Leasing Timeline
September 22nd
Open house tours for all prospective residents begin. Tours will take place Monday-Friday from 2pm-5pm.
Pricing and availability for the 2026-27 lease term will be posted online.
September 23rd
Applications open at 10:00am CST for current Grand Central & X01 residents to transfer units for the 2026-27 term.
September 30th
Applications open at 10:00am CST for all 2026-27 availabilities.
Spacious
Floor Plans
Grand Central offers beautiful executive studios to one, two, three, four, and five bedroom apartments. Stellar views of campus on the higher-levels. Convenient walk-up on the lower-levels. Whatever your desire, Grand Central provides.
Can’t make it in for a tour?
Check out our virtual tour! Please reach out to our team if you have any questions.
Included Amenities
From an exceptional location with utilities and internet included to study spaces with free printing/scanning, special events & more–compare and you’ll see there’s no better value on or off campus.
Furnishings
- Fully Furnished
- Modern Appliances
- Closet Organizer
- Private Balcony or Patio
Support
- On-Site Maintenance
- On-Site Management
- Study Lounge
- Java Den Coffee Shop
Comfort
- Heat & Electric
- Air Conditioning
- Water, Sewer & Trash
- Indoor Bike + Moped Parking
Entertainment + Tech
- High-Speed Internet
- Printer + Scanner
- Resident Events
- 13th Floor Terrace
Get anywhere by
foot, board, or bike
Chemistry Building
1 minute
Business School
2 minutes
Business School
2.5 minutes
College Library
4 minutes
Engineering Building
5 minutes
Best Location
Living at this apartment has been one of the best experiences of my sophomore year. Everything from the location to the attentiveness of the managers had made living here an overall wonderful experience, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place to live that is near campus!
Alexa T
Home Away From Home
I lived here for the past two year and can say that Grand Central is a great place to stay. Throughout my time here, any issues I had were always immediately addressed. My apartment was well maintained and if something ever broke, maintenance came the next day to fix or replace it. Also the free moped parking in a heated parking garage was a major bonus throughout the winter. Only downside is the laundry system which is a bit inconvenient but it is still reasonable. If you’re looking, I highly suggest choosing Grand Central.
Jacob G
Great Management
I lived here for 3 years, and it was great! Management is amazing and hosted multiple pizza parties, taco parties, etc. Maintenance requests were always completed extremely fast. You also can’t beat how close it is to classes! Highly recommend living here!
Rachel
General Leasing FAQs
- We offer both joint leases and individual leases. A joint lease is a rental agreement where two or more tenants and their co-signers sign a single lease contract, sharing responsibility for the entire unit. Under a joint lease, all tenants and their co-signers are collectively responsible for monthly installment payments and any damages to the unit. However, as joint leaseholders, tenants are guaranteed to have the roommates they want, can determine amongst their roommate group how to best split up the monthly installment, and decide among the roommates who lives in which bedroom. Joint leases are available for all unit types. An individual lease is a rental agreement with one tenant and their co-signer. Under an individual lease, you and your co-signer are not responsible for your roommates' payments. However, you and your roommates are collectively responsible for damage to the common areas of the unit (i.e., all areas outside of the bedrooms). Your lease will specify which bedroom in the unit will be yours, as well as how much your monthly payment will be. While we do our best to honor roommate preferences, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed with your preferred roommates if you select an individual lease option. There is a limited amount of individual leases available in select unit types.
- Our leases are a standard 12-months in length. All leases begin at 2:00pm on August 15th and end at 5:00pm on August 12th of the following year. We do not offer short-term leases, but we do find that many of our tenants take advantage of the subleasing option in the summertime or for studying abroad.
- All utilities, high-speed internet, amenities & furnishings are included in the monthly rental payment. Tenants also have access to free black/white printing in the study lounge and perks at the Java Den. Garage parking for mopeds and bicycles is also free for tenants. The only additional monthly costs are laundry, which is $3.00/wash (dryers are free), and parking a vehicle (such as a car or motorcycle) in the parking garage, which costs $205/month for tenants and $225/month for non-tenants.
- All pricing and availability will be posted to our website on Monday, September 22nd. For joint leases, the amount posted is the total monthly installment payment for the entire unit and will be written as "per unit." It will be up to you and your roommates to decide how best to divide the payment up amongst yourselves. The only caveat is that there is an additional $150.00 per month double occupancy fee added to monthly installments for each shared bedroom, if there will be any. For individual leases, the amount posted is your monthly installment payment and will be written as "per person." You are not responsible for your roommate's payments if you are on an individual lease.
- It depends on the type of lease you sign. One of the benefits of a joint lease is that it is completely up to each roommate group to determine amongst themselves how to divide the monthly installment payments. Some groups split the monthly installment payment equally, others decide that tenants occupying bedrooms with windows or en suite bathrooms pay more than those occupying windowless bedrooms or without en suite bathrooms, for example.If you sign an individual lease, the amount specified on your lease agreement will be your monthly payment amount.
- If you’re referring to a shared bedroom, the double occupancy fee is an additional $150.00/month per shared bedroom added to your monthly installment payment. Please note that sharing a bedroom is not allowed with the individual lease option.
- It depends on the type of lease you sign. In a joint lease, up to 2 people can occupy a studio or 1-bedroom unit. Up to 4 people can occupy a 2-bedroom unit. Up to 5 people can occupy a 3-bedroom, 4-bedroom, or 5-bedroom unit. Please note that for each bedroom that is occupied by 2 people, there will be a double occupancy fee of $150.00/month. Since the lease is joint, it is up to the roommate group to decide how to split the monthly installment payment and any associated double occupancy fees. No more than 2 people can share a bedroom. In an individual lease, one person is allowed per bedroom in the unit.
- It depends on the type of lease you sign. If you sign a joint lease, it is up to you and your roommate group to determine who lives in which bedroom. If you sign an individual lease, your lease agreement will specify which bedroom within the unit will be yours.
- A security deposit is an upfront deposit paid by the tenant to the landlord prior to moving into a rental unit. The deposit is held by the landlord throughout the lease term as a guarantee that tenants will pay their monthly installments and keep the rental unit in good condition. When the tenant moves out, the landlord may deduct from the security deposit the unpaid installments, the cost of repairs, and other lawful fees detailed in the Non-Standard Rental Provisions section of the lease. The security deposit, less any lawful deductions, is returned to the security deposit designee within 21 days of the lease end date. The security deposit is equal to one month’s installment and is due to LZ Management within 10 days after the lease is signed and fully executed. In the case of a joint lease, separate payments from each tenant can be collected, as long as the full security deposit amount is received by the due date. Security deposits can be paid via the online AppFolio Tenant Portal, with a personal check, cashier’s check, or money order. Cash payments are not accepted.
- Our rental requirements are simple: Each tenant must submit an application, provide valid photo identification, and have no criminal history. Each tenant is required to apply with a co-signer to guarantee the financial aspects of their lease agreement.
- Your parents don't necessarily need to be involved, but all tenants are required to have a co-signer to guarantee the financial obligations of their lease. Most often, the co-signer is an applicant’s parent or close relative.
- A co-signer is typically a parent or close relative who meets the rental requirements and is willing to guarantee the financial obligations of the lease. Co-signers do not need to live in the United States. All tenants are required to have a co-signer.
- Yes, all tenants are required to submit proof of a valid renter's insurance policy that is in effect throughout the entire course of the lease term. The policy should have a minimum limit of liability for bodily injury and property damage of $100,000. The AppFolio Tenant Portal offers a renter’s insurance policy for purchase. However, many tenants find they are covered with a renter’s insurance option under their parent’s homeowner’s insurance policy.
- We do not offer roommate matching for joint leases. It is the responsibility of the roommate group to find the people they would like to live with during the lease term. For individual leases, you’re welcome to include roommate preferences on your application. We will do our best to match those preferences. However, we cannot guarantee your preferences will be met. If who your roommates are is very important to you, we recommend signing a joint lease so that your roommates can be guaranteed.
- Pets are not permitted. We can make reasonable accommodations for service animals, as long as proper documentation in the form of a letter of need from a clinician licensed by the state of Wisconsin is provided by the tenant.
- Yes, parking is available in the secured, heated, parking garage located directly underneath the building. Parking costs $205/month for tenants, and $225/month for non-tenants. Parking contracts may begin at any time, and end on either December 31st, May 31st, or August 12th. Parking contracts are separate from the lease. A parking application will need to be submitted and approved, and a parking contract signed. You can find the parking application here. Tenant parking spaces are unassigned. Tenants may not park in spaces reserved for Luther Memorial or staff. The parking garage is monitored regularly. Any unauthorized vehicles may receive warnings, parking tickets via the City of Madison and/or are subject to being towed. Staff will not provide warnings prior to towing unauthorized vehicles. Temporary parking passes are also available to tenants for $10/day. They may be reserved in person at the Management Office and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Yes! Tenants can park their bikes & mopeds inside our heated, secured parking garage for free. Just be sure to register your bike or moped and stop by the office for your sticker!
Application & Lease Signing FAQs
- The application will be accessible via our website’s home page once the application window opens. Once your application is submitted, the listed co-signer will receive an email with a link to complete their portion of the online application. It is very important that your co-signer’s email address is entered correctly. Applications are not considered completed for processing until all application materials have been received from all roommates (if applicable) and all co-signers.
- Identification Documentation (in JPEG format):
- Passport, OR Driver's License, OR Student ID
- Full Name, Email Address, Phone Number, and Date of Birth
- First and last names of all roommates (if planning to live with roommates)
- Full Name, Relationship, Phone Number, Email Address, and Full Address
- Full Name, Email Address, Phone Number, and Full Address
- If you do not have a job or past housing, you can leave those sections on your application blank.
- There is no application fee, down payment, or earnest money due. However, once the lease is signed and fully executed, the security deposit will be due within 10 days of signature. The security deposit is equal to one month’s installment.
- For joint leases, once applications from all roommates and their associated co-signers are received, the roommate group is considered 'completed' and moved into the queue for processing. For individual leases, once your and your co-signer's applications have been received, your application is considered 'completed' and moved into the queue for processing.
- Our best advice for applying is to make sure you and your roommates (if applicable) are as organized as possible when applications open at 10:00am CST on Tuesday, September 30th. Make sure:
- Everyone is aware of application expectations.
- Everyone is on the same page in terms of budget, unit preferences, etc.
- Everyone knows how to spell each other’s legal first and last name.
- Your listed co-signer expects to fill out their own application and is aware that your applications are not complete until all roommates (if applicable) and their co-signers’ applications have been received.
- The most common mistakes we’ve seen in past years are:
- Incorrectly entering co-signer email addresses.
- Not spelling roommate names correctly, or not using a roommate’s legal first and last name that they use on their application.
- Putting a different unit preference order than your roommates.
- Submitting an invalid picture of their photo ID. The entire identification card must be visible in the picture, including the photo, name, and other identifying details.
- Yes, each person who plans to occupy the unit will need to submit their own application. In addition, each applicant will need a co-signer to submit a co-signer application.
- It depends on the type of lease you intend to sign. All tenants, regardless of which type of lease they sign, will need a co-signer. At the initial lease signing of joint leases, we require at least 2 people to sign a 3-bedroom unit, 3 people to sign a 4-bedroom unit, and at least 4 people to sign a 5-bedroom unit. You can sign a studio, 1-bedroom, or 2-bedroom unit on your own. While you are able to add roommates to the lease at a later date, please note there is a $75.00 fee for each lease change prior to April 1. After that, the fee increases to $150.00 per lease change. Also important to note is that Full Groups (meaning all bedrooms have at least 1 occupant) will be prioritized when the application window opens. There is a maximum of 2 people in a studio or 1-bedroom unit, 4 people in a 2-bedroom unit, and 5 people in a 3-bedroom, 4-bedroom, or 5-bedroom unit. If you intend to sign an individual lease, you will just need yourself and your co-signer at the time of lease signing.
- Yes! The application will allow you to list up to ten (10) different units at either Grand Central or X01. You will also have the option to indicate that you are interested in any unit of a certain type (i.e., 4-bedrooms.)
- Applicants will be able to select up to ten (10) units at Grand Central or X01 to apply for. There is also a box that can be checked directing LZ staff to assign a unit of a similar floor plan to the ten (10) units selected, should those units already be leased by the time your application is processed. Please note that you are not bound to a unit/lease until the lease document is signed. You can still back out once you are ‘assigned’ a unit, but it is more difficult to do so once the lease has been signed and fully executed.
- You will receive a confirmation email that your application has been received. If you receive the confirmation email, your application has been received, and you do not need to reach out to our team to confirm. At that point, the person listed as your co-signer will receive an email with a link to the co-signer application. If you are applying with roommates, once applications are received from all roommates listed on your application and their co-signers, your roommate group will be moved into the queue for processing and approval, which may take up to 2 business days. Upon approval, you will receive the lease for signature via email. Once received, you and your co-signer(s) will have 24 hours to review and sign the lease. If you would like a sample copy of the lease to review ahead of time, please reach out to our office. The security deposit will be due within 10 days of lease signing. Once the lease is signed and the security deposit is received, the unit is secured for the 2026-27 lease term.
- When the application window opens, our team will begin sorting and processing applications. An applicant group must be complete before it will be moved into the queue for processing. A ‘Complete Group’ means that all roommates listed on the application have submitted completed applications (if applicable), and their co-signers have submitted completed applications as well. Complete Groups will then be divided into ‘Full Groups’ and ‘Partial Groups.’ ‘Full Groups’ are roommate groups which have all bedrooms occupied by at least 1 tenant (i.e., 3 applicants for a 3-bedroom unit.) ‘Partial Groups’ are roommate groups that have an unoccupied bedroom at the time of lease signing, but plan to add an additional roommate before the lease term begins. Full Groups will be prioritized over Partial Groups. Full Groups and Partial Groups will then be sorted by timestamp completion of their tenant applications. As long as co-signer applications are received in a timely manner (i.e., within a few hours of the tenant's application), they will not factor into the timestamp ordering. Once placed in order by application completion timestamp, our team will begin processing, approving, and sending leases according to unit selection type, beginning with Full Groups. If units remain after processing all of the Full Groups, our team will begin processing, approving, and sending leases to Partial Groups. The application will remain open until all available units are sold out.
- Application processing can take up to 2 business days from when the application is submitted.
- Our team will be working through applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Application processing takes up to 2 business days. We will be sending leases as soon as we have approved groups starting Tuesday, September 30th, after our renewal and transfer periods for current residents has passed. Once the lease has been received for signature, you have 24 hours to review and sign the lease. If not signed by the deadline by all tenants and co-signers, the unit will be offered to the next group in line. If you would like to review a sample of the lease agreement ahead of time, please request one from our office.
- We often have roommate groups sign a joint lease and add or change out roommates at a later date before moving in. You are able to make changes to roommates at any point before the lease begins, but there is a $75.00 administrative fee for each lease change made prior to April 1. After that, the fee increases to $150.00 per lease change.
- Once your application has been approved and you've been sent a lease for signature, there is no penalty for backing out before the lease is signed. However, once the lease is signed, there is no leniency period in the event that an individual or group wants to be removed from the lease. At that point, leaseholders have a few options depending on whether or not the lease start date has passed. If it has not yet passed, tenants have the option to sublet, add/remove a tenant, or breach. If the lease start date has passed, tenants have the option to sublet or breach. Please refer to your lease document or reach out to our office for more information.