If living outside the U of C bubble on the quads sounds appealing, then Broadview may well be the dorm for you. Nestled on the corner of South Hyde Park Boulevard and East 56th Street, the Broadview dorm houses about 200 people and is about a three-minute walk from the more social Shoreland and a 15 to 20 minute walk from the main quads.

A former hotel, Broadview boasts a large ballroom, a library, music rooms, and a community kitchen. The dorm consists almost entirely of singles with private bathrooms, and room sizes vary considerably. The Broadview house tables are in Pierce, which provides an all-you-can-eat buffet for hungry students but will turn up the noses of pickier eaters.

At such a great distance from campus, Broadviewers are known to keep to themselves and stay in their dorm. If you want to meet lots of people, this isn’t the place to do it. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a tight-knit community in a quiet, calm atmosphere, Broadview is a good bet.

Broadview’s best attribute is its great access to downtown, since the #6 bus stops right in front of the dorm. The nearby restaurants are a draw, especially if you have a predilection for Thai food, with three Thai restaurants in a row within quick walking distance.

But despite University claims to the contrary, Broadviewers have frequent trouble catching the bus to campus in the morning, and the bus will often bypass the stop completely after it fills up with Shorelanders.