The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 16, 2004, Page 2, Image 2
Apartments
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
while Senate Plaza and Claire
Tower were deemed safest.
The Place on Greene, located at
2002 Greene St. above Papa Jazz,
has a locked entrance accessible
only to the residents with a key
and a sign proclaiming the prop
erty to be under video surveil
lance. However, according to
Zachary Alberto, a fourth-year
business administration student,
security guards never patrol the
building.
Despite the lack of a fire escape,
each floor, said Alberto, has both a
fire extinguisher and a fire hose,
and each room has a smoke detec
tor.
As for vandalism, Alberto
claimed that it happens often, cit
ing holes that had been put into
his walls. Alberto was unsure
about occurrences of theft but not
ed that cars in the building’s park
ing lot get broken into once in
awhile.
The management of the build
ing could not be reached for com
ment.
However, Alberto said, “I gen
erally feel safe.”
At Whaley’s Mill, located at 211
Main St., both entrances were un
locked at 8 p.m. However, a secu
rity camera keeps electronic vig
il over the first floor, as do other
cameras throughout the building,
according to a sign.
There is a fire extinguisher on
every floor and a smoke detector
in every room but no fire escape.
A USC graduate student who
wished to remain anonymous
claimed that, to his knowledge,
there had been no acts of vandal
ism or theft during the year and a
half he had lived there.
me property manager was un
available for comment.
A security guard patrols the
building during the late night and
early morning hours, according
to the student.
“I don’t think during the night
it’s really advisable for women to
go (outside of the building), but
otherwise I think it’s fine,” the stu
dent said.
Across the street from The
Place on Greene is the entrance to
Plaza Centre at 2002 Greene Street.
The door leading to the apart
ments had been propped open for
two days, allowing access to the
entire building.
However, according to resident
Ryan Hanlin, 20, that door is usu
ally locked.
Hanlin also said a few members
of the Columbia Police
Department patrol Plaza Centre at
night.
Plaza Centre s management,
the same management for The
Place on Greene, could not be
reached for comment.
“It’s a pretty secure building,”
Hanlin said.
John Defelice, 44, said that dur
ing his three months living at
Plaza Centre, he had neither en
countered nor heard of any acts of
vandalism or theft.
Like Whaley’s Mill, each room
has a smoke detector and each
floor has a fire extinguisher; how
ever, fire hoses are not immedi
ately visible and there is no fire
escape.
At Senate Plaza, located at 1520
Senate St., the doors after the foy
er is locked and made accessible
only to residents.
A security guard keeps watch
in the lobby beside the locked
doors, a small television on his
desk showing surveillance of each
of the building’s floors.
According to Property Manager
Connie Clayborne, there have
been no acts of vandalism or theft
within the past year. There was a
fire in November 2002, but because
the building was concrete, it was
quickly contained.
as witn most oi me outer apart
ment buildings, Senate Plaza does
n’t have a fire escape but does
have both a fire extinguisher and
a fire hose on each floor. Each
room has a smoke detector.
Claire Tower, next to Maxcy
College at 1041 Marion St., re
quires a card to open the doors.
Claire Tower resident Grant
Johnson, 36, said security guards
begin patrolling the building
around 6 p.m. No surveillance
equipment was visible.
“With the guards here, they
keep the homeless population
out,” Johnson said.
He added that in the past two
years, there have been no acts of
theft or vandalism. The property
manager was unavailable for com
ment.
Johnson also claimed there had
been no fire in two years. Claire
Tower is the only apartment build
ing with a fire escape and two fire
extinguishers and two hoses per
floor. Like the other buildings,
each room has a smoke detector.
At Cornell Arms, the doors are
locked after 5 p.m. A security
guard or staff member sits behind
a front desk at night. Brian
Brechko, a member of the staff,
said residents could always reach
him by pager.
mere is no surveillance system
at Cornell Arms.
Before the arrival of the
evening staff member, there was
always at least one person at the
front desk, either a secretary or
staff member, Brechko said.
Cornell Arms had no vandal
ism or theft within the past year,
Elam said.
The building also has fire ex
tinguishers on every floor and a
fire hose in every stairwell. Elam
said the building is made of brick
and can contain a fire to one room.
Each room has a smoke detector.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu
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