University Studios — Attraction in Cleveland

My top advice is that you will not be happy if you are not assertive. You will frequently need to voice your concerns and be persistent if you want change. The management in my experience was quick to help try to fix situations, if they knew of them.

The unit (#620) was the smallest unit. I paid $740 + $12 for insurance.

The kitchen is really small and lacks a dishwasher/oven. However, a mini-fridge did come included even though it had very little freezer space, it worked fine. The sink was really tiny and made washing dishes a challenge. The microwave they provide is pretty good quality and I was happy with it. The microwave light went once, but it was promptly replaced. There are three small cabinets for storage. Overall, the kitchen is easy to keep clean, small, but manageable for a college student. A large plus is the marble countertop (also in the bathroom).

The bathroom was appropriate size with nice tile, shower, and counter tops. The only downside here was there was no storage under the sink/counter, so be prepared to bring some. The toilet backed up a couple times, but it was again promptly fixed. I never had an issue with the tub/shower, and always had hot water if needed. However, the tub did not come with a plug, so if you wanted to take a bath you had to be innovative.

The closet when I walked in was really tiny, so don’t expect to hang a lot of clothes or use it for storage. However, the double mirror doors were a nice touch.

One thing I really liked about the apartment was that the walls/door provided very good noise cancellation.

The building was only about a 5 minute walk to CSU’s campus, and it felt relatively safe. The security guards, however, always worried me. They seldom paid attention and it felt like they were there just to play a part in making you think you were safe. I would doubt their ability to do anything in a situation to be honest. I never experienced any sort of criminal activity in or around the building, but would air on the side of caution when traveling to it at night. I would call an escort from CSU police or carry pepper-spray.

I never used the laundry, so I cannot talk about that.

The BEST part about my room was the view. I faced downtown and was on the sixth floor, so it was very beautiful. I would definitely talk about what your view would be like should you decide to lease here.

One concern is that the coffee shop that used to be part of the first floor appeared to be out of business. I rarely used it to be honest, as it was rather pricey, but it definitely added to the place.

The parking was never really an issue, however, I did notice one week that a car or two had been broken into, but that was my only experience with that in the whole year. Just do not be stupid/leave things in sight. I was annoyed that they only had 3 official guest spots, which is troublesome if you are trying to have friends over.

The elevators were frequently broken (however, there was always one working, so it was not a huge deal). Furthermore, the gym is kind of a joke, but satisfactory. Also, the game room was never used, so now it is just an empty room (not sure what their plans are for that). When I moved in there was a horrible smell on my floor, but management took care of it (someone’s room reeked). Also, the carpet on the floor I was on was in bad shape. I made a comment about it and soon after they did carpet cleaning. The internet was sufficient, and I never had any issues. I was never worried about missing a package or anything like that if it was sent. The mail room was often in disarray though. One complaint I had consistently was the smell of smoke and weed smell that would sometimes frequent the complex.

In conclusion, I would only rent again from here if I were given a room with a similar view I had… and the rent was significantly cheaper – to reflect what you were getting unless they make improvements (no more than $600 is fair)....

The studio I lived in was, of course, fairly small. I was a college student when I moved into the U.S. Apartments, so I did not worry very much about its dimensions. The only thing that really mattered to me was having a place close to Cleveland State University, having a place with well insulated walls, and having a place relatively affordable. During my one-and-a-half years there, I experienced a series of hits and misses in those categories.

The room I lived in was, for the most part, large enough for my needs. I was able to squeeze a full-sized bed into the allotted bed space including a makeshift bed-stand. I was able to fit two dressers and a small writing desk into the living area space, including my bike.

The bathroom was decently sized with a large marble counter-top and full-sized shower/tub.

The kitchen was considerably smaller than everything else. It only accommodated a mini-fridge, a sink barely large enough to fit dinner plates, a microwave, an electric stove-top, and three cabinets spaced along the margins of the microwave and mini-fridge. I wasn't very thrilled about its proportions, but I was able to prepare and store most of my meals with the amenities provided.

The walls were well insulated. They blocked most of the noises from neighbors unless their music was particularly loud or the residents were screaming at the top of their lungs. To be fair, most of the residents there are around twenty years of age, so noise will eventually, in some way, disturb most residents.

The building itself is only about a five minute walk from Cleveland State University, so I never worried about getting to my classes on time. Despite not being on campus, the building is (relatively) safe. The gates to the parking lot sometimes got stuck, so non-residents would sometimes steal parking spaces. However, I did not have my car in Cleveland so it never was a problem for me.

The entrances into the building are monitored by security cameras, but sometimes outsiders simply waited auspiciously for a resident to open the doors. A security desk is placed near the front of the building, but it is intermittently manned. Despite this, I never experienced any criminal activity inside or outside the building.

The laundromat is somewhat lacking in quality washers and dryers. Unfortunately, there are only several washers and dryers in the laundromat, so after a while of heavy use, they break down. The management will happily refund you any money you lose, but be prepared to wait for available working units.

The management was very reliable during my time at the U.S. Apartments. They responded to maintenance requests in a timely manner and kept the place fairly clean. The only thing that prevented me from re-signing was the steep price. I paid about $740 a month during my first 12 month, and I considered that as pretty expensive. When I received the new rates, I knew I could not live there much longer. Downtown living is very pricey. It is nice, but it is an expense I could not afford. University Studio Apartments was a decent place to live. Thanks to the staff for...

I am writing this review to help people who might be in the same situation I was when I arrived to Cleveland from Overseas.

I lived at University Studios for 1 year, and I had the pleasure to deal with Kathie, who has been a terrific leasing manager for me. She helped me to move in my apartment on a Saturday because I didn't have other options.

I have to say that previous reviews raised many problems that I think belong to a former management. You have to be realistic when you review a place based on the expectations, location and price. I felt safe living there, there are always security guards and the area is constantly under monitor surveillance (and considering you are going to live in Cleveland, you really need it).

-The apartments are not suitable for families, but they are a very good option for single people or couples.

-The kitchen is not huge. Therefore, if you love to spend hours in the kitchen, this is not your place.

-The leasing office is efficient: when I moved in, my bathroom had issues. I reported the problem at 10 am, Kathie arranged maintenance to fix the problem for 6pm when I got back home. During my stay, the laundry facility was always functional. When 1 of the three elevators is not functional you can rely on the other one or two.

I never missed a parcel there. Parcels are safely stored and the security guard is always available to open the door for you to collect them after hours.

The building is centrally located. You can easily walk to the downtown area.

Driving distance from the Clinic and major attractions is very good.

The gym is always available.

This is a very A+++: the place is always perfectly clean, every single day I used to see the cleaning staff working , and actually cleaning every day PROPERLY. I used a bathroom in the lobby area once, and it was perfect (and trust me I have seen many places in my life..and the hygienic standards for many people are a relative concept....)

In summary, my review is very positive. I lived in three different countries before moving to US, and I have to say that University Studios is not bad at all. I hope they will continue to improve. Apartments are not 5 star suites, but you know that since you are supposed to inspect the apartment before moving in.

University Studios made my living experience stress-free and for me that was great.

I will update this review to keep you posted on how long is going to take to receive my security deposit back as I recently moved out.

This is a honest review, I have no affiliation with University Studios and I did not receive any discount or gift card.

UPDATE May 31, 2016: I received the full refund from University Studios and they have been very honest because they also refunded half month for May because my unit was rented. I hope they will be working like this for a long time and their reviews will always...