Who We Are
Since 1959, we have rented apartments to the Columbia University community. Our four brownstone townhouses have old-world charm, with thick walls and high ceilings for privacy, architectural details, and nice views. With only 31 apartments to rent, we can offer personalized service to all our tenants, in the best and safest part of the Columbia neighborhood. Never have the words “LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION” been truer.
We offer safe haven to students who wish to live near campus, but want to avoid the risks of infection from living in dorms or other larger buildings, with their elevators, communal kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Our buildings house sixteen or fewer residents each, in studios and one, two or three bedroom apartments. Most are for two to share, with comfortable kitchens and ample bathrooms. Many have laundry in the apartment, and the rest of our residents use our centrally located free laundry room. With a maximum of four flights of stairs, there are no elevators, a high-risk factor for infection. For those who wish to avoid public transportation, want 24 hour shopping convenience, and be able to take a safe study break stroll outside, our apartments are all located within one block of the Columbia Library, the shops on Broadway and the calm and trees of Riverside Park.
We’ve developed a socially-distanced renting protocol, to keep our current tenants and applicants safe – we are renting these apartments with minimum contact, through photos, floor plans, and virtual tours, with detailed narration by our manager. Questions can be asked by email or text, and you can speak to the rental office directly by phone. Only serious applicants may enter the building. Our own small in-house staff is showing apartments when necessary, with the careful use of masks and hand sanitizer. To keep the number of people entering the buildings to a minimum, we are using no brokers. Our prices are competitive, with no hidden fees, and all our contracts are safe and paperless, on Docusign.
Come explore the site and take a virtual apartment tour. If you see something you like, fill out our free online application. May you find a place with us, to live in peace, comfort, and health.
The Team
Mark is our Manager, and keeps all the moving objects on track. He grew up in the neighborhood, and is a conservatory-trained orchestra conductor and composer, who spent decades on the stage, traveling the world as a musician and vaudevillian. A parent of grown daughters, he puts all his humanist, organizing and community-building skills to use in managing these properties. He lives and works in the buildings himself, so has a deep vested interest in maintaining a happy environment for all.
Superintendent Damien is from the mountains of New Hampshire. He’s an old family friend, who brings his New England ethic of community building and craftsmanship to this urban setting. He is kind and responsive, and will be there to help you get settled, fix things, and will keep you safe and comfortable. When not attending to our tenants, Damien is a builder, studying engineering here in NYC.
Amy is our Administrative Assistant. An Upper West Side native, she knows the area in detail. Amy and Mark are friends from their youth. With a deep background in theatre, and having absorbed the west coast vibe from years of living in Portland, she is currently in Florence, Italy with her 19-year-old son, bringing a European flavor and charm to CASA’s online office team. She teaches English as a second language to adults and public speaking. As soon as she can travel again she’ll be coming home for a visit.
Junior and Andres are from the seaside of Ecuador, but they learned the arts of plaster and paint when they lived in Barcelona, land of Gaudì. Junior is the father, and Andres the son! but they look like brothers and work with the rest of us to keep everything solid and looking excellent. They have worked with us for nearly ten years. We think they will be with us when Junior starts to look his age…