Comfort and convenience abound at Forest Park Apartments

April 16, 2010|By LUCY CLARK

It's easy to miss the entrance to the Forest Park Apartments in Farmington. That's because carefully landscaped arborvitae, maple trees, rhododendrons and other greenery screen the suburban enclave from the road. The development, with 58 two-bedroom townhouse and ranch-style apartments built around two manmade ponds with large fountains, offers stunning views.

All of the 1,200-square-foot carpeted apartments have private decks, new maple kitchens and 1.5 bathrooms. Units are equipped with washer-dryer hookups and have central air conditioning. Thermal windows increase energy-efficiency.

"It's very private; there is a very secure feeling. A lot of people are looking for that today," says Jean Munson, manager of the complex, where she has lived for 15 years. "It's very home-like."

Her apartment doubles as the office for the apartments. Munson - affectionately known as the "mayor" of the Forest Park Apartments - lives in a two-story townhouse. On the first floor she has a galley kitchen, a half-bath and combined living-dining room. Sliding glass doors lead to a deck that overlooks one of the ponds. Large windows on each side of the sliding glass doors bring in additional light and views. Upstairs are two large bedrooms with high ceilings, a full bathroom with two sinks, a washer and dryer and a linen closet.

Next door, Andrea and Andre D'Andrea live in a ranch-style unit. "It's all on one floor so it's so convenient," says Andrea, showing a visitor around the spacious apartment, which includes a huge walk-in closet in the master bedroom. In the kitchen, she points out the many cabinets for storage and a large built-in cupboard. The D'Andreas have lived at the apartment complex for six years.

The townhouses and ranches in the development - painted powder blue or off-white - are built around cul-de-sac, which slow traffic. Mature plantings throughout the development provide privacy.

Joel D. Weisman, co-owner of RWR Enterprises and a managing partner of the property, says the ranch-style apartments are in demand, particularly with older people who are interested in one-floor living. "Ranches are popular," he says, noting that there is a waiting list for them.

RWR also owns other properties in the Farmington Valley, including the Forest Park Office Green, an office complex of eight buildings next to the Forest Park Apartment complex, he says. Weisman says many renters at the Forest Park Apartments attend or work at the nearby University of Connecticut Health Center, as well as at ESPN and Hartford insurance companies. Several couples in the development spend winters in Florida and live in their units in the summer, he adds.

"It is also interesting that many of our tenants come from various areas of the United States as well as from other countries such as India, Korea, Albania and China," he says. "It's a real fun place to live."

Munson says the age range of the renters is from "eight to 80."

Rents range from $1,325 to $1,350 a month. An indoor garage is an additional $75 a month. Pets are not allowed. The apartment site has a full-time maintenance team headed by Angelo Cubeta. Most requests for repairs are addressed the day they are received. "Our maintenance is second to none," Weisman says. The complex also has a groundskeeper service that fertilizes five times a year and keeps the evergreens trimmed and mature trees healthy, he says.

The Forest Park Apartments are located on Fenwick Drive, off Devonwood Road (which is off Route 4) in Farmington.

The apartment complex is only 2.2 miles from I-84, and from there, a 15-minute drive away from Hartford. It is also a 10-minute drive from the complex to Avon. Downtown Farmington is minutes away.

The apartment complex's location is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. There are walking trails throughout the area. It is next to the upscale Devonwood subdivision and adjacent to Winding Trails, a recreation area with 12.5 miles of woodlands for hiking, picnicking and cross-country skiing for members. Winding Trails also has a pond for swimming, fishing and ice-skating, and offers a summer day camp for children. The facility has tennis, basketball and volleyball courts as well as bocce courts and horseshoe pits.

For golfers, Tunxis Plantation, a 45-hole public golf course, is nearby. The golf course has two 18-hole courses and one nine-hole course. Also nearby is the Tunxis Fore driving range, which features 41 lighted stations for day and evening use.

For those who prefer miniature golf, the family-owned Farmington Miniature Golf & Ice Cream Parlor, which has been in business since 1962, is also nearby.

The Farmington Farms Racquet Club, owned by RWR, is also nearby. "It's close to Avon, Canton, West Hartford, too, with Blue Back Square and all of those businesses," Weisman says. "It's a really great location."

Lucy Clark is a free-lance writer based in West Hartford. For additional photographs of this property, go to www.courant.com/realestate.

Forest Park Apartments Farmington

• Builder: RWR Enterprises, LLC
• Price: $1,325 to $1,350 per month plus $75 for optional detached garage
• Style: Townhouse and Ranch
• Rooms: 5
• Bedrooms: 2
• Baths: 1.5
• Size: approximately 1,200 square feet
• Acreage: 8 acres
• Best features: Views from apartments and lush grounds
• Contact: RWR Enterprises, LLC, management office 860-651-3531 www.rwrenterprises.com For rentals, call onsite manager Jean Munson at 860-678-8800