Bwog has obtained only scant reports about the goings-ons inside the ex-frat houses on 114th. The description of amenities below is from 546, and the pictures are from both 536 and 546.

Location: 536, 542, and 546 W. 114th St.

  • Nearby dorms: Ruggles, Carman, Broadway, Hogan and other brownstones/Greek houses.
  • Stores and restaurants: As central as any Block dorm—Strokos and Artopolis to the East, Broadway to the West, and a whole ton of food carts.

Cost: TBA

Amenities (in 546):

  • Bathrooms: One or two full baths per floor, except for the top floor.
  • AC/Heating: No AC.
  • Kitchen/Lounge: First floor has a cavernous lobby with five awkward chairs that no one uses. Living area has a dining table with six chairs, two couches. Sizable kitchen with two fridges. Gatherings in the gigantic basement are prohibited, likely to prevent frat-style parties.
  • Laundry: One washer and one dryer, coins only. Many residents go next door to Broadway.
  • Computers/printers: None, but both Broadway and Carman labs are nearby.
  • Gym: No gym.
  • Intra-transportation: A large central staircase.
  • Wi-Fi: Ethernet only.
  • Flooring: Hardwood.

Room Variety:

  • 536 has six doubles and eight singles
  • 542 has six doubles and six singles
  • In 546, second floor and third floors have three singles and a double, fourth floor has four singles, fifth floor has two singles
  • Most rooms have high ceilings, as tall as 12 ft.
  • All rooms vary in size, but in general most singles and doubles will be slightly larger than those in most other dorms

Numbers: Anyone’s guess. We think they’ll go somewhere around the same time as Symposium, so mid-range 20-pt numbers.

Bwog Recommendation: We haven’t had the chance to closely examine these rooms, so pick at your own discretion! You have to decide if the inferior amenities compared to Watt doubles are worth the novelty of living in a Brownstone.

Resident Opinions:

  • “With 16 residents, a great kitchen and a huge common space, it feels more like a suite than a dorm.”
  • “The washer-dryer situation is super inconvenient, especially if you’re out of quarters and don’t want to schlep to Broadway in your PJs.”
  • “The bathrooms are single-occupancy, which can be a bummer in the mornings.”
  •  “With a 250 sq. ft. double, I don’t even feel like I’m sharing a room.”
  • “I’ve had several experiences involving cockroaches and one involving a dead mouse.”

Gallery: