Living along Green Street and in the heart of Campustown definitely has its benefits. When faced with sub-zero temperatures in January, it’s great to have a quick five-minute walk to the quad for class. Green Street residents also have a simple and painless route to grab some fast food or hit up the bars on the weekend.

Green Street is the place to live in the minds of some students, according to Jill Guth, director of development at JSM management, which owns Green Street Towers.

“People want to live right near Green Street … they’re our most sought-after properties,” Guth said.

But living on the University’s busiest street can also have a few drawbacks, warns Esther Patt, coordinator of the Tenant Union. And it can especially have its drawbacks for students who live above, across from or right next to a bar. Essentially, to live near a bar is to live with the noise, which is one of the biggest complaints Patt hears.

“There are people who express concerns about whether it’s noisy,” Patt said before offering up the advice she gives to students interested in living near a bar. “Probably it is, but we always tell them what you need to do is talk to the current tenants or be there on a Friday or Saturday night yourself to see what it’s like.”

Living above or near a bar doesn’t mean tenants will receive any reduced price on their rent, as Green Street properties typically are more expensive than other locations on campus. Alec Gillespie, leasing agent for Roland Realty, said the apartments above FuBar that his company manages are offered at “regular rent” without a discount.

Noise shouldn’t be too much of a concern for residents of Green Street, though, said Gillespie. He lives in the high-rise apartment building Roland owns at 309 E. Green and said noise from FuBar directly across the street has never been a problem for him.

For students who do get stuck in the unenviable position of putting up with loud noise, there are a few options, Patt said. Students can personally and politely ask the noisy offender to quiet down or let their landlord know. They can also call the police, who will decide if a noise ordinance is being violated. Those options can be effective when the noise comes from a neighbor but won’t work well if the noise is coming from a bar or the streets.

Essentially, students who live by a bar in the middle of Campustown should know what they’re getting themselves into and be prepared to put up with the distractions that come along with their living quarters.

“If you want to live right in the heart of Campustown, you going to have to realize there are benefits that come with that – you’re close to the quad, you’re close to all the businesses in Campustown – but you know there’s also, with businesses and being in that location and traffic, you’re going to have a little bit of noise,” Guth said.

Patt had a similar view.

“If you’re thinking of living by any commercial business open at night, you should give serious thought to what level of quiet you want and whether that’s possible at that location,” Patt said.