was converted to a first-year dorm for this academic year. According to Killilee, Stouffer Hall will once again be a first-year dorm for the 2024-25 academic year. Many first-year students told the DP that they have had a positive experience living in the renovated Stouffer Hall, describing Stouffer’s smaller environment as friendly and tightly knit.

“The way the dorm is oriented allows for a community to develop easily. Because we have our lounges and study rooms, we’re able to chill at night whenever

we’re all around,” College first year Jason Ramsey said. College first year Andrew Lu shared a similar experience.

“Stouffer is a little bit quieter than the Quad, but it’s more social than I expected. Being an all first-year dorm with communal facilities makes it still easy to interact with others but also to find quiet space if needed," he said.

Other students mentioned Stouffer’s frequent community events that allow for residents to connect with one another. These have included boba runs and visits to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens and the Philadelphia Zoo.

“There’s a lot of really cool events that happen here. Recently, there was a watermelon eating contest … On Tuesday nights, they do this event called ‘Cookies’ where they bake cookies at nine and people can go and grab them,” College first year Jett Bolker said.

The spaciousness of Stouffer’s rooms and the building’s central location on the University's campus are other benefits that

students said they enjoy.

“Who wouldn’t want to live above Five Guys, right? Get your burgers right when you want them, any time of the day,” Kern said.

However, many students also noted that the renovations do not appear to be completely finished.

A common issue that many residents said they have experienced is leaks coming from air conditioning units and toilets flooding.

Three days after Wharton first year Laila Aliyeva moved into her room in Stouffer, she said the air conditioner above her bed began leaking water.

“I just got a new mattress topper, bed sheets, and a blanket, and [the water] got all over them," Aliyeva said. "The AC water stinks, so I had to get rid of everything because it was dirty.” While Aliyeva was not able to receive compensation for her damaged belongings, her AC unit was eventually fixed. However, she said that it still leaks occasionally, but not to the same extent as the first incident.

“The whole situation was really frustrating because it was my third day of moving in, and I wasn’t getting help from the school,” Aliyeva said.

Building Administrator Michelle Majeski sent an email out to residents on Sept. 28, saying that the recurring issue of bathroom toilet drains being clogged was caused by paper towels being flushed down the drains.

Lu said that a fire alarm was set off earlier in the semester due to plastic coverings on the new solar panels. Bolker, along with other residents, added that the elevators didn’t seem to work properly at the beginning of the semester.

Residential Services and Design and Construction said that they have not been made aware of these issues.

According to Killilee, while renovations are complete, there are still “ongoing punch list items that will continue.”

“These are smaller repairs or replacements that are typical at the end of any construction project,” Killilee said.

PHOTO BY JULIA NGUYEN

Stouffer Hall underwent a $35.35 million makeover over the past year and is now open for residents again.

Accolade on Chestnut replaces on-campus graduate student housing after $94 million renovation

The new property has room for 635 residents, who are offered 12-month installment leases for studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments

The Accolade on Chestnut, Penn’s newest housing option for graduate students, opened on Aug. 18 following a $94 million renovation by a private developer.

The new property replaced Sansom Place East on the corner of 36th and Chestnut streets, a formerly University-owned housing option for graduate students, which closed in April 2022. Greystar, an international development and property management company, now owns and operates the building.

The new property has room for 588 residents, who are offered 12-month installment leases for studio and two-bedroom apartments, ranging from $1,240 to $1,590. According to Greystar’s press release, the property is at 100% capacity for the fall. The units are prefurnished with private bathrooms and laundry facilities. The building includes a fitness center, lounges, kitchens, and study rooms.

Douglas Berger, the senior executive director of business services at Penn, told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the decision to redevelop the property resulted from a low number of residences in the Sansom towers. According to Berger, the influx of private housing developments around University City drew graduate students away from the on-campus options. Over the last few years, he said they only saw 80% occupancy in the towers, which is less than 3% of Penn’s total graduate student population.

The decision to renovate was in part a result of input from the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, according to Business Services Director of Communication and External Relations Barbara Lea-Kruger.

Lea-Kruger explained that her team worked with GAPSA to conduct various focus groups and surveys with graduate students, all of which informed the final choice.

“What we heard from graduate students was that they wanted more efficient apartments — bathroom, kitchen, laundry,”

Lea-Kruger said. “If we would have renovated internally, we would have just renovated as-is, and that’s not a product that students wanted.”

Lea-Kruger also mentioned that although their research suggested that most graduate students desired off-campus housing in different areas of the city, Penn wanted to target the specific demographic of students who preferred University City.

“There’s a very wide range of opinion with graduate students, much more than undergrad,” she said. “We knew there were some graduate students that would not be interested, but there was a niche that we felt we could respond to.”

Previously, the DP reported that Penn is the only Ivy League

university not to offer on-campus housing exclusively for graduate students after the closure of Sansom Place West at the end of the 2022-23 academic year.

In March, now-former GAPSA Executive Board members told the DP that they were concerned about an increase in the price of on-campus housing, noting that the price per square foot of the Accolade was significantly more expensive than other comparable private housing options. In October 2022, Greystar had previously faced a lawsuit for an allegedly predatory pricing strategy.

However, recently elected GAPSA President Michael Krone, a second-year University of Pennsylvania Carey Law student, told the DP that he did not share these fears, observing that the Accolade prices seem to be reasonable. Krone said he views the Accolade as a beneficial addition to Penn’s graduate housing.

According to Ed Datz, the executive director of real estate with Facilities and Real Estate Services, Penn worked with Greystar to target prices to the lower range of housing costs in the area.

“A majority of the products in West Philadelphia are more market rate, and the Accolade is a little below market rate,” Datz said. “Of course, you can still find cheaper housing, but you might not want to live there. It’s all relative to the product and the location.”

Current residents of the Accolade found the apartment complex to be a cost-saving alternative to other private apartments.

“I really like it because I got my own space and my own washer, dryer, everything,” said Estelle Hu, a second-year data science graduate student. “And I like how it’s much cheaper compared to a lot of apartments out there.”

However, while Hu appreciates having her own space and the amenities in the Accolade, she has been frustrated by the backlog in the mail room.

Christian Mastroianni, a firstyear student at the School of Dental Medicine, echoed Hu's sentiments.

“It’s been stressful so far,” Mastriani said. “Right now, the mail room is kind of a mess — you have to shuffle through everything to

find a package. I needed a stethoscope for one of my classes, and I was getting worried it wouldn’t come in time.”

Mastriani also noted other issues with the Accolade’s facilities, including clogged garbage chutes, disorganized boxes, and malfunctioning dryers that were installed incorrectly in the units.

“I’m a little disappointed,” he said. “They knew students were moving in on the 18th, and I would think they would be a little more prepared to have everything in the proper condition by then.”

In response to these issues, Datz commented that they fall under the responsibility of Greystar’s management team, but that he would look into it. Greystar did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

In response to a request for comment, a Greystar representative said that “there were some delays with mail and packages when the building first opened, but the systems contracted to manage those tasks are either now operational or will soon be installed.”

NINA DILWORTH Senior Reporter

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

The Accolade on Chestnut replaced Sansom Place East this year as Penn’s newest housing option for graduate students.

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Here's the latest on the Quad renovations, and what's coming up next

Renovations to Riepe College House are on track to finish in August 2024 — with Ware College House next in line for the $238 million Quad renovation project.

Riepe College House construction will continue through this academic year, with elevator installations, finishing work, and furniture delivery slated to occur during that time. Ware College House is expected to undergo renovations during the 2024-25 academic year.

The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke with Executive Director of Design and Construction Chris Kern about the progress of the Quad renovations, which are scheduled to be completed by August of 2026. The renovations to Riepe College House – the first of the project’s three phases – are currently in progress, and they are expected to be completed through Aug. 2024 in time for move-in, Kern said. The renovations will include new

air conditioning and heating units, chimney and roof repairs, new elevators, and new finishes, according to Kern.

The work in the Quad was initially budgeted to cost $200 million, but it had increased to $238.15 million to cover chimney work and inflation as of October 2022.

According to Kern, as of the start of this month, interior demolition work has been completed in Riepe, and the plumbing and mechanical systems have been brought in for resident rooms as well as for the new all-gender restrooms.

Preparations were also made for the construction of Riepe's new elevators, Kern said. The first elevator installation, which recently began, will continue into June 2024, and the second elevator installation, in the Thomas Penn building, will start in November and continue through the summer.

Next up includes rebuilding over the original floor and plaster wall

systems, which is expected to begin in late winter or early spring, Kern said. Room and common area furniture will be installed toward the tail end of the renovation period prior to students moving in for the academic year.

Kern added that the chimneys, which are part of the Quad’s “iconic architectural statement,” are also being worked on alongside other parts of the buildings.

“That’s pretty impressive: All those old chimneys that are getting structurally reinforced and rebuilt,” Kern said. “Really, really looking nice.”

To accommodate the closure of the lower Quad entrance in Riepe, a new Quad entrance was opened next to the Butcher building in Ware College House.

Kern said that the University has not decided how students will be able to enter or exit the Quad when Ware is closed next year, adding that a student had a simi-

lar question during a recent town hall event.

This past summer, initial window, roof, and masonry repair work was completed on the McClelland building, according to Kern. This work will be completed alongside the work on Ware.

“The contractor, construction manager, and the College House team are actually meeting in the next couple of weeks to lay out some options for how [entry/ exit] will play out, and they haven’t finalized exactly how the entry/exit will work,” Kern said.

To prevent disruptive noise, according to Kern, a one-room buffer zone was created on either side of the construction to prevent sound from traveling to student rooms near the construction site. Kern said that he is not aware of any noise complaints regarding the renovations.

Solomon Graf, a first-year En-

gineering student living in Fisher-Hassenfeld Class of 1928, said that the renovations have not bothered him too much, and he has only rarely heard noise related to the construction.

“It’s a good thing…The Quad is so nice on the outside, [but] it’s a little musty, a little gross, on the inside,” Graf said. “They’re going to make it nicer, hopefully, [and] it will be a better freshman experience.”

To accommodate first years who would otherwise have lived in the Quad, Lauder College House and Van Pelt Manor in Gregory College House — previously four-year dorms — are now exclusively first-year housing.

The renovations in the Quad are part of a larger assortment of recent and ongoing construction projects across campus, including Stouffer College House, where renovations were completed this past summer.

A new entrance was opened next to the Butcher building in Ware College House

NITIN SESHADRI Senior Reporter

PHOTO BY GABRIEL JUNG

Riepe College House construction, expected to wrap up by the end of this academic year, will include elevator installations, finishing work, and furniture delivery.

A rundown of the on-campus housing deadlines you should know

The 2024-2025 Room Selection Application opens to all eligible undergraduate students on Jan. 23

EMILY SCOLNICK Staff Reporter

With the application process for on-campus housing for the 2024-25 school year set to begin soon, here's a breakdown of dates and deadlines, and housing options for first years, sophomores, and juniors looking to live on campus next year. Starting with the 2021-2022 academic year, sophomores are required to live on campus as part of Penn's Second Year Experience, while juniors and seniors have the option to live on or off campus.

Oct. 31

The housing application for rising third and fourth years will

open on Oct. 31, according to information on MyHomeAtPenn.

Nov. 21

Rising third and fourth years must complete the application by Nov. 21 in order to be considered for on-campus housing.

After Nov. 21, students will be designated “active” or placed on the housing waitlist. If you are designated as “active,” you will have the opportunity to select an on-campus room for next year during the room selection period for all undergraduates.

Jan. 23

The 2024-2025 Room

Selection Application opens to all eligible undergraduate students on Jan. 23 at 1 p.m. and closes on Feb. 7, Penn Business Services Director of Communications and External Relations Barbara Lea-Kruger wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Feb. 2

Students eligible for on-campus housing are also eligible to apply to live in a Program Community, which are living-learning environments that focus on connecting students with shared interests. Students must apply to live in these communities by

Feb. 2.

Examples of Program Communities available to upperclassmen include Front Row Theater and the Arts, the Rodin Leadership Program, and the International Program.

Feb. 9 to Feb. 11

Rising juniors and seniors can also retain their current room for next school year. The Room Retention period is Feb. 9 to 11, when students must indicate if they want to remain in their current room.

Feb. 13 to Feb. 16

The Return-to-House room

selection period will occur from Feb. 13 to 16 for students who wish to remain in their current College House next year.

Feb. 20 to Feb. 29

The Move to Any House period will occur from Feb. 20 to 29. Students who are eligible for upperclass housing have a number of options to choose from. To accommodate first years who would otherwise have lived in the Quad, Lauder College House and Van Pelt Manor in Gregory College House — previously four-year dorms — are now exclusively firstyear housing.

Here's your guide to housing next year:

The DP created an overview of all your on-campus and off-campus options

MOLLY COHEN, JARED MITOVICH, AND EMILY SCOLNICK Senior Reporters and Staff Reporter

ON-CAMPUS

The Chestnut

Located at 3720 Chestnut St.

The Chestnut is a new 30-story apartment building constructed in 2020 with close proximity to campus. It also has the most expensive starting price per square foot on this list.

OFF-CAMPUS

Rent: Studio, one and two-bedroom apartments — starting at $2,800/mo.

Floor Plans: Units range from almost 500 to 1,200 sq. ft.

Amenities: Rooftop pool, co-working space, fitness center, paid parking garage, game room, in-unit washer and dryer, kitchen appliances

Pet Friendly? Yes, with a monthly fee and conditions

Walk to Campus: Six minutes

Arrive University City

Located at 3601 Market St.

Arrive University City is a 28-story building constructed in 2016. It has many dining options nearby, including Dunkin’ and Schmear It.

Rent: Studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments — starting at $1,930/mo.

Floor Plans: Units range from 490 to 1,248 sq. ft.

High Rises

Upperclassman students can live in Harnwell College House, Harrison College House, or Rodin College House — three 24-floor high-rise apartment-style dorms. Each College House offers rooms to about 775 residents with floorplans ranging from one to four bedrooms. Each room comes with a bathroom, and select rooms have kitchens.

The high rises include laundry rooms, lounges, rooftop study lounges, computer labs, dance studios, and music practice rooms. The high rises are located along Locust Walk near 39th and 40th streets.

Gutmann College House

As Penn’s newest College House, Gutmann College House offers rooms to 430 upperclassman students. The building — renamed from New College House West in honor of former Penn President Amy Gutmann in 2022 — holds suites that house between two to six residents and feature study rooms, a coffee bar, a fitness room, and communal living and social areas. Gutmann is located at the edge of Locust Walk at 40th Street. Quaker Kitchen is also located in Gutmann.

Stouffer College House

— Mayer Hall

While Stouffer Hall will remain a first-year dorm for the 2024-25 academic year, Mayer Hall — the other building part of Stouffer College House — will operate as a four-year dorm. Mayer Hall has apartmentstyle rooms with private bathrooms. Most apartments also have kitchens. The College House is located at 38th and Spruce.

PHOTOS BY KYLIE COOPER, DEREK WONG

Gregory College House — Class of 1925

Gregory College House is a four-year residential community comprised of two buildings: Van Pelt Manor — available only to first year students — and Class of 1925, which houses upperclassman students. Gregory holds suite-style single, double, or quad rooms and houses 240 students, half of whom are first years. The building also includes a greenhouse, yoga studio, and cinema lounge. Residents can join one of four Language Houses that host activities revolving around a particular international group. Gregory is located off of Locust Walk, near 40th Street.

College House at the Radian

Due to the ongoing Quad renovations, Penn has leased The Radian to house upperclassman students until the end of the Spring 2026 semester. The building has apartments ranging from single to four-person accommodations. Each apartment has private bathrooms and in-unit washers and dryers. Most apartments also have full kitchens. The Radian is located along Walnut Street, between 39th and 40th streets.

W.E.B. Du Bois College House

Du Bois College House is a four-year residence that houses about 160 undergraduates each year, including approximately 40 first-year students. As the smallest College House, it provides a community space for Black students on campus. Du Bois offers rooms ranging from singles to four-bedroom apartments, some of which include kitchens, and all of which include private bedrooms and bathrooms. The building has communal kitchens, floor lounges, a computer lab, a library, and music practice and seminar rooms. Du Bois is located near Walnut Street, between 39th and 40th streets.

Luna on Pine

Located at 400 S. 40th St.

Luna on Pine is a five-story apartment building constructed in 2018.

Rent: Studio and one- and two-bedroom apartments — starting at $1,385

Floor Plans: Units range from 400 to 800 sq. ft.

Amenities: Co-working spaces, fitness center, media room, game area, secured bike room, keyless entry, inunit washer and dryer, kitchen appliances

Pet Friendly? Yes, with a one-time fee and conditions Walk to Campus: Three minutes

Domus

Located at 3411 Chestnut St.

Domus is an eight-story apartment building built in 2007. It is a popular choice for Penn students due to its close proximity to campus.

Rent: One- to three-bedroom apartments — starting at $3,038/mo.

Floor Plans: Units range from 793 to 1,635 sq. ft.

Amenities: Pool, private study rooms, fitness center, paid parking, smart home features, on-site washer and dryer, kitchen appliances

Pet Friendly? Yes, with one-time fee, monthly fee, and conditions

Walk to Campus: Four minutes

The Axis

Located at 20 S. 36th St.

The Axis features resident advisors and social events, and the on-site Axis Pizza Cafe & Salad Bar.

Rent: Single and double room units, starting at $850/ mo.

Floor Plans: Units range from 252 to 378 sq. ft.

Amenities: Kitchen appliances, fitness center, laundry room, movie theater, game room

Pet Friendly? No

Walk to Campus: Four minutes

The Mason on Chestnut

Located at 3701 Chestnut St.

The Mason was built in 1969 and has 409 units on 14 stories.

Rent: Studio and one-bedroom apartments — starting at $1,350/mo.

Floor Plans: Units range from 275 to 530 sq. ft.

Amenities: Study lounges, fitness center, media room, basketball court, in-unit washer and dryer, kitchen appliances with a monthly fee

Pet Friendly? No

Walk to Campus: Six minutes

Hamilton Court

Located at 101 S. 39th St. Hamilton Court dates back to 1901. In 2016, it underwent major renovations, and last year, it was sold for $87 million to new management.

Rent: One- to five-bedroom apartments — starting at $1,285/mo.

Floor Plans: Units range from 600 to 1,780 sq. ft.

Amenities: Pool, outdoor kitchen, study lounge, fitness center including yoga studio, laundry room, kitchen appliances

Pet Friendly? Yes

Walk to Campus: Three minutes

University City Apartments

Located at: 437 N 40 St. and 4070 Haverford Ave

Rent: One- and two- bedroom apartments starting at $1,500/mo.

Floor plans: Various floorplans and pricing from 1600 sq. ft.

Amenities: Roofdeck, central air, bike parking, breakfast bar, study lounges, gym, in-unit washer and dryer, stainless steel kitchen appliances, secured access, elevator, package area, Amazon locker

Pet Friendly? Yes

Walk to campus: 15 minutes

Amenities: Pool, business center, fitness center, paid parking, on-site dining options, in-unit washer and dryer, kitchen appliances

Pet Friendly? Yes, with a fee and conditions

Walk to Campus: Seven minutes

The Simon at Founder's Row

Located at 121 S 41st St.

Rent: Three-, four-, and five- bedroom apartments starting at $4,375/mo.

Floor plans: Units range from 1,279 to 1,981 sq. ft.

Amenities: Reserved parking, fitness center, Amazon locker, in-unit washer and dryer, stainless steel kitchen appliances, high tech video entry system

Pet Friendly? No

Walk to campus: Four minutes

The Accolade on Chestnut

Located at 3600 Chestnut St.

Rent: Studio, one- and two- bedroom apartments with individual leases starting at $1,240/mo.

Floor plans: Units range from 237 to 618 sq. ft.

Amenities: Fitness center, yoga studio, coffee bar, maker space, game room, catering kitchen, outdoor terrace, fire pits, individual leases, in-unit washer and dryer

Pet Friendly? Yes

Walk to campus: Four minutes

Smart Living

at

40th

(at the intersection of 42nd and Chestnut)

BRAND NEW

3 bed/3 bath & 2 bed/2 bath Luxury SMART student apartments, starting at $750 per bed!

Available SMART features include:

• Nest Bluetooth Controlled Thermostat

• USB charging outlets in every unit

• State-of-the-art Luxor Package Delivery System

• Electric car charge station in the parking garage

• Zipcar rentals available on site

Other amenities include:

• Free Shuttle Service

• Free 50’” flat screen TV in every apartment

• Free laundry

• Free individual unit high speed WiFi

• Free indoor bike storage

• Study lounge

• Private gated parking

• On site fitness center featuring Express Go Bikes

• Alarm system in every unit

• 24 hour video monitoring

• Keyless entry

• Stainless steel appliances

• Granite countertops in kitchen

• Hardwood floors throughout

• Custom glass shower doors

• Furnished options

Students commend spacious dorms in Radian College House

Penn is currently leasing The Radian as student housing to accommodate upperclassmen during the Quad renovations

CASSIDEE JACKSON Staff Reporter

Students living in the College House at The Radian said that they are enjoying their residential life experience and its amenities.

In September 2022, the Board of Trustees voted to lease The Radian as student housing to accommodate upperclassmen in on-campus housing during the Quad facilities renovations from August 2023 to August 2026. Housing costs for the Radian are $15,958 per academic year, which is the same as the current higher-cost housing option for upperclassmen single, double, triple, and quad apartments with single rooms.

Students told The Daily Pennsylvanian that The Radian includes programming similar to other college houses.

“I think they’re making a lot of an effort to cultivate the kind of dorm feel that you get in the high rises or in the Quad,” Wharton junior Christina Nguyen said.

Nguyen added that residential advisors and graduate residential advisors plan floor events and hosted weekly pre-professional mixers and other events at The Radian.

Nguyen also said that her living conditions have “so much more space compared to other dorms on campus," pointing out how unlike other upperclass housing options, each dorm has an in-unit washer and dryer.

Students expressed satisfaction with The Radian's location, although the college house was considered off campus last year.

In terms of location, Nyugen said that The Radian does not feel far from campus, noting its proximity to Gutmann College House and Rodin College House.

Wharton junior Lucas Habtemariam also said that location was an advantage of living at the Radian.

“As a junior, a lot of my friends live off campus, so it’s a lot more convenient to see them and hang out with them coming from the Radian than it would be from one of the high rises,” he said.

Habtemarian added that he

believes the high rises might be a better fit for sophomores, who are required to be on a meal plan, because it is closer to 1920 Commons. Habtemariam added that he enjoys the accessibility of food options and grocery stores nearby such as Acme and CVS.

However, College sophomore Roxanna Rodriguez said that she believes The Radian is a better option over the high rises “if you’re somebody that really doesn’t care too much about house bonding and getting a sophomore experience where you go out a lot, hang out with your hallmates a lot, and do a ton of bonding.”

Residents said that they appreciated how each room in The Radian is private with kitchens. They also named in-unit washers and dryers as a highlight of their experience thus far.

Rodriguez said that she uses the in-unit washers and dryers often. As opposed to living in the Quad her freshman year, she said that “now in The Radian, I can do [my laundry] every few days, and I don’t have to worry about running out of clothes; it’s just so much better to have in-unit/ closer laundry.”

Habtemariam also noted the in-unit washer and dryer as a nice amenity, given that “there’s four people sharing one washer and dryer as opposed to two floors sharing three washers and three dryers in the high rises.”

Habtemariam said that the mailing room was the only inconvenience about living at The Radian, because “The Radian has its own mail room, but the school just doesn’t use it.” Radian residents are served by the Harnwell Mail & Package Center.

Similar to other college houses, The Radian has security portals and an information center open to all Penn students. The Radian’s other amenities include study rooms, a two-story city view club room, and an in-house gym.

"The [24-hour] gym is a major plus, because there will be nights where I’m really busy and want to get a workout in, but I want to make sure I get all my work done and when I’m done, Pottruck’s closed,” Habtemariam said.

Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors will be able to select the College House at The Radian as a housing option next spring when the housing application portal opens.

Mason on Chestnut switches management, aims to address rise in resident complaints

The Mason on Chestnut’s new management has plans to address residents’ concerns about the building’s security and maintenance.

CSC, a building management group with properties in Philadelphia, New York, and internationally, has owned the building, located at 3701 Chestnut Street, since 2020. The building had previously been run by Outpost Club, a third party management site, but since June 30, The Mason is now run internally within CSC.

The goal of the new management change is to “enhance the experience for the residents,” Sal Smeke, co-founder of CSC and managing partner at The Mason, told The Daily Pennsylvanian. The switch was announced in an email sent to residents on June 21.

“We are completely changing the approach of The Mason to be more welcoming to new tenants,” Smeke said.

Over the years, The Mason has faced multiple complaints about the state of the building and a lack of proper upkeep and

maintenance, according to residents who spoke with the DP.

College senior Zuri Robinson, who lived in the building from January to July this year, said that there was a lack of hot water and faulty air conditioning during the summer.

“The machinery in the building is constantly breaking down,” Robinson said.

Charlie Texier, an online student at New Mexico State University, began living in the building in August 2022 on a twelve-month lease, but she terminated the contract after just six months because of issues with the building.

“They didn’t clean areas they promised they would and weren’t clear about which ones they would clean,” she said. “If the kitchen wasn’t clean, each pod would be fined $200.”

Texier said that the fire alarm went off constantly and that areas of the building were not up to code, including the emergency exit fire doors being “rusted shut.”

Texier hopes that the new management will “have [the] tenants’ interests at heart” and implement basic safety protocols like fire alarm tests.

Farzana Hoque, a former Mason resident, said that The Mason's security system was lacking and there were issues with theft while she lived in the building.

“We had proof and evidence

[of theft] and [the staff] did not do or say anything,” she said.

Hoque moved out the week the management shift occurred, and she said that she does not plan on going back.

“Overall we just hope for more reliable maintenance,” former Mason resident Gwen Williams said. She said that CSC will need to “spend as much time and money [as] they can on fixing things up.”

The building “does need touch-ups, and that’s why we took the management in-house, to show the tenants that we’re hands-on,” Smeke said.

CSC originally bought the property in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Smeke. Since then, he said that CSC has renovated the amenities of the building, and most recently brought in a “more seasoned property manager."

Smeke said that the new management team plans to address and hopefully mitigate the complaints the building has faced over the past few years.

“We put in an in-house maintenance team, which will hopefully be a big improvement,” he said.

So far, Smeke said that tenants have reacted positively to the new management

“For the past two weeks, we’ve just been receiving thank you emails constantly. People are super happy about it,” Smeke told the DP.

Residents of The Mason said that the building has previously faced issues regarding security, safety, and communication

EMILY SCOLNICK Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

The Mason on Chestnut saw a management switch this summer and is now owned by CSC.

Upperclassmen offer advice for Penn's housing process

ANNALISA FANG Staff Reporter

A student’s choice of housing can be one of the greatest influences on their on-campus lifestyle.

The Daily Pennsylvanian asked upperclassmen for advice they would give to those going through Penn’s housing process.

1. Choose your roommates wisely

Every upperclassman that the DP spoke with agreed that roommates define students' living situations and experiences.

“I think there’s two aspects to it. One is choosing your roommates, and the second part is how to live with your roommates,” Engineering senior Joseph Lee said.

Lee added that students can try to make sure their lifestyles

— such as sleep schedules and cleanliness — align before deciding to live together.

However, he said that despite careful planning, students often still end up learning new things about their friends’ lifestyles after living together. To prepare for this, Lee said that it is important for roommates to set clear expectations for one another at the beginning of the year.

“What should we do to achieve those expectations? Should we do a cleaning schedule, putting something on the fridge? Just setting those things early in the year will solve or prevent a lot of issues from coming out later,” Lee said.

College senior Abby So also said that it is most important for

students to room with people who are compatible with their lifestyle. However, for incoming first-year students who might know less about their potential roommates, she said not to worry too much about the parts of the housing process that are out of their control.

“It’s not the end-all be-all. I’ll be honest, I met most of my super close friends through other activities outside of just who was on my floor or who my roommates were,” So said, referring to her first couple of years living on campus.

2. Consider proximity to your classes

Engineering senior Venkatesh Shenoy said that he lived quite

far from his engineering classes during sophomore year, and he found it a “hassle” trying to make it to early morning classes.

“It kind of hampered my motivation to go," he said. "Proximity to your classes is definitely something to consider."

Shenoy, a DP staffer, added that he lived much closer to his engineering classes the following year, and it made it easier for him to stay engaged with his academics.

3. Consider what is most important to your personal lifestyle

The upperclassmen also agreed that on-campus dorms have their own respective pros and cons

depending on students’ personal preferences. They recommended considering how social each dorm tends to be — as well as the availability of dining halls, kitchens, common rooms, and other amenities such as music or fitness rooms.

Shenoy said that it is important for students to be aware of their social battery as well.

“Think about how sociable you are — if you’re the type of person who is okay with having people in your room or having people outside,” Shenoy said. “Do you want a place with a common room where your roommates can have people over or not? That’s something to consider as well.”

Students share three pieces of advice they would give to those going through the on-campus housing process

The problem with Penn’s room rates

On Stratton Street | Penn’s restricted room prices don’t represent the variety in housing on campus

ANDREW STRATTON Columnist

Penn undergraduates are all too familiar with on-campus housing. With the housing requirement that was implemented a few years ago, undergraduates — barring some exceptions — are required to live on campus for their first four semesters. This can range from first-year-only housing to upperclassmen dorms to four-year communities, with each of the 12 undergraduate College Houses featuring their own styles of rooms.

But for all of the different types of rooms on campus, the fact that there are only two prices in total is ridiculously misleading. Penn can, and should, price their rooms with more variety, to accurately reflect what their students are paying for.

Each year, the price for rooms adjusts, but there are only two total prices for nine different room types in upperclassmen dorms and only one price for each freshman room. These prices don’t accurately reflect the difference in these rooms, often making certain situations and amenities more favorable than

others for no reason. The list of amenities in dorms ranges from luxuries like in-room bathrooms, to kitchenettes, or even just a living room separate from the bedroom, but it is worth noting that there are spaces without any of these inclusions.

Let’s look at some of these differences. Every first-year dorm is priced at the same rate of $12,166. But that ranges from the tiny, shared spaces in Hill College House to the recently converted Lauder College House, which features both private bedrooms and bathrooms in their suites. This wide range in quality of living is misleading for many, and results in many dorms being more favorable as opposed to providing equal living for all residents.

The same holds true for upperclassmen housing. Priced at either $12,166 or $15,958, there’s an even wider array of rooms to choose from, and again, certain situations are flat-out more favorable. Those in single apartments see no difference in price compared to people with

roommates.

The College House at the Radian makes things even more complicated. Residents can either share a bathroom with other students in their apartment or, if they’re lucky, get their own bathroom. All for the same price at $15,958.

These distinctions are what make each College House unique, sure. But it makes it harder for students to want to live in certain houses when others provide more bang for their buck.

I’ve had a lot of different housing situations during my time at Penn. My first year, I was in a single room in Hill. My sophomore year, I had a triple apartment, and for this year, I live in a single apartment.

I haven’t had bad experiences with any of these rooms individually, and all three have certainly had their ups and downs. But because of the fixed prices, the single apartment is easily the best experience of the three. I get the same space that I had last year,

without the addition of roommates on top of it.

Honestly, though, that just shouldn’t be the case.

Penn should be more transparent about their rooms and amenities, and price more accordingly. It’s an unfair situation for people sharing a bed space to be paying the same amount as people with their own rooms, or for those with bathrooms to be paying the same as students who have to use communal bathrooms.

Instead, Penn should be charging in a range of prices, with the most expensive room — most likely a single apartment with a kitchen — being the upper end of the range. At the lower end would be shared bedrooms with communal bathrooms, and the rest of the rooms being incrementally increased in price as the “luxuries” get added.

There’s a larger question to ask, mainly being how feasible it is for Penn to actually break down and implement this style of pricing. But it’s already being done at other

schools; Yale charges various rates to match the differences in rooms between dorms. Penn has the foundation, albeit on a much smaller and more limited scale, to do something similar.

With the current state of Penn’s room rates, a student’s College House life is essentially a luck of the draw. For the same price as someone with their own room and bathroom, another student can be crammed into one room with someone else, stuck using a communal bathroom. These things are a way of life in college. But it’s time for that to change. Penn needs to have more variety in their room pricing, as their current model is too restricted to cover the wide variety of student dorms on campus.

ANDREW STRATTON is a College junior studying political science and journalistic writing from Nanticoke, Pa. His email is ars1027@sas. upenn.edu.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

An empty dorm room in Harnwell College House.

Ego of the Week

Nominate your favorite Penn Seniors for Ego of the Week!

You know that one

senior who never

fails to

bring a

smile to

everyone’s

face? Who always has the craaaaziest

stories? Who you’re going to

miss so

much when they

graduate? It’s time to

give them the recognition they deserve. Ego of the Week seeks to

showcase seniors, not

for

their grades or

other fake academic construct,

but for

who they are as a person

and the joy they bring to

the people around them!

Making a case for the less popular college houses

Jessays | We should reimagine the less favored college houses as a site for community building and embracing diversity

JESSEY SHIN Columnist

In my few weeks here, I have discovered the following to be a quintessential part of first-year conversation.

“Which dorm do you live in?” my peers will ask. “The Quad? Hill? No? Hmm. Lauder?” Particularly knowledgeable souls may even offer Kings Court English House, but those are few and far between.

After my third or fourth consecutive no, they pause for a bit, going through their mental catalog of housing options. Typically, they draw a blank; at this point in the conversation, I usually cave and offer that I live in Gregory College House.

This isn’t just my experience, either: My friends in KCECH, Stouffer, and the like report having had similar interactions. Every so often, we’ll discuss our frustrations about living in an “unpopular” College House. But, in the end, it usually turns into a celebration of sorts, sharing our good experiences

and laughing about how we’re “gatekeeping” the best College Houses.

I’m not mad about this being my ice breaker topic: It is, after all, a great opportunity to introduce the rest of Penn to the wonders of Gregory. Free food and house events galore! Our calendar is full to the brim, the rocking chairs are plentiful, and the hallways are only a little spooky.

College first year and a current KCECH resident Stephanie Zou said, "KCECH is a big community building space. Krimo Bokreta, the College House Dean, goes out of his way to run events for the students and build our community. We have weekly study breaks, movie nights, and a field day, where we played drawing games and ran around to fill up buckets with sponges."

My enthusiastic Gregory pitch has proven to be a nice break from the usual “What’s your major?” and “Where are you from?”

conversations. I've found a community here that I have not seen anywhere else. Especially as a queer and neurodivergent student, I feel welcomed in these hallways in a way that I have not anywhere else.

I’ll admit, the 20-minute walk from Gregory to David Rittenhouse Laboratory or the Engineering Quad can be a bit painful. But a month in, I find myself looking at the perpetually-finicky dumbwaiter fondly. Just maybe, there’s a charm to running up and down the stairs, making sure the doors are shut.

In all seriousness, all this has led me to wonder: What is the first-year experience, anyway? Why does it have to live on certain parts of campus, and what does it look like outside the pentagonal confines of the Quadrangle?

According to Jamiella Brooks, Gregory Faculty Fellow and Director of Student Equity & Inclusion Initiatives at Penn Carey Law, this is not a coincidence. “Something very important [to us] is being

queer and neurodivergent [affirming],” she said. “I find that Gregory is a great inclusive space. We make an effort to be inclusive: I do inclusivity training with our RA/[GRAs] to ensure that, throughout the year, we’re celebrating people’s identities and cultivating healthy allyship. And that is very intentional.”

As someone reaping the benefits of these efforts, I can speak to how crucial these efforts have been: Gregory, Stouffer, KCECH, and the like may not be popular options, but they cater to the community-building needs of students who may not find it elsewhere. And I would argue there’s an inherent value in having that kind of space on campus. I have discovered the significance of a place where we embrace others’ complex, intersecting identities and celebrate their niche interests.

The other residents are with me in appreciating this culture: “I know that students that come to Gregory tend to stay in Gregory,”

Dr. Brooks said. “I even see alumni come back to chat with the security guards, many of whom have been here for over 20 years.”

“I feel like I’m a big part of KCECH, and KCECH is a big part of me,” reported Zou, and I can say the same about my respective College House. There is so much to be discovered, in the winding hallways of Kings Court or by the dumbwaiter at Van Pelt: most notably, a quiet but thriving community built around snack breaks, latenight study sessions, and mutual understanding.

If nothing else, consider Zou’s parting words: “If your first priority is your social life, go for the Quad — but give the other College Houses a chance.”

JESSEY SHIN is a College first-year from Seongnamsi, South Korea. Her email is jessey0@sas.upenn.edu.

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Columnist Jessey Shin champions the community-building value of less popular on-campus housing options, like Kings Court English College House.

Living in Gregory has taught me to be positive

The Turtle’s Voice | There are many reasons to like your college house, even if it was not your first choice

FRANKLIN LI Columnist

Before arriving at Penn, I selected Gregory College House, Van Pelt Manor as my second choice. I Googled pictures of Gregory and thought it was nice, so I looked forward to living there.

I did not expect that I would start to find fault with Gregory just two days after moving in. Gregory’s isolated location gave me a hard time. I had to walk 15 minutes to eat with friends at Hill House or Lauder, or to go to CIS recitation. I was not very surprised to learn that an upperclassman took an Uber to his classes at the David Rittenhouse Laboratory when he lived in Gregory.

Inside the building, Gregory looks old despite renovations. The dumbwaiter works just as I had seen in movies from the 1960s. The wall tiles remind me of jail, and the many dysfunctional facilities just add to how ancient it feels.

My suitemates and I spent our first week fixing the toilet, window, bed, and air conditioner.

Nobody I knew chose Gregory as their first choice, and some people put it as low as their sixth or seventh choice. Yet many students have already started to enjoy living in Gregory, so I tried to be positive about it. In messages to family members, I emphasized the large space of my room and the tight-knit Gregory community. When friends ask me how it feels to live in Gregory, I usually say it’s nice and cozy.

But, I still can not peacefully accept Gregory.

I observed people’s reactions when I say I live in Gregory. Some upperclassmen who lived in Gregory and disliked it empathized with my frustrations on Gregory’s location and ancientness. Most people were unfamiliar with Gregory and were curious about the living

experience.

Going to meetings at The Daily Pennsylvanian last month was probably the first time I was envied for living in Gregory, which is a five-minute walk from the office. I talked to schoolmates from Lauder and Hill, who were surprised that they missed out on so much that was happening on the west side of campus. Shopping at ACME, I realized how close Gregory is to the many retail stores and great restaurants on Penn’s campus. I also began to appreciate its proximity to Amazon@Penn and Quaker Kitchen.

Once I found one upside, I quickly started to find more. Soon, I saw unexpected benefits of living in Gregory itself. Gregory offers a variety of residence programs. We can drop into the movie lounge on movie nights and participate in language house activities. I enjoy

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMMI WU

Gregory’s suite-style design, which gives me a safe, personal space. On rainy or gloomy days, I feel cozy staying in my room, reading, listening to podcasts, or doing whatever I like.

During these times, I felt connected to Gregory.

Having lived in Gregory for more than a month now, I can finally call it home. I love its brightly lit corridors, the sparkling clean kitchen, the relaxing parties on the first floor, and the serene surrounding area. I have also come to accept Gregory’s removed location, which helps me walk faster and farther, keeping me healthy. Most of all, I appreciate its tight-knit first-year community, which thankfully is neither too quiet nor too loud. At this point, I feel like rooting for Gregory.

I bet most of us do not live in our first-choice college house, and it

may be disappointing that we need to spend eight more months here. However, no first-year College House is perfect. The problems we experience may well exist in other college houses: It’s just that we, “fortunately,” happen not to know. We better our lives by discovering the upsides of our College House. What truly matters is how we think of our College House, not its reputation of being the most isolated, the most noisy, or the most unclean College House.

We create positivity through appreciation. So the next time that you visit a friend’s dorm, remember to mention something you really like about it!

FRANKLIN LI is a College first year from Beijing, China. His email is liyuzhou@sas. upenn.edu.

Calling all Movers Shakers + Quakers

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