Copyright Hartford Courant
One of the largest new apartment complexes in this suburban town hit the market this fall with about 200 units leasing at market rates of up to nearly $5,000 a month. The Olmsted, a four-story, amenity-intensive building near Batterson Park in Farmington, offers apartments varying from three-bedroom units down to studios that are advertised for as little as $2,325. The project is billed as luxury housing, currently the most lucrative part of the housing market for developers. “Offering a refined living experience defined by quiet elegance and timeless design, each home exudes sophistication and warmth,” says the promotional section of The Olmsted’s new website. “With European-style cabinets and oversized hardwood flooring, every detail is thoughtfully planned to create a serene and stylish retreat.” Its 203 apartments make the building one of the biggest new apartment projects in Farmington in the past decade. On the opposite side of I-84, a different developer completed a bigger complex two years ago by converting the former Hartford Marriott Farmington into 250 apartments. Brothers Aristides and Niko Koutouvides designed and built The Olmsted through their Skala Construction LLC, an 11-year-old business that has completed multifamily and retail projects mostly in Fairfield County. Located on Batterson Park Road at the southeastern edge of Farmington, The Olmsted is a J-shaped building with an outdoor pool and extensive pool deck in its main courtyard. The property is across the street from Batterson Park, and the Koutouvides brothers envision residents using the walking and bike trails that the state is installing there. When it proposed the project, Skala told town officials that it was drawn to the site by the large jobs market nearby. “There are massive corporate parks all around us, the UConn Health Center is just a mile and a half down the road, there’s West Hartford center and the Westfarms mall all 3 to 5 miles away,” Ari Koutouvides said during a springtime tour of the complex as construction was under way. All of its apartments are being leased at market rates, and the price range is wide. The first tier is studios ranging from 532 to 563 square feet; rents run from $2,325 to $2,700. There are various styles of one-bedroom units ranging from 667 to 821 square feet, with rents running from $2,640 to $3,365. Two-bedroom apartments, some with two bathrooms, vary from 1,026 square feet to 1,263, and rents go from $3,625 to $4,290. The complex has a very limited number of three-bedroom apartments; they’re sized between 1,422 and 1,465 square feet, with rents running $4,375 and $4,990. With leasing just getting under way, the owners — similar to managers of many other new market-rate housing complexes in Connecticut — is running introductory discounts, including two months free rent offered on some apartments with an 18-month lease. The Olmsted advertises that it has a cardio studio, dining hall, social hall, lounge, athletic kitchen, great hall, dog spa, study room, boardroom and a parcel center. Available for fees are indoor parking spaces and storage units. Skala cites features of the apartments as European-style cabinets, hardwood-style plank flooring, quartz countertops, porcelain tile backsplashes, verandas overlooking the terrace, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, keyless entry and smart home technology.
