Comments on single bedroom apartments (thanks John R.):

Date: Tue May 25, 2004 4:29 pm (aren't you glad I included the exact time of day? - Mark)
Subject: Alexan Place, Deerfield, Pinnacle Ridge, Station 9 1-BR review

I took a quick road trip to Durham this weekend and viewed the above 1-bed rooms apts. For anyone that is interested, here is my opinion of these somewhat closely priced apartments (AP, Deerfield and Pinnacle are between 600-650; Station 9 is > $820 though 1st month free).

My favorite was Alexan Place: The apts had a lot of floor and storage space (832 sq feet for 1 BR). Some had fireplaces. The appliances were basically new with large bathrooms and open space in the kitchens. W/D hookup is an extra $35, which I believe is approximately standard across the board. It is approximately 4.5 miles to Fuqua, roughly 5-10 min drive. These set-ups are almost exact replicas of Alexan Farms 1 bed rooms.

Deerfield: I thought this was a great property which is in very close proximity to Fuqua (about 1-2 miles). The atmosphere has a "camp" feeling as it is in Duke Forest and actually has trails behind a few apt that lead into Duke Forest (the rental agent also said that it is more than 50% grad student, so many young residents). The patios are screened and it has 2 tennis courts along with a pool. The apt were not as new as Alexan place, but everything looked in good condition (though I only saw one apt). Has plenty of storage space.

Pinnacle Ridge: About 1/2 mile closer to campus than Alexan Place. Had a pool, tennis court and racquetball court in the complex. The complex is about 10-14 years old, which slightly showed. The apts that I saw were partially wall-paper with a 1990 looking white-and-brown design, some of the fireplaces had a mirror over the mantle, and did not look as bright as the other complexes. The closets and, I believe, the overall storage space is smaller than the other complexes as well.

Station 9: This complex looks incredible (which explains the high price), but the agent could not show the apt because it is still under construction. The model kitchen looks great and wireless/cable internet access would be an added plus. One half of the complex should be done by June/July; the other half by Sept. I drove by the complex and walked through the construction site -- there is quite a bit of work remaining on all parts of this building. I would be surprised if the clubhouse, pool, movie hall, etc. (the 2nd part of the complex) were completed by Sept, and living there during construction may be a concern. The ninth street location is nice though.

That's my 2-cents on the few apts that I visited. - john