There is always something to love about H(e)artley.

Location: Between 115th and 116th and Amsterdam

• Nearby dorms: John Jay and Wallach (Literally connected!)
• Stores and restaurants: John Jay Dining Hall and JJ’s (once again literally don’t have to go outside), Strokos, and Amsterdam Halal carts?
• 2 inches away from Hamilton Hall, I measured, and also close to Kent and the mail center
• Cost: 2022-2023 year projected rates: $9,986/year for first-years, $11,096/year for upperclassmen.

Amenities:

• Bathrooms: Each suite has 2 bathrooms. One of the floors of the two-story suites has fewer people and has a smaller bathroom with 1 toilet stall and 1 shower stall while the other has 2 of each. They are generally clean but look musty as heck.
• AC/Heating: You are out of luck here. There is no AC, and heat is cranked all the way up during the cold months. However, there are AC units in the suite lounges and hallways.
• Lounges: Yes, you read right in the previous bullet, there is a lounge in every suite! The lounges are really spacious and are probably the best parts of Hartley! Each suite makes its lounge its own one way or another. Since there are 2 floors in each suite, there is a lower lounge and an upper lounge. The floor with more people has the larger lounge which has a couple of seats and a TV. The smaller lounge has a table and a couple of chairs, but it is still a cozy place to chill. There is also a sky lounge with AC that’s open to anyone and a large games lounge on the first floor with ping pong and pool tables.
• Kitchen: Connected to the larger suite lounge is a fully functioning kitchen. The appliances are a little old and, like the bathrooms, a little musty. Despite its ugly exterior, all the appliances are clean and work perfectly. All the suites have 2 gas-lit stoves, an oven, dishwasher, microwave, and sink. The sink got clogged quite often in our suite and the kitchen was not always in the best shape, but if your suite works to keep it clean, the kitchen is great!
• Laundry: There is a laundry room in the basement shared with Wallach. Like everything else in Hartley, the journey to the laundry room from the elevator feels like a life or death situation with low ceilings, hot humid air, exposed piping, and the occasional cockroach sighting. There are a lot of laundry machines but count on at least half of them to not work, though Columbia Housing plans to fix them over the summer. Two to three of the dryers also do not work, but they are a lot more consistent than the washers. 
• Computers/Printing: There is a spacious computer lounge on the first floor that is often empty with a PawPrint printer station by the entrance. 
• Fire Escapes: None
• Gym: The building doesn’t have one, but you and your suitemates can turn your lounge into one?
• Elevators: Two of the most consistent elevators on campus, but one only goes to the 9th floor while the sky lounge is on the 10th. 
• Flooring: Carpet, everywhere—unless you are lucky and get one of the rare hardwood-flooring Hartley rooms. The bathrooms and kitchens have tile-esque flooring. 

Room Variety:

• Singles: 158 singles with the smallest being 92 square feet and the largest being a giant 176 square foot singles on the 10th floor, however, I think the 10th floor suite is for upper-classmen. Generally, all the singles are around 100-115ish and there is 1 smaller single in every suite. 
• Doubles: 36 mostly spacious doubles. The doubles on the outer A and C suites are all 200+ square feet while the doubles in the B suites are generally smaller with the smallest being 176 square feet. There are 2 doubles in the outer suites and 4 in the inner suites.
• Each suite for freshpeople is either a male or female suite.
• The views are generally good but views on the North and South edges of the building could be viewed into Hamilton classrooms or facing Wallach. 
• Some rooms (or all?) have a cubby space above the door where there is a lot of room to store stuff. 

Bwog Recommendations:

• Some suites are quiet, while some are really fun and throw parties and hang-outs and are good friends. Either way you can definitely choose how you wanna live at Hartley.
• You can have a close-knit with your suite or choose to lone wolf it.
• While the dorms are old and definitely need renovations, friends and I consistently agreed that having a Hartley suite would be the best housing option at Columbia, especially if it was renovated. 
• Despite what people say, I have not seen a single roach all year, while friends in other dorms have. Hartley also doesn’t have rats.
• “It exists”

Resident Opinions:

• “I feel like your experience at Hartley definitely comes down to the people in your suite – and I feel like I lucked out big time!!”
• “The biggest thing that will make or break your experience is your suitemates so I’d say definitely coordinate with them before move-in. Pros: great sense of community, nice kitchen to use, nice lounge area. Cons: semi-bad bathrooms, no AC.”
• “Hartley is without a doubt the most underrated freshman dorm. It’s the perfect balance of privacy (mostly singles) and shared social space (suite lounges). The sky lounge is a great place to study and the game lounge is super popular. Make an effort to get to know your suitemates and you’ll have a great time in Hartley!”

Pictures:

H(e)artley via Jake Torres and Bwog Archives