Bethany Schram

Assistant News Editor

 

At last, students can have the experience of true apartment living in the newly acquired Lake Hollingsworth Apartments on the corner of Lake Hollingsworth and Crystal Lake Drive.

The Lake Hollingsworth Apartments are the newest choice for off- campus living, along with the already established Colony Arms and Lake Morton Apartments.

About 500 to 700 students reside off-campus at Florida Southern College. The Lake Hollingsworth Apartments were acquired last year to relieve the already crowded on-campus housing facilities.

With the 2013-2014 freshman class exceeding 700 students, a few returning students, such as sophomore Candice Robinson,  were given the opportunity to move from their housing in Dell to the apartments. For interior designing and altering cabinets one can view here for ideas.

“I really wanted to live in one of the apartments when I was a junior or senior, so I was really excited to be able to so soon,” Robinson said.

The Lake Hollingsworth Apartments house two to three students each, and boast a large kitchen, living-room space and two bedrooms each.

Photo by Bethany Schram The Lake Hollingsworth Apartments contain full-sized kitchens for students.
Photo by Bethany Schram
The Lake Hollingsworth Apartments contain full-sized kitchens for students.

Some of the amenities include a new laundry room, visitor center housing, some exercise equipment and a sand volleyball court. Each living space also has a attached back-porch.

Kelsey Burgess, junior, choose to live in the apartments because they are large, different than the other apartment complexes and she could walk the lake every day to and from school. One aspect she did not like about the Lake Hollingsworth apartments is that she had to supply all her own furniture, except for her bedroom.

“I don’t like that you have to bring your own furniture. My roommate and I had to plan a lot ahead of time so we could make sure we had everything we needed,” Burgess said.

Burgess did not mind, however, that many of her neighbors are non-FSC students. Since the college purchased the apartments, several of the current residents are still in their lease with the previous owners.

“I barely see anyone I don’t know, I think some people living above me were already here before I moved in, but they don’t bother me,” Burgess said.

Seven Resident Advisors live in the Lake Hollingsworth apartments, as well as an officer of the Lakeland Police department.

According to Director of Florida Southern Security Bill Carew, housing non-students of FSC is a “non-issue.” Several are FSC staff members and those not affiliated with the College are kept informed of all safety and security procedures.

“I really don’t see off-campus being any different than an on-campus residence hall in regards to emergencies. Obviously, geographically, Colony Arms, Lake Morton Villas and Lake Hollingsworth Apartments, are accessible more to the general public due to their locations,” Carew said. “That is why President Kerr and the Board of Trustees arranged to have police officers living there (except Colony Arms) to act as a deterrent.”

Kelsey Burgess is very pleased with her choice of housing. She said next year she would choose the Lake Hollingsworth Apartments again.