Housing Reviews 2023: 601 West 110th

It’s pretty, but at what cost…

Location: 601 W. 110th Street, right off Broadway and Riverside Drive.

Nearby dorms: Columbia’s Carlton Arms and Harmony Hall
Stores and Restaurants: Westside Market, Hungarian Pastry Shop, Chipotle, Hmart, Five Guys, Koronets, Mel’s, Duane Reed, CVS, and Samad’s Gourmet.
Cost: Yearly expected cost is $11,738 for traditional singles and doubles, and $19,126 for studio singles.

Amenities

Bathrooms: Each suite and studio has a private bathroom, and the nine person suites have two.
AC/Heating: 110th does not include nor advertise air conditioning, but there are a few units that have air conditioners. Most rooms are equipped with fans, and it gets very warm during the first month of class. While 110’s fatal flaw is the lack of AC, boy oh boy does it have heat! Most units have control over the heater, but as is the case with most New York City apartments, it is incredibly strong and you may not want it on all the time.
Kitchen: The suite kitchens all have refrigerators, sink, oven, and a table. Studio singles, doubles, and triples have a kitchenette.
Lounges: 110th does not have any communal lounge space, but the lobby is very spacious and many of the suites have living rooms.
Laundry: The laundry room is in the basement, and has plenty of machines. Because this is a Barnard dorm and an actual apartment, Barnard provides students with laundry cards to use the machines every semester.
Gym: 110th does not have a gym.
Hardwood/Carpet: Most suites have hardwood floors, but some are reported to have carpet.
Wifi: Each suite has their own wifi router.

Room Variety:

Single, Double, and Triple rooms in 2–9 person suites and Studio Singles
- Most of the rooms are very spacious, with some of the larger doubles that are around 260 square feet.
- The few singles that are not studios are 143–156 square feet.
110th has non-Barnard residents! They are lovely, but it does mean that the building can be very quiet at times.

Numbers from the 2022 lottery:

Out of the 177 students who selected 110th, approximately 74% were sophomores, 16% were juniors, and 9.6% were seniors.

Bwog Recommendation:

This is a real apartment. Yes, there are some downsides, most significantly the lack of air conditioning and very few singles. However, if you have a roommate you love, tend to run cold, and like walking a bit to class, 110th is the dorm for you. If you’re on a higher floor, you can get incredible views of New Jersey, Broadway, and the surrounding area. Many of the upper floors have been renovated, so you’re getting close to brand new appliances, gas stoves, gorgeous hardwood floors, pretty good water pressure, nice furniture, and light. You get a bit of distance from campus, and you get to feel like you’re living in a real apartment, not a dorm. That being said, you won’t know anyone in the building, and the lower floors won’t get a lot of light. There’s no real sense of community, but the non-Barnard residents are lovely and the maintenance team will be in your room an hour after you place a work order. Have there been roaches? Sure, but you keep your kitchen very clean and you’re good. You’re right next to the 110th subway station, which is a HUGE benefit when you’re running late to get somewhere downtown or hauling groceries back to campus. Speaking of groceries, you don’t have to rely on Morton Williams anymore! You’ve got Hmart and Westside right at your doorstep. TLDR: you can get lots of space, a gorgeous apartment, and an amazing area, but no AC, no singles, and some consider it far from campus. As a building, it is lovely, as a dorm, it depends on the person.

Resident Opinions:

“The N suites on the upper floors are REALLY beautiful, get tons of light, and they’re renovated!”
“The walk is not that bad, it’s six blocks, four if you’re going to Butler.”
“Every person I’ve had over says how they want to live in 110th next year, there’s so much space!”
“The elevators are really fucking slow but it’s good.”
“110 is great for anyone who is looking for a separation between the home and work/school environments. The walk can be a bit long (especially in the winter!) so be prepared.”
“Beware the sign-in QR code. There is no swipe access.”
“There was a lot of construction on the West fire escape this year, which was very loud in the mornings. I also know the street facing suites were scaffolded.”
“I like it, but my biggest issue was the lack of natural light.”
“There was construction every single day, precisely starting at 8 am, so beware if you like to sleep in! I did enjoy the space in my suite however and the apartment feel.”
“I’m going to live here all four years!”