I’ve learned a lot on the forum about housing for summer internships in NYC. My son is ready to accept an internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center. It doesn’t feel late, but lots of college options discussed here are already filled. My question: I think Columbia still has availability, and I think NYU has some. (only shared dorm rooms available for non-NYU affiliated) The 92Y is full until June 21, too late. He wants to live where students are. It seems Columbia would be closer to Mt. Sinai, but would he have more to do at night in lower Manhattan, at NYU? Or will the Columbia area be full of life also? Would an easier daily commute to “work” be preferable to a commute to the “nightlife”? Safety is important to me! He is outgoing and will make friends wherever he is. This is turning into a lot of research! Any advice is appreciated!
Grab what you can get and meets the budget. Your son is going to be taking the subway at all hours of the night (like every other young person in NYC) regardless of where he lives. Whether he is taking it at 9 pm or 11 pm, and whether it is going cross town or downtown isn’t going to matter. Grab it now if the price is right.
My guess is that Mt Sinai runs a “safety first” course for new interns on the first day- your son should pay attention if he hasn’t lived in an urban environment before.
I know of an a shared apartment with a single room down at lower east side from Jun - Sep. There are 3 guys living there now, and one of them needs to move out beginning of Jun. It has washer and drying in the apartment with AC. It is close to all the bars, restaurants and subway, very close to Union Square. PM me if you are interested.
Thanks blossom. I figure the subway is a given, just looking for pros and cons of living near Columbia vs lower Manhattan. He goes to school in Boston so I’m not so worried about that, but he is 21 tomorrow! So concerned about hanging in lower Manhattan then having to get home at whatever hour he heads that way!
There is plenty going on in Upper West Side/Morningside Heights neighborhood, and he can jump on a subway to explore lower Manhattan whenever he wants. That neighborhood was safe when I lived there in '70s and '80s, and has only gotten safer. The stretch of Harlem at north end of Central Park, which would connect Columbia to Mt. Sinai, has gentrified considerably in recent years.
Is this a medical internship? I know Mt Sinai has housing for medical school students. Do they have anything for the summer there?
It is in a neuroscience lab. I’m not sure how many other interns. He only recently found out, so trying to put things together quickly. He has reached out to the lab (email, why do they always email? Lol) but has not heard back yet. It feels like he needs to do something quick!
Woogzmama, that’s what I thought about the area. I know he will want to do it all over the 10 weeks and just want to help him make the best choice about location.
Any college alum in the area willing to offer lodging?
Probably not, unless they have a very large apartment in NYC.
One of the challenges of living in Columbia is that it is going to be very expensive. In addition, there seems to be limited space. My niece is currently doing a post bac at Columbia and has Columbia housing in Riverdale (they run a shuttle to the campus). IF she does not take the shuttle, she has to take a train and a bus to get to her apartment. She opted for housing in Riverdale because she did not want to live in a dorm setting with the bathroom in the hall shared by 12 people.
Niece lived at NYU while doing a summer internship.
Neighbor’s D rented a room in a house.
My kid stayed at a New School dorms. She had AC, while her friend at a NYU dorm didn’t. NYC is brutal without AC in the summer.
Either near Columbia or NYU is safe.
More (of everything) day or night closer to NYU. The Village area has a younger vibe than Upper West or East Side.
More expensive here, then in Boston. (My son’s NYC friends who visit him there, find Boston more fun for their wallets… these are 20-somethings working or attending grad school)
Son misses public transit being 24/7. (re: commuting question…depends on your son’s personality, like early riser, etc. If he’s a runner, he might want to be near Central Park… he could conceivably jog/run to Mt Sinai from Morningside Heights)
If he’s on a budget, suggest go with most reasonable… location won’t matter that much for such a short period of time.
If he wants to “experience” Manhattan as a young adult, then he’d probably prefer the Village to Morningside Heights. Also, it’s much quieter and more humid here in the summer. He’ll definitely be happier with air-conditioning.
Thanks for all the info everyone. Definate on ac, nyu out since only shared dorms left for non-affiliate, I believe. New school full. He needs to finalize the acceptance already and figure it out! He mentioned run/jog also. Like you said, it’s a relatively short time. Looking at a few different options, Hopefully it comes together soon! Funny thing about the cost, he just turned 21, I told him going out for drinks and paying cover charges adds up fast!