Location: 549 W. 113th Street

  • Nearby dorms: Across the street from Symposium and McBain. Around the block from Broadway and Hogan.
  • Stores and restaurants: All the same locations as McBain and Nussbaum—you’ve got the best of Broadway at your disposal. Milano, Nussbaum & Wu, and International are all a 30-second walk. And they’re all it takes to survive.

Cost:

  • $8,324 (same as EC, Ruggles, Hogan, Woodbridge) but worth every penny.

Amenities:

  • Bathrooms: Private bathrooms in each single/double.
  • AC/Heating: No AC, but many suites have multiple windows so it is possible to create great airflow. Erratic heating due to the building’s old age.
  • Kitchen/Lounge: Full kitchen in each single/double.  Amazing!
  • Laundry: One dryer and washer on each floor.
  • Computers/Printers: A printer was installed in the lobby this year.
  • Gym: No gym.
  • Intra-transportation: The world’s slowest elevator and stairs.
  • Hardwood/Carpet: Hardwood.

Room variety:

  • Studio singles and studio doubles.
  • 1- and 2-bedroom doubles.
  • Basically some of the best Housing has to offer.

Numbers:

  • Studio doubles go to mostly Juniors, and maybe a few lucky Sophomores. That may change due to junior regroup this year, though.
  • Studio singles go to very lucky Seniors.
  • 1-bedrooms go to lucky Juniors.
  • 2-bedrooms go to lucky Seniors.

Bwog recommendation:

  • Rising Juniors looking for a double should think of Watt as their first choice.
  • The singles and 2-bedrooms are amazing options for rising Seniors.

Resident opinions:

  • “The rooms are really hard to beat. All have kitchens and bathrooms within them; really big fridges, stoves, lots of storage space.”
  • “Best washer/dryer arrangement on campus.”
  • “The building is an old apartment building, so it’s got a cool, rustic look and feel. People say that the hardwood floors are scuffed in a cool way, and it feels lived-in and homely.”
  • “Roof access is awesome. Real live bathrooms with tile and everything, like a real life home.”
  • “It is not very social. At all. Because the bathrooms/kitchens are within the rooms, you never really run into anyone else on your floor (I couldn’t recognize most of my neighbors at a police lineup). Also, there are no lounges and TVs.”
  • “There is one elevator, and it’s one of those super old ones that feels like it’s from the Civil War because you have to pull open a door to use it. I’m pretty sure I can walk up the stairs faster than it travels, but it’s a bummer because you have to use it to go to the basement to throw out your trash like in Claremont.”
  • “I think I have an RA, but I’m not really sure. Sometimes people try to organize events (Watt is part of the Block thing) but no one really goes to them I don’t think.”
  • “Delivery people like to buzz you with the intercom (if it still works) but you can’t answer back so they just hold the button down.”

Gallery:

Photos by Elyse DeWitt.