First-Years Give High Marks to Apley Court

After a brief summer renovation, Apley Court, the small yet stately dorm on Holyoke Street that had long served as overflow housing for upperclass students, opened its doors Saturday to a crop of new tenants-34 first-years.

College officials announced in January that Apley would house first-years in order to expand the size of the first-year class by about 30 students.

Students interviewed last night on the steps of Apley sounded more than content with their new home.

"It's great, " said Steve J. Mahalec '01. "I'm really glad I got Apley. "

Mahalec said he is particularly happy with the comfortable size of his bedroom-and about having a bathroom to share with just one person.

"I'm kind of a paranoid hygiene freak," he said, adding that he is glad he's not sharing a hall bath.

Two students will occupy each of Apley's 17 spacious suites, which consist of a common room, bedroom and private bath, and feature towering ceilings and walk-in closets.

Ben W. Reichardt '01 who said he plans to row crew, said the location does not bother him since Apley is closer to the river than the other first-year dorms.

Reichardt also cited other perks, including cable television and a closet large enough to double as a guest bedroom.

"It's really nice," he said. "Everytime we bring somebody over, they're like 'Wow!'"

Students can choose to convert the common room into a second, walk through bedroom, said Assistant Dean of Freshmen D.E. Lorraine Sterritt, who, with her husband Bert Lain, recently moved from Lionel Hall into an apartment on the second floor of Apley.

The five-story dorm now features two common rooms in the basement, one of which has a television. There is also a laundry room equipped with two washers and two dryers, although there is no computer cluster in the building. A-1

No special criteria were applied in selecting which students would reside in Apley, Sterritt said.

In addition to Sterritt, one proctor, Mark Meyerrose, and his wife Anna now live in Apley Court.

Up to Par

According to Kathleen A. Bray, manager of the first-year dorms, the objective of the renovation was to bring Apley up to par with living conditions in the other first-year dorms, which were renovated over a six-year period ending two years ago.

The Apley renovations entailed the application of a fresh coat of paint, the installation of new doorboxes and the replacement of claw-footed bathtubs with new tubs.

All the work was completed in eight weeks over the summer, Bray said, making the renovation "a baby little project."

"You can't do a whole lot in eightweeks," she said.

Sterritt said she has enjoyed residing in Apley Court thus far, calling the dorm an "absolutely wonderful" place to live.

"It's a beautiful building, and we're just delighted to have it as a freshman dorm," Sterritt said. "I am thrilled; the proctor is thrilled."

First-years in Apley should not be concerned about being located outside the Yard," Sterritt added.

"They're only a stone's throw from the Yard," Sterritt said. "I think they will be delighted."

There will also be "a lot of interaction, either formally or informally," between Apley residents and students in other first-year dorms during the school year, Sterritt said, noting that Apley's spacious common rooms could be the likely site for proctor meetings and social events.

"I think it looks wonderful, and is comparable to all of the other Yard dorms," she said. "I think they'll be very pleased."

So Happy Together

Marta Szabo '01, a new resident, praised the space, predicting the large rooms would draw large crowds.

"It's a better place for parties because it's huge," she said. "People will want to come here because of the space."

Even Apley's Harvard Square location is a plus, students said.

Pilar C. Gonzalez '01 said she likes being outside the Yard.

"It's 20 seconds from the Yard," Gonzalez said, but "it's like an apartment in the city."

"Seeing other dorms makes us appreciate Apley," she added.

However, Reichardt said he and his roommate were unprepared to live in such spacious quarters.

"It's kind of a problem," he said. "We don't have enough posters, and we're going to have to go buy more furniture."

Apley has been assigned to the Ivy Yard, which also includes Holworthy, Lionel, Massachusetts, Mower, Stoughton, Straus and Thayer halls

No special criteria were applied in selecting which students would reside in Apley, Sterritt said.

In addition to Sterritt, one proctor, Mark Meyerrose, and his wife Anna now live in Apley Court.

Up to Par

According to Kathleen A. Bray, manager of the first-year dorms, the objective of the renovation was to bring Apley up to par with living conditions in the other first-year dorms, which were renovated over a six-year period ending two years ago.

The Apley renovations entailed the application of a fresh coat of paint, the installation of new doorboxes and the replacement of claw-footed bathtubs with new tubs.

All the work was completed in eight weeks over the summer, Bray said, making the renovation "a baby little project."

"You can't do a whole lot in eightweeks," she said.

Sterritt said she has enjoyed residing in Apley Court thus far, calling the dorm an "absolutely wonderful" place to live.

"It's a beautiful building, and we're just delighted to have it as a freshman dorm," Sterritt said. "I am thrilled; the proctor is thrilled."

First-years in Apley should not be concerned about being located outside the Yard," Sterritt added.

"They're only a stone's throw from the Yard," Sterritt said. "I think they will be delighted."

There will also be "a lot of interaction, either formally or informally," between Apley residents and students in other first-year dorms during the school year, Sterritt said, noting that Apley's spacious common rooms could be the likely site for proctor meetings and social events.

"I think it looks wonderful, and is comparable to all of the other Yard dorms," she said. "I think they'll be very pleased."

So Happy Together

Marta Szabo '01, a new resident, praised the space, predicting the large rooms would draw large crowds.

"It's a better place for parties because it's huge," she said. "People will want to come here because of the space."

Even Apley's Harvard Square location is a plus, students said.

Pilar C. Gonzalez '01 said she likes being outside the Yard.

"It's 20 seconds from the Yard," Gonzalez said, but "it's like an apartment in the city."

"Seeing other dorms makes us appreciate Apley," she added.

However, Reichardt said he and his roommate were unprepared to live in such spacious quarters.

"It's kind of a problem," he said. "We don't have enough posters, and we're going to have to go buy more furniture."

Apley has been assigned to the Ivy Yard, which also includes Holworthy, Lionel, Massachusetts, Mower, Stoughton, Straus and Thayer halls