A trail of lawn chairs, blankets and tired college students lined the outside of Renee Row apartments the night of Sept. 17, awaiting the 2026-27 lease signings that opened at 9 a.m. the next day.
Fueled by a variety of snacks and energy drinks, students sprawled across the courtyard hoped to stay awake all night, keeping each other entertained by studying, playing cards and watching TV.
Because some current tenants will be renewing their leases, students waited in line to ensure they could sign whichever apartments became available, per tradition for the last decade.
“When the leasing office opens, it’s a first-come, first-serve basis and you have to bring a deposit check,” Sami Greenfield, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said.
When Greenfield camped out in the past, she got in line around 8 p.m. the previous night and signed a lease around 11 a.m.
“I couldn’t even go to my class. I just went home to nap and when I woke up, I felt a giant relief — a weight off my shoulders that I didn’t need to worry about finding an apartment anymore,” Greenfield said.
For some students, finding a lease can be stressful. Signing at Renee Row, some of the students said, would be an early accomplishment in the search for housing, just four weeks into the 2025-26 school year.
Jonah Kaufman, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, even said he sat outside Renee Row since 3 p.m. in the afternoon of Sept. 17 because he wanted one of the three available two-bedroom apartments.
Renee Row was constructed in 1990 for the purpose of serving Marquette University students. It is located at 927 N Renee St. Milwaukee, WI 53233 and offers 53 2–4–bedroom ranch and townhouse-style apartments.
The complex has a variety of amenities that some students may be seeking, including furnishing, spacious floor plans, private patios and decks, parking, laundry and 24-hour maintenance.
The monthly rent for an apartment ranges between $1,670-$3,020, depending on the number of bedrooms, and can be split between roommates.
“It’s a really nice apartment and just a great place to be,” Lauren Ambrose, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, said. Ambrose hoped to sign a lease after visiting her friend’s unit.
Kim Schroeder, a managing partner of the apartment owners, Rouse, said 20 leases were signed by the afternoon of Sept. 18, citing its high demand for being locally managed and a family-run business.
“This has been something we’ve looked at since freshman year, and we haven’t looked at anywhere else to live,” Juliana Russo, a junior in the College of Business Administration, said.
While some future Renee Row tenants have now signed their leases, the apartment hunt continues for many sophomore and junior students.
Marquette University requires undergraduate students to live in university dorms for two years, leaving students with the freedom to search for apartments or houses for their remaining years.
Some factors that students are taking into consideration are price, safety, location, furnishing, parking and overall quality.
“A lot of places I’ve seen do line up with what I’m looking for, but it takes some time to sort through which ones actually fit my needs and budget,” Matilde Pecora, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, said.
The process of finding an apartment can involve looking online, communicating with management and scheduling a tour — potentially over and over again until students find the right match. And for some students, that hunt for housing is already well underway.
“Searching for a lease has been tough, especially when everything feels rushed,” Jenan Halawa, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “It requires a lot of planning.”
Marquette owns six apartment buildings: Campus Town East and Campus Town West, Frenn Building, Gilman Building, McCabe and The Marq.
Sophomore and junior students received an email the morning of Sept. 19 from Marquette University Apartments & Off-Campus Services breaking down the timeline and features of the six buildings.
The university-owned apartment selection process begins once $300 deposits are collected between Oct. 13-27. Returning residents can reselect their current apartment between Oct. 17-20, or choose a different apartment on Oct. 29. Prospective tenants are randomly assigned selection times between Oct. 31-Nov. 3.
While also balancing being full-time students, sophomores and juniors will continue to hunt for housing throughout the fall semester.
This story was written by Elena Metinidis. She can be reached at [email protected].
