By Simon Isham and Jacob M. Abrahamson
Some students were finally able to move into The Grove apartment complex today after months of anticipation.
It was unknown to the future occupants what state the apartments would be in upon their arrival, and some unhappy residents were unable to move in at all, mainly due to a lack of running water in their rooms.
“We’ve been here all day long trying to work something out. It’s a nightmare. I feel bad because I don’t know what he’s going to come back to tomorrow,” said Anne Donnermeyer, the mother of a student who could not move in.
Her son, Andrew, who plans to live with a friend until completion of his room, expressed concern about being able to get to his classes on Monday. “They say it’s tomorrow but I don’t really trust that, it could be a couple days. But, I mean, school’s on Monday so I gotta be down here.”
Other students were able to move in and found their rooms properly put together, but still had many issues with the state of the building.
“There’s some windows missing past the the first floor. It’s hot as hell,” said Kavan Caldwell. “I paid to have a building that’s completed and it’s not finished.”
“It went pretty well, there were a lot of issues with the room though. Our room in particular had a problem with the AC,” said Landon Lauder. “Some people’s water heaters were not working. Some people had leaks everywhere. Our floor had scuff marks.”
Another student, Sarah Erhart, expressed displeasure over having to pay rent for an unfinished building. “I paid over a thousand dollars for July and August. Nothing’s complete, and what they have done is just really shoddy.”
It should be noted that, when asked, some students said that they did not pay for rent over the summer. It is unknown why this discrepancy exists.
Other students complained about the overall organization of moving in. “I stood in an eight-person line for an hour and a half,” said Skylar Hermann.
Her father, Mark Hermann, agreed with this sentiment. “They had to stand in a line that evidently was very disorganized. Last year Bettie was a lot more organized”
“I feel like they all mean well but there just in a situation with the construction and all that going on that there just not able to do as much as they want to,” said Linda Jeoung.
“It’s been kind of stressful,” said Sam Phillips. “One of the most stressful move-in days since I’ve been up here at college.”
The following photos were taken while walking through The Grove. Students walking through the halls had access to all areas pictured here.
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These pipes on the front of the property are exposed.
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Danger signs cover a good portion of the building.
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Many hallways remain uncarpeted.
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Some hallways have too much carpet. The one pictured here could be a tripping hazard.
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This room is inaccessible due to carpeting.
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Piles of carpet scraps litter the hallways.
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Cans of various construction materials, including this wall texture, are laid out everywhere in the halls, unsupervised.
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This contraption holds open the front door of The Grove. The doors are as yet unsecured in any way.
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This chunk of concrete holds open a door.
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The parking lot of the building is one big traffic jam.
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This room, containing exposed pipes, is not a dorm room, but is open and accessible to students.
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This room, containing exposed pipes, is not a dorm room, but is open and accessible to students.
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This elevator shaft is semi-exposed.
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This piece of wood blocks the entry to the elevator.
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Exposed wiring was a common sight on move-in day.
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The stairwells still contain exposed wood.
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The courtyard of The Grove, where a pool is supposed to eventually go.
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The poolhouse.
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This elevator is not yet operational, but is also not blocked off from foot traffic.
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This debris is hidden behind a plywood barricade.
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This room, containing construction materials and wiring, is accessible by passersby.
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VIP TIP #1: The Grove promotional materials lie on the ground, unused.
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This security panel will eventually grant access to the building, but for now, The Grove is open to anyone who wants to walk in.
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This exposed wiring is on the outside of the common area.
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This lighting fixture is bent.
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Danger signs cover a good portion of the building.
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These cleaning and construction materials litter the hallways.
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This sharp implement was laying out in the open.
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Buckets of construction fluids and trash laying out in the open.
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Andrew Donnermeyer’s room had this extension cord in it upon arrival.
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Ventilation debris.
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A smudge on the wall of a closet.
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The enamel on this bathtub was already chipping.
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An exposed bath vent.
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This dishwasher is not yet installed.
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This kitchen cabinet is not yet installed.
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Construction materials in an otherwise finished room.
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Some portions of The Grove’s hallways are as yet uncarpeted.
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This exit sign was not yet hung in its intended position.
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This piece of wall was just missing.
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Carpet, ready for the laying.
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Exposed wiring is a common sight at The Grove.
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Construction worker food and beverages are everywhere.
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These unlocked doors are all that stand between a passerby and the main water pump for the building.
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These exposed pipes were open and accessible to anyone.
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Several sinks have not yet been placed.
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This razor blade was sitting in a bucket of putty, unattended.
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These switches were open and accessible to anyone who wanted to adjust the power.
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Bricks and concrete blocks for the as yet incomplete exterior of the building.
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An exposed air filter.
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There are no bike racks at The Grove.
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A bucket of goop and trash.