Two week after an alleged rape occurred in Cardinal Towne, and nearly seven months since cheerleader Dani Cogswell was found dead in a Cardinal Towne apartment, residents of the student housing complex question their safety around the property.

On their main website, Cardinal Towne boasts about their card-controlled entrance accesses and individually-locking bedroom doors. They have nightly on-site security and after hours on-call staff ready to aid if needed. When asked about resident safety, Cardinal Towne deferred questions to their corporate offices. Multiple requests for comment to the corporate offices have gone unanswered.

Sophomore Ethan Horton lives in Cardinal Towne Classics, located next to the main building. Although Horton says he feels safe, he does not like that the complex smells like weed.

“To better our safety, they (Cardinal Towne) could definitely start busting some of the parties and do something about people smoking marijuana in nearly every room,” says Horton.

Junior Kelsey Webb has lived in Cardinal Towne for two years. She says that, for the most part, she has enjoyed living there and feels safe on Cardinal Towne’s property. She says she has never run into problems inside the building. However, the street behind Cardinal Towne has caused her issues.

“I have had my car broken into twice,” says Webb. “I know the garage is really secure, but I can’t afford the rates so I had to resort to getting an Old Louisville parking pass.” The underground garage costs residents $75 per month.”

Other students agree except for petty crimes and noise complaints, they feel Cardinal Towne, for the most part, is safe. Several people did mention though, that the constant smell of marijuana in the hallways is annoying.

“Maybe if there was more of a clear cut way to screen who is coming into the building then there wouldn’t be so many drug issues,” says Webb.

Photo by Rachel Essa / The Louisville Cardinal