Students are crossing paths in a new apartment complex in East Lansing.
Residents at the Crossing Place Student Apartments, 3636 E. Coleman Road, have been moving in despite construction work.
“What we did was we felt it was more important they get beds on (Saturday) than the amenities,” said Terri Clifton, president of property management for the complex.
Students were allowed to move into the complex before work on a clubhouse and surrounding area for the residents could be completed. The residents have also been without promised cable, Ethernet connections and phone.
Clifton said past weather conditions slowed production on the clubhouse and Ameritech technicians are working overtime to complete the communication package.
The clubhouse is where the connections for the communication package will be housed, and Clifton said the roofers were unable to finish because the connections needed a dry place to be installed.
“I have got 192 kids who want to use the phone,” she said.
Ameritech was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Residents will have the communication package no later than next week, and their accounts have been credited for $1.16 per day from their move-in date to the end of August, and the $35 communication fee for September has been waived.
Despite the slow progress with Internet, cable and phone connections, she said the apartments are very popular with the students.
“They love their apartments,” Clifton said.
The clubhouse, which will be completed by the end of September, also has a computer/study center, exercise and training facilities, and a hot tub, among other amenities.
Another feature of the complex is its roommate match program.
“When (students) come to the apartments, they can fill out a form asking are they a smoker, do they want a woman or a man,” she said.
For now, Clifton said there has only been one student who didn’t care for her roommate. She said the problem was solved by transferring her elsewhere.
“We try to get everybody where they don’t have roommate problems in the beginning,” she said.
Terrell Cackery, a computer science junior, enrolled in the matchmaker program. He said he was matched pretty well.
Cackery said he is enjoying his new apartment even though the communication package still hasn’t been delivered.
“The staff is pretty helpful, if you have questions they’ll answer them,” he said.
Lansing Community College sophomore Ronnie Catcher said he understands the problems the complex is having.
“I wasn’t suppose to be moved in until a couple days ago, so I can’t really complain.”
