By Jane Kaufman
Stepping into the main lobby of Beachwood Apartments by Albion, a visitor is struck by clean contemporary lines with touches of homeyness and references to – and a reverence for – Cleveland.
In the lobby of the east building, showcasing a boutique artisan style, there are coffee-table books, among them “Ohio in Photographs” and “Faces of Cleveland.” There is also a fireplace, a flat-screen television and glass windows offering natural light.
Among the soft touches are color schemes in grays and pinks, a fainting chair along with overstuffed lounge-style armchairs, and display shelves with objets d’art.
Built as the Deville Apartments, the Beachwood Apartments by Albion, located at 23511 Chagrin Blvd., underwent a nearly $11.3 million renovation and expansion starting in April 2018 under Oak Park, Ill.-based owner Albion Residential LLC. Meraki Architects of Middleburg Heights did the design and Albion Construction LLC of Chicago was the general contractor.
Lauren Ginley, sales consultant for Village Green Management, which manages the 246 apartments across the six-building complex, gave Jstyle a virtual tour of the common spaces and amenities, along with a tour of the model apartment unit.
Community oriented
The expansion includes the addition of a club room, which features multiple windows and leads to a common patio. The club room contains tables, a pool table, a wall-sized Scrabble game, foosball, consoles for 60 arcade games and a fireplace. Furnishings include a leather couch, two dining room sets and a galley kitchen, as well as hanging plants from sconces.
Photographs of Cleveland sports figures and celebrities, including Halle Berry, hang in the common corridor.
Village Green Management works to enhance the environment by offering social opportunities for residents to connect in the club room.
“We often host monthly residential events in this space,” Ginley says. “That’s when we bring the community together twice a month. If they would want to meet their neighbors, we’ll host a wind-down Wednesday, a pizza party, things like that, just to show them our appreciation for choosing our community as their home.”
Giving that room a sense of place are black and white photographs of Cleveland landmarks, including the interior of the Old Arcade.
While residents may reserve use of the club room for four hours for a $350 fee and additional security deposit, use of outdoor common spaces are open to residents for use on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Many residents have hosted a private party in the club room area for a birthday, anniversary or a holiday,” Ginley says.
The patio area off the club room has been landscaped with shrubbery, grasses and Japanese maple trees. Urns are planted with pansies. A picnic table is located near a grilling station. There is also an outdoor fireplace.
A round table set with eight chairs fits under a pergola. Stone paths are threaded through the outdoor common spaces outside the club room.
Alluring amenities
Back indoors, the east building has a locked Luxer mailroom for all delivered packages.
It also has a fitness center, with views to the back patio. That room is open 24 hours a day and features Peloton machines, treadmills, free weights, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a television.
Beachwood Apartments by Albion has 29 different unit styles ranging from one- to four-bedrooms.
The east building has about 90 units, the north and south buildings each have 50. The three garden villa-style buildings feature approximately 15 courtyard-style apartments each, near the complex’s pool.
Underground parking garages are available for the complex, with parking available at a rate of $75 per month per vehicle.
The model apartment is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom open-concept style in the east building with 1,255 square feet.
“(Apartments) can be smaller, a little bit more conservative depending on how much space you’re looking for,” Ginley says. “Or they can be larger. Our two-bed styles specifically range from 1,050 square feet up to 1,610 depending on how much space someone may be looking for.”
Rental prices change regularly under flex pricing.
“I’ve seen the rates go up. I’ve also seen them go down,” Ginley says. “Beachwood, Ohio is very much in demand. So with any style – whether it be our one-, two-, three- or four-bed styles that we have to offer for the community – the rental rates could change every single day.”
Vinyl plank flooring is featured in common areas of the apartment, with wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedrooms.
The kitchen has granite counter tops, Shaker style soft-close cabinetry, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel Frigidaire appliances, gas range stove, microwave oven and dishwasher. The kitchen sink has a detachable sprayer. Apartments come with wooden blinds as window treatments. Each apartment has a Bosch energy-efficient washer and dryer.
The guest bathroom has a tub-style bath and shower. The master bedroom includes a walk-in closet.
While there is no balcony or patio access from the model unit, other apartment styles include balconies or a paved patio area, where residents may keep plants and outdoor furniture.
At the patio near the heated swimming pool, there are rocking chairs, a fireplace with stones, table tennis, a bar area and a post-and-beam style pavilion, along with three covered cabanas. There are poolside chaise longues.
Each year in June at the pool, there is a Splash Day in which residents are invited to support the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland.
With many layouts and choices of activities, residents of Beachwood Apartments by Albion might choose to lead an active and enjoyable life – both indoors and outside – without ever leaving home.