3 minute read
Apartments set for Newbury
Apartments set for Newbury
South Fayette-based developer to build 416 units along Oak Ridge Road
By Andrea Iglar
More than a decade since Newbury first proposed apartments in South Fayette, a project is poised to materialize.
Alpha Residential is developing Apex Newbury, a six-building complex of 416 apartments on 37 acres spanning Oak Ridge Road.
Site work began after a July groundbreaking. Opening is expected in 2025.
Apex Newbury is the first project in South Fayette for Alpha Residential, a privately held investment firm based in the township’s Abele Business Park.
Company founders Jide Famuagun and Lawunmi Famuagun are spouses who live in South Fayette with their two children. Several employees also live in the community.
CEO Jide Famuagun said he invests in thriving areas where people care about each other.
“The ability to do that in the neighborhood where we live and work was a big positive,” he said.
More than a decade ago, plans for the Newbury mixed-use project included 250 garden apartments in 11 three-story buildings—but that never happened. Famuagun said the apartments were redesigned to be economically viable.
The 232 one-bedroom units and 184 two-bedroom units are geared toward younger professionals and older adults. Rent will start at $1,580 a month (subject to change).
Units range from 737 square feet to 1,294 square feet—sizes less likely to attract families with children, Famuagun said.
In the first phase of the project, two connected buildings on the north side of Oak Ridge will be built with 139 apartments. The second phase, to the south, will have four connected buildings with 277 units. A crosswalk will connect the two sides.
A 2022 transportation impact study did not recommend any off-site road improvements in the area. The study predicted the apartments will generate 1,894 daily vehicle trips (947 cars in and out), with about 160 cars at the peak morning and evening times.
Overall, Newbury includes 195 single-family houses perched above Presto-Sygan Road, plus Newbury Market, with businesses such as Topgolf, Tesla and BJ’s Wholesale Club, near Route 50 and Interstate 79.
“From an ecosystem standpoint, having a lot of nearby retail also helps the livability and the experience our residents are going to enjoy,” Famuagun said.
The need for housing diversity is a factor in the mid-rise apartment project because most homes in South Fayette are single-family.
According to the township’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan, the township should strive to promote a mix of housing options and styles for a wide range of demographic groups.
Alpha Residential, headquartered in the Beacon 1 office building on Abele Road since 2019, has a portfolio of about two dozen multifamily communities in the Midwest and Southeast.
Apex-branded properties include three in Nashville, Tennessee, and two under development locally in South Fayette and Moon.
Each apartment includes smart-home technology, open layouts and features such as gourmet kitchens with islands, walk-in closets, verandas, and in-unit washers and dryers.
Community amenities include a swimming pool, rooftop clubroom, fitness spaces, co-working spaces, dog parks and a walking trail.
Apex Newbury will be one of a kind in the region, Famuagun said.
“The South Fayette community is going to be very proud of having an Apex in the backyard,” he said.
