MHN Executive Council: Heartwarming Resident Experiences
We call our apartment buildings communities. And these renters really show why.
We call our apartment buildings communities. And these residents really show why. The MHN Executive Council shares some of their favorite renter stories.
Inviting Your Inner Child
When we designed Dey & Bergen, a multifamily development just a few steps from Harrison, NJ’s PATH station, we amenitized a heavily trafficked common area to positively impact and engage residents beyond serving as a pass-through area. We specifically wanted to reach social media users operating under an “if it isn’t Insta, it didn’t happen” mentality.
We designed a distinctive 1950s-era interior design inspired by television’s Mad Men that encompasses a Speakeasy Lounge with a sports car placed in the room’s center. A vintage 1964 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite that was customized to authentically match the Mad Men era serves as the space’s focal point and provides a unique Instagram moment.
During the photo shoot we witnessed a resident respond to the space in a way that exceeded our expectations. Imagine the small, bright red sports car and the first resident to live in Dey & Bergen, who is over 6 feet tall and built like an NFL player, stopping to take a look. He lit up like a young boy who wanted to climb inside. He asked us if he could get in and if we would take a picture of him behind the wheel. We were so happy to oblige, and he couldn’t have been more excited to share the photo on Instagram with all of his friends. —Mary Cook, President, Mary Cook Associates
Feeling at Home
I recently toured one of our properties, The Residences of Devanshire—a single-family rental home community in Knoxville, Tenn.—where we’ve completed major landscaping, exterior and interior renovations. During my visit, a longtime resident approached me and asked if I was part of the new ownership group. When I said yes, she thanked me—with tears in her eyes—for improving “her home” and “her community.” She then asked if she could give me a hug. It was the highlight of my visit and a powerful reminder that we’re in the business of providing quality housing that people are proud to call home. —Michael Zaransky, Founder & Managing Partner, MZ Capital Partners
It Takes a Village
At one of our apartment communities in Ohio (The Residences at Sara Crossing) a pregnant neighbor stuck at the hospital asked if someone could water her plants.
What followed was community at it’s finest: neighbors immediately stepped up, offered to help, checked in on her garden, and made sure she felt cared for.
One said it best: “You and hubs do what you need to do, I got your lot covered.”
This is what community should feel like. —Ben Pleat, CEO, Cobu
Interested in joining the MHN Executive Council and sharing your insights? Email Jessica Fiur.
