Which Community Is Right For You?
University Commons and HUB Minneapolis both put you within a few minutes of UMN, but they're set up for different priorities. Here's an honest, side-by-side look at how each one actually works.
Both University Commons and HUB Minneapolis are set up for UMN students, and both sit close enough to campus to skip a car. Past that, the two communities make some genuinely different choices, from how many floor plans are on offer to what's bundled into the rent. What follows is pulled directly from what each community publishes about itself, laid out plainly so you can decide what matters most to you.
Where you live sets your daily rhythm, from how early you leave for a morning class to how easy it is to get around the rest of Minneapolis.
Sits directly at the edge of the East Bank campus at 609 SE Huron Blvd, close enough that residents typically reach class on foot in just a few minutes. The Green Line's Stadium Village stop and several Metro Transit bus lines are a short walk away, with I-35W, Augsburg University, and Dunwoody College all close by.
Located at 311 Harvard Street SE, which HUB's own site describes as just across the street from the University of Minnesota, right in the middle of Stadium Village's shops and restaurants.
Bed count and square footage decide how much privacy you get and how the cost splits with roommates, so it's worth lining both up before you sign.
Five floor plans spanning 1, 2, and 4-bedroom layouts:
| 1 Bed / 1 Bath | 501 sq ft |
| 2 Bed / 2 Bath | 727 or 905 sq ft |
| 4 Bed / 2 Bath | 1,111 sq ft |
| 4 Bed / 4 Bath | 1,205 sq ft |
Eleven distinct floor plans spanning studio through 4-bedroom, the widest range of any community in this series, including two penthouse configurations:
| Studio / 1 Bath | 346–359 sq ft |
| 1 Bed / 1 Bath | 457–466 sq ft |
| 2 Bed / 1–2 Bath | 682–1,057 sq ft |
| 3 Bed / 2–3 Bath (Penthouse) | 1,082–1,140 sq ft |
| 4 Bed / 2 Bath | 1,059 sq ft |
Several floor plans also offer a choice of room type, private, shared, or windowless, so the cost can flex with how much privacy you want.
Utilities and furniture are two of the easiest costs to overlook when comparing rent between two properties, so it's worth checking exactly what's bundled in before you compare a price tag.
Internet is included in every apartment, and each home has a full-sized in-unit washer and dryer. Every 1, 2, and 4-bedroom apartment is fully furnished as standard, with a living room package and a bedroom package for every bedroom, and furniture is included in the rent with no separate charge.
High-speed internet is listed among the apartment's included features, but gas, electric, and water/sewer are explicitly not included in the monthly base rent, per the property's own site. Units include an in-unit washer and dryer, air conditioning, and stainless-steel appliances. Furnished status isn't stated on HUB's own site; confirm with the leasing office which floor plans include furniture. Garage parking is available for $250 a month and moped parking for a one-time $50 fee.
Shared spaces are where a lot of student life actually happens outside of class, so it's worth knowing what each community offers beyond the apartment itself.
- 24-hour fitness center with strength, cardio & free weights
- 24-hour resident lounge with billiards and a foosball table
- 24-hour Academic Success Center with free printing
- Enhanced-privacy floor plans set aside for studying
- Multimedia area and outdoor grilling station
- Oversized hot tub
- On-site surface, carport, and garage parking
- Pet friendly; contact the leasing office for current pet fee, breed, and weight details
- Swimming pool and hot tub, plus a sauna
- Sky lounge and a yoga & cycle room
- Clubhouse and business center
- Fire pits, gas grills, and a sun deck with outdoor TVs
- Study rooms and an outdoor pool table
- On-site maintenance
- Dog and cat friendly; published policy lists a $300 one-time non-refundable fee and $20/installment pet rent
What Matters Most To You?
Use whichever list below matches your priorities as a starting point, then tour both in person to see the space for yourself.
University Commons Wins If You Want:
- Furniture included standard, with no separate furniture charge
- A simpler bill, with internet included and no separate gas or electric bill to track
- An oversized hot tub and a 24-hour resident lounge with billiards & foosball
- A dedicated Academic Success Center with free printing
HUB Minneapolis Wins If You Want:
- The widest floor plan variety in this series: studio through 4-bedroom, including two penthouse layouts
- A swimming pool, sauna, and sky lounge
- Flexible room types, private, shared, or windowless, to fit your budget
- A location directly across the street from campus
Check Out Both If You Want:
- High-speed internet, standard at both
- An in-unit washer & dryer, standard at both
- A pet-friendly community, each with its own published fee details
- A walk to East Bank campus measured in minutes at both
University Commons is an Equal Housing Opportunity community, professionally managed by Coastal Ridge Real Estate.
Details for HUB Minneapolis reflect that community's own published materials as of August 2026 and are provided for informational comparison only. Pricing, availability, square footage, and policies are subject to change; confirm current terms directly with each leasing office before signing.