Which Community Is Right For You?
University Commons and The Arrow both come up in almost every UMN apartment search. This guide walks through how each one is actually set up, so you can figure out which fits how you want to live.
If you've been apartment hunting near UMN, chances are University Commons and The Arrow have both shown up on your list. They're both purpose-built student communities within a short trip of the East Bank campus, both lease furnished apartments, and both let you sign an individual lease instead of putting your name on a whole unit. From there, the two properties are built around some genuinely different priorities. Here's what each one actually offers, sourced from what each community publishes about itself, so you can weigh them against what matters most to you.
Where you live shapes your everyday routine: how early you have to leave for a 9am, whether you can run home between classes, and how you get around the rest of the city.
Sits right 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, putting downtown Minneapolis about 15 minutes out and downtown Saint Paul about 30. Augsburg University, Dunwoody College, and I-35W are also close by.
Located at 117 27th Ave SE, which The Arrow's own site lists as about a 10-minute walk to the East Bank campus. The property also describes itself as walking distance to nearby bus stops and the Green Line light rail, so residents have transit options into the rest of Minneapolis as well.
Bed count and square footage decide how much privacy you get and how the cost splits with roommates, so it's worth comparing both before you sign.
Five floor plans across 1, 2, and 4-bedroom layouts, each with published square footage:
| 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 |
Both 4-bedroom layouts include a private balcony. Leases are signed by the bed, with roommate matching available if you don't already have a group.
A wider bed-count range, from studio up through 4-bedroom, including several loft-style layouts in the 2, 3, and 4-bedroom lines: more than 20 distinct floor plan codes in all once furnished and unfurnished versions of each are counted. Square footage isn't published on the floor plans listed on The Arrow's own site; the leasing office would need to confirm exact dimensions for a given layout. Floor plans are shown at a per-room rent, with private room options available.
Furniture and utilities are two of the easiest costs to overlook when comparing rent between two properties, so it's worth checking what's actually bundled in.
Every 1, 2, and 4-bedroom apartment comes fully furnished as standard, with a living room package for the shared space plus a bedroom package for every bedroom, and furniture is included in the rent, with no separate furniture charge. Select units also include a dining table. Internet is included in every apartment, and each home has a full-sized in-unit washer and dryer.
Offers both an unfurnished and a furnished version of most floor plans, and the furnished version is listed at a higher monthly rent than its unfurnished counterpart on the property's own pricing (for example, a difference of roughly $20–$60 per bed per month depending on the layout). Free high-speed internet and an in-unit washer and dryer are included on every floor plan.
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
- 24-hour fitness gym and a TV lounge
- Rooftop deck
- Print center and study rooms
- Complimentary coffee bar
- Heated underground parking
- Package room, night manager, and key-fob access
- Pet friendly for most breeds; published policy excludes pit bulls and pit bull mixes, with a $200 one-time fee and $35/month pet rent per pet
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:
- The shortest walk to East Bank campus of the two
- Furniture included standard, with no furnished upcharge
- An oversized hot tub and a 24-hour resident lounge with billiards & foosball
- Exact published square footage for every floor plan before you tour
- Individual leases with roommate matching built in
The Arrow Wins If You Want:
- The widest range of layouts, including a studio option and 3-bedroom floor plans
- A rooftop deck and a complimentary coffee bar
- Heated underground parking
- The flexibility to choose unfurnished if you'd rather bring your own furniture
Check Out Both If You Want:
- A full-sized in-unit washer & dryer, standard at both
- Internet included in rent, standard at both
- A pet-friendly community: both welcome pets, with their own fee and breed policies
- Easy access to the Green Line light rail
University Commons is an Equal Housing Opportunity community, professionally managed by Coastal Ridge Real Estate.
Details for The Arrow 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.