When Chris Tunno arrived at his brand new apartment, he was met with a puddle instead of a pool.
While the UF accounting sophomore had hopes of swimming in a pool at The Standard at Gainesville, the new apartment building appears to have left some of its residents frustrated, especially those without “VIP” status.
Tunno, 19, said he expected the building to be complete, but that hasn’t been the case for non-VIP amenities. While the VIP residents have been able to enjoy amenities like a rooftop pool, study room and pool tables, the non-VIP residents only have access to their rooms, he said. In the meantime, he said The Standard, located on the corner of West University Avenue and Northwest 13th Street, has offered to let its residents use some of the amenities at The Retreat at Gainesville, located almost two miles away on 13th Street.
Residents were told the pool is expected to take at least six to eight weeks to complete, Tunno said.
“It just kind of seems like they’re happy that they got our money and now it’s like, ‘Whatever,’” he said.
The lavish floor-to-ceiling windows in Tunno’s living room at The Standard may look appealing, but the leaky panels soaked the floor of his living room from the day he moved in, he said.
“It seems like they kind of rushed to finish everything so there’s problems all over the place,” he said.
The Standard, which is 10 stories tall, has floor plans ranging from studios to six-bedroom apartments. Each unit comes furnished, and monthly rent prices range from $650 to $1,200. The complex is steps from UF’s campus and, upon completion, will boast amenities like a tanning deck, gym, study lounge and rooftop pools, as well as a retail space below containing a Chick-fil-A, Target Express.
Katelyn Neller, a 19-year-old UF biology sophomore, said although she was hoping to use all of the amenities as soon as she moved in, she understands the complex is a big undertaking.
“The people that work here are trying really hard to make it what we expect, and they’re doing the best they can,” she said.
On Thursday, The Standard began moving in about 500 of its 1,200 residents, prompting Gainesville Police to issue a traffic advisory.
The Standard originally intended to move all 1,200 residents in Friday, said Taylor Fulford, a leasing agent for The Standard. After receiving approval from the city to begin moving in residents early, the complex sent out an email to its residents and allowed the first 500 who responded to move in Thursday. Fulford said the complex didn’t turn away residents Thursday who didn’t make it on the first-500 list, however.
Some Gainesville residents were concerned about the traffic issues The Standard’s move-in might cause.
Dawn Peters, a 50-year-old Gainesville resident and mother of a UF sophomore, said the goal to move in 1,200 residents in two days seemed farfetched.
“I’m hoping next year they have a better plan,” she said.
