U-Haul and Penske trucks navigated Auburn's streets and filed into town the second week of August as students moved into their new apartments. The residents in Building 2 at 319 Bragg, however, are unable to set up their new home.
Roommates Ashley Burrow, senior in graphic design, and Ashley Brasfield, senior in special education, received an email July 15 from 319 Bragg stating they were not able to move in as scheduled.
They received another email Aug. 5 that 319 Bragg had to put them in a hotel until the apartments are completed. On Aug. 11, Burrow and Brasfield learned their apartments was not going to be finished by the scheduled move-in date of Aug. 15.
"The pool is done, the tanning beds, the study rooms, the weight room, the lobby and the offices are done," Burrow said. "But the apartments aren't done."
According to a statement made by Lauren Melby, member of 319 Bragg's marketing and public relations firm, construction was delayed because of weather conditions last winter.
"We are in the process of finishing the final components of the interior of the building," Melby said.
When signing their lease, Brasfield said 319 Bragg did not guarantee the apartments would be completed on schedule. They did, however, state that only under strange circumstances would it not be done and the apartment complex would handle all rooming accommodations.
319 Bragg is paying for rooms for residents who are still waiting for their building to finish at Home-Towne Suites of Auburn. The hotel is 3 miles from campus near the Village Mall.
"During their time at the hotel, the residents of Building 2 are living rent-free, have access to the Auburn transit line, are able to take advantage of all of the amenities offered in Building 1 and were able to move all of their belongings into Building 2 so that once the second building is complete, it will be a smooth transition into their new home," Melby said.
Burrow and Brasfield chose to stay with a friend instead.
During a phone conversation with Laura Burrow, Ashley's mother, 319 Bragg told her it could be another four weeks. Brasfield called 319 Bragg and was told it should be done in two weeks, according to Burrow.
"We went there last Friday, and they said that they couldn't give us a date because they didn't want to give us wrong information," Brasfield said.
Officials at 319 Bragg are working to keep their current residents happy.
"After seeing their future home and everything that they have to look forward to," Melby said in an email, "our residents have been very understanding and are just excited to live at 319 Bragg. We have already started a wait list for Fall 2015."
Burrow's belongings are in her friend's apartment she is staying at. Brasfield's belongings are at her home in Birmingham. Both said moving during classes will be difficult, and they are trying to get out of their contract to live somewhere else.
"Seeing as I'm living out of a suitcase with no books or anything, that's affecting my classes," Burrow said.
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