New apartment complex quickly fills 32 units

NEWARK – Officials of Redwood Living held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday marking the official opening of the River Trails apartment homes complex on River Road.

Representatives of the Newark City Council and Granville Area Chamber of Commerce were present for the ceremony, along with several Redwood staff members.

“The City of Newark is so glad to have you here,” said Newark council president Don Ellington. “This is a great addition to our community.”

Steve Matheny, executive director of the Granville Area Chamber of Commerce, offered congratulations.

“Anything we can do to help you be successful, please ask,” he said, noting Redwood is a Granville Chamber member.

Chris Conwill, Redwood Living’s chief operating officer, said River Trails “is one of our most beautiful sites.”

The development is located on 14.6 acres at 2260 River Road, just east of the Park Trails neighborhood. It is located in Newark but is a part of the Granville School District.

Of 32 units built so far, 23 are occupied and the others are pre-leased, said Kim Prince, River Trails property manager.

A second construction phase to add 37 more units is also planned, she said. There are also plans for possibly 40 more units farther into the future, she said.

Prince said there are three floor plans offered, two of them in different sizes with an attached two-car garage and the third with an attached one-car garage. All are one-story ranch style structures with two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, kitchen with a large pantry, living room, den and a private patio. All are one story.

Lease prices range from $1,200 to $1,650 monthly, she said.

“They are apartment homes. They look like condos,” she said.

Prince said initial tenants are a mix of people.

“It really appeals to everybody,” she said. “We have young professionals to retirees and everything in between.”

When plans for the development were first announced, Redwood officials said the units would be targeted mainly at empty-nesters.

Granville Schools Superintendent Jeff Brown said Friday there are five families in the complex thus far with children in school.

Redwood Living also broke ground Friday for its apartment complex Carrington Ridge, off Ohio 310 south of Pataskala, where 81 apartments are being built in the first phase and 38 in phase two.

Redwood Living, based in the Cleveland area, develops apartment home communities throughout Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and South Carolina, and future communities are planned for Iowa and Kentucky, according to a company press release.

The company plans to eventually build over 900 apartment homes in the Greater Columbus region, an announcement said.