Converted spaces and older places lend style to student living

Before you go to the nearest Huge Apartment Megapiex to find your living space for the next semester, let it be known that there are alternatives. With a little patience and time to search around Tucson’s historic downtown and university areas, you may be able to find an older residence that makes up in style for what it lacks in modern conveniences, a place that had been many, many things before it became a place for you to call home.

Lauren Benz and her four room-mates live in studio Apartments, in the mostly commercial downtown area. Their loft-style apartment, which has been a graphic design studio and a recording studio, has a few problems other apartments don’t. There is no heating system, no central cooling system, no residential garbage service, no mail service and no parking. But the benefits of living in their apartment are numerous. The open architecture has allowed the room-mates to host parties with up to 600 guests, with space left over to allow bands to perform.

Henry Electric Apartments is another converted space. A former electric store opened in 1935, the building was divided into four separate apartments two years ago.

The contractors that renovated the building left the original, polished, concrete floors, while installing industrial-looking steel walls to the main room and recycled pool tiles to the bathroom. They also left the original Henry Electric sign out front, which can invite some confused visitors to the property. Residents have come out of their bedrooms to find elderly men browsing through their belongings, lооking for electrical supplies.

Rincon Apartments, located on North Six Avenue and East University Boulevard, are older apartments that boast the kind of early 20^th century architecture one won’t find in brand new places. “It’s the very first apartment building built in Tucson. It was built in 1908”, said owner and manager Margaret Sokser. “The historic building has seventeen units in it”, she said noting that over the years, there has been a fair mix of student and non-student residents. Each apartment has wooden floors, high ceilings and а fireplace.

Another apartment building in the university area, the Castle Apartments, on the corner of North Euclid Avenue and East Adam Street, was a hospital, tuberculosis sanitarium, nursing home, convent and vacation lodge before becoming an apartment building. The building, which was originally built in 1906, has thirty-two apartments and is mostly occupied by upperclassmen and graduate students, асcording to owner Kathy Busch. Castle resident Becky Blacher said living in a small complex owned by one person instead of a company made it possible for her to have an art show there. “Каthу was really excited”, she said about talking to her landlord in preparation for the show. “She’s so cool. What other landlord would let you put holes in cement walls?” Blacher said.

Decide which of the places A-D is described in each sentence 1-9.

А Studio Apartments

В Henry Electric Apartments

C Rincon Apartments

D Castle Apartments

Which residence is it?

1 It only provides the most essential conveniences.

2 It was origially designed to serve as a residential рrореrtу.

3 It used to serve hеalthcare purposes.

4 It is unusually spacious.

5 It has the biggest numbers of apartments to let.

6 It is sometimes mistaken for a shop.

7 It was used by musicians.

8 It was only converted into apartments a short time ago.

9 The people who live there seem to have good relations with the owner.

Episode 3

In a bank in Riverdale. Richard and Marilyn are speaking with a loan officer about borrowing money to buy a house.

Mr. Riley: How do you do?

Richard: Hello.

Mr. Riley: I'm Ralph Riley.

Richard: I'm Richard Stewart, and this is my wife, Marilyn.

Mr. Riley: Pleased to meet you.

Marilyn: Likewise, Mr. Riley.

Mr. Riley: Please, sit down. What can I do for you?

Richard: We'd like to discuss a mortgage.

Marilyn: For a house.

Mr. Riley: Fine. Are you buying a house or are you refinancing your present home?

Richard: We're planning to buy a house.

Marilyn: And we'd like to find out about a mortgage.

Richard: We are customers of the bank. As a matter of fact, my whole family banks here.

Mr. Riley: I have some questions to ask. Do you own your house or do you rent?

Richard: Neither. We live with my parents, Dr. and Mrs. Philip Stewart.

Mr. Riley: And how old are you?

Marilyn: I'm twenty-nine.

Richard: I'm thirty.

Mr. Riley: And, Mr. Stewart, what is your occupation?

Richard: I'm a freelance photographer.

Mr. Riley: And, Mrs. Stewart, are you working?

Marilyn: Yes. I'm a designer, and I work in a boutique.

Mr. Riley: Did you bring any savings or salary information? Last year's tax forms?

Richard: Yes. Here they are.

Mr. Riley: OK. What...what kind of house did you have in mind?

Richard: We're talking about buying a two-bedroom house in Mount Kisco. Here are the financial details on the house.

Mr. Riley: Thank you. Are you prepared to make a ten-percent down payment?

Richard: Yes, we are.

Mr. Riley: Payments over thirty years?

Richard: Yes.

Marilyn: Do you think we can get a loan?

Mr. Riley: Well, it depends. Do you own any other property? Any stocks or bonds?

Richard: No.

Mr. Riley: I see. Then you don't have any collateral. Perhaps you could get a guarantor – someone to sign for the loan for you.

Richard: Why is that necessary?

Mr. Riley: Since you don't have enough income, and you don't already own any

property, the bank needs to be sure you can pay the mortgage every month. A

guarantor is responsible for the loan if you can't make the payments.

Richard: I see. Well, the idea of buying a house is exciting.

Marilyn: Thank you, Mr. Riley. We'll read this over carefully.

Mr. Riley: Good-bye. And hope to see you soon.

Richard: I hope so, too.

1. Find the words for these definitions:

1. When you get a mortgage for a house, you usually pay the bank part of the price of the home immediately. This is a _____________.

2. ________ is something you own, such as land or a house.

3. If you buy _______ in a business, you own part of a company.

4. A business or the government may sell _______ to get money. If you buy it the seller must pay back your money plus interest on a specific date.

5. ________ is property that a lender can take from you if you can’t pay back a loan.

6. ________ is someone who agrees to pay back your loan if you can’t pay it.

7. Money that you earn is your ________.

(property, stocks, guarantor, down payment, bonds, collateral, income)

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 2520