Flats attracts students

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

youngstowN

Michael Oye-goke chose to live in an apartment at the new Flats at Wick because of its proximity to the Youngstown State University campus and its security.

The four-floor, 112-bed student-housing apartment complex opened this summer, and students are still moving in for the start of fall semester classes Monday.

The building on Madison Avenue near Wick Avenue is across from the Cafaro House residence hall.

“We have our own bathrooms, and it’s close to campus,” said Oyegoke, a Dallas native, beginning his first year at YSU on a track-and- field athletic scholarship.

Jessica Vivo, property manager, matched Oyegoke with his roommate, Stephen D’Angelo, a junior political science major from Pittsburgh. Both like sports, Oyegoke said, so they’re getting along well in the two-bedroom apartment.

“We’re about 95 percent full,” Vivo said.

The project is the first privately owned apartment complex of its kind built exclusively for YSU students. Under an agreement approved by YSU’s trustees, the company will follow all of the university’s rules and regulations in place for YSU-owned student housing.

It’s the first phase of the project with three more apartment buildings planned.

Some students came in as roommates. For others, Vivo asked them to complete a profile to match them with others with similar interests.

The building has one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments, and each bedroom is equipped with its own private bathroom. All utilities, including cable, are included in the monthly rent which ranges from $545 per student in a four-bedroom apartment, to $710 per student in a one-bedroom.

Rooms come furnished with on-site laundry facilities. A fitness center, study room and computer room and wireless Internet are among amenities.

A security system restricts access to the building only to residence cardholders. Each bedroom also is restricted to an individual key cardholder.

Before constructing the building, U.S. Campus Suites asked students in YSU’s Chapter of the American Marketing Association to conduct a survey to find out what YSU students desire in an apartment complex.

The team of AMA members interviewed more than 130 students on the YSU campus about factors such as the desired number of bedrooms, price ranges and payment methods and miscellaneous issues including security.

Aly Dannemiller, a senior from Wadsworth, moved into the building about a week ago with her roommate.

“I lived in the dorms for three years so moving in here was a very good idea,” the human resource management major said.

She liked the security of the building and that she and her roommate will have their own kitchen.

Ebraheem Alqarni, a freshman from Saudi Arabia who is studying to become an emergency medical technician, moved into the Flats at Wick in late July. He liked that the rent includes utilities and that it’s a new building.