Charleston Townes wins best housing complex

from The Breeze Best of the 'Burg 02.27.20

by The Breeze

JMU dining halls ranked

CONVENIENT SPACE

Charleston Townes, located just off Reservoir Street, offers renters amenities like a pool and dog park.

MATTHEW YOUNG / THE BREEZE

Charleston Townes’ three-level units a hit with renters

By MATTHEW SASSER The Breeze

With units of 2,200 square feet and four individual bedrooms with their own bathrooms, the three-story townhomes at Charleston Townes recently won the best offcampus housing complex for JMU students. Rebecca Schanmier, a junior IDLS major, has had a positive experience in her first year of living at Charleston. She moved to Charleston from an apartment that had suffered damage from people living there previously and transitioned to a much newer unit in that still “smelled brand new.”

“It’s a little expensive, but you get what you paid for, so it’s definitely worth it,” Schanmier said.

Schanmier said she enjoys how close the complex is to Target and East Campus. She said she also enjoys how pet-friendly the facility is. On the Charleston Instagram page, it’s always posting images of residents with their dogs, Schanmier said.

“I think that what draws students here the most is that the townhouses are very big,” Alyssa Davis, manager at Charleston, said. “I think that they like that there’s a lot of space, and in comparison to other apartment complexes, they’re still about the same price.”

Davis was also a tenant when she was a student at JMU. Modern appliances, as well as the convenience of the pool and gym, also draw residents in, Davis said.

Charleston Townes has a high partial turnover rate, where residents in a unit stay for another year. Davis said that there may be two individuals in a house who are graduating, but there may be two other roommates who want to sign for another year.

Davis said the complex’s price is $565 for the 2021 term, which is comparable to the nearby Sunchase, but it has more spacious units at 2,200 square feet.

Olivia Klimko, a junior management major, said she lived at the Retreat the year before, but wasn’t that satisfied with her experience. She said she signed a lease for Charleston without doing any research, but she said she’s been satisfied with the house and management and is already signed for next year.

“It’s not the cheapest in JMU off-campus housing, but it’s not the most expensive,” Klimko said. “It’s definitely one of the nicer complexes, so the price combined with what you’re actually paying for is very reasonable.” For Klimko, she said it’s a luxury experience to live in a three-story townhouse where she can have her own bedroom and bathroom. She also said that having two laundry units is convenient.

Klimko said that she can also see herself using the pool more since she’s staying over the summer. Close proximity to various gas stations and stores is also “super awesome.” Davis said that it’s common for students to line up for their leasing day each year. While they don’t tell people to come early, it’s first come, first served, and getting there early is now a tradition. Some students even stay overnight to sign a lease.

“It’s crazy to me, but that’s how popular they are,” Davis said. “After living here myself, it’s a great place to live.”