Above is a really low quality picture of the Venice/Barry complex, and if you click below, I'll share with you the pro's and con's of living here, plus the surprising Walkscore.com results.
First, let's be clear on where this "UCLA Grad Housing" complex is in relation to everything "UCLA" related.
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Towards the top of the map, you see UCLA's heart-shaped campus, with the Venice Barry complex situated a bit southeast in Mar Vista. For those not from LA, Mar Vista is one of the many distinct neighborhoods within the city, having its own Neighborhood Council, its own City of LA Branch Library, local post office, and a small commercial hub along Venice.
Now that we know where we're talking about, let's consider the PROS and CONS of grad housing in general and Venice/Barry specifically:
PROS:
- Very affordable (usually a couple hundred less than the prevailing market rate)
- Free shuttle to campus - these operate hourly between Keystone/Mentone, Venice/Barry, UCLA's Ackerman terminal, and the Faculty Club (just a bit south of the Pub. Affairs Bldg)
- Venice/Barry has a nice outside BBQ area with poolside tables... great for Wine Club
- Venice/Barry also has a mini-gym (a couple basic cardio machines) and oddly enough, a sauna
- Walking distance to library, post office, a few independently owned shops and restaurants, taco trucks*, Rite Aid, and the Mitsuwa Japanese marketplace and foodcourt*
- Decent conditions biking between campus and the building. My roommate routinely biked round-trip, while I often put my bike on the bus and then biked home.
- Culver City 2, running North/South on Sepulveda, is a high frequency alternative to using the campus shuttle, and the new Metro 733 should be convenient for internships in downtown LA
- Proximity to the beach. 10-15 mins by bike, 5 mins by car (plus 25 minutes cruising for parking!)
- Free basic cable and internet
CONS:
- People are not at all social in the building, and the current student housing council does not care about planning social events. You might be lucky enough to converse with one neighbor from time to time.
- The location is convenient to many destinations, but by no means is it a destination itself. Thus, you'll find yourself always needing to go somewhere else to meet up with people for social events.
- Drab interior, older decor, and quite possibly carpet that is in need of replacement (though ours was eventually replaced)
- Keycard locks that make it super inconvenient if you lock yourself out
- No roommate choice unless you applied with a specific roommate in mind
- No major grocery store within a 10 minute walking distance
- Apartments facing Venice Blvd might get a lot of street noise
* = yummmm!
I'm not sure if I'm being completely fair on the above lists... I felt like I had to struggle to list the Cons, though I'm sure it will be much easier to think of the negatives when I return from my lackluster housing this summer in Mumbai.
I'm not sure if I'm being completely fair on the above lists... I felt like I had to struggle to list the Cons, though I'm sure it will be much easier to think of the negatives when I return from my lackluster housing this summer in Mumbai.
And lastly, the Venice/Barry building received a surprising 85% walkable rating on Walkscore.com. Maybe its not that surprising, given the above items I mentioned nearby, but I tend to think its slightly less walking friendly.
2 comments:
Couple of minor things: it's the Culver City 6, not 2 that runs on Sepulveda, and don't forget the new Metro Rapid 733 on Venice!
To the pros, I would also add the convenient bikming distance to Culver City
And yeah, the social atmosphere in that building is *dead*.
Venice is a city like no other. It has had its fair share of supporters - Marco Polo once said, "Every time I describe a city I am saying something about Venice". My dream is to visit there. Thanks for this lovely post.
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