Hartley_front_viewFuture freshmen have a look at this review if you think one half (the better half) of the LLC may be for you. Rising sophomores have already picked into this lovely dorm, so now it’s up to you to fill the leftover spaces.

Location: 1124 Amsterdam (between 115th and 116th, part of the freshman quadrangle)

  • Nearby Dorms: Hartley is connected by tunnel to Wallach and John Jay, so you’ll see a lot of everyone even if you’re in a separate building to many of your friends. Carman and Furnald aren’t far away, on the other side of campus near Lerner- this is only a distance of around 500ft but will end up being much of the exercise you have in your first semester.
  • Nearby Food: Conveniently, John Jay Dining Hall and JJ’s can be accessed with no danger from the elements and multitudinous wildlife of New York through your favorite connecting tunnel. Once you’re sick of these options (and it will be fast), Strokos and Hamilton Deli are not far, or if you’re feeling like a sit-down option, Artopolis is recommended (get the waffles). Ferris feels pretty far awa

Cost: $7,928/yr (first-year), $9,108/year (upperclassmen) (this is subject to change)

Amenities:

  • Bathrooms: There are two bathrooms per suite, one on the main level with two showers and two toilets, and another with one shower and one toilet. Capacity usually isn’t a problem (although in the experience of some Bwoggers, hygiene is)
  • AC/Heating: No AC in Hartley except on the first floor and 10th floor where the sky lounge is. The sky lounge is particularly nice for this reason in the fall semester. Heating is very much in existence, and at times piping hot. Nothing like having to keep a window open all winter to make your room bearable!
  • Kitchen/Lounge: An unusual amenity in first-year dorms, each suite has a full kitchen with a big sink, dishwasher, cabinets, two stoves and a microwave. There are two lounges per suite, a small one on the smaller level and a big one on the main level. The one in B suites is pretty small though and kind of ineffectual. There are suite TVs that are a 40 inch flatscreen equipped with Netflix and Spotify, although Hartley’s quiet reputation prevents these from being often used.
  • Laundry: Large laundry room with 12 washers and 12 dryers shared with Wallach in the basement. Peak hours are bad, but have been somewhat alleviated now that John Jay once again has its own laundry room.
  • Gym: nada
  • Computers/Printers: Computer lab on the first floor, usually empty and a good study environment with two printers of reasonable speed. The stapler is always out though so make sure to bring your own.
  • Intra-transportation: Two elevators, one either side of the B suites. Definitely not slow, but faster than the John Jay elevator at time due to the fact that the building is far smaller so it makes less stops.
  • Hardwood/Carpet: Fake wood in kitchens, and terrible carpet everywhere else except for bathrooms. Carpets were supposed to be redone, but honestly there seems to be no difference, they’re really quite gross.
  • Wifi: Yes, decent speed.
  • Special Stuff: Nice lounge on 10th floor that has a lending library. Malcolm X lounge on first floor is quite nice, and Room 101 next to it is a great meeting space if you can book it. Also, there are table-tennis and billiards tables in the main lounge on the first floor, which you can use after giving your ID at the Hospitality desk for paddles and sticks.

Room Variety

  • Doubles: One pretty big double (214 sq. ft. or so) per suite in A and C suites, two smaller doubles per suite in B.
  • Singles: The rest of the building is singles (yay!), the biggest is around 129 sq. ft. and will probably be taken by upperclassmen, and the smallest is around 92 sq. ft. You can expect something around 100 sq. ft., which is a little smaller than the average John Jay Single.
  • Singles v Doubles: 158 singles to 36 doubles- pretty certain of a single

Numbers:
Hartley is part of the LLC, so for upperclassmen it isn’t in the standard housing lottery system, and residence is based on an application that seems to favor those who lived in the LLC as freshmen (so keep this in mind if you’re a pre-frosh who wants a single sophomore year!) However, the LLC acceptance rate is pretty high, although not 100%. Also, most first-years and nearly all upperclassmen get singles

Bwog Recommendations:

  • Floor Environment: This differs from suite to suite, and from floor to floor. Although the layout is pretty conducive to socializing, the quiet hours mean that there isn’t much hanging out in the common areas at night, as they aren’t soundproofed as they are in John Jay. I would say that although some floors and suites are quite tight-knit (this also depends on if the upperclassmen are all friends/friendly to outsiders), most suites have a pretty ambivalent atmosphere. You see people around and say hi, maybe stop by if they’re watching something interesting in the lounge, but ultimately don’t really hang out in an organized way, and certainly not for an extended period of time. Unlike some floors in John Jay that have become a group of friends, your acquaintances in Hartley will likely remain simply suite-mates, not friends.
  • Upperclassmen: One aim of the LLC is to bring together upperclassmen (mostly sophomores) and freshmen. The success of this depends once again on the suite. Some sophomores actually care about their freshie suite mates, but others are there for easy singles, or may have all picked into the same suite with their friends where you will be either incorporated into their circle or constantly feel like an afterthought.
  • LLC: LLC outings can be really fun, and a lot of people do go, but others hate it and would do anything to avoid it. However, event attendance is what will get you back into the LLC sophomore year so suck it up. It can be fun.
    Location: This is probably Hartley’s biggest upside. It’s close to everything, including dining halls, Butler and all your other freshmen friends. It’s also pretty close to humanities rooms so can be very easy to get to class.
  • Views: Decent views, some great (of the campus), others less great (of hospital buildings/random teaching buildings across Amsterdam), and others terrible (looking at Wallach or Hamilton, unlikely).
  • Vibe: The lighting may be abrasive (buy yellow toned lamps and feel fabulous), the carpets dingy, the kitchens at times gross, paint peeling, bathrooms grimy, and floors sometimes pest infested (lower floors mostly, good luck), but Hartley really is where the heart is. After a while, you start loving how your room is really close to everyone else’s, but it is your little sanctuary. It’s also nice having a group of suite-mates that make you feel like you’re bound to see someone every day.

Resident Opinions:

  • “Not really what I wanted, but I am okay with it. It’s fine. This dorm is the definition of fine.”
  • “I really like it here. I cook a lot and it’s nice not to have parties right where I live.”
  • “I like that it’s close to everything. I get to see my friends a lot, am never late for anything, and also have suite-mates that take me out of my specific friend group.”
  • “The carpet is pretty disgusting in some rooms, and the bathrooms work really well with great water temperature and pressure, but are generally disgusting.”
  • “I just wanted a single.”
  • “Rooms are pretty small, but not too small. You get used to everything else.”
  • “I didn’t mind it here but I am not staying in LLC for another year. Adios!”