I guess this will be good justification for UAs transportaion fee as I certainly wouldn't want to walk from this area to Campus for the fear getting mugged or raped. Other than right on central campus, there is no surrounding area directly around campus safe for student housing. Back in the 70s when I went to school these neighborhoods were safe but that was 35 years ago.

Yeah the city spends 6 million dollars to buy property for this project, taxpayers money and prevaling wage is not being paid. Wake-up and provide jobs for Akronites--they are paying the bill for the 6 million in freebies. Mehall paid Plusquellic's former Campaign treasuer, 4.25 million for the Jillians, Brubakers and a vacant building and prevaling wage is not being paid.

www.changeakronnow.com

These suites will fill up with no problem. Would-be UA students are lining up to live in student housing even when they are merely near campus instead of on campus. The same will apply with the new UA student housing next to the new stadium on campus. The University of Akron is seen by many throughout Ohio and beyond as the place to be.

$659 A MONTH!! That is almost my house payment.

I like the part under the rent, "and a portion of the electrical utilities."

So does each room has it own meter? I for one would be mad (not to mention if it's legal) if I received an electric bill that was "split" evenly among a block of rooms, etc.

@jon1m - you must live in a dump or something you bought 20 years ago. Most rents amount to that and more.

Monthly rent includes all utilities other than a $20 per month per bedroom electric fee.

Visit www.akronwatch.org to see other sweet heart deals the mayor and city council have unfairly given to private developers who some have coincidentally are campaign donors to the mayor. Stay tuned to the site- it will be re-launched March 13! Taxpayers of Akron should be outraged!

@bilbo - Ah, a fee. A way to jack the rent up but hide it as a fee!

This is a good thing. Are all of your lives that sad that you have to find something to whine about in downtown redevelopment?

Bilbo,
Do the math $100,000 30 yrs 6.5% mo. payment 632.07

Just another rip-off that is why the economy is like it is. Akron University already charges too much money for tuition and books and now inflated cost for a bed, desk, toilet, light and computer. Ridiculous. We need more officials that know how and can concentrate on how to make the dollar stretch instead of padding pockets.

@Mitch. It's called The University of Akron and it is not a rip off and it is not operated or owned by The University of Akron.

2Jon - amoritize much?

I liked it until I saw all the chip-board walls. Looks fire hazardous.

Karen - it is not a fee. It's a utility bill not based on the consumption of others. I gave you a positive answer to your dishonest statement disguised as a question and you managed to turn it into another negative retort. you have personal problems. I apologize for using the wrong word, "fee".

You know what? If you don't like it, don't move in. I'm sure there will be plenty of customers who can figure out if they are being ripped off or not.

Its either union guys or not! Union guys dont work along side of non union guys! It doesnt look like they are passing the savings(scab labor)onto the tenants.

@Mitch, it is UNIVERSITY OF AKRON. And second, UA is not affiliated with this project. Third, books costs the same amount at every university as those costs are set by publishers and not the university. And finally, UA tuition is inline with all those in the state and is better than most.

Since Akron is open enrollment and will take ANYONE (even without a HS Diploma), expect Akron's population to increase.

Most will not graduate and will stick you and me with their defaulted student loans.

King Louis is LOVING IT!

Does everyone feel the love from over educated jerks like bilbo who talk down to others about there house payment.... Sounds like someone is deeply bitter about something deep down inside. You may need counseling... Pay him no mind though, because 8 out of 10 post's that I have come across with his or her name on it is usually a negative one.... Go figure.

Aw evwebody's just getting along sooooo nice

Whatever happened to concrete compartmentalized construction? All wood construction, filled with kids, who can be careless at times, and then add in the easin' of the fire codes for standpipe and sprinklers, and it's jes a recipe for disaster.

Personally, I think this complex will eventually replace the Mayflower. The city hall hero intends to build an arena on the Mayflower site.

$599 per month!!!
I am under priced. I have a beautiful 11 unit apartment building a 1/2 block from University.
I pay all utilities and Students pay only a maximum of $305.00 per month with private parking
Thanks-I am raising my rental prices to at least $400.00 or more
Dave

"The total project will include 471 bedrooms in 142 units that are two, three and four bedroom units, he said."
"Rent for the bedrooms ranges from $599 to $659 per person..."

I figure this to come out to an average of about 3.3 bedrooms per unit. At the low end of $599 per bedroom that would total about $1,976 coming in PER UNIT on average!!!!! Thats also assuming there is one student per bedroom.

Am I way off base here? Sounds like a lot. I had a 1 bedroom apt that was a dump that I paid $350/month almost 10 years ago in the Falls (that's probably up over $400-450 now). Then had a NEW two bedroom apt with my fiance for $635/month in the Falls 6-7 years ago.

600 bucks amonth PER student? Insane, if parents are paying for this they need to get their heads checked, much more economically rational choices out there. Once again, good idea has gone greedy.

The 600 includes 90% of the utilities and furnishings, not a bad deal in my eyes.

@Cedrick McCoy - Bilbo made 6 posts. Five were positive and one was critical of a negative poster. Learn to count. All of my posts were positive about our community and The University of Akron. Anything that I posted that was critical was in response to negative posts like yours. Does the word progection mean anything to you? Check it out with your therapist.

The union is protesting because they think that they deserve all the work, not because they care about the wages and benefits of the people working on the project. I drove by and asked them why they are protesting and they said "non union companies are stealing our work". If it was "their work" they would have won the bid, correct? The union is a large part of the problem in this country today, they work 1/2 as hard, they are overpaid, corrupt and if you don't know someone up high, you don't work.

@bilbo... i believe it's spelled "projection." as for everyone else, of course it costs a lot to live in these apartments, a DEVELOPER is building them and is out for one thing, $$. also, they come furnished which means, for those yuppy, spoiled college kids, they won't have to get their bed from goodwill or their couch from the curb. we all know the only kids living there are the ones whose parents pay for everything and will not even blink an eye at the expense.

by the way, the cheapest place to get textbooks is half.com. NO university bookstore will EVER give you the best price.

@Inquisitive Mind - please clarify and then verify your cryptic and negative remark about UA. A link would be nice. And until then, NO, the term doesn't mean a thing to me.

@Katie - Thanks for the spelling correction. You must be very proud of yourself. It certainly shows. BTW, love your resentful view of people who make and spend money. I always have this problem believeing that it is ok for some to be different from and have more opportunities than me. I'll see what I can do to embrace your lovely stereotype of "yuppy spoiled college kids" and their parents.

Readers need to read the article carefully. This is NOT university housing. It is private so has nothing to do with the university. UA is planning to put it on the Roo Express route as a courtesy.

@Connie - Thanks for emphasizing this fact. But some have it out for UA so much that they will attack anything that has to do with the university. And this residence hall, while privately owned does have something to do with UA since one must be a full-time enrolled UA student in order to live there. I believe they are open to housing UA staff and faculty as well.

@Marc, the advantages with this new place is just that, it is newer than all other options. It is also still cheaper than the UA dorms. If a student is getting financial aid, it might be considered.

THREE CHEERS for Akron!

All too often the national media says Northeast Ohio is dying. A project like this shows that Akron is indeed a vibrant community and is doing something to help turn around the national economy.

You can help stimulate the economy as well. Log into iShopSummit.com, use a buy one/get one coupon for lunch and give the free meal to one of the workers on this job. When you do, of course, encourage them to PAY IT FORWARD and give help to someone they don't know.

@Inquisitive Mind, if they are selling brand new books the prices are always within a couple bucks. The publishers set the prices, not the bookstores and universities. The deals are in used books, not new.

I agree with Marc. How is a college student going to afford about $7500 a year just for room and board?? I think the project is great and awesome for Akron, but I do not think they are affordable.

I am sick of all the union whining. This project is 50% union. They have the nerve to display a giant rat and picket the site? If I were the developer I would make d&*! sure that the next project I did was 100% non-union.

@Inquisitive Mind - Thanks for the information. However, it doesn't discount one positive statement I made about The University of Akron. It must feel great to be such a well-read, grandiose snoot such as yourself. And since you apparently view some "folk" including me as benighted parachiols, I would hope one day to have the opportunity to kiss the hem of your seamless tunic.

15% of the US News and World Reports ranking is "selectivity." As a university with open enrollment, UA effectively "punts" that category in favor of allowing everyone with high school diploma/g.e.d. the opportunity of a college education. So in this case, a lower ranking can and should be seen as a plus for the local community.

It's worthy to note that these units rent for the same amount that UA's Exchange Street Dorm and Honors Dorm rent...even slightly lower in some cases. And guess what? Those UA dorms are filled to capacity as are all the dorms owned by UA and on campus. In fact UA had to pay students to move out. UA has a huge waiting list of students who want this type of housing and many have been turned away. This place will have no problem selling out. It's great for the university and it's great for Akron.

@Inquisitive Mind, have you ever even bought a book? The prices are set by the publishers. Pick up a book and actually look at its cover. Bookstores do add a mark up but for new books, it varies little from store to store. It is only if you buy an older edition or a used copy that you can find much of a difference in prices. I have taken plenty of classes and bought many books to know. Clearly you have not as you do not even know who runs the bookstore at UA.

I don't see anything in the article suggesting it is "50% union"--just the sidewalks, which are probably done by the city. Bringing in out-of-town cheap labor negatively affects our community.

If people have not explored their website, I recommend it. These are not like the cheap student rentals found around campus now. Take a look at the videos and floor plans. They are very nice. They include high speed internet, cable with HBO, and furnishings. It will be built with lounge areas, study area, gym, etc.

@Inquisitive Mind - I don't recall your using the word parochial but if you are starving for credit, go for it. Your arrogance and pompous hostility precedes you, Robin. That's the thing about patologicals such as you. You're soooo obvious, eh?

Hey Robin, er uh I mean Inquisitve Mind - Got tired of whoring around the buchtelite and daily kent stater i see. So, you had to come here and fill this place with your stink.

@Inquisitive Mind, and if you are smart enough to use the website you mention, you are also smart enough to go the website for the UA bookstore. You will see that the price for a new book at any of the sources you listed is always within a few books of the UA bookstore price. The reason (which you still do not understand) is the publisher sets the price and sells it to the bookstore. The bookstores have little leeway in the price.

@GSMR - Has Robin Anderson aka Inquisitive Mind called you "buttercup" yet or how about a "racist chippy" with an "eh" after it? She's the bomb or thinks she is.

Didn't say "subjective", said "selectivity." I'm not disagreeing on the fact there are other factors, including reputation among peers and freshmen retention. My point was that as long as UA continues it's open enrollment policy, it's essentially saying that it's more important to the university that all students who want an education can recieve one, than the university's tier ranking. And I don't think that's such a bad thing.

@billcro - You are on point. The problem is that Robin Anderson has only one agenda and that is to try and prove her superiority over every one and thing. This is why she puts so much stock in the things she posts. Her claims about the superiority of other universities over UA is just an extension of her arrogance and grandiosity. In reality, this quest that she is on is a testament to her own sense of inferiority. It's pretty obvious that a Psychology 101 student can pick up on it.

You are talking about the common good. She is obsessing over herself.

I am very familiar with the buttercup slinger and that she could not even keep her job at KSU as now will attack an action taken by UA or KSU.

GSMR - Was she a cook in the KSU dorm system?

Robin was carpenter at KSU. Part of the reason no longer there is all the name calling and criticism spread around the 'net about KSU. No one is willing to support someone the name calls, spread false information, and at time acts like the voice of their organization. Robin has posted the story all of the 'net on every discussion board that will not boot Robin.

yup, sounds like a nut to me, eh buttercup?

I'll bet she's cutting herself as we speak.

Robin has not learned from the mistake that got him fired as he still blurts out all over the 'net. See for the story: http://www.kentnewsnet.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticleComments&ustory_id=313a58be-bab9-422d-bb0c-6b19a5c49342

If I had a lawsuit pending, you would think the lawyer would say to shut up and stop providing evidence that the firing was justified. http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-ohndce/case_no-5:2008cv02312/case_id-153533/

Thanks. You mean like this:
Anderson v. Kent State University et al

Plaintiff: Robin L Anderson
Defendant: Kent State University and Jerusha Kelson

Case Number: 5:2008cv02312
Filed: September 29, 2008

Court: Ohio Northern District Court
Office: Civil Rights: Jobs Office [ Court Info ]
County: Portage
Presiding Judge: Judge Kathleen M. O'Malley

Nature of Suit: Civil Rights - Employment
Cause: Federal Question
Jurisdiction: Federal Question
Jury Demanded By: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act
Amount Demanded: $330,000,000.00

Yes, exactly. And everyone of the posts that Robin has out there that can easily be found by Google only provides more evidence for the firing.

Robin Anderson - The quintessential loser. You have no power here nor anywhere else. Be gone with you.

Robin is blowing up on the Buchtelite site as well.