Friday, August 20, 1999
The University Daily Kansar
Section A · Page 5
Apartments offer new services
Jefferson Commons built for student living
Brett Norman, Overland Park park sophomore, moved into his three-bedroom apartment at Jefferson Commons, 1410 Kasold Drive, on Sunday. Several residents are experiencing problems with telephone connections and furniture in the new complex, which is designed for students. Photo by Rager Nomer/KANSAN
By Lori O'Toole
By Lari O'Toole
writer@kanson.com
Kanson staff writer
Jefferson Commons, Lawrence's newest apartment complex, opened Sunday, introducing a new approach to off-campus student living.
The three- and four-bedroom apartments, at 1410 Kasold Drive, came fully furnished and were rented per bedroom rather than per apartment to avoid financial difficulties if roommates decided to move out.
Tamara Hoffines, Jefferson Commons resident relations director, said the complex was more student-oriented than others because of the amenities it offered.
For example, the complex employs Community Assistants to work as liaisons between the residents and the management.
Hoffhines said the assistants were generally college students who would help create regular newsletters, plan activities and visit with the residents about their concerns and complaints.
"A lot of times the residents feel more comfortable talking with their peers," Hofhines said. "It's easier for them to get their complaints resolved this way."
Jefferson Commons' first activity took place yesterday morning. Employees gave bagels and juice to students who were on their way to class.
Hofhines said a pool party with a disc jockey playing was scheduled for tomorrow. There also will be a sand volleyball tournament, she said.
In addition to the Community Assistant program, the complex offers a roommate matching service, which pairs up residents based on information about their ages and majors and preferences about smoking, alcohol and noise.
Sean Dolyk, Doylestown, Ohio, junior, found two of his three roommates through the service, which he said he was thankful for.
"It's pretty hard matching yourself to people just based on flfers," he said. "I've tried doing that a couple times, and it's never really worked."
Dolyk and a friend decided they wanted two additional roommates to share a four-bedroom apartment at Jefferson Commons.
Working with the complex's system, Dolyk chose his two new roommates based on the
information they provided
In addition to the programs, Hofhines said there also was Internet access in each room, as well as a 24-hour computer room, a workout facility, a swimming pool and a club house on site.
Dolyk said his apartment looked amazing, and he would be happy living there, but he was waiting yesterday for his phone to be connected, his cable to be repaired and for weather stripping to be placed underneath his front door.
He is not the only resident who waited for kinks to be worked out.
Brett Norman, Overland Park sophomore, was still without a dining room table and a telephone connection yesterday after moving in Sunday.
"It's more of a hassle and annoying than anything else." Norman said. "It's an inconvene-
nience."
Jefferson Commons did not receive all of the furniture in time for some residents' arrivals. Hofhines said that the management would deliver the missing furniture for the furnished apartments when it arrived.
Hofflines said that there were about two phone problems in each of the 13 buildings, which resulted from electrical wiring errors, problems with Southwestern Bell and residents who failed to set up their lines before they moved in.
Hofhines said a team of Southwestern Bell employees and Jefferson Commons electricians worked on the phones with problems yesterday.
"Every new complex has some problems, and ours has been the phones," Hofhines said. "I think the residents have been pretty understanding."
—Edited by Ronnie Wachter
By Katie Hallar
writer@kanson.com
writer staff writer
Security is increased after violent incidents
Jefferson Commons, 1410 Kasold Drive, only has been open for five days, but two bouts with violence have prompted management to increase security measures.
Robin Corrick, Jefferson Commons community manager, said that a Lawrence police officer lived on-site as a courtesy associate. Earlier this week, Corrick added the services of MIL-SPEC Security, which sends a security patrol around the complex several times each night.
Since the complex's opening on Sunday, Lawrence police have reported two violent incidents.
On Sunday night, a fight between two roommates resulted in a call to police when one of the roommates, a 19-year-old female KU student, said her roommate's mother pushed her down the stairs.
The mother said the woman lost her footing and fell down.
The woman decided to drop charges and was assigned another roommate.
Lawrence police continue to search for the suspects in a gang-related fight at 2:20 a.m. Tuesday in the Jefferson Commons swimming pool.
According to Lawrence police reports, a fight broke out when a group of residents blamed a group of visitors for taking their wallets while they were in the swimming pool.
One of the residents, a 22-yearold male KU student, was attempting to resolve the conflict when he was told it was "schoolyard business," which police interpreted as gang-
related. He also was slapped in the face by one of the visitors, police said.
Police said the resident jumped into the pool in an attempt to hide from the quarreling visitors but was hit with a patio table and beer bottles. After the suspects fled, residents helped him out of the pool. He was not injured.
The suspects have been described as a group of four to six men about 23 years old. Two of the men had gold teeth and were smoking blunts, according to the police report.
Corrick attributed the episodes to back-to-school stress and curiosity about the apartments.
"It's a new property; it's a fun place to be, people want to see it," she said. "And when you get that many kids around in one place, something's bound to happen."
Charu Narula, Leawood junior and Jefferson Commons resident, agreed.
"Anytime you get in an environment with that many college students, things are going to happen," she said. "It doesn't matter where you are."
Narula said she did not feel unsafe at the complex.
"I've seen police officers at the perimeter and patrolmen walking all around making sure minors aren't drinking and parties don't get too loud or anything," she said.
Corrick said the additional security seemed to have corrected the problem.
"I guess they're taking care of it," she said.
Wednesday night was pretty quiet, she said.
— Edited by Jennifer Roush
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