RENT 2/5
COMMUTE 5/5
FOOD 2/5
ENTERTAINMENT 1/5
Costa Verde
8720 Costa Verde Boulevard
Convenience is the key word when describing why a person would choose to live in Costa Verde Village Apartments. Its proximity to campus and the fact that the complex is surrounded on all sides by shuttling options are huge factors in why so many students opt to live there.
The units are spacious enough. And having a washer and dryer inside the apartment radically reduces the risk of finding your wet laundry simpering in a pathetic pile on top of the machine or countertop. Paying the water bill, not so attractive, but it’s a small price to pay to ensure that articles of clothing aren’t lost.
Of course there are downsides to living in Costa Verde Apartments. The office staffers aren’t very friendly ‘mdash; some are downright snobbish ‘mdash; and are easily peeved by simple questions such as where to pick up your FedEx and UPS packages. Furthermore, the appliances are a touch too breakable, and one of the elevators in my building breaks down at least once every two weeks. It is notoriously unreliable around the time a new quarter starts ‘mdash; the mass influx of students returning to their apartments after a long weekend or break with friends and family is apparently too much for that poor complex to handle.
Thankfully, maintenance service is fairly good at and quick to repair the various complications in the apartments. Friendly, too.
The overall experience of living in Costa Verde is alright. Rent is on the pricier side ‘mdash; about $2,025 for two bedrooms and a loft, and that’s a bargain. Nevertheless, living so close to the Arriba shuttle line’s first stop is a perk simply too coveted to pass on, particularly as class rolls around at 9 a.m.
‘mdash; Connie Shieh
Senior Staff Writer
La Jolla International Gardens
3417 Lebon Drive
As one of the older complexes nearby, La Jolla International Gardens is in dire need of remodeling. But if you can overlook the inevitable aging-appliance breakdowns ‘mdash; and the time it takes for the leasing office to fix them ‘mdash; the complex offers decently sized living quarters at a cheaper price and convenient access to two campus shuttle lin
es. When choosing your location, pay attention to its relation to the laundry room, as washers and dryers are not interior features. Also be prepared to pay up for a mandatory carpet cleaning when you move out, although you’ll notice it was far from spotless to begin with.
‘mdash; Emily Ku
Senior Staff Writer
Playmor
7855 Fay Avenue Suite 10
Lodged in a suburban side street just 15 minutes walking distance to the Regents shuttle, Playmor is like any other La Jolla housing unit: a peaceful neighborhood with bad parking. If you’re charmed by ’70s decor, you’ll go wild for each apartment’s glass-shingled chandelier and metal-rod staircase. But beware: Playmor’s vintage interior comes at the price of janky house fixtures, and since each apartment has its own landlord, decorating leeway and general maintenance will vary. The complex’s perks include an unpopulated pool, hot tub and nearby canyon trail, but if you can’t handle a fixer-upper take your rent money elsewhere.
‘mdash; Alyssa Bereznak
Senior Staff Writer
Verano
7503 Charmant Drive
After living at the Verano condominium complex for two years, you come to realize a few things about the place. The most concerning is that Verano boasts quite possibly one of the most hardcore parking-lot security forces in all of UTC.
It’s hard to complain about the abundance of parking for residents, though.What’s more, the place is actually fairly serene. Four vibrant shades of brown adorn the stucco walls and the Mormon temple’s soaring ivory towers make the place look like Narnia after several years of rapid suburban development.
And while devoid of any local nightlife ‘mdash; save for that one guy who plays shitty renditions of John Mayer songs in front of Tapioca Express some evenings ‘mdash; the neighborhood is conveniently close to campus. Best of all, the nearby shopping center offers fairly excellent double-wrapped burritos until 2 a.m. I recommend the Cali Monster with extra avocado.
‘mdash; Reza Farazmand
Senior Staff Writer
Regents Court
8465 Regents Road
In the college student-infested complexes near campus, peace and quiet comes with a pricetag. For a slightly higher rent, Regents Court offers a fully gated apartment setting with an emphasis on community ‘mdash; one can generally count on a muted atmosphere when trying to get some work done. On the flip side, due to the number of resident families, a party is not the required minimum for being slammed with a noise complaint. Management and maintenance staff are quick to respond to tenants, and facilities are attractive and well-maintained. But practice precision parking before tackling the multilevel garage, or risk damaging your car while maneuvering in and out of cramped spaces.
‘mdash; Emily Ku
Senior Staff Writer