Townhouse Row residents applaud communal living
Despite several initial facilities problems, residents of Townhouse Row said they are pleased with the new housing option.
During the first week students could live in Townhouse Row, the basements of four townhouses flooded because of a large amount of precipitation in a short period of time. Officials said they took care of the situation immediately, and damages were minimal.
“Residential Property Management is working with the project manager to minimize the possibility of this happening again,” Courtney Flaherty, associate director of Property Management Services, wrote in an email. “One action item in process is the installation of a higher threshold in the custodial closets and mechanical rooms where drains are located. This will help act as a water containment area.”
Officials said a few residents filed Critical Calls about door and lock problems, which were also addressed immediately.
“Some residents of Townhouse Row said they could not use their keys to enter their floor,” Flaherty said. “In most cases the locks needed to be oiled as they were new and had not been in use. Some residents also noted they could not lock their doors. Residential Property Management educated the residents as to how to properly lock the doors.”
Townhouse Row residents said they were pleased with GW’s response to their problems, and enjoy the sense of community the living option fosters.
“It’s really awesome that 24 of us can be downstairs hanging out at night and eat together,” said Andrew Bolson, vice president of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. “It’s like a dorm but not having anyone you don’t like living there.”
“I’ve become friends with Alpha Delta Pis and Kappas just by walking into the houses with them,” Boslon added.
Some residents of Townhouse Row said the full potential of the new building remains to be seen, and how it will affect recruitment, which begins next week.
“I think it’s going to change the Greek community significantly,” said Janet Ehlers, president of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. “Right now we are all sitting here waiting to see how (Townhouse Row) works out.”
