After over a year of construction, University Lofts are now available for students to lease. While the west building of the Lofts opened to residents on Jan. 4, the east building will not be available to move into until the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.
Photo by Kiara Conley Kitchens at the University Lofts come equipped with a five-burner electric stove, microwave, barstools and refrigerator and feature vinyl floors. The west building is currently available for leasing. The east building will be available in the fall of the 2019-2020 school year.
The east building is opening after the initial buildings is because the university thought opening the lofts in the middle of the semester would cause too much commotion, according to Associate Dean of Students and Student Affairs Jonathan Yorkowitz. These twin, four-story apartment buildings are located on National Avenue, on the north-side of campus.
University Lofts are available to be leased by all students, no matter the age, as long as they are a sophomore or above, whereas the university’s other apartments, Greyhound Village, are only available to students who are 20 years and above, according to Yorkowitz.
All together, the Lofts consist of 300 bedrooms. Depending on the number of bedrooms, the cost to live in University Lofts is $652- $980 a month. According to Yorkowitz, there are one, two and four bedroom options, and each room includes its own bathroom. Like the other living options on campus, the Lofts have a resident assistant for every floor.
According to Yorkowitz, there are currently 149 tenants leasing. The apartments are fully furnished with a bed frame, mattress, desk, chairs, barstools, couches and tables. The two buildings are identical in terms of outside appearance and inside layout. Currently, one loft remains unpainted because of the cold and will be painted in the spring.
The lofts were built to give more students the opportunity to live in a more adult environment, according to Yorkowitz. The decision came after the university noticed an increase in the desire to live on campus, in quality residences, according to uindy.edu.
Photo by Kiara Conley Living rooms in University Lofts feature both carpet and vinyl flooring and have a couch, chair, coffee table and end table provided, as well as barstools for the kitchen. Several residents opened up their apartments for viewing during the open house on Jan. 25, 2019.
“Different students may have different desires in terms of where they want to live and in terms of whether they want to connect with other people or not,” Yorkowitz said. “I think it just gives additional flexibility for those students who really do want to have that own private independent living space where, they are becoming more like young professionals than like high school students.”
According to junior elementary education major Sara Benson, the Lofts provide independent living and allow her to have more freedom. She is living in a single bedroom apartment now, but plans to move to a four bedroom in the fall with roommates to save money. She said that she will most likely live in the Lofts for the rest of her time at UIndy. Benson said the Lofts are a good opportunity for students to live on their own for the first time.
“I love it here. It’s different. I have my own freedom….” Benson said. “I had never lived by myself before and I kind of just wanted to see if I could do it and be more of an adult.”
