Poor Eastgate gets a bad rap. When I say I live in Eastgate people usually give me a fake kind smile and say, “ohhhh, uh-huh” because they feel sorry for me. Like I’m a little kid living in the “dorms” and I haven’t figured out how to be a real adult yet.
Sure, the accommodations aren’t great. Not great at all. But the pros of living there DEFINITELY outweigh the cons. Hands down.
Here are the reasons I like Eastgate:
1. Location – How many other MIT students can get to school in under 2 minutes, walk into Boston in 10 minutes, walk to the T in 2 minutes?
2. The view – How many other MIT students live in a high-rise with a beautiful view of the Charles River and the Boston skyline? How many others can watch the rowers in the morning, the sailboats in the afternoon, the sun shine off the Boston buildings at twilight, and check the weather by looking at the Old Hancock building?
3. Parking – How many other MIT students have covered parking and a guaranteed spot?
4. Utilities are included – How many other MIT students have all their utilities included in their rent? Electricity, heat, internet, cable tv, etc.
5. Penthouse – How many other MIT students have access to the penthouse of one of the taller buildings in Cambridge with arguably one of the best views of Boston? Big screen tv, full kitchen, piano, and Wii included.
6. Neighbors – We have super awesome neighbors.
7. Laundry – How many other MIT students have laundry in their building? (Ok, most probably do, but I know lots have to use laundromats.) I never wait for a machine, there is a website to check availability of machines, and I get a text message when my load is complete.
8. Maintenance – How many other MIT students have an entire maintenance team at their beck and call?
9. Bike rental – How many other MIT students can pay $10/year to rent a bicycle? Including tandems, bike trailers, and kid seats.
10. Movie rental – How many other MIT students have free movie rental in their building?
11. Free printing – How many other MIT students have a laser printer and all the paper they want for free?
12. Rooftop garden – How many other MIT students can have a little “garden” and grow fresh herbs and veggies on their rooftop?
13. Storage in the basement – How many other MIT students can store oversized items (suitcases, boxes, etc) in a storage area of the building rather than in their bedroom closet.
14. Playground, Daycare, Toys – How many other MIT students have a playground in the yard of their building? Daycare? Three rooms filled with toys and other children to play with?
15. Grills – How many MIT students have bbq grills at their disposal any time? AND have them fired up for them once a week so all they have to do is bring their own food?
16. Activities – How many other MIT students have free social activities for the whole family almost monthly?
15. PRICE – How many other MIT students have all this for $1,430? NONE!!
August 30, 2011 at 8:48 pm |
You have enumerated many reasons to like Eastgate and I have
one more to add: the restaurant scene in Kendall Square: Za/EVOO, Friendly Toast, Hungry Mama, Hellmand, Similans to name a few. And my favorite coffee shop/art gallery, Voltage, is a short walk down Third Street. Thanks for an unusual blog. Harriet from MBA Admissions at MIT Sloan
August 30, 2011 at 9:22 pm |
Oh I TOTALLY agree! I debated whether or not to include that since there are awesome restaurants everywhere around here, but I really should have. I love that I can walk out my door in the afternoon and be eating something awesome for under $10 in like 2 minutes. I think the restaurants in Kendall deserve an entire post!
September 11, 2011 at 6:57 pm |
[...] two months, but this apartment is semi-permanent (we’ll be here at least 9 months). We are in Eastgate, the same building as apt. [...]
September 11, 2011 at 11:11 pm |
[...] an SO of an MIT LGO « Benefits of living in Eastgate [...]