Housing is coming up, and no, you can’t just avoid thinking about it like you’re avoiding thinking about your Lit Hum paper, Econ problem set, 1004 homework, French presentation…check out what Wien Hall has to offer, and check back tomorrow for another housing review.

Location: 411 W. 116th Street

• Nearby dorms: East Campus
• Nearby food: HamDel, Brownie’s, AppleTree (a Bwog staff favorite <3), Strokos and Artopolis (sorta)

Cost: $7,640/per year (same as Broadway, Furnald, McBain, and Schapiro). This is the cheapest rate for non-freshman housing.

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Recently renovated (2009-10), with separate men’s and women’s on every floor, as well as a handicap bathroom. They are quite nice, with 3 showers each.
• AC/Heating: No AC, fairly noisy radiator heating.
• Kitchen/Lounge: Spacious ground floor lounge with sparse seating and a piano; Kitchen Lounge on 2nd floor equipped with large refrigerator, oven, stove, microwave, dishwasher, lots of cabinet space, cable TV, 2 couches, and a large table with a few chairs. Floor lounges only on 5th, 7th, and 9th floors, equipped with cable TV, an average of 4 comfy chairs, a microwave, some cabinet space, and a kind of cool white board wall.
• Laundry: Small laundry room on 2nd floor equipped with 8 washers and 9 dryers
• Computers/Printers: Computer lab on 2nd floor equipped with 2 printers and 6 computers.
• Intra-transportation: Two elevators of mediocre speed. Only the left one goes to the top floor.
• Hardwood/Carpet: Recently carpeted hallways, hardwood flooring in a some doubles rooms, but mostly linoleum in singles.
• Wi-Fi: Yes.
• Special Stuff: YOU GET A SINK IN YOUR ROOM?!?! Seriously a personal sink… that’s basically a half-bath.

Room Variety:

• Singles: Around 28 per floor on the 3rd through 9th, 20 on the 10th, and 15 on the 11th and 12th. All range from 100 sq. ft. to 145 sq. ft., with an average around 120 sq. ft., which is most likely larger than what you’d get in Schapiro or Broadway.
• Doubles: 1 double on 4th through 9th floors at the north end of the hallway, 2 doubles on 11th and 12th floors at south end of the hallway. All are 200 sq. ft. There is one other double on the 12th floor (1202/04) that is 246 sq. ft. a.k.a. fit for a king.
• Walk-through Doubles: There are 3 to 4 walk-through doubles on each floor, with less on the 11th and 12th. The 42/3 rooms at the south end on the 3rd through 9th floors are significantly larger totaling 290 sq. ft., while the other dingles average 250 sq. ft. and can be as small as 200 sq. ft. on the 10th through 12th floors.

Numbers:

• Singles are a little unpredictable, but last year the final Wien single went to a rising sophomore with the number 2210.
• Doubles are available to even unlucky rising sophomores—last year, the last double went to a group with the number 2989.
• Livable walk-through doubles go to rising sophomores and juniors with numbers around 1500. Usually tiny walk-though doubles are very easy to get (like 3000), but last year they were a little more in-demand–the last one went to the number 2418.

Bwog Recommendations:

• East-facing rooms on higher floors, around 8 and up, have a fantastic view of Morningside Park and East Harlem. These rooms get great light.
• The in-room sink is actually a big perk, so if you’re choosing between a single in McBain and a single in Wien, this might sway you.
• The 9th floor has super high ceilings (about 2 feet higher than the other floors) for no apparent reason. The 9th floor is also one of 3 floors that have a lounge. Therefore, the best rooms in Wien are east facing and on the 9th floor.
• The doubles vary drastically in size, so aim for the 42/3 south facing walk-through doubles, but be warned that some other doubles are pitifully small.

Resident Opinions:

• “It’s close to EC, most classes, and HamDel (which is the best and is making me go bankrupt)”
• “It’s a trek to visit people outside of Wien, and it can somewhat anti-social, especially because there aren’t lounges on most of the floors.”
• “When I’m in the building, the closest people to me on Grindr usually live in Harlem.
• “The sinks have been known to double as urinals for the taller/more adventurous residents.”
• “There is very limited access to kitchens in the building…there may be only one, but I’m not even sure.”
• “Wien is pretty chill and quiet, so it’s easy to study, relax, and sleep.”

Gallery: