``There's a variety of apartment styles,'' Datesman continued. ``Some offer dens and lofts. Some have gas fireplaces. The lofts are available in certain one- and two-bedroom models.''
When the complex is completed - possibly by the end of the year - the apartments will be in 11 buildings on 22 acres just off Big Oak Road near the Oxford Valley Mall.
``It's a beautiful area,'' said Datesman, who had worked at other Summit Properties Inc. sites before returning to his native Bucks County for his job at Summit Stonefield. ``You can commute very easily to Philadelphia or Trenton from here. It's only five minutes to the mall.''
Summit Stonefield is the first Pennsylvania venture for Summit Properties, a Charlotte, N.C., firm. Some of its other communities are in Delaware, South Carolina and Florida.
The construction to be completed includes a clubhouse/social center, which will have a 24-hour fully equipped fitness center, a lighted tennis court and an outdoor swimming pool. Use of the amenities is included in the rent.
The clubhouse will become a drop-off and pickup center for residents' dry cleaning.
Tom Reich, a resident since June, is one of those eagerly awaiting the new clubhouse and pool.
``I'll definitely take advantage of the pool,'' Reich said. ``And I understand the clubhouse will be available for parties and family gatherings.''
A native of Bucks County, Reich and his partner came to Summit Stonefield because it was convenient to family in Levittown and his work. He also had other reasons.
``I liked the fact they were very friendly'' in the rental office, he said. ``The location here is great, and it's brand new. We looked at a couple of others [complexes], but the main thing was the friendliness.''
Reich likes the fact that Summit Stonefield's location offers easy access to Interstate 95 and upper Bucks attractions like New Hope. He moved back to Bucks County from Philadelphia.
Datesman said that was typical of a number of Summit Stonefield residents.
``We have people who just decided they didn't want to live in Philly or New Jersey but still have an easy commute to those places. The Woodburne station of SEPTA's R-3 commuter rail line is 1 1/2 miles from the complex. For those residents who need to commute to New York, the Trenton station is a 20-minute drive away.
Fred Rappaport moved into Summit Stonefield from a four-bedroom single family residence in Newtown, Bucks County.
``We were downsizing,'' he explained. ``We were looking for a small rental house or condo when we learned of this by accident. It was just being built.''
Like Reich, Rappaport finds Summit Stonefield convenient to a lot of things. He also had high praise for the staff.
Said Datesman: ``We have a good mix of people here, from young professionals to retired couples. We had people move here from Summit properties in the South. They said they did so because they knew what kind of customer service they could expect.''
THE DETAILS Name: Summit Stonefield.
Address: 26000 Cornerstone Drive, Lower Makefield Township.
Phone: 215-702-1900.
Type of housing: One-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
Number of units: 216.
Rental range: $895 to $1,295.
Management: Summit Properties Inc.
Amenities: Limited number of garages. Coming soon are a swimming pool, lighted tennis court, and clubhouse/
social center.
Pet policy: Dogs and cats less than 35 pounds are permitted with a $150 nonrefundable deposit and a $20 monthly charge.
Shopping: Oxford Valley Mall is within a five-minute drive; a shopping center with a supermarket is within a three-minute drive.
Public transportation: SEPTA commuter rail service is within a two-minute drive. Train service to New York is available in Trenton, a 15-20 minute drive.
Directions: From the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Philadelphia Interchange, take Route 1 to Oxford Valley Road, where you turn left. Continue to Big Oak and turn left. Go over railroad tracks to Summit Stonefield on right.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
