Elliot Hall

Elliot Hall

We continue our yearly coverage of the incoming storm that is housing with Elliot Hall. Are you a Barnard student who badly wants a single? Don’t want the Quad meal plan? Want to meet some cool transfers and visiting students? Check Elliot out below. 

Location: 49 Claremont Avenue (Claremont and 119th)

Nearby Dorms: 47 Claremont (Columbia dorm), kinda near the Quad and 600s

Stores and Restaurants: nothing close enough to be excited about its vicinity, but MoWil, Vine, Sweetgreen, empty Ollie’s, etc.

Cost: $10,714 Singles, $9,230 Doubles

Amenities:

  • Bathrooms: One shared bathroom per “floor cluster”—aka 2 bathrooms per floor. Each bathroom has 2 toilets & showers, and 3 sinks. Cleaned daily, but still kinda gross. Showers not cleaned daily, so…yeah. Less nice than bathrooms in the Quad, if you’re looking for a reference point.
  • AC/Heating: Central AC, heating in all rooms.
  • Kitchens/Lounges: Each floor has two shared kitchens, one per cluster (just like the bathrooms). There’s only one microwave per floor, and no fridges in the kitchen, only in rooms. The kitchens do have stoves/ovens, sinks and pantries. One separate lounge per floor with a table, a TV, and some couches.
  • Laundry: Four washers and dryers for the building, all located in the basement. In high demand one weekends, so you’ll need to plan accordingly.
  • Computers/Printers: Yes—one computer/printer combo in Elliot Lobby.
  • Gym: Barnard weight room in Barnard Hall relatively close, but getting to Dodge is its own workout lbr
  • Intra-Transporation: One elevator, which isn’t awful but gets slow when busy. Two stairwells.
  • WiFi: Everyone’s favorite, Barnard Secure. Just pray it doesn’t abandon you when you desperately need it.
  • Hardwood or Carpet: Neither! Linoleum in rooms in kitchens. There is some carpet in halls and lounges, for when the linoleum feels too sterile.

Room Variety:

  • Each floor has 20 singles of varying sizes and 2 doubles.
  • Most singles are pretty small, the smallest being 7’8” x 9’6” (how do you move around though???). The largest singles are 8’ x 11’, and there tends to be a lot of competition for who gets the larger rooms.
  • Doubles also not very spacious. Most people have to rearrange their furniture to find what suits them…some negotiating will likely ensue.
  • Look at floor plans to better understand the different rooms! Spoiler alert: there’s lot’s of variety! Almost all rooms are different size.Screen Shot 2016-03-30 at 8.41.57 PM

Numbers:

  • Mostly sophomores and juniors in Elliot, and a lot of rooms are specifically reserved for transfers and visiting students.
  • If all the singles are gone by the time your lotto number rolls around, you can opt for half a double and get matched with whoever chooses the other half. Not exactly your safest bet for a compatible living situation, but great for you risk-takers out there!

Bwog Recommendation:

  • Elliot smells bad in general. Ok, yeah, most dorms have some distinct smells, but Elliot’s smells are on the weirder side.
  • Career Development and Barnard Babysitters offices are right there on the second floor—so if you’re trying to make some $$$$ next year but aren’t sure how to get that together, Elliot is a great choice. Just hang with career advisors all the time. And hear about the latest and greatest Barnard Babysitting jobs, you could snag a great gig.
  • If you want a single but don’t want to cash in for that Quad Upperclass meal plan, Elliot’s a good choice. Less convenient than the Quad in general, but if you take most your classes at Barnard, it’s not a bid deal.
  • Claremont is also more peaceful than Broadway, so nights are quieter than most “more convenient” dorms.
  • Elliot may feel far from your friends’ dorms, but is full of opportunity for new friendships—transfers and visiting students are always looking to meet more people, so hanging in lounges and kitchens can be a great time. Also, international visiting students might make you some great food.

Resident Opinions:

  • “haha I hate Elliot”
  • “It gets really hot in the rooms! The bathrooms and kitchens are always disgusting. The construction noise wakes me up every morning!”
  • “the lounges are really spacious and a great place to study or just hang out.”