The Blackstone
3333 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 235-8920
Price range: $575-$1,495
Though recently purchased by the University, the Blackstone still retains its old-school charm, pest problem and all. And, regardless of its future, the fantastic location cannot be changed. Just a hop across N. Charles gets you to the Mattin Center, and this convenience cannot be beat. The rooms are spacious (with hardwood floors!), and many of the units even have a "solarium," which usually becomes one gigantic closet. But, all of this comes for a price, and a hefty one at that.And, in the past year, tenants have been stuck dealing with the incredibly loud construction next door. Overall, living in the Blackstone is a positive, albeit expensive and noisy, experience.
-- Melissa Artnak
Broadview Apartments
116 W. University Pkwy.
Baltimore, MD 21210
(410) 243-1216
Price range: $625-$1,250
The Broadview has 15 floors, the bottom 14 with standard apartments and a top floor of penthouse suites. Each apartment comes with carpeting and air conditioning units. The Broadview offers studio, single-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments.
There is a 24-hour reception desk, doormen most of the day, and a security guard that keeps watch at night. The basement houses a dry-cleaning service and a laundry room. Also inside the building is a French restaurant, Brasserie Tatin, a massage service and a convenience store. The Broadview is accessible by tenants from both 39th Street and University, and is about a five-to-eight minute walk from campus.
--William Parschalk
The Carlyle
500 W. University Pkwy
Baltimore, MD 21210
(410) 467-9890
The Carlyle offers students the chance to live inside a hotel. Although maids don't clean your rooms for you, there are several rooms in the 16-story building that are designated as hotel rooms. So if your parents come to stay, they can literally stay just down the hall. The Carlyle has other amenities that come with living in a hotel, such as a fitness center, a pool on the roof, a 24-hour security desk complete with a doorman, a tasty restaurant and a unisex salon. One-year leases are available for both one- and two-bedroom apartments. Gas is included; however, tenants pay the electrical bills. The building may be a bit far from campus, but it's a close walk to the Rotunda. If you have a car, there is limited parking available.
--Sarah Rivard
The Carolina
108-114 W. University Pkwy.
Baltimore, MD 21210
(410) 235-8000
Price range: $750-$1,600
The Carolina may look like a throw back to the AMRs on the outside, but on the inside, the hardwood floors and spacious kitchens are far from the freshman dorms.
Down the street from the lacrosse field, the Carolina offers one-year leases for one-, two-and three-bedroom apartments. Heat and hot water are included in rent, while tenants pay the electrical bill. The maintenance staff at the building is quick to respond to any complaint.
Entrance to the building is controlled by key, which leaves the possibility of the front doors being left open without anyone noticing.
--Sarah Rivard
The Charles
3333 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 235-8920
Price range: $650-$1,500
This residence is best known for its convenience. Located across the street from the MSE Library, the Charles is closer to campus than Wolman and McCoy.
PJ's Pub, a perennial favorite for Hopkins students seeking a beer and a burger, is also located in the Charles, making it a popular after-hours hangout.
The building also includes plenty of amenities, including garage rentals, a 24-hour emergency maintenance staff and laundry facilities. Although rent may be slightly high for the square-footage, the building's proximity to campus is a great incentive for students.
-- Xiao-Bo Yuan
Cresmont Lofts
2807 Cremont Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21211
(410) 889-7800
Price range: $675-$775/person
Cresmont Lofts, is a new building that opened last year. Each suite has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a full kitchen with a dishwasher, plus heat, air conditioning, water, electricity, local phone, cable and high-speed internet included in the rent.
But perhaps the most alluring feature of Cresmont Lofts is having 7-11 right outside your door. Midnight snacks, supplementary groceries and any last-minute necessities are always available all day and everyday.
But living in Cresmont means a 10-minute walk to get to the lower quad, and 20 minutes to Bloomberg. Parking spots in the building's lot are available, but for an extra $75 per month.
Luckily, everything you'll need is nearby. Except classes, but who needs those?
-- Zach Goodman
The Marylander
3501 St. Paul St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 235-7829
Price range: $685-$1,224
Located a mere block east of Homewood, the Marylander offers apartments close to the array of shops and restaurants on St. Paul Street. The building also has conveniences inside, including laundry facilities and a newly renovated exercise room. Its maintenance staff is also commendable. Most requests for services -- be it a leaky sink or faulty stove -- are responded to promptly by an in-house building services staff member.
The Marylander is certainly not the most glamorous apartment building, but its units are functional and generally roomy. Some residences on the lower floors are known to attract mice. The apartments come at decent prices and offer easy access to all that's needed for life in Charles Village.
-- Xiao-Bo Yuan
University West Apartments
104 and 106 University Pkwy.
Baltimore MD, 21218
(410) 467-2800
Price range: $894 - $1,424
The University West Apartments consist of 2 buildings, at 104 and 106 University Parkway. Units include one-bedroom studio apartments, one-bedroom deluxe apartments, and two- and three-bedroom apartments. All units feature a living room, and some also have a sunroom.
Most of the kitchens have been recently renovated with new cabinets, microwaves and dishwashers.
Every unit has brand new windows, and the management is in the process of renovating all the bathrooms. The building covers the cost of heat as well as hot and cold water. The buildings are equipped with security cameras, and you must have a key to enter. About 80 percent of the building's residents are students.
--Sam Engel
Wyman Towers
3100 St Paul St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 235-8000
Price range: $525-$1,250
When it comes to nearby apartments, Wyman Towers is perhaps the best balance between the good and the bad. The two-bedroom apartments also have two bathrooms, as they used to be efficiencies in the past.
Some of the units have gigantic living rooms, which are great for parties. But, mice are prevalent. The halls aren't particularly pleasant-smelling. The washers and dryers in the laundry room are finicky, at best. There's a few other random quirks, but all in all, Wyman Towers is a building worth living in.
-- Melissa Artnak
The Northway
3700 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 235-3700
Price range: $575-$2,400
The Northway is known for its huge apartments at reasonable rates. Many of the apartments are so big that some students choose to split up doubles into triples and triples into quads. Its location just north of campus offers a nice balance of tranquility and proximity to the recreational facilities.
Beware of the somewhat daunting level of disrepair here, though. The dedicated management staff has been working nonstop to make upgrades, so you'll have to deal with some construction occasionally.
-- Brendan Schreiber
