Upscale Apartment Living at Redone Retreat at Mountain Brook
From the June 2016 issue of Southern Jewish Life magazine: Technology and nature commune as one at the Birmingham area’s new upscale apartment living community, The Retreat at Mountain Brook, which offers everything from a community garden to resident coffee lounges equipped with Wi-Fi and nearby hiking trails. Located on 80 acres neighboring Mountain Brook, the community started a $7 million, 18-month renovation after it was acquired by California-based development community Heller Stone. “The intent was to create an upscale environment for residents wanting to have it all,” said Arlington Properties Regional Manager Tami Stertmeyer. “The Retreat offers a plethora of modern amenities for our residents that include a community garden, three saltwater resort-style pools, two state-of-the-art fitness centers, two resident coffee lounges equipped with Wi-Fi, championship-modeled tennis courts and walking trails.” Stertmeyer said that not only is The Retreat at Mountain Brook pet-friendly, but the community features a 6,500-square-foot dog part equipped with agility stations to “keep our beloved pets happy and healthy.” She said the apartments’ interior space features spacious living and dining rooms; open kitchens with stainless steel appliances; electric fireplaces, designer plank flooring; an entertaining/bar area; oversized balconies; sun-rooms and terrace level apartment homes that have fenced-in yard spaces. To read the rest of the article and browse the June issue of Southern Jewish Life visit https://issuu.com/sjlmag/docs/sjl0616ds/32
Kick Off the Summer Entertaining Season with Style and Ease
Memorial Day weekend is upon us, signaling the start of summer and the summer entertaining season. With its salt-water pools, outdoor kitchens, peaceful setting and generous public and private entertaining spaces, The Retreat at Mountain Brook is the perfect place for relaxed summer get-togethers with friends and family. The property features two poolside outdoor kitchens with stacked-stone bars, vaulted roofs, ceiling fans and gas and charcoal grills. The new, championship-modeled tennis courts and the Flora Johnston Nature Trail (see details below) also provide opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with guests. Because playing host can sometimes spark anxiety, we want to share some tips for making a Memorial Day party and other summer holiday gatherings as easy and stress-free as possible. We’d also like to pass along this amazing shrimp-and-crab-stuffed-pasta-shells recipe from our friend Sherry with the blog Rosemary and the Goat. It’s a great dish for a warm-weather party. Memorial Day Entertaining Tips: • Don’t feel like you have to provide every bite of food. Consider cooking the main dish and supplying drinks and asking your guests to bring sides and desserts. • Remember the flowers. Decorating your indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces with some arrangements of locally grown flowers such as camellias, hydrangeas or jasmine doesn’t have to cost a lot, and it can make a big impact. • Pick up some battery-operated, flameless candles or lanterns. They create a charming ambiance for evening dining on a patio or balcony. • Let your friends and family help. If someone offers to help set up, man the grill or assist you in cleaning, take them up on it. Guests will feel much better helping rather than idling as you do all the work. • Put a new spin on the patriotic theme. If you want to honor the spirit of the day but aren’t crazy about stars and stripes in your decorating, try a simple red and white or blue and white color palette. Serve strawberries, raspberries or blueberries to add color through food. The nautical look is popular this year, and you can inexpensively accent your décor with it by wrapping hardware-store rope around the vases and using coastal-style, flameless lanterns. As promised, more about the Flora Johnston Nature Trail, located right next to The Retreat: The Flora Johnston Nature Trail actually contains two trails, an upper and lower, that follow a branch of Shades Creek. Along approximately 2 miles of paths, you’ll find rock outcroppings and several places to sit and view the creek or do some bird watching. The trails are an easy walk perfect for families and groups.
It’s Always a Do Dah Day at The Retreat
Four-legged as well as two-legged neighbors and potential residents got a taste of The Retreat at Mountain Brook Saturday at one of Birmingham’s most popular events – Do Dah Day, a festival that invites people to enjoy music, food and a parade with their pets. The event began in 1979 and has raised more than $1.3 million for Jefferson County animal shelters since 1992. In keeping with The Retreat’s pet-friendly, community-involved atmosphere, staff members manned a booth at the festival. They gave away dog treats and accessories, citrus-flavored water and information about the newly renovated, luxury community and its future offerings for residents and those in surrounding areas. “We had a lot of inquires,” says Amy Hodges, property manager. “A lot of people thought it was a retreat for dogs. We had to tell them it’s a retreat for dogs and people.” A 6,500 square foot, leash-free dog park will open at The Retreat in June and will include obstacle-course-style activity stations called The King of the Hill and Over Rover. Residents of The Retreat and nearby Mountain Brook and Eastwood neighborhoods are welcome to visit with their furry companions. Dog treats also are available in The Retreat’s resident lounges. Studies have shown spending time with pets, particularly dogs, can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. The American Heart Association has linked pet ownership with a reduced risk for heart disease. The developers of The Retreat understand the importance of giving residents and other community members places to spend quality playtime with their pets and to socialize with each other, Hodges says. A community garden adjacent to the dog park also aims to bring people together. In addition to the booth at Do Dah Day, The Retreat at Mountain Brook had a presence this past weekend at an event celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, at the Levite Jewish Community Center. The celebration featured a kids’ carnival, arts and crafts, food, music, a bike parade and more. Hodges says the goal of attending events like these is to spread word about changes at The Retreat, which was built in four phases from 1974 to 1987 and has undergone a complete exterior and interior renewal since its purchase by Heller Stone Properties in 2014. The 517-unit, 80-acre property bordering the community of Mountain Brook is nestled in an established, wooded neighborhood next to a nature preserve, yet is minutes from downtown Birmingham, restaurants, shops and entertainment. Formerly known as The Enclave, the community was once sought after, but had fallen into disrepair. For many people who learn about or see the renovations, “it’s bringing back memories of what the property was in the 1970s and 1980s,” Hodges says. If you’d like to meet the new Retreat at Mountain Brook, please join us for a happy hour between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. We’ll announce other upcoming events here as well.
Decorate Your Outdoor Space Like A Pro
The Retreat at Mountain Brook’s balconies, sunrooms, patios and fenced yards offer a wealth of outdoor spaces for personal enjoyment and for entertaining friends and family. As with any outside area, decorating in a way that is both inviting and practical is key to taking advantage of all the possibilities, says Suzanne Martenson, owner and founder of Stems and Styles in Homewood, Ala. Here are some tips the event stylist and floral designer shares for making the most of an outdoor space: Strike a balance between style and function. Martenson recommends placing a basket against the wall of a balcony or covered patio and filling it with rolled-up throw blankets. It’s an opportunity to add color and texture to the space, and the blankets are convenient when guests are over or you’re enjoying a glass of wine outside and there’s a chill in the air. “People can grab them and wrap up,” she says. “It’s always a nice, inviting touch to have.” Consider creating a container garden of herbs or adding herbs to flower planters, Martenson says. Not only will the herbs add visual interest, but they’ll come in handy. “You can always have them for cooking, and in the hot Alabama weather, they take the heat and the sun well and don’t require a lot of water,” she says. “Plus, they look nice mixed in with your annuals.” Bring the indoors out with furniture and rugs. A wide range of comfortable furniture in a variety of styles, from sleek to rustic, is now made to last outdoors, Martenson says. “There are sectionals and loveseats that really make you feel like you’ve extended your living room,” she says. A table on a patio, balcony or in a sunroom also can extend entertaining space. Today’s outdoor rugs can barely be distinguished from their indoor counterparts. “They really warm up the space,” Martenson says. Be strategic with color. Use a neutral pallet – tans, grays and whites – for large items such as furniture, Martenson advises. Then add color with accents like pillows and other small items. This way you can inexpensively change the entire look seasonally – or when you get tired of the current one – by replacing the accents. “If you buy a full printed sofa, you’re going to be stuck with it for awhile,” Martenson says.
Enjoy the Outdoors at The Retreat at Mountain Brook
Whether you’re hosting a large party or intimate gathering, The Retreat at Mountain Brook’s outdoor amenities offer something for everyone. “Our clubhouses feature large, beautifully decorated lounges and coffee bars and overlook tile-decked saltwater pools with outdoor kitchens and cabanas,” says manager Amy Hodges. “For small gatherings, guests can congregate in the covered outdoor kitchen area. Larger groups can spread out at multiple tables across the pool deck, creating a café-style setting that is becoming a popular outdoor-entertaining trend.” Residents who enjoy tennis can invite guests to play at two championship-modeled courts right in their own backyard. Oversized balconies, sunrooms, and patios provide even more options for entertaining guests and extending the generous personal living space The Retreat affords. Ground-level flats even offer fenced-in yards. “With peaceful, tree-studded surroundings, the spaces also are great for curling up with a cup of coffee, glass of wine or book, and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature,” says Hodges. “Both sunrooms and balconies/patios offer residents the opportunity to cultivate container gardens of flowers, herbs, or vegetables, and sunrooms can double as home offices.” The Retreat is located adjacent to the Flora Johnston Nature Trail, giving residents even more possibilities for recharging in the rolling, forested hills, adjacent to the Mountain Brook community. “To top things off, this quiet, secluded getaway is only minutes from the city’s downtown, international airport, restaurants, shopping and entertainment,” says Hodges. “This combination of being close to urban conveniences while surrounded by natural treasures is what sets The Retreat apart.” Originally published in B Metro, The Magazine of Metro Birmingham Living
Right in Your Backyard: Community Garden and Pet Park
When The Retreat at Mountain Brook‘s team was looking at unique amenities to offer their residents, two ideas sprung up: a dog park and community garden. “So many residents have pets and when you work all day it’s important to spend quality time playing and enjoying your four-legged friends,” says Amy Hodges, manager of The Retreat. “It’s really all about providing a sense of community and a place for people to come together and love where they live!” When residents arrive at The Retreat, they will immediately find this luxury community revolves around the enjoyment of the outdoors with its walking trails, outdoor kitchens, and saltwater swimming pools. The community garden is a central part of this outdoor oasis. “We plan to have a large herb garden, seasonal flowers for cutting, and other things,” says Hodges. “If residents have gardening ideas, we want them bring them to the table.” In addition to the garden and park, The Retreat team wanted a cheerful mural to welcome residents and visitors as they drive up to the apartments. They sought out the right artist for the job and ultimately chose Lydia Randolph from Mentone, Alabama. “The mural is an expression of the good times to be had by all at The Retreat. It provides a whimsical backdrop of all the things you’d expect to see in a garden-sunflowers and daises, puppies, frogs, tomatoes, and herbs,” says Hodges. “People from the neighborhood are actually stopping to see what we are doing and thanking us for improving the view.” Originally published in B Metro, The Magazine of Metro Birmingham Living.
We Love Community at The Retreat at Mountain Brook
“’Community’ is a central theme you’ll hear us talking a lot about,” said Amy Hodges, manager of The Retreat at Mountain Brook, the revitalized luxury apartment community located just off Montevallo Road on Sharpsburg Drive. “Our goal is to be involved in the community, supporting causes and organizations that are important to our residents.” One of these initiatives includes sponsoring the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce quarterly luncheon in April at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, another organization The Retreat looks forward to working with. “We will have a community garden on site where residents can enjoy cutting fresh herbs and flowers,” says Hodges. “We also realize how important pets are, so we are in the process of creating a fenced in dog park on premises for our resident’s use.” Location is another reason The Retreat’s residents choose to live there. Residents at the Retreat are surrounded by Birmingham’s best restaurants, shopping, and entertainment opportunities. The nearby Avondale community offers unique restaurants such as Melt and Post Office Pies as well as Avondale Brewery for those looking for exciting nightlife with local brews. Its an easy drive from The Retreat to Crestline Village, about three miles away. There, you can be pampered at Smart Skin Spa, shop at a variety of boutiques, grab a bagel at Crestline Bagel, or lunch at Urban Cookhouse, and of course enjoy an afternoon of Margarita’s at La Paz—all just a short distance from home. Originally published in B Metro, The Magazine for Metro Birmingham Living.
Meet The Retreat
For many, Birmingham’s revitalization brings a desire to take root in one of our city’s up-and-coming neighborhoods. One of those promising residences is The Retreat at Mountain Brook, a property undergoing fresh renovation to make it one of the most desired places to live in Birmingham. With just a 10-minute drive to hip Avondale, Crestwood, and Crestline—and only a 5-minute drive to creature comforts Publix and Starbucks—The Retreat celebrates modern, easy living in Birmingham. “The Retreat was designed to bring back the notions of community, neighborhood, and convenience,” says Amy Hodges, the property manager at The Retreat at Mountain Brook. “It’s a community where every detail makes luxury seem simple.” The Retreat offers one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as townhouses. The spacious indoor and outdoor spaces deliver warm, welcoming, and enduring sentiments—so they feel just like home. From fully renovated kitchens, to separate dining rooms that seat eight, to outdoor living options like a balcony, sunroom, or patio with a fenced-in yard, The Retreat is quickly gaining a reputation for providing open, expansive residences that feel charming, yet modern. “Our spacious floor plans are equipped to accommodate a variety of lifestyles,” explains Hodges. “For example, each apartment is furnished with a washer and dryer, and each living room is furnished with an electric fireplace that adds to the ambience.” Now open and signing leases, The Retreat at Mountain Brook gives Birmingham dwellers the opportunity to take part in our city’s resurgence and engage in the cool, modern southern lifestyle. Says Hodges, “We have taken a remarkable vision and created a special place to live, play, and relax.” Follow along as we share more about this emerging residence in the next few weeks. Originally published in B-Metro, The Magazine of Metro Birmingham Living.
