What sets the Lane Ave. house apart is the massive 2-story deck that occupies their backyard. Credit: Courtesy of Brandon Plumb
Norwich and High tattoo shop abode
Atop the neon signs and vibrant colors of Fate Tattoo perches a small, two-bedroom brick apartment just north of Lane Avenue.
“It’s got a lot of character, and you know, character means it’s kind of crappy, but definitely interesting,” said Jennifer Prewitt, one of the apartment’s tenants and a third-year in natural resource management.
Prewitt said she was initially drawn in by the low rent, but the apartment’s unique characteristics are what sold it for her.
“It kind of reminds me of something you would see in a TV show where a starving artist would live, but the TV character would be living in New York City and you’re living in Columbus, Ohio,” Prewitt said.
She said the apartment consists of two bedrooms and one bath with a combined kitchen and living area.
“The fridge is actually in the living room so it’s pretty convenient,” Prewitt said.
Prewitt and her roommate, Michaela Corning-Myers, a third-year in English and women’s gender and sexuality studies, agree the best feature of the apartment is the lighting.
“The best part of the inside is that there’s a lot of natural light, which is actually sort of rare I guess in the Columbus area,” Corning-Myers said. “If I go to my friend’s apartments they have these tiny little windows that are kind of depressing and it kind of feels like you’re just stuck in this building.”
Corning-Myers said living above a tattoo shop presents a constant temptation, however neither of the roommates have gotten any ink just yet.
“It’s so tempting [living above a tattoo shop] because every weekend I’m like, ‘I’m going to do it, I’m going to get a tattoo’ and I just either forget or I’ve spent all my money,” Corning-Myers said. “I really just need to go get one.”
Prewitt added that the tattoo shop isn’t the only attraction in the neighborhood, emphasizing the draw of the location.
“I live right across from Three’s as well so I could just go get my tattoo, head over there and head on home all in one little block,” Prewitt said. “It’s like I live in a little town of my own.”
Both roommates said they think they will be returning to the apartment next year.
“I just really like the vibe of the place,” Prewitt said.
3-story home, 2-story deck
Standing 3 stories tall with eight bedrooms and an ample front porch, the Lane Avenue house appears like most others on the street, however, the nine tenets of the red-brick residence would stand to disagree.
What sets the house apart, said Mason Egleston, a third-year in finance, is the massive 2-story deck that occupies their backyard.
“It’s great for football tailgates,” said Joseph Connor, a third-year in marketing. “It’s just great for having people over in general, actually.”
The roommates added that the deck has spawned an annual tradition: a party held at the beginning of the school year, which they have dubbed “Wreck the Deck.”
“There are just people everywhere, on the lawn, the lower deck, the upper deck, it was just a ton of fun,” said Brandon Plumb, a third-year in finance.
There are more practical features of the house as well, Plumb said, most notably the location.
“We’re mostly business students and we’re literally right down the street from the Fisher College of Business now,” Plumb said.
Stepping inside, the house sports hardwood floors, large archways with matching columns and stained-glass light fixtures.
“A lot of the windows are actually stained glass too, so sometimes it almost feels like you’re in a church,” Egleston said.
When asked about a name for the house, the roommates said they were unable to settle on one.
“They wouldn’t go for Plumb’s Palace unfortunately,” Plumb said.
One thing the roommates could agree on, however, is how much they all enjoy the house.
“It definitely feels like home,” Connor said.
Penthouse 10-bedroom tops Woodruff Ave. hill
With 11 residents, a huge wrap-around porch and a sign in the yard reading “A beautiful 10-bedroom home,” the Penthouse — located on top of Woodruff Ave. on Indianola Ave. — is never lacking in commotion.
“It’s definitely a lot, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Sara Jellinek, a fourth-year in human resources. “I always tell myself this is the only time in my life that I’m going to be able to do this.”
The Penthouse located on top of Woodruff Ave. on Indianola Ave. is never lacking in commotion with 10 bedrooms and a wrap around front porch. Credit: Summer Cartwright | Campus Editor
While Jellinek said living with 10 other people can be chaotic, she loves how social the house is.
“There’s always someone to come home to,” Jellinek said. “We actually call our living room the vortex because we always get stuck down there just hanging out or talking.”
On any given day the roommates can be found hanging out on the porch, Jellinek said, whether they are enjoying a meal or just hanging out with friends.
“The porch is what sold us [on the house], I swear it’s the biggest porch on campus,” Jellinek said. “Every Sunday when it’s nice out we’ll make breakfast and go sit on the porch.”
Decorating is also a big part of making the house feel like home, Jellinek said.
“We just decorated for Halloween and we have a little Christmas tree that we got for $6 from Goodwill. We also decorate for birthdays and stuff,” Jellinek said. “The thing about our decorations though is that they never come down. They will stay up all year. Every holiday is celebrated all year long.”
With her time in The Penthouse coming to a close, Jellinek said she’s grateful for the experience she’s had.
“When I tell people I live with 11 people they’re like ‘Are you insane?’ but it’s really fun,” Jellinek said. “I’m just really glad I decided to live here and I’m definitely going to miss it.”
