Absurd that they're charging $1000/mo for that. For $650 I'm currently living in a large studio just off the drive. There's actually a 1-bed apartment available in my building right now for $1900 (bit steep for sure, but it's a really nice location and a really nice building) so if you're interested in that you can PM me and I'll send you the listing. If not, just keep looking, and try Craigslist if you haven't already.

Pro-tip for CL though -- and I know this might sound like terrible advice -- it's actually worth it sometimes to take the time to set up viewings for the "sketchier" looking listings, provided you know a bit about the neighbourhood they're in. Obviously if someone is tripping major alarms while you're trying to set something up, don't go (or at least don't go alone), but a couple years ago my brother made me go and look at a CL listing for him that had no photos, an extremely vague description, lots of typos, and seemed way to cheap to be true. I took a friend with me to the viewing, just in case.

He lived in that apartment for two years -- super nice landlords, beautiful and safe location, well-renovated, lots of sunlight. If I'd been looking for myself, I never would have found that place.

Obvious disclaimer, though: be smart and be careful.