Eagle Heights

Good quiet community

Hi everyone,

I've been living at Eagle Heights for about 4 months now, and I've enjoyed my time here. The apartments are well sized, and has all the basic amenities needed. However, it is a bit far away from Wisconsin School of Business and is not walkable.

Eagle heights is a very affordable living option in Madison. It includes a lot of the normally extra costs in the monthly rent - water, heat, cable, internet, one parking space, and even the cost of laundry. Separate storage space also included. Additionally, it is very convenient for MBA students, since the route 80 bus runs from Eagle Heights to campus every 10 minutes or so on weekdays. Located close to picnic point, running trails, Hilldale mall, Target, and grocery stores - there is a shuttle on the weekends that runs to Pick N Save from Eagle Heights for those without vehicles. Downsides are it is further from downtown, has small bedrooms, and common spaces (like hallways) are not consistently cleaned.

We moved to Madison from New York City, and so have NYC housing (think old and cramped!) as our frame of reference. When moving to Eagle Heights, we started out in an upper-level two-bedroom apartment and then moved to a lower-level three-bedroom apartment. So we've had a broader experience here.

Pros:
Close to campus, with an easy commute via bike or the free 80 bus. Lovely grounds, nestled in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve right by Lake Mendota. Great trails right there for running and walking. Ten-minute walk to some shops along University Avenue. It's a safe community, with lots of outdoor play areas for children. The community center offers a lot of resources. Utilities such as water, internet, and cable are included. You can't beat the price for a three-bedroom apartment in Madison! Management is responsive and generally takes care of questions or concerns right away. The community center office offers a lot of activities and events for residents and families, and is also very communicative about events, updates, and notices. Our upper-level apartment was very sunny.

Cons:
There are no dishwashers in the kitchens. The building has free shared laundry in the basement, and there can often be a line for a machine. If you live on the lower level, sounds from the upstairs unit can be pervasive. Lower level units face sidewalks and parking lots, so there is little privacy if you like leaving blinds or curtains open. Lower level apartments can get ants, though we've successfully treated these with standard ant traps. Before deciding to move to Eagle Heights, I was able to find little information about the apartments, and management generally does not show apartments; plus, there are very few photos of the apartments online. Mowing, lawn care, and snow removal tend to be quite noisy, often early in the morning. That said, you don't have to take care of any of this yourself! Our lower-level apartment is a bit darker.

Eagle Heights is a relatively secluded community for graduate students and students with families that is located just to the north of the University Hospital and is served by the free Route 80 bus. There are many children in the neighborhood, and and it is a very international community. It is a very family-oriented neighborhood, so if you're looking for more active social life outside of your front door, perhaps this might not be what you seek.

Many amenities are included in the price (heat, water, internet, cable, free laundry, parking) and since the University is the landlord, they are very responsive.

You'll be hard-pressed to find housing quality and amenities anywhere near this price anywhere else near campus.

The biggest downside is very low frequency of buses during the weekend and recess.

The building per se is not very good, old and not big, and not sound-proof. No underground parking so you will need to clean your car during winter (you will need a car because it is not close to grocery stores). But besides that, all others are good. The management team is responsible and holds a lot of activities every month. They are responsive to requests. Children can play together in center. A very good chance to know many international people. Free bus to school and downtown. If you check the Madison crime map, you will find ZERO crime in Eagle Heights.

I think the EH is a great place to live, except the traffic. On week days, the traffic is good, but at weekend, less buses are available.

Love Eagle Heights!

I rated the amenities on this an 8 because of the amenities for families, not necessarily amenities for adults. There are a ton of playgrounds around and plenty of things for kids to go out and do. The community center is a great place to go, especially during the winter time. My two young kids love going there to ride bikes or little sit-down cars or just play and run around during the winter time. It is very convenient to live on the bus line 80. From the time I walk out of my door to the time I walk into the business building on campus, on average it takes me about 30 minutes to get to school. Buses usually come about once every 10 minutes or so, depending on the time of day. If my wife drives me to school to drop me off, it takes about 10 minutes or less from the time we walk out our door. It is a very safe area, very nice and quiet. The apartments tend to be pretty small, but they are very functional. That was the thing I was most worried about when we first moved in, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I didn't notice the size because they've built the apartments well and they utilize space very well.