Phyllis Beshany says it over and over: she “fell in love” with The Eastbury.
After spending 30 years living in a two-bedroom condominium in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Beshany decided to make a move.
“I grew up down there, but I reached an age where I wanted to be around a lot of people, especially my family,” she said. She decided to join her son’s family in Homewood, but there was still the matter of finding a place to live.
“I didn’t really want to live with my children, even though they said I could live there,” she said. “I like to be on my own. I’m very independent.”
She was discerning, too. When her son and daughter suggested The Eastbury – a 122-condominium development at 1840 Oxmoor Road – she didn’t immediately say yes.
“When they found this place, I said, ‘Well, I don’t want to move there unless I see it,’” she said. “And the minute we drove here from my son’s house, I fell in love with the place. It’s wonderful. It’s just overwhelmingly good. I can’t find one thing that I don’t like.”
the Eastbury, a 122-unit condominium development. Photo courtesy The Eastbury.
Last year, the owners of the Hill luxury apartments announced that they were redeveloping the property into condominiums meant to appeal to a variety of people – “folks who want a lower-maintenance type of lifestyle, where they can have a place in an urban setting, whether they’re traveling as professionals, young or old, downsizing or upsizing,” said Farris Properties portfolio manager John Chapman.
The Eastbury offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units that have been totally renovated, including new flooring, bathrooms and kitchens. Beshany opted for a one-bedroom.
Price points for the condominiums range from $200,000 to $500,000, which Chapman calls “very attractive.”
Beshany is renting one of the development’s apartment units while work on her condominium is being finished.
“I love the open floor plan,” Beshany said. “The interior and the way it’s laid out … it’s handy. And the kitchen is marvelous. The cabinets are wonderful … . It’s just beautiful, compared to where I came from. And where we’re located is wonderful. There’s nothing that I could say I’m lacking here.”
Developers have often cited The Eastbury’s “irreplaceable” location near downtown Homewood as a selling point for the condominiums, which are a short distance away from the city’s stretch of shops and restaurants on 18th Street. The Eastbury also features plenty of amenities of its own, including a swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen, a fitness room, off-street parking, garage spaces and storage rooms.
“I can walk anywhere I want,” Beshany said. “I don’t have to get in the car. I can go to restaurants. I can walk down to the library. I love to read, I love to exercise, and I’ve been exercising here, whereas before, where I lived, I had to get in the car and go somewhere. Now, everything is located around me, and I just love it.”
“The area here at The Eastbury, I found it so invigorating,” she added. “There’s so much to do, and I’m never bored. … And the people are so friendly in Birmingham compared to South Florida!”
Beshany also said she’s grateful for the proximity to her family.
“My daughter-in-law is a teacher in Mountain Brook, and my grandsons are going to college at the University of Alabama,” she said. “I only saw them, like, one or two times a year, and now I can see them anytime I want.”
Now, Beshany said, she’s mostly just excited to move into her new home. “I don’t think they’re far from being done (with construction), but I just can’t wait!” she said. “I love my temporary place, but I can’t wait for it to be my own place … . Once I move in, I’ll be able to decorate; I’m so excited!”
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