Landlines: What do you look for in an apartment complex?

These days, it’s impossible to swing a futon in Charlotte without hitting an apartment complex under construction.

Over the past year or so, Mecklenburg County has issued what seems to be a steady stream of building permits for new apartments. Some of those complexes, such as Circle University City, a roughly 550-unit project that Crescent Resources is building near the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, are geared toward college students.

That got us thinking: Besides it being close to a Taco Bell, what do today’s college students want in an apartment complex?

The Mecklenburg Times interviewed young scholars on UNCC’s campus to find out.

Allen

Stuart Allen, 24, mechanical engineering major: “Personally, I like having the gym and the other type of stuff you don’t have to pay for; you know, the pool. I used to have an all-inclusive plan where the cable, Internet and everything was included, and I liked having that. It made it easier, and I probably came out a little cheaper. I just liked having everything included in one bill and having access to other free (amenities).”

Culbertson

Keana Culbertson, 19, kinesiology major: “I really look for a place where I have my own bathroom and space for all my stuff. When I look, I’m looking for a place that has nice, new appliances. I like apartments that come with furniture. The furnished apartments are convenient for me. But having my own bathroom is probably the thing I look for most. That’s important to me.”

Crigler

Spencer Crigler, 18, business major: “Apartments that are spacious, with good-quality rooms, man. I would like to have my own bathroom, too. Other than that, I don’t know. I like having a workout room and a good-sized pool for when it gets warmer. That’s really what I look for.”

Leath

Jeffrey Leath, 19, marketing major: “I just like the idea of having my own room. And it’s crazy, because most of the time it comes out being cheaper than living in the dorm and it’s so much better. For me, it’s really about seeing how cost-effective the apartment is; if it’s too expensive, I’m not going to look there. I need an affordable place to live.”

Robertson

Noah Robertson, 29, mechanical engineering major: “It has to be close to campus. It’s like they say: Location is everything. And that’s how I look at it. I don’t want to be anywhere far away from campus. That would really be the deciding factor for me, how close can I be to campus.”